"Go on, then!" said the soldier.
"Hum!" the young man murmured; "it appears not to be such an easy matter to obtain entrance; never mind," he added, "let us try. My friend," he said, in an insinuating voice, to the sentinel, who stood motionless before him; "we have business in the palace."
"Have you the password?"
"Santiago! no," Valentine answered, frankly.
"Then you cannot enter."
"And yet I wish very much to enter."
"Very possibly; but as you have not the password, I advise you to go on your way; for I swear, if you were the devil in person, I would not afford you a passage."
"My friend," said the Parisian, in a jeering tone, "you do not talk logically; if I were the devil, I should stand in no need of the password—I should get in in spite of you."
"Take care, señor," whispered the arriero; "that soldier is not unlikely to fire at you."
"Pardieu! that's what I reckon upon," said Valentine, laughing.