HOW TO REQUITE THE KNAVES. 279 



tion I received ; in short, for the three days I re- 

 mained there, the civility and attention were beyond 

 the reach of moneyed remuneration, and when I paid 

 my bill, I felt I left the hotel a debtor to its inmates. 

 During breakfast I resolved in my own mind a 

 plan of proceedings, and, the breakfast being over, I 

 at once sallied forth for the office of the British 

 Consul, therein to lodge two complaints — one against 

 the constable for taking the ten francs, and the other 

 against the English captain of the packet for his inso- 

 lent neglect, and for the abduction of my luggage. 

 Nothing could be more prompt, straightforward, or 

 courteous than the attention I received from Mr. 

 Featherstonehaugh. He listened to my narrative, 

 and then, to my astonishment, informed me, that no 

 matter how gross the assault and provocation, by 

 striking a French subject I had laid myself open to a 

 fine of six hundred francs and imprisonment. He 

 told me his office was constantly thronged with 

 similar complaints ; that it was the custom of the 

 omnibus-men and cab- drivers at the Havre station to 

 practise a well-organised system of conspiracy, extor- 

 tion, and robbery against all foreigners ; and that it 

 was utterly hopeless for me to attempt to obtain jus- 

 tice or redress. So convinced was he of this, that his 

 constant advice to all who complained was, that, if 



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