At present, it was true, I had nothing to fear; but it would be getting
dark when we arrived at the frontier, and then my peril would come.

I told my servant to shew no sign, but to ask the driver to come and
speak with me when the assassins were asleep.

He came at ten o'clock, and told me plainly that we should be all
murdered as we approached the French frontier.

"Then you have been drinking with them?"

"Yes, and after we had dispatched a bottle at my expense, one of them
asked me why I had not gone on to the end of the stage, where you would
be better lodged. I replied that it was late, and you were cold. I might
have asked in my turn, why they had not stayed at the stage themselves,
and where they were going, but I took care to do nothing of the kind. All
I asked was whether the road to Perpignan was a good one, and they told
me it was excellent all the way."

"What are they doing now?"

"They are sleeping by my mules, covered with their cloaks."

"What shall we do?"

"We will start at day-break after them, of course, and we shall dine at
the usual stage; but after dinner, trust me, we will take a different
road, and at midnight we shall be in France safe and sound."

If I could have procured a good armed escort I would not have taken his