This was the masquerader in the American uniform; and an amazingly
fleet pair of heels he showed, taking into account his heaviness of
body. Already he had a fair lead; and had he maintained for long the
pace he set in the first few hundred yards he must have won away
scot-free. But whether he lacked staying powers or confidence, he made
the mistake of adopting another and less fatiguing means of locomotion.
Duchemin saw him swerve from his first course and steer for a vehicle
standing at some distance--evidently the conveyance which had brought
the sightseers to view the spectacle of Montpellier-le-Vieux by
moonlight.
Waiting in the middle of a broad avenue of misshapen obelisks, a
dilapidated barouche with a low body sagging the lower for debilitated
springs, on either side its pole drooped two sorry specimens of
crowbait. And their pained amazement was so unfeigned that Duchemin
laughed aloud when the fat rogue bounded to the box, snatched up reins
and whip and curled a cruel lash round their bony flanks. From this one
inferred that he was indifferently acquainted with the animals,
certainly not their accustomed driver.
Pages:
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37