Diary of a Drug Fiend

The Bubble Bursts 129 I said, with more confidence than before, that our courier had arranged to take us to see some of the shows in Naples that the ordinary tourist knows nothing about, and in order to avoid any possible annoyance, he had advised us to adopt this disguise —and so on for the rest of the story. The vice-consul smiled—indulgently, as I thought. “I admit we have some experience,” he said slowly, “of young people like yourselves getting into various kinds of trouble. One can’t expect every one to know all the tricks; and besides, if I understand correctly, you're on your honeymoon.” I admitted the fact with: a somewhat embarrassed smile. It occurred to me that honeymoon couples were traditionally objects of not unkindly ridicule from people in a less blesséd condition. “Quite so,” replied the vice-consul. “I’m not a married man myself ; but no doubt it is very delightful. “How do you like it in Norway? ” “Norway ?”’ I said, completely flabbergasted. “Yes,” he said. ‘‘ How do you like Norway; the climate, the Jax, the people, the fiords, the glaciers ? ” There was'-some huge mistake somewhere. “Norway ?”’ I said, with a rising inflection. I was on the brink of hysteria. “ I’ve never been to the place in my life. And if it’s anything like Naples, I don’t want to go!” “This is a rather more serious matter than you seem to suppose,’ returned the consul. “If you’re not in Norway, where are you? ” “Why, I’m here, confound it,” I ‘retorted with another weak flush of anger. “Since when, may I ask?” he replied. - Well, he rather had me there. I didn’t know how long I’d been away from England. I couldn’t have told him the day or the month on a bet. Lou helped me out. “We left Paris three weeks ago to-morrow,” she said positively enough, though the tone of her voice