I offered my services.

I wish now I had not--though not so fervently, I expect, as he, the speechless one, came subsequently to wish this.

All three routes, so the porter explained to us, were complicated, necessitating changing and re- changing.

There was not much time for calm elucidation, as our own train was starting in a few minutes.

The man himself was voluble--always a mistake when anything entangled has to be made clear; while the porter was only too eager to get the job done with and so breathe again.