The Grand-Hotel & des Isles Borromйes was open and several small hotels that stayed open all the year.
I started in the rain for the Isles Borromйes carrying my bag.
I saw a carriage coming down the street and signalled to the driver.
It was better to arrive in a carriage.
We drove up to the carriage entrance of the big hotel and the concierge came out with an umbrella and was very polite.
I took a good room.
It was very big and light and looked out on the lake.
The clouds were down over the lake but it would be beautiful with the sunlight.
I was expecting my wife, I said.
There was a big double bed, a _letto matrimoniale_ with a satin coverlet.
The hotel was very luxurious.
I went down the long halls, down the wide stairs, through the rooms to the bar.
I knew the barman and sat on a high stool and ate salted almonds and potato chips.
The martini felt cool and clean.
"What are you doing here in _borghese?_" the barman asked after he had mixed a second martini.
"I am on leave.
Convalescing-leave."
"There is no one here.
I don't know why they keep the hotel open."
"Have you been fishing?"
"I've caught some beautiful pieces.
Trolling this time of year you catch some beautiful pieces."
"Did you ever get the tobacco I sent?"
"Yes.
Didn't you get my card?"
I laughed.
I had not been able to get the tobacco.
It was American pipe-tobacco that he wanted, but my relatives had stopped sending it or it was being held up.
Anyway it never came.
"I'll get some somewhere," I said. "Tell me have you seen two English girls in the town?
They came here day before yesterday."
"They are not at the hotel."
"They are nurses."
"I have seen two nurses.
Wait a minute, I will find out where they are."
"One of them is my wife," I said.
"I have come here to meet her."
"The other is my wife."
"I am not joking."
"Pardon my stupid joke," he said. "I did not understand."
He went away and was gone quite a little while.
I ate olives, salted almonds and potato chips and looked at myself in civilian clothes in the mirror behind the bar.
The bartender came back.
"They are at the little hotel near the station," he said.
"How about some sandwiches?"
"I'll ring for some.
You understand there is nothing here, now there are no people."
"Isn't there really any one at all?"
"Yes. There are a few people."
The sandwiches came and I ate three and drank a couple more martinis.