Rollo in Switzerland | Page 5

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 around it, and maps and plans of Switzerland and of Swiss towns upon the wall. The clerk took the passports and asked the boys to sit down. In a few minutes the proper stamps were affixed to them both and the proper signatures added. The clerk then said that there was the sum of six francs to pay. Rollo paid the money, and then he and Carlos went down stairs.
They now returned to the prefecture of police. They went in as they had done before, and gave the passports to the man who was seated in the little enclosure in the foreigner's part of the room. He took them, examined the new stamps which had been put upon them, and then said, "Very well. Take a seat a little minute."
Rollo and Carlos sat down upon