“Yes, sir, he can go for five hours without needing anything more.”
“Be off! be off!” our friend cried gaily, as he lifted me into the tilbury after kissing me.
My father and Liénard kissed each other, like the loving friends they were, and father got into the carriage.
“Where is the state high-road?” he asked the groom.
Liénard replied:
“This boy will take one of the carriages at the station and accompany you until nightfall, to see that Juliette’s horse behaves itself. I will go to-morrow morning to his master’s, and will get news of you there. Good-bye, good-bye; a pleasant journey!”
A small valise bought by my father at Boulogne, held our toilet articles. My famous basket was at our feet, our luggage ticket given to Liénard, and off we started.
XXV
OUR HOMEWARD JOURNEY
EVERY detail of that delightful journey is still present to me. It seemed to me that I was undertaking something tremendous, which was going to last for an indefinite time.