“I want two places in coupe, in the morning.  Or banquette.  Two places, diligence.”  The official waves him off, and says something.

“What does he say?”

“He tells you to sit down on that bench till he is ready.”

Soon the Frenchman has run over his big waybills, and turns to us.

“I want two places in the diligence, coupe,” etc, etc, says the American.

This remark being lost on the official, I explain to him as well as I can what is wanted, at first,—­two places in the coupe.

“One is taken,” is his reply.

“The gentleman will take two,” I said, having in mind the diligence in the yard, with three places in the coupe.

“One is taken,” he repeats.

“Then the gentleman will take the other two.”

“One is taken!” he cries, jumping up and smiting the table,—­“one is taken, I tell you!”

“How many are there in the coupe?”

“Two.”

“Oh! then the gentleman will take the one remaining in the coupe and the one on top.”

So it is arranged.  When I come back to the hotel, the Americans are explaining to the lively waiter “who speaks English” that they are to go in the diligence at half-past five, and that they are to be called at half-past four and have breakfast.  He knows all about it, —­“Diligence, half-past four breakfast, Oh, yaas!” While I have been at the diligence-office, my companions have secured room and gone to them; and I ask the waiter to show m to my room.  First, however, I tell him that we three two ladies and myself, who came together, are going in the diligence at half-past five, and want to be called and have breakfast.  Did he comprehend?

“Yaas,” rolling his face about on the top of his head violently.  “You three gentleman want breakfast.  What you have?”

I had told him before what we would I have, an now I gave up all hope of keeping our parties separate in his mind; so I said, “Five persons want breakfast at five o’clock.  Five persons, five hours.  Call all of them at half-past four.”  And I repeated it, and made him repeat it in English and French.  He then insisted on putting me into the room of one of the American gentlemen and then he knocked at the door of a lady, who cried out in indignation at being disturbed; and, finally, I found my room.  At the door I reiterated the instructions for the morning; and he cheerfully bade me good-night.  But he almost immediately came back, and poked in his head with,—­

“Is you go by de diligence?”

“Yes, you stupid.”