"I am M. Gringuet's
deputy, and I am here with authority to collect and remit,
receive and give receipts for, his Majesty's taxes, tolls, and
dues, now, or to be, due and owing. Therefore, my friend, I will
trouble you to show me to my room.
I thought that this announcement would impress him as much as I
desired; but, to my surprise, he only stared at me. "Eh!" he
exclaimed at last, in a faltering tone, "M. Gringuet's deputy?"
"Yes," I said, dismounting somewhat impatiently; "he is ill with
the gout and cannot come."
"And you--are his deputy?"
"I have said so."
Still he did not move to do my bidding, but continued to rub his
bald head and stare at me as if I fascinated him. "Well, I am--I
mean--I think we are full," he stammered at last, with his eyes
like saucers.
I replied, with some impatience, that he had just said that he
had a room; adding, that if I was not in it and comfortably
settled before five minutes were up I would know the reason. I
thought that this would settle the matter, whatever maggot had
got into the man's head; and, in a way, it did so, for he begged
my pardon hastily, and made way for me to enter, calling, at the
same time, to a lad who was standing by, to attend to the horses.
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