ended Marquis of Ribier opened the window,
lowered the blinds, raised the seat, put his valise in the hollow, sat
down on it, wrapped himself in his cloak, and, certain of not being
disturbed till he reached Valence, slept as he had breakfasted, that is
to say, with all the appetite of youth.

They went from Orange to Valence in eight hours. Our traveller awakened
shortly before entering the city. Raising one of the blinds cautiously,
he recognized the little suburb of Paillasse. It was dark, so he struck
his repeater and found it was eleven at night. Thinking it useless to go
to sleep again, he added up the cost of the relays to Lyons and counted
out the money. As the postilion at Valence passed the comrade who
replaced him, the traveller heard him say:

"It seems he's a ci-devant; but he was recommended from Orange, and, as
he pays twenty sous fees, you must treat him as you would a patriot."

"Very well," replied the other; "he shall be driven accordingly."

The traveller thought the time had come to intervene. He raised the
blind and said:

"And you'll only be doing me justice. A patriot? Deuce take it! I pride
myself upon being one, and of the first calibre, too! And the proof
is--Drink this to the health of the Republic." And he handed a
hundred-franc assignat to the postilion who had recommended him to his
comrade. Seeing the other looking eagerly at this strip of paper, he
continued: "And the same to you if you will repeat the recommendation
you've just received to the others."

"Oh! don't worry, citizen," said the postilion; "there'll be but one
order to Lyons--full speed!"

"And here is the money for the sixteen posts, including the double
post of entrance in advance. I pay twenty sous fees. Settle it among
yourselves."

The postilion dug his spurs into his horse and they were off at a
gallop. The carriage relayed at Lyons about four in the afternoon. While
the horses were being changed, a man clad like a porter, sitting with
his stretcher beside him on a stone post, rose, came to the carriage and
said something in a low tone to the young Companion of Jehu which seemed
to astonish the latter greatly.

"Are you quite sure?" he asked the porter.

"I tell you that I saw him with my own eyes!" replied the latter.

"Then I can give the news to our friends as a positive fact?"

"You can. Only hurry."

"Have they been notified at Servas?"

"Yes; you will find a horse ready between Servas and Sue."