Came to England. Impressed yet
again by the extraordinary self-consciousness of travellers. On the platform at
the Nord, another man and I tramping up and down the platform got
half-smothered in a cloud of malodorous steam. He could not help turning to me
as we emerged, to share his sensation with me by means of a gesture. Had he not
been on a journey he would have ignored my existence. The English side of the
journey has improved. Better carriages: electric light, contrasted with oil in
French train. (Strangely medieval – oil lighting, requiring men, ladders, and
very heavy lamps.) Permanent way much better in England than in France.
Carriages quieter. Porters better and more agreeably man-like.
Arnold Bennett;s Journals, December 4th 1907
No comments:
Post a Comment