se you would be
glad of some breakfast; however, you must wait a little, the kettle does
not boil.' 'Come and look at your chaise,' said I; 'but tell me how it
happened that the noise which I have been making did not awake you; for
three-quarters of an hour at least I was hammering close at your ear.'
'I heard you all the time,' said the postillion, 'but your hammering made
me sleep all the sounder; I am used to hear hammering in my morning
sleep. There's a forge close by the room where I sleep when I'm at home,
at my inn; for we have all kinds of conveniences at my inn--forge,
carpenter's shop, and wheelwright's--so that when I heard you hammering,
I thought, no doubt, that it was the old noise, and that I was
comfortable in my bed at my own inn.' We now ascended to the field,
where I showed the postillion his chaise. He looked at the pin
attentively, rubbed his hands, and gave a loud laugh. 'Is it not well
done?' said I. 'It will do till I get home,' he replied. 'And that is
all you have to say?' I demanded. 'And that's a good deal,' said he,
'considering who made it. But don't be offended,' he added, 'I shall
prize it all the more for its being made by a gentleman, and no
blacksmith; and so will my governor, when I show it to him. I shan't let
it remain where it is, but will keep it, as a remembrance of you, as long
as I live.' He then again rubbed his hands with great glee, and said, 'I
will now go and see after my horses, and then to breakfast, partner, if
you please.' Suddenly, however, looking at his hands, he said, 'Before
sitting down to breakfast, I am in the habit of washing my hands and
face: I suppose you could not furnish me with a little soap and water.'
'As much water as you please,' said I, 'but if you want soap, I must go
and trouble the young gentlewoman for some.' 'By no means,' said the
postillion, 'water will do at a pinch.' 'Follow me,' said I, and leading
him to the pond of the frogs and newts, I said, 'this is my ewer; you are
welcome to part of it--the water is so soft that it is scarcely necessary
to add soap to it;' then lying down on the bank, I plunged my head into
the water, then scrubbed my hands and face, and afterwards wiped them
with some long grass which grew on the margin of the pond. 'Bravo,' said
the postillion, 'I see you know how to make a shift:' he then followed my
example, declared he never felt more refreshed in his life, and, giving a
bound, said, 'he would go a