"For five francs," the fellow said.
"All right. Row me over."
My satchel I left on board to avoid the customs inspection.
A gangway had already been let down from the side of the steamer, and I stepped down into the boat with my boatman. Ten minutes later I stood on the "quai" in Marseilles. In another five minutes I had found a cab and was on my way to the station. Half an hour later I was seated in a compartment of an express train for the Riviera.
A Riviera journey in the darkness…. Toulon flew past—Cannes. In Nice I could hear even in the railway-train the noise of the carnival which was nearing its end—the platform was covered with confetti. We reached Monaco—Monte Carlo, with its brilliantly illuminated casino.
At last we reached Ventimiglia: the first Italian station!
It was one o'clock in the morning. I stormed into the telegraph-office and despatched two telegrams to my two dearest….
Free—free again!
CHAPTER XV