As I did so, a little man inside jumped to the window and shouted, "Reserved! Don't you see it's reserved ?" which explained the fact that the door seemed to be fastened.
I stepped back, my eyes falling on the label to which the man pointed, and would have tried the handle of the next carriage, had not two men rushed at the door as the train began to move, and dexterously opened it with a railway key.

Their throwing themselves thus in my way would have lost me my last chance of catching the moving train, had I not dashed in after them.

If I could choose, I would be the last man to obtrude myself where I was not wanted, but there was no time to choose; and I was thankful to get in anywhere, rather than break my word.

Besides, my heart was too sore at leaving Diana as I had had to leave her, to care much for anything else.

I had just sense enough to fight my way in, though the two men with the key (not the one who had occupied the compartment first), now yelled that it was reserved, and would have pushed me out if I hadn't been too strong for them.