A Basket of Chips: An Autobiography

Basket of Chips, page 035

Career, Romance, and Family in the weather conditions or we might have noticed it was not safe to venture far that evening. About a mile away from the hotel a heavy storm came up and we reversed our steps immediately, but it was a deluge of rain, and as we came in sight of a point in the road we saw a small Niagra pouring over the cliff. It was carrying rocks as large as a stove, and mud into the lake and onto the road. What were we to do? It was nearly dark and we were soaked through and had no way of getting past that mad torrent. We turned back and some distance along the road we found a little cottage. But we could not speak a word of Swiss. A kind looking woman came to the door and I spoke to her in French and was relieved to find that she spoke the language. I asked her how long the torrent of water might last and she said all night. The next question was could we get a boat. There were none within miles of the place just then. The next, would she take us in? She said she would as she had two rooms that some roomers had given up that morning. She could put clean linen on the beds and make it comfortable. She saw we were soaked through so she hunted up dry clothing for my "Little One," some of her own, and took the wet clothing to dry before a fire. She had no clothing to lend me, so it may have dried on me; I do not remember. There was an unlocked door between our rooms and I have often wondered if she locked it. I have always hoped that she did not but never had the courage to ask her. I have felt that there was something stronger than bolts or bars to keep her safe. The next morning the kind woman prepared us a good breakfast and when we were ready to return I asked for the bill. "Pay when you come along again," she said. "No," I said, "We will not be here any more." "Well, two francs, then." That was forty cents. I could not believe I had heard her correctly, but she re- peated two francs. In French two (deuxf sounds much like twelve (douse]. I gave her five (Swiss} francs with many thanks. 3s