"
But on reaching the Champ Elysees, he discovered, to his regret,
that this plan was impracticable, for on running down the Avenue
de l'Imperatrice after the rapidly driven carriage, he could not
fail to attract attention. Stifling a sigh of regret, and seeing
a cab at a stand near by, he hastily hailed it. "Where do you
want to go, sir?" inquired the driver.
"Just follow that blue victoria, in which a handsome lady is
seated, my good fellow."
The order did not surprise the cabman, but rather the person who
gave it; for in spite of his fine apparel, Chupin did not seem
quite the man for such an adventure. "Excuse me," said the Jehu,
in a slightly ironical tone, "I----"
"I said exactly what I mean," retorted Chupin, whose pride was
severely wounded. "And no more talk--hurry on, or we shall miss
the track."
This last remark was correct, for if Madame d'Argeles's coachman
had not slackened his horse's speed on passing round the Arc de
Triomphe, the woman would have escaped Chupin, for that day at
least. However, this circumstance gave the cabman an opportunity
to overtake the victoria; and after that the two vehicles kept
close together as they proceeded down the Avenue de l'Imperatrice.
But at the entrance of the Bois de Boulogne Chupin ordered his
driver to stop. "Halt!" he exclaimed; "I shall get out. Pay the
extra cab charges for passing beyond the limits of Paris!--never!
I'll crawl on my hands and knees first.
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