IX
Shewasawakenedbythescreamofanengine，andlookedaroundheramazed。Herneckhadfallensidewayswhilesheslept，andfelthorridlystiff;herheadached，andshewasshivering。Shesawbytheclockthatitwaspastfive。’IfonlyIcouldgetsometea！’shethought。’AnywayIwon’tstayhereanylonger！’Whenshehadwashed，andrubbedsomeofthestiffnessoutofherneck，thetearenewedhersenseofadventurewonderfully。Hertraindidnotstartforanhour;shehadtimeforawalk，towarmherself，andwentdowntotheriver。Therewasanearlyhaze，andalllookedalittlemysterious;butpeoplewerealreadypassingontheirwaytowork。
Shewalkedalong，lookingatthewaterflowingupunderthebrightmisttowhichthegullsgaveasortofhoveringlife。ShewentasfarasBlackfriarsBridge，andturningback，satdownonabenchunderaplane—tree，justasthesunbrokethrough。Alittlepastywomanwithapinchedyellowishfacewasalreadysittingthere，sostill，andseemingtoseesolittle，thatNoelwonderedofwhatshecouldbethinking。Whileshewatched，thewoman’sfacebeganpuckering，andtearsrolledslowly，down，tricklingfrompuckertopucker，till，summoninguphercourage，Noelsidlednearer，andsaid:
\"Oh！What’sthematter？\"
Thetearsseemedtostopfromsheersurprise;littlegreyeyesgazedround，patientlittleeyesfromaboveanalmostbridgelessnose。