A disturbed night.

     I awakened. Something has awoke me. It was a loud groan, very close to a cry... It was coming from somewhere near, possibly Ratchett's carriage. At the same time I heard a bell. I switched on the light and realised that the train was still. We were probably at a station. The cry I heard has scared me. Had something bad happened I thought?

     I opened the door and watched the conductor hurrying to answer the bell from a crack. He knocked on Ratchett's door, but there was no answer. At the same time, another bell rang and light came from a door down the corridor. When the conductor knocked for the second time a voice from Ratchett's compartment spoke:

"Ce n'est rien. Je me suis trompé " (It's nothing, I've made a mistake)

The conductor hurried to the compartment where the light was showing. I was relieved, I thought something bad has happened, but fortunately, I was mistaken. It was 23 minutes to 1, so I decided to go back to sleep.

     I kept staring at the ceiling. The station outside was very quiet. Too quiet perhaps? My throat felt dry, but I realised, that I had forgotten to ask for my usual bottle of mineral water. I was just about to ring the bell to call the conductor, when I heard someone else's bell from afar. The conductor surely couldn't answer all bells at once, so I decided to wait patiently for him to answer the other ones. The bell kept ringing but there was no sign of the conductor. At last, I heard footsteps. It was finally him. I heard the voice of Mrs. Hubbard and the conductor. He was calming her down I understand. The poor old woman must have had a nightmare of some kind. When he was finished with her I pressed my finger on the bell.

The conductor came in right away. He started telling me about Mrs. Hubbard. She insisted there is a man in her compartment. Where? There's no way he would hide in a compartment this size. She must have had a nightmare, just as I thought.

     Unfortunately, my predictions came out to be true. We ran into a snow drift. God knows how long we'll be stuck in here. I doubt the Yugoslavian will be quick at helping us get out of it. I drank a glass of mineral water which was brought to me by the conductor. If not the noise of something heavy falling against the door I would be asleep. I jumped out of my bed and opened the door to see what happened. To my right walked a woman wrapped up in a scarlet kimono with embroidered dragons. At the other end of the corridor sat the conductor busy with something. I think I suffer from the nerves. I must have imagined the noise, or something very close to that. Bit of annoyed of myself I fell back asleep.