" He extended a piece of printed
paper.
As Hanley had been talking, the face of the consul had grown grave.
He accepted the paper, but did not look at it. Instead, he regarded
the senator with troubled eyes. When he spoke, his tone was one of
genuine concern.
"It is most unfortunate," he said. "But I am afraid the ROYAL MAIL
will not take you on board. Because of Las Bocas," he explained.
"If we had only known!" he added remorsefully. "It is MOST
unfortunate."
"Because of Las Bocas?" echoed Hanley.
"You don't mean they'll refuse to take me to Jamaica because I
spent half an hour at the end of a wharf listening to a squeaky
gramophone?"
"The trouble," explained Marshall, "is this: if they carried you,
all the other passengers would be held in quarantine for ten days,
and there are fines to pay, and there would be difficulties over
the mails. But," he added hopefully, "maybe the regulations have
been altered. I will see her captain, and tell him----"
"See her captain!" objected Hanley. "Why see the captain? He
doesn't know I've been to that place. Why tell him? All I need is
a clean bill of health from you. That's all HE wants. You have only
to sign that paper." Marshall regarded the senator with surprise.
"But I can't," he said.
"You can't? Why not?"
"Because it certifies to the fact that you have not visited Las
Bocas. Unfortunately, you have visited Las Bocas."
The senator had been walking up and down the room.
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