Rollo in Switzerland | Page 3

lodge, and went immediately up to see if the
passports were there. He found them, as his uncle had said, lying on the
table.
"Now," said Rollo, "the first thing I'll do is to find Carlos and see if he
will go and help me get the passports stamped."[1]
So, taking the passports in his hand, he went along the corridor till he
came to the door leading to the apartments where Carlos lodged. There
was a bell hanging by the side of the door. Rollo pulled this cord, and
presently the courier came to the door.[2] Rollo inquired for Carlos,
and the courier said that he would go and get him. In the mean time the
courier asked Rollo to step in and take a seat. So Rollo went in. The
room that he entered was a small one, and was used as an antechamber
to the apartment; and it was very neatly and pleasantly furnished for
such a purpose. There were a sofa and several chairs, and maps and
pictures on the walls, and a table with writing materials on it in the
centre. Rollo sat down upon the sofa. In a few minutes Carlos came.
"Look here!" said Rollo, rising when Carlos came in. "See these
passports! We're going to get them stamped. Will you go with me? I
have got a carriage at the door."

Here Rollo made a sort of whirling motion with his hand, advancing it
forward at the same time as it rolled, to indicate the motion of a wheel.
This was to signify to Carlos that they were going in a carriage.
All that Carlos understood was, that Rollo was going somewhere, and
that he wished him, Carlos, to go too. He seemed very much pleased
with his invitation, and went eagerly back into the inner apartments. He
returned in a very few minutes with his cap in his hand, evidently all
ready to go.
"Now," said Rollo, as they went out of the antechamber together, "the
first thing is to go and ask the master of the hotel what we are to do."
There was a very pleasant little room on the lower floor, on one side of
the archway which formed the entrance into the court of the hotel from
the street, that served the purpose of parlor, sitting room, counting
room, and office. Thus it was used both by the master of the hotel
himself and by his family. There was a desk at one side, where the
master usually sat, with his books and papers before him. At the other
side, near a window, his wife was often seated at her sewing; and there
were frequently two or three little children playing about the floor with
little wagons, or tops, or other toys. Rollo went to this room, occupying
himself as he descended the stairs in trying to make up a French
sentence that would ask his question in the shortest and simplest
manner.
He went in, and, going to the desk, held out his passports to the man
who was sitting there, and said, in French,--
"Passports. To Switzerland. Where to go to get them stamped?"
"Ah," said the master of the hotel, taking the passports in his hand.
"Yes, yes, yes. You must get them stamped. You must go to the Swiss
legation and to the prefecture of police."
Here Rollo pointed to a piece of paper that was lying on the desk and
made signs of writing.

"Ah, yes, yes, yes," said the man. "I will write you the address."
So the man took a piece of paper and wrote upon the top of it the words
"prefecture of police," saying, as he wrote it, that every coachman
knew where that was. Then, underneath, he wrote the name of the street
and number where the Swiss legation was; and, having done this, he
gave the paper to Rollo.
Rollo took the memorandum, and, thanking the man for his information,
led Carlos out to the carriage.
"Come, Carlos," said he; "now we are ready. I know where to go; but I
don't know at all what we are to do when we get there. But then we
shall find some other people there, I suppose, getting their passports
stamped; and we can do as they do."
Rollo had learned to place great reliance on the rule which his uncle
George had given for his guidance in travelling; namely, to do as he
saw other people do. It is, in fact, a very excellent rule.
Carlos got into the carriage; while Rollo, looking upon the paper in
order to be sure that he understood the words right, said, "To the
prefecture of police."
The coachman said, "Yes, yes;" and Rollo got into the coach. The
coachman, without leaving his