26th of May, 7 A.M.
A terrible clap of thunder interrupted our conversation . I thought the train had been thrown off the line by the commotion of the air . I left the young Roumanian and regained my place within the car . In the morning -- 26th of May , 7 A.M. -- we arrived at Lan-Tcheou . Three hours to stop , three hours only . `` Come , Major Noltitz , come , Pan-Chao , come , Caterna , we have not a minute to spare . '' But as we are leaving the station we are stopped by the appearance of a tall , fat , gray , solemn personage .