“Never mind what the banker said.You must have had a reason of your own.Not a reason，exactly，but something which—”
“Well，then，the simple fact was that I hadn't my letter of credit.”
“Hadn't your letter of credit？”
“Hadn't my letter of credit.”
“Don't repeat me like that.Where was it？”
“At the post-office.”
“What was it doing there？”
“Well，I forgot and left it there.”
“Upon my word，I've seen a good many couriers，but of all the couriers that ever I—”
“I've done the best I could.”
“Well，so you have，poor thing，and I'm wrong to abuse you so when you've been working yourself to death while we've been sitting here only thinking of our vexations instead of feeling grateful for what you were trying to do for us.It will all come out right.We can take the 7.30train in the morning just as well.You've bought the tickets？”
“I have—and it's a bargain，too.Second class.”
“I'm glad of it.Everybody else travels second class，and we might just as well save that ruinous extra charge.What did you pay？”
“Twenty-two dollars apiece—through to Bayreuth.”
“Why，I didn't know you could buy through tickets anywhere but in London and Paris.”
“Some people can't，maybe；but some people can—of whom I am one of which，it appears.”
“It seems a rather high price.”
“On the contrary，the dealer knocked off his commission.”
“Dealer？”
“Yes—I bought them at a cigar shop.”
“That reminds me.We shall have to get up pretty early，and so there should be no packing to do.Your umbrella，your rubbers，your cigars—what is the matter？”
“Hang it，I've left the cigars at the bank.”
“Just think of it!Well，your umbrella？”
“I'll have that all right.There's no hurry.”
“What do you mean by that？”
“Oh，that's all right；I'll take care of—”
“Where is that umbrella？”
“It's just the merest step—it won't take me—”
“Where is it？”
“Well，I think I left it at the cigar shop；but anyway—”
“Take your feet out from under that thing.It's just as I expected!Where are your rubbers？”
“They—well—”
“Where are your rubbers？”
“It's got so dry now—well，everybody says there's not going to be another drop of—”
“Where—are—your—rubbers？”
“Well，you see—well，it was this way.First，the officer said—”
“What officer？”
“Police officer;but the Mayor，he—”
“What Mayor？”
“Mayor of Geneva;but I said—”
“Wait.What is the matter with you？”
“Who，me？Nothing.They both tried to persuade me to stay，and—”
“Stay where？”
“Well，the fact is—”
“Where have you been？What's kept you out till half past ten at night？”
“Oh，you see，after I lost my letter of credit，I—”
“You are beating around the bush a good deal.Now，answer the question in just one straightforward word.Where are those rubbers？”
“They—well，they're in the county jail.”
I started a placating smile，but it petrified.The climate was unsuitable.Spending three or four hours in jail did not seem to the Expedition humorous.Neither did it to me，at bottom.
I had to explain the whole thing，and，of course，it came out then that we couldn't take the early train，because that would leave my letter of credit in hock still.It did look as if we had all got to go to bed estranged and unhappy，but by good luck that was prevented.There happened to be mention of the trunks，and I was able to say I had attended to that feature.
“There，you are just as good and thoughtful and painstaking and intelligent as you can be，and it's a shame to find so much fault with you，and there sha'n't be another word of it.You've done beautifully，admirably，and I'm sorry I ever said one ungrateful word to you.”
This hit deeper than some of the other things and made me uncomfortable，because I wasn't feeling as solid about that trunk errand as I wanted to.There seemed somehow to be a defect about it somewhere，though I couldn't put my finger on it，and didn't like to stir the matter just now，it being late and maybe well enough to let well enough alone.
Of course there was music in the morning，when it was found that we couldn't leave by the early train.But I had no time to wait；I got only the opening bars of the overture，and then started out to get my letter of credit.
It seemed a good time to look into the trunk business and rectify it if it needed it，and I had a suspicion that it did.I was too late.The concierge said he had shipped the trunks to Zurich the evening before.I asked him how he could do that without exhibiting passage tickets.
“Not necessary in Switzerland.You pay for your trunks and send them where you please.Nothing goes free but your hand-baggage.”
“How much did you pay on them？”
“A hundred and forty francs.”
“Twenty-eight dollars.There's something wrong about that trunk business，sure.”
Next I met the porter.He said:
“You have not slept well，is it not？You have a worn look.If you would like a courier，a good one has arrived last night，and is not engaged for five days already，by the name of Ludi.We recommend him；das heisst，the Grand Htel Beau Rivage recommends him.”
I declined with coldness.My spirit was not broken yet.And I did not like having my condition taken notice of in this way.I was at the county jail by nine o'clock，hoping that the Mayor might chance to come before his regular hour；but he didn't.It was dull there.Every time I offered to touch anything，or look at anything，or do anything，or refrain from doing anything，the policeman said it was “dfendu.”I thought I would practise my French on him，but he wouldn't have that either.It seemed to make him particularly bitter to hear his own tongue.
