uests was called Jean Picot. The owner of this distinguished
and melodious name stood forth. I placed the two hundred louis
before him, with many apologies, in the name of the Company, for the
inconvenience its followers had occasioned him. I exchanged a friendly
glance with Barjols and a polite nod with the Abbe de Rians who were
present, and, with a profound bow to the assembled company, withdrew. It
was only a little thing, but it took me fifteen hours; hence the delay.
I thought it preferable to leaving a false conception of us in our wake.
Have I done well, my masters?"

The gathering burst into bravos.

"Only," said one of the participants, "I think you were somewhat
imprudent to return the money yourself to citizen Jean Picot."

"My dear colonel," replied the young man, "there's an Italian proverb
which says: 'Who wills, goes; who does not will, sends.' I willed--I
went."

"And there's a jolly buck who, if you ever have the misfortune to fall
into the hands of the Directory, will reward you by recognizing you; a
recognition which means cutting off your head!"

"Oh! I defy him to recognize me."

"What can prevent it?"

"Oh! You seem to think that I play such pranks with my face uncovered?
Truly, my dear colonel, you mistake me for some one else. It is well
enough to lay aside my mask among friends; but among strangers--no,
no! Are not these carnival times? I don't see why I shouldn't disguise
myself as Abellino or Karl Moor, when Messieurs Gohier, Sieyes, Roger
Ducos, Moulin and Barras are masquerading as kings of France."

"And you entered the city masked?"

"The city, the hotel, the dining-room. It is true that if my face was
covered, my belt was not, and, as you see, it is well garnished."

The young man tossed aside his coat, displaying his belt, which was
furnished with four pistols and a short hunting-knife. Then, with a
gayety which seemed characteristic of his careless nature, he added: "I
ought to look ferocious, oughtn't I? They may have taken me for the late
Mandrin, descending from the mountains of Savoy. By the bye, here are
the sixty thousand francs of Her Highness, the Directory." And the young
man disdainfully kicked the valise which he had placed on the ground,
which emitted a metallic sound indicating the presence of gold. Then he
mingled with the group of friends from whom he had been separated by the
natural distance between a narrator and his listeners.

One of the monks stooped a