"Forgive me, but I never heard anything so amusing. But your comparison
will not stand; everyone would have seen your petticoats, whereas no one
has any business to see my breeches."

I assented to her logic, delighted to find her capable of tearing my
sophism to pieces, but I still preserved silence.

At Roanne we had a good enough supper, and Moreau, who knew very well
that if it had not been for his daughter there would have been no free
journey and free supper for him, was delighted when I told him that she
kept me good company. I told him about our discussion on breeches, and he
pronounced his daughter to be in the wrong, laughing pleasantly. After
supper I told him that he and his daughter were to sleep in the room in
which we were sitting, while I would pass the night in a neighbouring
closet.

Just as we were starting the next morning, Clairmont told me that he
would go on in front, to see that our beds were ready, adding that as we
had lost one night it would not do much harm if we were to lose another.

This speech let me know that my faithful Clairmont began to feel the need
of rest, and his health was dear to me. I told him to stop at St. Pierre
le Mortier, and to take care that a good supper was ready for us. When we
were in the carriage again, Adele thanked me.

"Then you don't like night travelling?" I said.

"I shouldn't mind it if I were not afraid of going to sleep and falling
on you."