Meanwhile I observed Rowley fretting visibly at the bit; another moment, and he would have added a last touch of the ridiculous to our arrival by coming to his hands with the postillion.

‘Rowley!’ cried I reprovingly.

Strictly it should have been Gammon; but in the hurry of the moment, my fault (I can only hope) passed unperceived.  At the same time I caught the eye of the postmaster.  He was long and lean, and brown and bilious; he had the drooping nose of the humourist, and the quick attention of a man of parts.  He read my embarrassment in a glance, stepped instantly forward, sent the post-boy to the rightabout with half a word, and was back next moment at my side.

’Dinner in a private room, sir?  Very well.  John, No. 4!  What wine would you care to mention?  Very well, sir.  Will you please to order fresh horses?  Not, sir?  Very well.’

Each of these expressions was accompanied by something in the nature of a bow, and all were prefaced by something in the nature of a smile, which I could very well have done without.  The man’s politeness was from the teeth outwards; behind and within, I was conscious of a perpetual scrutiny:  the scene at his doorstep, the random confidences of the post-boy, had not been thrown away on this observer; and it was under a strong fear of coming trouble that I was shown at last into my private room.  I was in half a mind to have put off the whole business.  But the truth is, now my name had got abroad, my fear of the mail that was coming, and the handbills it should contain, had waxed inordinately, and I felt I could never eat a meal in peace till I had severed my connection with the claret-coloured chaise.

Accordingly, as soon as I had done with dinner, I sent my compliments to the landlord and requested he should take a glass of wine with me.  He came; we exchanged the necessary civilities, and presently I approached my business.

‘By the bye,’ said I, ’we had a brush down the road to-day.  I dare say you may have heard of it?’

He nodded.

’And I was so unlucky as to get a pistol ball in the panel of my chaise,’ I continued, ’which makes it simply useless to me.  Do you know any one likely to buy?’

‘I can well understand that,’ said the landlord, ’I was looking at it just now; it’s as good as ruined, is that chaise.  General rule, people don’t like chaises with bullet-holes.’

‘Too much Romance of the Forest?’ I suggested, recalling my little friend of the morning, and what I was sure had been her favourite reading—­Mrs. Radcliffe’s novels.

‘Just so,’ said he.  ’They may be right, they may be wrong; I’m not the judge.  But I suppose it’s natural, after all, for respectable people to like things respectable about them; not bullet-holes, nor puddles of blood, nor men with aliases.’

I took a glass of wine and held it up to the light to show that my hand was steady.