He had a heap of newspapers and magazines thrown pell-mell into the empty
seat next him; and arousing himself with a faint show of effort presently,
he began to turn these over with a careless hand.
The noise of his movements startled Clarissa; she looked across at him, and
their eyes met. This was just what he wanted. He had been curious to see
her eyes. They were hazel, and very beautiful, completing the charm of her
face.
"May I offer you some of these things?" he said. "I have a reading lamp
in one of my bags, which I will light for you in a moment. I won't pledge
myself for your finding the magazines very amusing, but anything is better
than the blankness of a long dreary journey."
"Thank you, you are very kind; but I don't care about reading to-night; I
could not give you so much trouble."
"Pray don't consider that. It is not a question of a moments trouble. I'll
light the lamp, and then you can do as you like about the magazines."
He stood up, unlocked one of his travelling-bags, the interior of which
glittered like a miniature arsenal, and took out a lamp, which he lighted
in a rapid dexterous manner, though without the faintest appearance of
haste, and fixed with a brass apparatus of screws and bolts to the arm
of Clarissa's seat. Then he brought her a pile of magazines, which she
received in her lap, not a little embarrassed by this unexpected attention.
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