第36部分(第4/9 頁)

ts　to　the　soldier　and　carrying　the　bags　we　started　into　the　village　to　order　a　carriage。　〃Hi；〃　the　lieutenant　called　to　the　soldier。　He　said　something　in　a　German　dialect　to　him。　The　soldier　slung　his　rifle　on　his　back　and　picked　up　the　bags。

〃It's　a　great　country；〃　I　said　to　Catherine。

〃It's　so　practical。〃

〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　I　said　to　the　lieutenant。　He　waved　his　hand。

〃Service！〃　he　said。　We　followed　our　guard　into　the　village。

We　drove　to　Locarno　in　a　carriage　with　the　soldier　sitting　on　the　front　seat　with　the　driver。　At　Locarno　we　did　not　have　a　bad　time。　They　questioned　us　but　they　were　polite　because　we　had　passports　and　money。　I　do　not　think　they　believed　a　word　of　the　story　and　I　thought　it　was　silly　but　it　was　like　a　law…court。　You　did　not　want　something　reasonable；　you　wanted　something　technical　and　then　stuck　to　it　without　explanations。　But　we　had　passports　and　we　would　spend　the　money。　So　they　gave　us　provisional　visas。

At　any　time　this　visa　might　be　withdrawn。　We　were　to　report　to　the　police　wherever　we　went。

Could　we　go　wherever　we　wanted？　Yes。　Where　did　we　want　to　go？

〃Where　do　you　want　to　go；　Cat？〃

〃Montreux。〃

〃It　is　a　very　nice　place；〃　the　official　said。　〃I　think　you　will　like　that　place。〃

〃Here　at　Locarno　is　a　very　nice　place；〃　another　official　said。　〃I　am　sure　you　would　like　it　here　very　much　at　Locarno。　Locarno　is　a　very　attractive　place。〃

〃We　would　like　some　place　wher