. It must be
admitted that the whole affair was conducted on both sides with touching
amenity. As soon as the conductor saw us he shouted to the postilion to
stop; I even believe he added: 'I know what it is.' 'Then,' said I, 'if
you know what it is, my dear friend, our explanations needn't be long.'
'The government money?' he asked. 'Exactly,' I replied. Then as there
was a great commotion inside the carriage, I added: 'Wait! first come
down and assure these gentlemen, and especially the ladies, that we
are well-behaved folk and will not harm them--the ladies; you
understand--and nobody will even look at them unless they put their
heads out of the window.' One did risk it; my faith! but she was
charming. I threw her a kiss, and she gave a little cry and retired
into the carriage, for all the world like Galatea, and as there were
no willows about, I didn't pursue her. In the meantime the guard was
rummaging in his strong-box in all expedition, and to such good purpose,
indeed, that with the government money, in his hurry, he passed over two
hundred louis belonging to a poor wine merchant of Bordeaux."

"Ah, the devil!" exclaimed the brother called Amiet--an assumed
name, probably, like that of Morgan--"that is annoying! You know the
Directory, which is most imaginative, has organized some bands of
chauffeurs, who operate in our name, to make people believe that we rob
private individuals. In other words, that we are mere thieves."

"Wait an instant," resumed Morgan; "that is just what makes me late.
I heard something similar at Lyons. I was half-way to Valence when I
discovered this breach of etiquette. It was not difficult, for, as if
the good man had foreseen what happened, he had marked his bag 'Jean
Picot, Wine Merchant at Fronsac, Bordeaux.'"

"And you sent his money back to him?"

"I did better; I returned it to him."

"At Fronsac?"

"Ah! no, but at Avignon. I suspected that so careful a man would stop
at the first large town to inquire what chance he had to recover his two
hundred louis. I was not mistaken. I inquired at the inn if they knew
citizen Jean Picot. They replied that not only did they know him, but in
fact he was then dining at the table d'hote. I went in. You can imagine
what they were talking about--the stoppage of the diligence. Conceive
the sensation my apparition caused. The god of antiquity descending from
the machine produced a no more unexpected finale than I. I asked which
one of the g