If
they did not pay eighteen shillings each, he should do the German
equivalent for summonsing them; and they smiled and nodded, and told
him that they wanted to go to Hanover. Then a very important-
looking personage in a cocked-hat came up, and was very angry; and
he and the station-master and the collector took it in turns to
explain to B. and his two friends the state of the law on the
matter.
They stormed and raged, and threatened and pleaded for a quarter of
an hour or so, and then they got sick, and slammed the door, and
went off, leaving the Government to lose the fifty-four marks.
We passed the German frontier on Wednesday, and have been in Belgium
since.
I like the Germans. B. says I ought not to let them know this,
because it will make them conceited; but I have no fear of such a
result. I am sure they possess too much common-sense for their
heads to be turned by praise, no matter from whom.
B. also says that I am displaying more energy than prudence in
forming an opinion of a people merely from a few weeks' travel
amongst them. But my experience is that first impressions are the
most reliable.
