d finally
asked me if I had any papers in my pockets.

"Only my passports."

"That's exactly what we want," he rejoined, with a grim smile.

"My passports are sacred; I will never give them to anyone but the
governor-general. Reverence your king; here is his passport, here is that
of the Count of Aranda, and here the passport of the Venetian ambassador.
You will have to bind me hand and foot before you get them."

"Be more moderate, sir. In giving them to me it is just as if you gave
them to the viceroy. If you resist I will not bind you hand and foot, but
I shall take you before the viceroy, and then you will be forced to give
them up in public. Give them to me with a good grace, and you shall have
an acknowledgement."

The worthy landlord told me I should be wiser to give in, so I let myself
be persuaded. The officer gave me a full quittance, which I put in my
pocketbook (this he let me keep out of his kindness), and then I followed
him. He had six constables with him, but they kept a good distance away.
Comparing this with the circumstances of my arrest at Madrid, I thought
myself well treated.

Before we left the inn the officer told me that I might order what meals
I pleased, and I asked the landlord to let me have my dinner and supper
as usual.

On the way I told him of my adventure of the night before; he listened
attentively but made no comments.

When we reached the citadel I was delivered to the officer of the guard,
who gave me a room on the first floor. It was bare of furniture, but the
windows looked on to a square and had no iron bars.

I had scarcely been there ten minutes when my carpet bag and an excellent
bed were brought in.

As soon as I was alone I began to think over the situation. I finished
where I ought to have begun.

"What can this imprisonment have to do with my last night's adventure?" I
reflected.

I could not make out the connection.

"They are bent on examining my papers; they must think I have been
tampering in some political or religious intrigue; but my mind is quite
at ease on that score. I am well lodged at present, and no doubt shall be
set free after my papers have been examined; they can find nothing
against me there.

"The affair of my attempted assassination will, no doubt, be considered
separately.

"Even if the rascal is dead, I do not see what they can do to me.

"On the other hand, my landlord's advice to fly from Barcelona looks
ominous; what if the as