The official was vastly interested in the novel mechanism. Maurice explained it as well as he could, perpetrating several howlers, as George informed him afterwards; then he suggested that, as there was no provision in the regulations, the law might be satisfied on the payment of the sum for a motor-cycle.
“But it is double, Monsieur. I must ask, I fear, for eighty-four francs.”
“Very well,” said Maurice, handing over the money.
“Now, Monsieur,” said the official, “I must make out the certificate for importation temporaire. You will give that up when you leave the country, and the sum you have deposited will be returned to you.”
“Do you think you could stretch a point, and let us go without that? We are in a great hurry, and I will tell you why. I am proceeding on an important mission for the English Government. There is a party of Austrian gentlemen pursuing me in a green motor-car, hoping to defeat me. They know your country thoroughly, every pass and by-road; it used to belong to Austria, as you know, and I think they would like to get it again.”
The man let out an exclamation in Italian: there are no friends of Austria in Italy!
“But I think that while you have your Alpine troops on the frontier,” pursued Maurice, “the Austrians had better remain on their own side of the Alps.”
“Per Bacco! I agree with you, Monsieur. These Austrians are coming behind you?”
“Yes. They have chased us from Paris. Perhaps when they arrive you would suggest that we are proceeding to Venice?”
“Ah! I perceive. Yes, I will do so. You may pass without a certificate if you will take the risk. But you should have a green light as well as a white; it is the regulation.”