We were
interested in the personality of our neighbour. He was the first
American whom fate had brought so near to us. We were unable even to
distinguish his face and during the day tried to single him out in
the international crowd of gentlemen scurrying about the deck of our
_Urania_, lounging on the deck-chairs, having luncheon, or dinner or
supper, or lost in the smoke of cigars in the smoking room. This
elusiveness made the personality of the traveller puzzling and
interesting, and we bestowed the title of "Our American" now on one,
now on another of the middle-aged American gentlemen. Of course, we
marked as candidates the more interesting and typical figures. The
_Urania_ had been on the ocean for quite some time when my friend at
last said to me: "I have found out which American is ours. Here he
comes now. Look!"
Along the railing, a lanky gentleman and a short stout lady were
coming toward us. I felt a sense of involuntary disappointment: both
he and she were the least interesting of all the first-class
passengers on the _Urania_.
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