“It may happen; but the safest way is to hire your own conveyance.”
“Can’t I engage a place beforehand?”
“No; for don’t you see, Monsieur de Jayat, that if travellers take places from Paris to Lyons, they have the first right.”
“See, the aristocrats!” said Montbar, laughing. “Apropos of aristocrats, there is one behind me posting here. I passed him about a mile the other side of Polliat. I thought his hack a little wind-broken.”
“Oh!” exclaimed the landlord, “that’s not astonishing; my brothers in the business have a poor lot of horses.”
“Why, there’s our man!” continued Montbar; “I thought I had more of a lead of him.”
Roland was, in fact, just passing the windows at a gallop.
“Do you still want chamber No. 1, Monsieur de Jayat?” asked the landlord.
“Why do you ask?”
“Because it is the best one, and if you don’t take it, I shall give it to that man, provided he wants to make any stay.”