the stars looked down and laughed as albert chased the lights of the train down the mountain.
the train made frequent stops, seemingly at every little village or hamlet on the mountainside, but the stops were brief, and albert, try as he might, could never quite catch it before it moved on to the next little stop.
he ran and ran. sometimes the lights of the train were so close as to almost blind him, but he just could not catch it.
until, just as he was about to give up, he finally caught it as it slowed down around a particularly sharp bend of the mountain.
gasping, albert pulled himself up the steps of the train as it began to pick up speed, where he immediately came face to face with a conductor, a ruddy faced fellow with an impeccable little conductor’s mustache.
“destination, sir?” the conductor asked albert.
“vienna, of course,” albert replied. “where else would i be going?”
“very good, sir.” the conductor produced a ticket from his capacious pockets, took albert’s money, and punched the ticket and gave it to albert.
“the club car is three cars down, sir, if you would care to refresh yourself. the first class seating is in the two cars beyond the club car.”
“thank you.” albert picked his way through the third and second class cars to the club car.
the club car was empty except for a woman seated by herself at one of the tables. to his astonishment albert recognized her as the celebrated countess de c————— !
the countess, who was wearing one of her signature ermine wraps, looked up at the gawking albert.
“a bit chilly in here, isn’t it?” the countess asked albert. “won’t you join me?”
albert quickly obliged, and at a signal from the countess, a waiter appeared and brought albert a glass of wine.
if albert was afraid of not being able to amuse the countess, his fears were for naught, for as the train careened down the mountainside the countess kept up a constant flow of elegant chatter about the duke of this and the baron of that, and various renowned artists and composers, as if albert , like herself, was an intimate acquaintance of theirs, and did not know them only by sight, or by seeing their pictures in the society pages of the weekly newsmagazines.
albert was transfixed. he was not called upon to open his mouth, only to nod occasionally. the time flew past.
then, just as the train was about to reach the foot of the mountain, albert caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror behind the club car bar.
he had been transformed into a curious little green creature, halfway between a frog and a kitten!
the countess noticed albert’s confusion. “ah, my friend,” she told him, “i am truly sorry i have had to put this spell on you. i can, however, remove it, if you could see your way to doing me a service.”
“i am your your disposal, dear madame,” albert managed to squeak.
“vey well then.” the countess had a small purse on the table in front of her and she reached into it and took out a couple of brightly printed brochures. she placed them on the table and by hopping up on to the table albert was able to read them.
“some of my friends and i,” the countess commenced, “ have taken an interest in the fortunes of this company. “ she tapped the brochures with her long fingernail. “the great austrian-african railway, which proposes to connect vienna with cape town in the near future, with the most advanced comfort and convenience. if i restore you to your previous form, my friends and i would take it as a great favor if you would consent to become the agent of this concern, in the stations of this mountain, and in the plains extending to sarajevo.”
so it is, traveler, that if you find yourself on the train, or waiting for the train, or running to catch the train, you may encounter alfred at any of the stations or cafes along the route, attempting to promote the prospects and sell the shares of the great austrian-african railway, with various results. you will find him always happy to accept a glass of wine or a bock, and to discuss the events of the day.
No comments:
Post a Comment