Jehu then are the intermediaries between the Republic and
the Counter-Revolution, the tax-collectors of the royalist generals?"

"Yes. It is not robbery, but a military operation, rather a feat of
arms like any other. So there you are, citizen, and now you are as well
informed on this point as ourselves."

"But," timidly hazarded the wine merchant of Bordeaux, "if the
Companions of Jehu--observe that I say nothing against them--want the
government money--"

"The government money, no other. Individual plunder on their part is
unheard of."

"How does it happen, then, that yesterday, in addition to the government
money, they carried off two hundred louis of mine?"

"My dear sir," replied the young man of the table d'hote, "I have
already told you that there is some mistake. As surely as my name is
Alfred de Barjols, this money will be returned to you some day."

The wine merchant heaved a sigh and shook his head, as if, in spite of
that assurance, he still retained some doubts. But at this moment, as if
the promise given by the young noble, who had just revealed his social
position by telling his name, had stirred the delicacy of those whom he
thus guaranteed, a horse stopped at the entrance, steps were heard in
the corridor, the dining-room door opened, and a masked man, armed to
the teeth, appeared on the threshold.

"Gentlemen," said he, in the profound silence occasioned by his
apparition, "is there a traveller here named Jean Picot, who was in the
diligence that was held up yesterday between Lambesc and Pont-Royal?"

"Yes," said the wine merchant, amazed.

"Are you he?" asked the masked man.

"I am."

"Was anything taken from you?"

"Oh, yes, two hundred louis, which I had intrusted to the conductor."

"And I may add," said the young noble, "that the gentleman was speaking
of it at this very moment. He looked upon it as lost."

"The gentleman was wrong," said the masked unknown, "we war upon
the government and not against individuals. We are partisans and not
robbers. Here are your two hundred Louis, sir, and if a similar mistake
should occur in the future, claim your loss, mentioning the name of
Morgan."

So saying, the masked individual deposited a bag of gold beside the wine
merchant, bowed courteously to the other guests, and went out, leaving
some terrified and others bewildered by such daring.

CHAPTER II. AN ITALIAN PROVERB

Although the two sentiments which we have just indicated we