It was the small hours of the morning when we reached London Airport. I had rung London from Amsterdam, and there was a hired car to meet, but there was one more unfortunate happening before I reached my flat. In all my travels I have never, but for that once, been required by the British customs to open a single bag or to do more than state that I carried no goods liable to duty, or rather, to declare. It was, of course, my fault; the extreme tiredness and nervous tension of the journey had destroyed my normal state of mind. I was, for whichever reason, so tired that I could hardly stand, and to the question, "have you read this?" I replied with extreme foolishness, "Yes, hundreds of times." "And you have nothing to declare?" "Nothing." "How long have you been out of this country?" "About three months." "And during that time you have acquired nothing?" "Nothing but what is on the list I have given you." He seemed momentarily at a loss, but then he attacked. The attack, when it came, was completely unexpected. "Where did you get that watch?" I could have kicked myself. Two days before, when playing water games with a friend in the bath, I had forgotten to take off my ROLEX OYSTER, and it had, not unnaturally, stopped. I had gone into the market and bought, for no more than ten pounds, an ugly time piece that made a strange noise. It had stopped twice, without any reason, during the journey. I explained, but I had already lost face. I produced my own watch from a pocket, and added that I should be grateful if he would _ the replacement. "It is not a question of confiscation; you will have it," he said, "there is a fine for failing to declare dutiable goods. And now may I please examine that Rolex?" It took another quarter of an hour to persuade him that the Rolex was not contraband ; then he began to search my luggage. What must have happened to the writer in the end?
He must have spent a long time at the customs but escaped punishment. His Rolex must have been confiscated. He must have been given a fine as a punishment. His cheap watch must have been confiscated.