On reaching the steamboat pier I was introduced to the porter, a
shock-headed, stupid-looking creature, whom I forthwith questioned
eagerly; but elicited only vague and, I felt sure, misleading replies.
The conductor assisted at my interview, stimulating and encouraging
the man to speak, and overdid it, as I thought. I strongly suspected
that this new evidence had been produced in order to bleed me further.
Had he really seen this English lady? Would he describe her appearance
to me, and that of her companion? Was she tall or short? Well dressed,
handsome, or the reverse? What was her companion like? Tall or short?
How dressed, and did he suppose her condition to be that of a lady
like the other, equal in rank, or an inferior?
The answers I got were not encouraging. Ladies? Of course they were
ladies, both of them. Dressed? In the very latest fashion. They were
very distinguished people.
"Were they carrying anything, either of them?" I inquired.
"Yes, when I saw them first they had much baggage. It was for that
they summoned me. Handbags, _sacs de nuit_, rugs, wrappers,
bonnet-boxes, many things, like all travellers."
"And you noticed nothing big, no parcel for which they were
particularly concerned?"
"They were anxious about everything, and worried me about everything,
but about no one thing especially that I can remember."
This did not tally with my own observation and the extreme care taken
of the child in the woman's arms. I began to believe that my friend
was a humbug and could tell me nothing of his own knowledge.
"What time was it?" I went on.
"Some hours ago. I did not look at the clock."
"But you know by the steamers that arrive. You men must know which are
due, and when they pass through."
"Come, come, Antoine," broke in the conductor, determined to give him
a lead, "you must know that; there are not so many. It would be about
2 P.M., wouldn't it, when the express boat comes from Vevey and
Bouveret?"
"Yes, I make no doubt of that," said the man, with a gleam of
intelligence upon his stolid face.
"And the ladies went on board it, you say? Yes? You are sure?"
"It must have been so; I certainly carried their traps on board."
"Now, are you quite positive it was the two o'clock going that way,
and not the quarter past two returning from Geneva?" I had my Bradshaw
handy, and was following the time-table with my fingers.
"The 2.15?" The gleam of light went out entirely from his stolid face.
"I have an idea you are right, sir. You see the two boats come in so
near each other and lie at the same pier. I could easily make a
mistake between them."
"It is my firm belief," I said, utterly disgusted with the fellow, "my
firm belief that you have made a mistake all through. You never saw
the ladies at all, either of you." I turned upon the conductor with a
fierce scowl. "You are a rank humbug; you have taken my money under
false pretences. I've a precious good mind to report you to your
superiors, and insist upon your refunding the money. You've swindled
me out of it, thief and liar that you are."
"Come, come, don't speak so freely. My superiors will always listen
first to one of their own employés, and it will be awkward if I charge
you with obstructing an official and making false charges against
him."
Mine is a hasty temper; I am constrained to confess to a fault which
often stood in my way especially in my particular business. The
conductor's insolence irritated me beyond measure, and coming as it
did on the top of bitter disappointment I was driven into a deplorable
access of rage, which I shall always regret. Without another word I
rushed at him, caught him by the throat, and shook him violently,
throwing him to the ground and beating his head upon it savagely.
Help must have come to him very speedily and to good purpose, for I
soon found myself in custody, two colossal gendarmes holding me tight
on each side. I was quickly removed like any malefactor to the lock-up
in the town above, and was thus for the moment effectively precluded
from continuing my pursuit.
Law and order are not to be lightly trifled with in Switzerland, least
of all in the Canton de Vaud. I had been taken in the very act of
committing a savage assault upon an official in the execution of his
duty, which is true to the extent that every Swiss official conceives
it to be his duty to outrage the feelings and tyrannize over
inoffensive strangers.
The police of Lausanne showed me little consideration. I was not
permitted to answer the charge against me, but was at once consigned
to a cell, having been first searched and despoiled of all my
possessions. Among them was my knife and a pocket revolver I generally
carried, also my purse, my wallet with all my private papers, and my
handbag. Both wallet and handbag were locked; they demanded the keys,
thinking I had them hidden on my person, but I said they could find
them for themselves, the truth being the locks were on a patent plan
and could be opened with the fingers by any one who knew. This secret
I chose to retain.
