Aunt Elizabeth always started upon her shopping expeditions with the
conviction that something terrible was about to happen, and the
expectation of this overwhelming catastrophe paralysed her nerves.
Maggie wondered how it could have been with her when she had
ventured forth alone. She would stand in the middle of the street
hesitating as to the right omnibus for her to take, she was often
uncertain of the direction in which she should go. She would wave
her umbrella at an omnibus, and then when it began to slacken in
answer to her appeal, would discover that it was not the one that
she needed, and would wave her umbrella furiously once more. Then
when at last she had mounted the vehicle she would flood the
conductor with a stream of little questions, darting her eyes
angrily at all her neighbours as though they were gathered there
together to murder her at the earliest opportunity. She would be
desperately confused when asked to pay for her ticket, would be
unable to find her purse, and then when she discovered it would
scatter its contents upon the ground. In such an agony would she be
at the threatened passing of her destination that she would spring
up at every pause of the omnibus, striking her nearest neighbour's
eye or nose with her umbrella, apologising nervously, and then,
because she thought she had been too forward with a stranger,
staring fiercely about her and daring any one to speak to her.
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