landlord, who, at the sound of carriage wheels
hastened, napkin in hand, to greet the travellers, "you will be promptly
and comfortably served in your room; but if you will permit me to
advise--" He hesitated.

"Oh, go on! go on!" said the younger of the travellers, speaking for the
first time.

"Well, it would be that you dine at the table d'hote, like the traveller
for whom this coach, already harnessed, is waiting. The dinner is
excellent and all served."

The host at the same time indicated a comfortably appointed carriage,
to which were harnessed two horses who were pawing the ground, while the
postilion sought patience in the bottle of Cahors wine he was emptying
near the window-ledge. The first movement of him to whom this proposal
was made was negative; nevertheless, after a second's reflection,
the elder of the two travellers, as if he had reconsidered his first
decision, made an interrogative sign to his companion, who replied with
a look which signified, "You know that I am at your orders."

"Very well, so be it," said the other, "we will dine at the table
d'hote." Then, turning to the postilion, who, hat in hand, awaited
his order, he added, "Let the horses be ready in a half hour, at the
latest."

And the landlord pointing out the way, they both entered the
dining-room, the elder of the two walking first, the other following
him.

Everyone knows the impression generally produced at a table d'hote by
new-comers. All eyes were bent upon them and the conversation, which
seemed to be quite animated, stopped.

The guests consisted of the frequenters of the hotel, the traveller
whose carriage was waiting harnessed at the door, a wine merchant from
Bordeaux, sojourning temporarily at Avignon for reasons we shall shortly
relate, and a certain number of travellers going from Marseilles to
Lyons by diligence.

The new arrivals greeted the company with a slight inclination of the
head, and sat down at the extreme end of the table, thereby isolating
themselves from the other guests by three or four empty places. This
seemingly aristocratic reserve redoubled the curiosity of which they
were the object; moreover, they were obviously people of unquestionable
distinction, although their garments were simple in the extreme. Both
wore hightop boots and breeches, long-tailed coats, travelling overcoats
and broad-brimmed hats, the usual costume of the young men of that day.
But that which distinguished them from th