So soon as the coach had entered the yard, the horsemen dismounted; one of them, who appeared to exercise a certain authority over his companions, walked up to the landlord, while the others brought the coach up to the main entrance of the house, and closed the gates.
"Well, master," said the traveller to whom we allude, with a very marked foreign accent, although he expressed himself very purely in French; "have my orders been punctually executed?"
At this question, which was very embarrassing to him, Master Pivois scratched his head, and then replied like the cunning peasant he was—
"As far as possibly, yes, my lord."
"What do you mean, scoundrel?" the traveller resumed roughly; "Your instructions were precise enough."
"Yes, my lord," the landlord said humbly; "and I will even add that I was liberally paid beforehand."
"In that case, what have you to say?"
"That I have done the best I could," Master Pivois replied in growing confusion.
"Ah! I suppose you mean that you have someone in the house?"
"Alas! yes, my lord," the landlord answered, hanging his head.