And we get off, somehow, without it, and arrive at the end of the street.
Here Tom has orders to stop at the first hat-shop he comes to.
The Commandant has lost his hat at Melle (he has been wearing little Janet's Arctic cap, to the delight of everybody). He has just remembered that he wants a hat and he thinks that he will get it now.
At this point I break down. I hear myself say "Damn" five times, softly but distinctly. (This after reproving Tom for unfettered speech and potential insubordination.)
Tom stops at a hat-shop. The Commandant to his doom enters, and presently returns wearing a soft felt hat of a vivid green. He asks me what I think of it.
I tell him all I think of it, and he says that if I feel like that about it he'll go in again and get another one.
I forget what I said then except that I wanted to get on to Melle. That Melle was the place of all places where I most wished to be.
Then, lest he might feel unhappy in his green hat, I said that if he would leave it out all night in the rain and then sit on it no doubt time and weather and God would do something for it.
This time we were off, and when I realized it I said "Hurray!"[23]
Tom had not said anything for some considerable time.