“That’s unnecessary; you may take it for granted. My name is Emmanuel Badillo; I am a secretary of state. That gentleman will escort you back to the room where you were arrested. You will find everything just as you have left it. You are a free man. To-morrow I will send you your passport, signed by the viceroy and myself. Good day, sir.” Accompanied by the officer and a servant bearing my portmanteau, I proceeded to my old inn. On my way I saw a theatrical poster, and decided to go to the opera. The good landlord was delighted to see me again, and hastened to light me a fire, for a bitterly cold north wind was blowing. He assured me that no one but himself had been in my room, and in the officer’s presence he gave me back my sword, my great coat, and, to my astonishment, the hat I had dropped in my flight from the assassins. The officer asked me if I had any complaints to make, and I replied that I had none. “I should like to hear you say that I had done nothing but my duty, and that personally I have not done you any injury.” I shook his hand, and assured him of my esteem. “Farewell, sir,” said he, “I hope you will have a pleasant journey.” I told my landlord that I would dine at noon, and that I trusted to him to celebrate my liberation in a fitting manner, and then I went to the post office to see if there were any letters for me. I found five or six letters, with the seals intact, much to my astonishment. What is one to make of a Government which deprives a man of his liberty on some trifling pretext, and, though seizing all his papers, respects the privacy of his letters? But Spain, as I have remarked, is peculiar in every way. These letters were from Paris, Venice, Warsaw, and Madrid, and I have never had any reason to believe that any other letters had come for me during my imprisonment. I went back to my inn, and asked my landlord to bring the bill. “You do not owe me anything, sir. Here is your bill for the period preceding your imprisonment, and, as you see, it has been settled. I also received orders from the same source to provide for you during your imprisonment, and as long as you stayed at Barcelona.” “Did you know how long I should remain in prison?” “No, I was paid by the week.” “Who paid you?” “You know very well.” “Have you had any note for me?” “Nothing at all.” “What has become of the valet de place?” “I paid him, and sent him away immediately after your arrest.” “I should like to have him with me as far as Perpignan.” “You are right, and I think the best thing you can do is to leave Spain altogether, for you will find no justice in it.” “What do they say about my assassination?” “Why, they say you fired the shot that people heard yourself, and that you made your own sword bloody, for no one was found there, either dead or wounded.” “That’s an amusing theory. Where did my hat come from?” “It was brought to me three days after.”