And he added in an aside, to himself:
"Here I am a duenna."
Mademoiselle Gillenormand embraced him.
"You are not the man to play such pranks, Theodule.
You obey discipline, you are the slave of orders, you are a man of scruples and duty, and you would not quit your family to go and see a creature."
The lancer made the pleased grimace of Cartouche when praised for his probity.
Marius, on the evening following this dialogue, mounted the diligence without suspecting that he was watched.
As for the watcher, the first thing he did was to fall asleep.
His slumber was complete and conscientious.
Argus snored all night long.
At daybreak, the conductor of the diligence shouted:
"Vernon! relay of Vernon!
Travellers for Vernon!"
And Lieutenant Theodule woke.
"Good," he growled, still half asleep, "this is where I get out."★本★作★品★由★思★兔★網★提★供★線★上★閱★讀★
Then, as his memory cleared by degrees, the effect of waking, he recalled his aunt, the ten louis, and the account which he had undertaken to render of the deeds and proceedings of Marius. This set him to laughing.
"Perhaps he is no longer in the coach," he thought, as he rebuttoned the waistcoat of his undress uniform.
"He may have stopped at Poissy; he may have stopped at Triel; if he did not get out at Meulan, he may have got out at Mantes, unless he got out at Rolleboise, or if he did not go on as far as Pacy, with the choice of turning to the left at Evreus, or to the right at Laroche-Guyon. Run after him, aunty.