"Why do you enter Switzerland this way in a boat?"
"I am a sportsman," I said. "Rowing is my great sport.
I always row when I get a chance."
"Why do you come here?"
"For the winter sport.
We are tourists and we want to do the winter sport."
"This is no place for winter sport."
"We know it.
We want to go where they have the winter sport."
"What have you been doing in Italy?"
"I have been studying architecture.
My cousin has been studying art."
"Why do you leave there?"
"We want to do the winter sport.
With the war going on you cannot study architecture."
"You will please stay where you are," the lieutenant said.
He went back into the building with our passports.
"You're splendid, darling," Catherine said. "Keep on the same track.
You want to do the winter sport."
"Do you know anything about art?"
"Rubens," said Catherine.
"Large and fat," I said.
"Titian," Catherine said.
"Titian-haired," I said. "How about Mantegna?"
"Don't ask hard ones," Catherine said. "I know him though-- very bitter."
"Very bitter," I said. "Lots of nail holes."
"You see I'll make you a fine wife," Catherine said. "I'll be able to talk art with your customers."
"Here he comes," I said.
The thin lieutenant came down the length of the custom house, holding our passports.
"I will have to send you into Locarno," he said. "You can get a carriage and a soldier will go in with you."
"All right," I said. "What about the boat?"
"The boat is confiscated.
What have you in those bags?"
He went all through the two bags and held up the quarterbottle of brandy.
"Would you join me in a drink?" I asked.
"No thank you." He straightened up. "How much money have you?"
"Twenty-five hundred lire." He was favorably impressed.
"How much has your cousin?"
Catherine had a little over twelve hundred lire.
The lieutenant was pleased.
His attitude toward us became less haughty.
"If you are going for winter sports," he said, "Wengen is the place.
My father has a very fine hotel at Wengen.
It is open all the time."
"That's splendid," I said. "Could you give me the name?"
"I will write it on a card." He handed me the card very politely. "The soldier will take you into Locarno.
He will keep your passports.
I regret this but it is necessary.
I have good hopes they will give you a visa or a police permit at Locarno."
He handed the two passports to the soldier and carrying the bags we started into the village to order a carriage.