"Ah! that's the point," cried the clerk. "To hoax the travellers and
have a bit of fun I told them a lot of stuff about Egypt and Greece
and Spain. As I happened to be wearing spurs I have myself out for a
colonel of cavalry: pure nonsense!"

"Tell me," said Moreau, "what did this traveller you take to be
Monsieur le comte look like?"

"Face like a brick," said Georges, "hair snow-white, and black
eyebrows."

"That is he!"

"Then I'm lost!" exclaimed Georges.

"Why?"

"Oh, I chaffed him about his decorations."

"Pooh! he's a good fellow; you probably amused him. Come at once to
the chateau. I'll go in and see his Excellency. Where did you say he
left the coach?"

"At the top of the mountain."

"I don't know what to make of it!"

"After all," thought Georges, "though I did blague him, I didn't say
anything insulting."