Then those men began to talk about Engelissmen, and they talked and
laughed all the way to Amsterdam. Every now and then one of them would
jerk his thumb in my direction. It was a trying journey.
Arrived in Amsterdam I made for the Rijks Museum. At the door a
seedy-looking man touched me on the arm.
"Guide, sir?"
"No thank you."
"Two hundred rooms, sir! Official guide."
"No thank you."
He kept pace with me, and in a weak moment I inquired his charge. It
was three guilden (five shillings), and I saw at once that the dirty
dog had won, for he took on an air of possession.
"Righto," I said resignedly, and he led me into the building.
He began his tiresome patter.
"Thees picture was painted in 1547; beautiful ees eet not? Wonderful
arteest!"