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Les Misérables

Chapter 62

It was nearly eight o’clock in the evening when the cart, which we left on the road, entered the porte-cochère of the Hotel de la Poste in Arras; the man whom we have been following up to this moment alighted from it, responded with an abstracted air to the attentions of the people of the inn, sent back the extra horse, and with his own hands led the little white horse to the stable; then he opened the door of a billiard-room which was situated on the ground floor, sat down there, and leaned his elbows on a table; he had taken fourteen hours for the journey which he had counted on making in six; he did himself the justice to acknowledge that it was not his fault, but at bottom, he was not sorry.

The landlady of the hotel entered. 'Does Monsieur wish a bed? Does Monsieur require supper? ' He made a sign of the head in the negative. 'The stableman says that Monsieur’s horse is extremely fatigued. ' Here he broke his silence.

'Will not the horse be in a condition to set out again to-morrow morning? ' 'Oh, Monsieur! he must rest for two days at least. ' He inquired:— 'Is not the posting-station located here? ' 'Yes, sir.

' The hostess conducted him to the office; he showed his passport, and inquired whether there was any way of returning that same night to M. sur M. by the mail-wagon; the seat beside the post-boy chanced to be vacant; he engaged it and paid for it.

'Monsieur,' said the clerk, 'do not fail to be here ready to start at precisely one o’clock in the morning. ' This done, he left the hotel and began to wander about the town. He was not acquainted with Arras; the streets were dark, and he walked

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