I took another drink of the brandy。
〃How are you going？〃
〃All right。〃
〃Tell me when you want to stop。〃
〃All right。〃
I took another drink of the brandy； then took hold of the two gunwales of the boat and moved forward。
〃No。 I'm going beautifully。〃
〃Go on back to the stern。 I've had a grand rest。〃
For a while； with the brandy； I rowed easily and steadily。 Then I began to catch crabs and soon I was just chopping along again with a thin brown taste of bile from having rowed too hard after the brandy。
〃Give me a drink of water； will you？〃 I said。
〃That's easy；〃 Catherine said。
Before daylight it started to drizzle。 The wind was down or we were protected by mountains that bounded the curve the lake had made。 When I knew daylight was ing I settled down and rowed hard。 I did not know where we were and I wanted to get into the Swiss part of the lake。 When it was beginning to be daylight we were quite close to the shore。 I could see the rocky shore and the trees。
〃What's that？〃 Catherine said。 I rested on the oars and listened。 It was a motor boat chugging out on the lake。 I pulled close up to the shore and lay quiet。 The chugging came closer； then we saw the motor boat in the rain a little astern of us。 There were four guardia di finanza in the stern； their alpini hats pulled down； their cape collars turned up and their carbines slung across their backs。 They all looked sleepy so early in the morning。 I could see the yellow on their hats and the yellow marks on their cape collars。 The motor boat chugged on and out of sight in the rain。
I pulled out into the lake。 If we were that close to the border I did not want to be hailed by a sentry along the road。 I stayed out where I could just see the shore and rowed on for three quarters of an hour in the rain。 We heard a motor boat once more but I kept quiet until the noise of the engine went away across the lake。
〃I think we're in Switzerland； Cat；〃 I said。
〃Really？〃
〃There's no way to know until we see Swiss troops。〃
〃Or the Swiss navy。〃
〃The Swiss navy's no joke for us。 That last motor boat we heard was probably the Swiss navy。〃
〃If we're in Switzerland let's have a big breakfast。 They have wonderful rolls and butter and jam in Switzerland。〃
It was clear daylight now and a fine rain was falling。 The wind was still blowing outside up the lake and we could see the tops of the white…caps going away from us and up the lake。 I was sure we were in Switzerland now。 There were many houses back in the trees from the shore and up the shore a way was a village with stone houses； some villas on the hills and a church。 I had been looking at the road that skirted the shore for guards but did not see any。 The road came quite close to the lake now and I saw a soldier ing out of a caf？on the road。 He wore a gray…green uniform and a helmet like the Germans。 He had a healthy…looking face and a little toothbrush mustache。 He looked at us。
〃Wave to him；〃 I said to Catherine。 She waved and the soldier smiled embarrassedly and gave a wave of his hand。 I eased up rowing。 We were passing the waterfront of the village。
〃We must be well inside the border；〃 I said。
〃We want to be sure； darling。 We don't want them to turn us back at the frontier。〃
〃The frontier is a long way back。 I think this is the customs town。 I'm pretty sure it's Brissago。〃
〃Won't there be Italians there？ There are always both sides at a customs town。〃
〃Not in war…time。 I don't think they let the Italians cross the frontier。〃
It was a nice…looking little town。 There were many fishing boats along the quay and nets were spread on racks。 There was a fine November rain falling but it looked cheerful and clean even with the rain。
〃Should we land then and have breakfast？〃
〃All right。〃
I pulled hard on the left oar and came in close； then straightened out when we were close to the quay and brought the boat alongside。 I pulled in the oars； took hold of an iron ring； stepped up on the wet stone and was in Switzerland。 I tied the boat and held my hand down to Catherine。
〃e on up； Cat。 It's a grand feeling。〃
〃What about the bags？〃
〃Leave them in the boat。〃
Catherine stepped up and we were in Switzerland together。
〃What a lovely country；〃 she said。
〃Isn't it grand？〃
〃Let's go and have breakfast！〃
〃Isn't it a grand country？ I love the way it feels under my shoes。〃
〃I'm so stiff I can't feel it very well。 But it feels like a splendid country。 Darling； do you realize we're here and out of that bloody place？〃
〃I do。 I really do。 I've never realized anything before。〃
〃Look at the houses。 Isn't this a fine square？ There's a place we can get breakfast。〃
〃Isn't the rain fine？ They never had rain like this in Italy。 It's cheerful rain。〃
〃And we're here； darling！ Do you realize we're here？〃
We went inside the caf？and sat down at a clean wooden table。 We were cockeyed excited。 A splendid clean…looking woman with an apron came and asked us what we wanted。
〃Rolls and jam and coffee；〃 Catherine said。
〃I'm sorry； we haven't any rolls in war…time。〃
〃Bread then。〃
〃I can make you some toast。〃
〃All right。〃
〃I want some eggs fried too。〃
〃How many eggs for the gentleman？〃
〃Three。〃
〃Take four； darling。〃
〃Four eggs。〃
The woman went away。 I kissed Catherine and held her hand very tight。 We looked at each other and at the caf？
〃Darling； darling； isn't it lovely？〃
〃It's grand；〃 I said。
〃I don't mind there not being rolls；〃 Catherine said。 〃I thought about them all night。 But I don't mind it。 I don't mind it at all。〃
〃I suppose pretty soon they will arrest us。〃
〃Never mind； darling。 We'll have breakfast first。 You won't mind being arrested after breakfast。 And then there's nothing they can do to us。 We're British and American citizens in good standing。〃
〃You have a passport； haven't you？〃
〃Of course。 Oh let's not talk about it。 Let's be happy。〃
〃I couldn't be any happiei〃 I said。 A fat gray cat with a tail that lifted like a plume crossed the floor to our table and curved against my leg to purr each time she rubbed。 I reached down and stroked her。 Catherine smiled at me very happily。 〃Here es the coffee；〃 she said。
They arrested us after breakfast。 We took a little walk through the village then went down to the quay to get our bags。 A soldier was standing guard over the boat。
〃Is this your boat？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Where do you e from？〃
〃Up the lake。〃
〃Then I have to ask you to e with me。〃
〃How about the bags？〃
〃You can carry the bags。〃
I carried the bags and Catherine walked beside me and the soldier walked along behind us to the old custom house。 In the custom house a lieutenant； very thin and military； questioned us。
〃What nationality are you？〃
〃American and British。〃
〃Let me see your passports。〃
I gave him mine and Catherine got hers out of her handbag。
He examined them for a long time。
〃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 e 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 es；〃 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。 〃Hi；〃 the lieutenant called to the soldier。 He said something in a German dialect to him。 The soldier slung his rifle on his back and picked up the bags。
〃It's a great country；〃 I said to Catherine。
〃It's so practical。〃
〃Thank you very much；〃 I said to the lieutenant。 He waved his hand。
〃Service！〃 he said。 We followed our guard into the village。
We drove to Locarno in a carriage with the soldier sitting on the front seat with the driver。 At Locarno we did not have a bad time。 They questioned us but they were polite because we had passports and money。 I do not think they believed a word of the story and I thought it was silly but it was like a law…court。 You did not want something reasonable； you wanted something technical and then stuck to it without explanations。 But we had passports and we would spend the money。 So they gave us provisional visas。
At any time this visa might be withdrawn。 We were to report to the police wherever we went。