The ladies were in despair, and their attendant had begun to express his mind vigorously in his native Hungarian, when he felt himself touched on the elbow from behind, and heard a voice accosting him, in the same tongue.
"My fellow-countryman, don't heat yourself.

Not eloquence, but backsheesh, is needed here.

While you were wasting your breath I had a guard open for me a reserved first-class compartment.

It cost me but a trifle, and if you and your ladies choose to share it with me, it is at your service." "Thank you," was the reply, "but we shall not have time to change; we had only two minutes here in all." "Never fear," rejoined the stranger, reassuringly.

"The _due minute_ is a mere form with which to frighten the inexperienced.