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Bagnold, Enid, 1889-1981

"The Happy Foreigner"

And the marks on her uniform showed
that the unknown was French.
"One carton of Camels, please," she said, used to the phraseology.
"Take two if you like," said the salesman. "We've just got a dump in."
She took two long cardboard packets of cigarettes, and put down ten
francs.
"Only marks taken here," said the salesman. "You got to make the change
as you come in."
"Oh, well--I'll--"
"Put it down. Put it here. We don't get a lady in every day."
He gave her the change in marks, which seemed countless.
"I'm sure you've given me too much!"
"Oh no. Marks is goin' just for love in this country. Makes you feel
rich!"
As she emerged from the hall with her two long cartons under her arm she
found the thin man, the Bearskin and Blackberry-Eyes standing like
children on the doorstep.
It was too much--to give her away like that.
Other Americans, coming out, looked at them as a gentleman coming out of
his own house might look at a party of penguins on his doorstep.
Fanny swept past her friends without a glance and walked on up the
street with her head in the air. They turned and came after her
guiltily. When they caught her up in the next street, she said to the
thin man, "I asked you not to come near while I was buying--"
"Have you got cigars, mademoiselle?"
"No, I couldn't. Why did you come like that? Now I can go in no more.


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