Rollo in Switzerland | Page 5

to the place. There was
a long desk, with two or three clerks behind it, writing. At the end of
this desk was a small enclosure, where a man sat who looked as though
he had some authority. People would give him their passports, and he
would write something on them and then pass them over to the clerks.
Rollo waited a moment and then handed his passports in. The man took

them, looked over them and then gave them back to Rollo, saying
something in French which Rollo did not understand, and immediately
passed to the next in order.
"What did he say?" said Rollo, turning to Carlos.
[Illustration: THE PREFECTURE OF POLICE.]
"What's the reason he won't take your passports?" said Carlos.
Although Rollo did not understand what the official said at the time of
his speaking, still the words left a trace upon his ear, and in thinking
upon them he recalled the words "American legation," and also the
word "afterwards." While he was musing on the subject, quite
perplexed, a pleasant-looking girl, who was standing there waiting for
her turn, explained to him--speaking very slow in French, for she
perceived that Rollo was a foreigner--as follows:--
"He says that you must go first and get your passports stamped at the
American legation and afterwards come here."
"Where is the American legation?" said Rollo.
"I don't know," said the girl.
"Then I'll make the coachman find it for me," said Rollo. "Come,
Carlos; we must go back."
So saying, he thanked the girl for her kindness, and the two boys went
out. As he was going out Rollo made up a French sentence to say to the
coachman that he must drive to the American legation, and that he must
find out where it was himself. He succeeded in communicating these
directions to the coachman, and then he and Carlos got into the carriage
and drove away.
The coachman had some difficulty in learning where the American
legation was, which occasioned some delay. Besides, the distance was
considerable. It was nearly two miles to the place from the prefecture of

police; so that it was some time before the carriage arrived there. In fact,
Rollo had a very narrow escape in this stage of the affair; for he arrived
at the American legation only about five minutes before the office was
to be closed for the day. When he went to the porter's lodge to ask if
that was the place where the office of the American legation was held,
the woman who kept the lodge, and who was standing just outside the
door at the time, instead of answering, went in to look at the clock.
"Ah," said she, "you are just in time. I thought you were too late.
Second story, right-hand door."
"There's one thing good about the American legation, Carlos," said
Rollo; "and that is, that they can talk English, I suppose."
This was, indeed, a great advantage. Rollo found, when he went into
the office of the legation, that the secretary not only could talk English,
but that he was a very kindhearted and agreeable man. He talked with
Rollo in English and with Carlos in Spanish. Both the boys were very
much pleased with the reception they met with. The necessary stamps
were promptly affixed to the passports; and then the boys, giving the
secretary both an English and a Spanish good by, went down stairs to
the carriage again. They directed the coachman to drive as quick as
possible to the Swiss legation, showing him the address which Rollo's
uncle had given them. They then got into the carriage, and the
coachman drove away.
"Now, Carlos," said Rollo, "we are all right; that is, if we only get to
the Swiss legation before it is shut up."
"He said he had been in Madrid," rejoined Carlos. "He was there three
months."
"I believe," added Rollo, "that uncle George said it did not close till
three; and it is only two now."
"And he knew the street my father lived in very well," said Carlos.
Very soon the carriage stopped at the place which the coachman said

was the Swiss legation. Rollo got out and went to the porter's lodge
with the passports in his hand. The woman in charge knew at once what
he wanted, and, without waiting to hear him finish the question which
he began to ask, directed him "to the second story on the right."
Rollo went up the staircase till he came to the door, and there pulled the
cord.
A clerk opened the door. Rollo held out the passports.
"Enter there," said the clerk, in French, pointing to an inner door.
Rollo went in and found there a very pleasant little room, with cases of
books and papers