At all events I was told at the Bureau that it was quite a serious offence--a sort of mild treason--to move from my hotel to lodgings without giving full information about the whole matter to the civic dignitaries.
Now, as everybody was so particular about addresses, I knew that van der Leeuwen had more respect for the laws of his country than to be guilty of intentional carelessness; and I was sure he would not try to defy the state by pasting upon his door anything of the nature of mockery. The notice _did_ look like this: "Out of town. If you want to see me, go to Jericho;" but my friend would hardly have meant _that_.
I concluded therefore that Mr. Hiernaast's address was known to everybody that read the notice, and that Mr. Hiernaast was some prominent person like the Burgomaster or the Town-clerk.
Perhaps he would be an official who kindly looked after people's letters when they were out of town. If so, a policeman would know all about him. There was one passing at the moment, so I determined to accost him and get what information I could.
Now Enderby and others had instructed me about policemen. You must never say "Mijnheer" to a policeman; he doesn't like it, for he thinks you are making game of him. That's where I had made the mistake before, in the Hague wood. I learnt that his proper title is '_politieagent_' or '_agent_'; the newspapers call him '_openbare macht_'. If he comes from Amsterdam he will answer readily to _klabak_ or _smeeris_, though he may prefer a more dignified title. He is known to the mob as a '_diender_', but this is rather vulgar.
Naturally I wished to avoid the vulgar word and use a respectful term; so stopping him I said, "Openbare Macht, verschoon mij,--zult gij mij toestaan om U beleefd te verzoeken,--waar woont mijnheer Hiernaast?"
I guessed what he would do, and he did it. He stared at me for about half a minute and then said, "Wah blief!"
"Oh," I responded, "duizendmaal vergiffenis, dat ik op...." And then I stopped _just in time_, for it was on my tongue to finish the polite sentence as I had repeated it so often from the conversation book--"dat ik op Uwen teen getrapt heb."
It was well I didn't, for it didn't fit in at all accurately with the situation. So I said, "Kijk nou is!"