ecause it was nobody's business; because nobody wished to incur the
vengeance of his comrades; because there were not sufficient _gens
d'armes_ near to insure security against the numbers of desperadoes he
might have at hand; because the _gens d'armes_ might not have received
particular instructions with respect to him, and might not feel
disposed to engage in the hazardous conflict without compulsion. In
short, I might give you a thousand reasons, rising out of the state of
our government and manners, not one of which after all might appear
satisfactory."

The Englishman shrugged his shoulders with an air of contempt.

"I have been told," added the Roman, rather quickly, "that even in your
metropolis of London, notorious thieves, well known to the police as
such, walk the streets at noon-day, in search of their prey, and are
not molested unless caught in the very act of robbery."

The Englishman gave another shrug, but with a different expression.

"Well, sir, I fixed my eye on this daring wolf thus prowling through
the fold, and saw him enter a church. I was curious to witness his
devotions. You know our spacious, magnificent churches. The one in
which he entered was vast and shrouded in the dusk of evening. At the
extremity of the long aisles a couple of tapers feebly glimmered on the
grand altar. In one of the side chapels was a votive candle placed
before the image of a saint. Before this image the robber had
prostrated himself. His mantle partly falling off from his shoulders as
he knelt, revealed a form of Herculean strength; a stiletto and pistol
glittered in his belt, and the light falling on his countenance showed
features not unhandsome, but strongly and fiercely charactered. As he
prayed he became vehemently agitated; his lips quivered; sighs and
murmurs, almost groans burst from him; he beat his breast with
violence, then clasped his hands and wrung them convulsively as he
extended them towards the image. Never had I seen such a terrific
picture of remorse. I felt fearful of being discovered by him, and
withdrew. Shortly after I saw him issue from the church wrapped in his
mantle; he recrossed the square, and no doubt returned to his mountain
with disburthened conscience, ready to incur a fresh arrear of crime."

The conversation was here taken up by two other travellers, recently
arrived, Mr. Hobbs and Mr. Dobbs, a linen-draper and a green-grocer,
just returning from a tour in Greece and the Holy Land: