"Yes, but you told your postillion that you were, and that comes to the
same thing."

"The postillion is a liar, I told him nothing of the kind."

"Why didn't you shew your passport?"

"Why didn't you give me time to do so? In the course of the next few
days we shall see who is right."

"Just as you please."

I went out with the officer who took me to the posting-place, and a
minute afterwards my carriage drew up. The posting-place was also an inn,
and I told the landlord to have a special messenger ready to carry out my
orders, to give me a good room and a good bed, and to serve me some rich
soup immediately; and I warned him that I was accustomed to good fare. I
had my portmanteau and all my belongings taken into my room, and having
washed and put on my dressing-gown I sat down to write, to whom I did not
know, for I was quite wrong in my contention. However, I had begun by
playing the great man, and I thought myself bound in honour to sustain
the part, without thinking whether I stood to have to back out of it or
no. All the same I was vexed at having to wait in Aire till the return of
the messenger, whom I was about to send to the-moon! In the meanwhile,
not having closed an eye all night, I determined to take a rest. I was
sitting in my shirt-sleeves and eating the soup which had been served to
me, when the governor came in unaccompanied. I was both surprised and
delighted to see him.