When alone in my gloomy prison, with leisure to reflect more calmly on
my painful position, I realized what an ass I had been, and I vented
my wrath chiefly on myself. But it was idle to repine. My object now
was to go free again at the earliest possible moment, and I cast about
to see how I might best compass it.
At first I was very humble, very apologetic. I acknowledged my error,
and promised to do anything in my power to indemnify my victim. I
offered him any money in reason, I would pay any sum they might fix,
pay down on the nail and give my bond for the rest.
My gaolers scouted the proposal indignantly. Did I think justice was
to be bought in Switzerland? It was the law I had outraged, not an
individual merely. Besides--money is all powerful in this venal
country--how could I pay, a poor devil like me, the necessary price?
what could I produce in cash on the nail? My bond would not be worth
the paper it was written on.
No, no, there was no chance for me; nothing could save me. I must go
before the correctional police and pay in person for my offence. I
might expect to be punished summarily, to be sent to gaol, to be laid
by the heels for a month or two, perhaps more. Such a brutal assault
as mine would be avenged handsomely.
Now I changed my tactics. I began to bluster. I was a British subject
and claimed to be treated with proper respect. I appealed to the
British Consul; I insisted upon seeing him. When they laughed at me,
saying that he would not interfere with the course of justice on
behalf of such an unknown vagabond, I told them roundly that I was
travelling under the special protection of the British Minister for
Foreign Affairs, the illustrious Marquis of Lansdowne. Let them bring
me my wallet. I would show them my passport bearing the Royal Arms and
the signature of one of H.M. Secretaries of State. All of us in the
employ of Messrs. Becke invariably carried Foreign Office passports as
the best credentials we could produce if we were caught in any tight
place.
The greeting of so great a personage to his trusty and well beloved
Ludovic Tiler had a very marked effect upon my captors. It was
enhanced by the sight of a parcel of crisp Bank of England notes lying
snugly in the pocket of the wallet, which I had opened, but without
betraying the secret of the spring. When I extracted a couple of
fivers and handed them to the chief gaoler, begging him to do the best
for my comfort, the situation changed considerably, but no hopes were
held out for my immediate release. I was promised dinner from a
restaurant hard by, and was permitted to send a brief telegram to
Falfani, to the effect that I was detained at Lausanne by unforeseen
circumstances, but no more. Then bedding was brought in, on which,
after a night in the train, I managed to sleep soundly enough until
quite late next morning.
I had summoned Eugène Falloon to my assistance, and he was permitted
to visit me quite early, soon after the prison had opened. He was
prompt and practical, and proceeded to perform the commissions I gave
him with all despatch. I charged him first to telegraph to England, to
our office, briefly stating my quandary, begging them to commend me to
some one in Lausanne or Geneva, for Becke's have friends and
correspondents in every city of the world. He was then to call upon
the British Consul, producing my passport in proof of my claim upon
him as a British subject in distress, and if necessary secure me legal
advice. I had been warned that I might expect to be examined that very
day, but that several were likely to elapse before the final disposal
of my case.
All that forenoon, and quite late into the next day, I was left
brooding and chafing at my misfortune, self-inflicted I will confess,
but not the less irksome to bear. I had almost persuaded myself that I
should be left to languish here quite friendless and forgotten, when
the luck turned suddenly, and daylight broke in to disperse my gloomy
forebodings. Several visitors came, claiming to see me, and were
presently admitted in turn. First came the Consul, and with him an
intelligent Swiss advocate, who declared he would soon put matters
right. It would only be a question of a fine, and binding me over to
good behaviour on bail. Could I find bail? That was the only question.
And while we still discussed it we found amongst the callers a
respectable and well-to-do watchmaker from Geneva, who had been
entreated (no doubt from Becke's) to do all that was needful on my
behalf. I might be of good cheer; there was no reasonable doubt but
that I should be released, but hardly before next day.
A second night in durance was not much to my taste, but I bore it with
as much resignation as I could command; and when next morning I
appeared before the Court, I paid my fine of one hundred francs with
hearty good-will. I assured my bail, the friendly watchmaker, that he
need not have the smallest fear I should again commit myself.