umphant air, that Merindol--for it was
he--passed quickly by, without offering to molest him, with a most
deprecating, crestfallen expression; a laughable contrast to his
habitual fierce insolence. His three doughty comrades followed in quick
succession--but not one of them dared to attack de Sigognac, and they
slunk out of sight as rapidly as possible. He saluted each one with a
mocking gesture as he passed, and stood tranquilly watching them as
long as he could see them. In a few minutes he had the satisfaction of
hearing the stamping of horses' feet in the court-yard below, then the
opening of the outer door to let them pass out into the street, and
finally a great clattering of hoofs as they galloped off down the Rue
Dauphine.

At breakfast the next morning the tyrant said to de Sigognac, "Captain,
doesn't your curiosity prompt you to go out and look about you a little
in this great city--one of the finest in the world, and of such high
renown in history? If it is agreeable to you I will be your guide and
pilot, for I have been familiar from my youth up with the rocks and
reefs, the straits and shallows, the scyllas and charybdises of this
seething ocean, which are often so dangerous--sometimes so fatal--to
strangers, and more especially to inexperienced country people. I will
be your Palinurus--but I promise you that I shall not allow myself to
be caught napping, and so fall overboard, like him that Virgil tells us
about. We are admirably located here for sight-seeing; the Pont-Neuf,
which is close at hand, you know, is to Paris what the Sacra Via was to
ancient Rome--the great resort and rallying place of high and low, great
and small, noble men, gentlemen, bourgeois, working men, rogues and
vagabonds. Men of every rank and profession under the sun are to be
found gathered together at this general rendezvous."

"Your kind proposition pleases me greatly, my good Herode," de Sigognac
replied, "and I accept it with thanks; but be sure to tell Scapin that
he must remain here, and keep a sharp watch over all who come and go;
and, above all, that he must not let any one gain access to Isabelle.
The Duke of Vallombreuse has not given up his designs against her and
me--I feel very anxious about her safety," and therewith he recounted
the occurrences of the preceding night.

"I don't believe they would dare to attempt anything in broad daylight,"
said the tyrant; "still it is best to err on the safe side, and we will
le