I will send four men with the horses at once, if such is your pleasure." "You will greatly oblige me by doing so," Hector replied.

Having seen the horses safely and comfortably lodged at the inn, Hector returned to the hotel with Paolo.
"You are not tired, I hope, Paolo ?" he asked as they walked back.
"No, master; we have taken three days to do what you did in one, and have fatigued neither ourselves nor our beasts." "That is well, for I am going to start on a journey this afternoon, that is to say, if I can manage to make my arrangements." "May I ask where you are going, master ?" "You will be surprised to hear that I am going to visit my estates in Poitou." Paolo looked sharply up to see whether Hector was joking.

Seeing that he looked serious, he said hesitatingly, "But I did not know, master, that you had estates in Poitou.

I never heard you speak of them." "Because I had them not, Paolo.

That box that you are carrying holds the titles.