- The
Secret Was Betrayed, Without Any One Being Guilty Of Accusing The
Confidence Reposed In Them, And By The Strangest Accident That Perhaps
Ever Was, Horatio Learned All He Wished To Know When He Had Given Over
All His Endeavours For That Purpose, And Was Totally Despairing Of It.
He came one day to Paris, in order to alleviate his melancholy, in the
company of some young gentlemen,
Who had expressed a very great regard
for him; but his mind being taken up with various and perplexed thoughts
on his entrance into that city, he mistook his way, and turned into the
rue St. Dennis instead of the rue St. Honore, where he had been
accustomed to leave his horses and servant. - He found his error just as
he was passing by a large inn, and it being a matter of indifference to
him where he put up, would not turn back, but ordered his man to alight
here. - I forgot where I was going, said he, but I suppose the horses
will be taken as much care of at this house as where we used to go. I
shall see to that, replied the fellow. Horatio stepped into a room to
take some refreshment while his servant went to the stable, but had not
been there above a minute before he heard very high words between some
people in the yard; and as he turned towards the window, saw a man in
the livery of the baron de Palfoy, and whom he presently knew to be the
coachman of that nobleman. He was hot in dispute with the innkeeper
concerning a horse which he had hired of him, and, as the other
insisted, drove so hard that he had killed him. The coachman denied the
accusation; but the innkeeper told him he had witnesses to prove the
horse died two hours after he was brought home, and declared, that if he
had not satisfaction for his beast, he would complain to the baron, and
if he did not do him justice, have recourse to law. - There was a long
argument between them concerning the number of miles, the hours they
drove, and the weight of the carriage. - Among other things the innkeeper
alledged, that he saw them as he passed his corner, and there were so
many trunks, boxes, and other luggage behind and before the coach,
besides the company that was in it, that it required eight horses
instead of six to draw it. Why then, said the coachman, did it not kill
our horses as well as yours; if they had been equally good, they would
have held out equally. - I do not pretend mine was as good, replied the
innkeeper, I cannot afford to feed my horses as my lord does; but yet he
was a stout gelding, and if he had not been drove so very hard, and
perhaps otherwise ill used into the bargain, he would have been
alive now.
All this was sufficient to make Horatio imagine it was for the journey
which deprived him of his dear Charlotta, that this horse had been
hired, so tarried in the place where he was till the debate was over,
which ended not to the satisfaction of the innkeeper, who swore he would
not be fooled out of his money.
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