It strikes me we have
caught a crow instead of a pigeon!"

"How comes this?" the Italian asked harshly, addressing me. "Who are
you? And why do you wish to cross the river at this time of night,
young sir?"

I acted on the inspiration of the moment. "Play the man boldly!"
Madame had said. I would: and I did with a vengeance. I sprang
forward and seizing the captain by the clasp of his cloak, shook him
violently, and flung him off with all my force, so that he reeled.
"Dog!" I exclaimed, advancing, as if I would seize him again. "Learn
how to speak to your betters! Am I to be stopped by such sweepings as
you? Hark ye, I am on the King's service!"

He fairly spluttered with rage. "More like the devil's!" he
exclaimed, pronouncing his words abominably, and fumbling vainly for
his weapon. "King's service or no service you do not insult Andrea
Pallavicini!"

I could only vindicate my daring by greater daring, and I saw this even
as, death staring me in the face, my heart seemed to stop. The man had
his mouth open and his hand raised to give an order which would
certainly have sent Anne de Caylus from the world, when I cried
passionately--it was my last chance, and I never wished to live more
strongly than at that moment--I cried passionately, "Andrea
Pallavicini, if such be your name, look at that! Look at that!" I
repeated, shaking my open hand with the ring on it before his face,
"and then hinder me if you dare! To-morrow if you have quarterings
enough, I will see to your quarrel! Now send me on my way, or your
fate be on your own head! Disobey--ay, do but hesitate--and I will
call on these very men of yours to cut you down!"

It was a bold throw, for I staked all on a talisman of which I did not
know the value! To me it was the turn of a die, for I had had no
leisure to look at the ring, and knew no more than a babe whose it was.
But the venture was as happy as desperate.

Andrea Pallavicini's expression--no pleasant one at the best of
times--changed on the instant. His face fell as he seized my hand, and
peered at the ring long and intently. Then he cast a quick glance of
suspicion at his men, of hatred at me. But I cared nothing for his
glance, or his hatred. I saw already that he had made up his mind to
obey the charm: and that for me was everything. "If you had shown
that to me a little earlier, young sir, it would, maybe, have been
better for both of us," he said, a surly menace in hi