Then they spurred on to Rodriguez. "You are, they said, "as no man
doubts, one Morano, servant at the Inn of the Dragon and Knight,
whose good master is, as we allege, dead."

"Masters," answered Rodriguez, "I am but a poor traveller, and no
servant at any inn."

Now la Garda, as I have indicated, will hear all things except
denials; and thus to receive two within the space of two moments
infuriated them so fiercely that they were incapable of forming
any other theory that day except the one they held.

There are many men like this; they can form a plausible theory and
grasp its logical points, but take it away from them and destroy
it utterly before their eyes, and they will not so easily lash
their tired brains at once to build another theory in place of the
one that is ruined.

"As the saints live," they said, "you are Morano." And they
arrested Rodriguez too.

Now when they began to turn back by the way they had come
Rodriguez began to fear overmuch identification, so he assured la
Garda that in the next village ahead of them were those who would
answer all questions concerning him, as well as being the
possessors of the finest vintage of wine in the kingdom of Spain.

Now it may be that the mention of this wine soothed the anger
caused in the men of la Garda by two denials, or it may be that
curiosity guided them, at any rate they took the road that led