OneneedstosaveupbeforehandifonedesirestospendanylengthoftimeinHolland。OnetalksofdearoldEngland，butthedearestlandinalltheworldislittleHolland。TheflorinthereisequaltothefrancinFranceandtotheshillinginEngland。TheytellyouthatcigarsarecheapinHolland。AcheapDutchcigarwilllastyouaday。Itisnotuntilyouhaveforgottenthetasteofitthatyoufeelyoueverwanttosmokeagain。IknewamanwhoreckonedthathehadsavedhundredsofpoundsbysmokingDutchcigarsforamonthsteadily。Itwasyearsbeforeheagainventuredontobacco。
WatchingbuildingoperationsinHollandbringshometoyouforcibly，whatpreviouslyyouhaveregardedasameaninglessformula——namely，thatthecountryisbuiltuponpiles。Adozenfeetbelowthelevelofthestreetoneseesthelabourersworkinginfishermen’sbootsuptotheirkneesinwater，drivingthegreatwoodenblocksintothemud。Manyoftheolderhousesslopeforwardatsuchananglethatyoualmostfeartopassbeneaththem。Ishouldbeasnervousasakitten，livinginoneoftheupperstoreys。ButtheDutchmanleansoutofawindowthatishangingabovethestreetsixfeetbeyondtheperpendicular，andsmokescontentedly。
TheyhaveamerrycustominHollandofkeepingtherailwaytimetwentyminutesaheadofthetowntime——orisittwentyminutesbehind？InevercanrememberwhenI’mthere，andIamnotsurenow。
TheDutchmanhimselfneverknows。
\"You’veplentyoftime，\"hesays\"Butthetraingoesatten，\"yousay;\"thestationisamileaway，anditisnowhalf—pastnine。\"