relays; and that on this account we might by travelling post
overtake him; and possibly slip by him between that place and
Paris. But we learned at Chateauroux that his troop had received
fresh orders to go to Orleans and await him there; the result
being that he was able to push forward with relays so far. He
was evidently in hot haste. For leaving there with his horses
fresh he passed through Angerville, forty miles short of Paris,
at noon, whereas we reached it on the evening of the same day--
the sixth after leaving Caylus.

We rode into the yard of the inn--a large place, seeming larger
in the dusk--so tired that we could scarcely slip from our
saddles. Jean, our servant, took the four horses, and led them
across to the stables, the poor beasts hanging their heads, and
following meekly. We stood a moment stamping our feet, and
stretching our legs. The place seemed in a bustle, the clatter
of pans and dishes proceeding from the windows over the entrance,
with a glow of light and the sound of feet hurrying in the
passages. There were men too, half-a-dozen or so standing at the
doors of the stables, while others leaned from the windows. One
or two lanthorns just kindled glimmered here and there in the
semi-darkness; and in a corner two smiths were shoeing a horse.

We were turning from all this to go in, when we heard Jean's
voice raised in altercation, and thinking our rustic servant had
fallen into trouble, we walked across to the stables near which
he and the horses were still lingering. "Well, what is it?" I
said sharply.

"They say that there is no room for the horses," Jean answered