"That is the famous bandit!"

Thereupon, to the vast amazement of the mult.i.tude, the three young gentlemen roared with laughter; then they seized the malefactor's hands and pressed them cordially, while he exclaimed:

"Gad! this is very lucky! Sandis! here are some friends who know me, at last! It's Senange and Monclair!--Can you believe, messieurs, that these people absolutely insist that I am the celebrated robber Giovanni?"

"You, Giovanni? Poor Pa.s.sedix!"

"Poor! Deuce take it! he has not been poor since he inherited a fortune!"

"Who is it that is fool enough to take you for the Italian brigand?"

"That infamous little clothes dealer yonder! But, by Roland! I will have satisfaction for his insults!"

"Pardieu!" said Senange, "it happens that Captain Raynold is on duty at the Chatelet, and he knows our friend Pa.s.sedix."

A captain of archers came from the prison at that moment to inquire the cause of the commotion; when he saw Pa.s.sedix, with whom he had more than once drunk and played cards at wine shops, he offered him his hand, which fully satisfied the crowd that they had made a mistake and that the prisoner was not Giovanni.

The captain administered a sharp rebuke to the men who had made the arrest, calling their attention to the fact that the orange chevalier's face and figure bore no resemblance whatever to the well-known description of Giovanni.

"But," cried the little dealer, in dire distress because of his error, "it is none the less true that those very noticeable garments came from my shop, and that they were stolen from my nephew, to whom I delivered them to be sold."

"One moment, old Jew," said Pa.s.sedix; "what is your nephew's name?"

"Plumard; he is clerk to Maitre Bourdinard, solicitor."

"Very good; now we are on the track; and he has a friend, another little villain, even smaller than you, whose name is Bahuchet?"

"That is true."

"And one of them has a plaster on his head, which makes him look like a sick cur?"

"It's my nephew who wears that plaster--in place of hair."

"Well, you d.a.m.ned clothes man, if you had listened to me, I would have told you that your nephew and his friend Bahuchet came to my Hotel du Sanglier on Place aux Chats, and, knowing that I desired a complete new outfit and that I had inherited a large property, they brought me this orange costume, for which I paid them thirty pistoles in honest crowns."

"Is it possible? You gave them thirty pistoles?"

"I swear it on my honor! And these gentlemen will bear witness that I am to be believed."

"Yes, yes! palsambleu! Thirty pistoles--why, that is nothing to him now, for he doesn't know what to do with his doubloons."

"Pardon! a thousand pardons, monsieur le chevalier! Then it must be my nephew who robbed me."

"That is very probable. That little rascal, with his plaster, looked to me like a consummate knave, and I fancy that that Bahuchet is little better; but when I meet them, I will administer salutary chastis.e.m.e.nt to them. As for you, dealer in old clothes, I ought to shave your ears a trifle! You called the fine flower of chivalry a robber!"

As he spoke, Pa.s.sedix seized the little man by one ear and shook him roughly. The young n.o.blemen, who were highly amused by the scene, urged the chevalier to enforce all the rights of the victor; the terrified tradesman was beginning to whine and beg for mercy, when suddenly the Gascon's face became radiant, his eyes flashed fire, and he released the little man's ear, crying:

"There she is! it is she! I find her again at last!--Adieu, my n.o.ble friends! Do not follow me, I beg!"

It was indeed Miretta whom Pa.s.sedix had espied; Miretta, who, after running hither and thither a long while, had succeeded at last in forcing her way through the crowd, and at the very moment when she expected to see her lover had heard people saying all about her:

"They have made a mistake."

"It isn't Giovanni that they caught."

"Oh! what a misfortune!"

"Who was it they arrested, then?"

"No one! Oh, yes! they arrested that tall, lank man dressed in orange; but it seems that he isn't a thief, as all those gentlemen know him, and the captain of the archers himself came up and shook hands with him."

"That old idiot of a second-hand clothes dealer is the cause of it all!"

"Down with the old clothes man!"

"To the gallows with the old clothes man!"

Miretta's heart swelled when she heard all these remarks, and, as she had run a long way, she leaned against a post and began to breathe more freely.

Then it was that Pa.s.sedix appeared and struck an att.i.tude in front of her, with a courteous bow, saying:

"At last, I see thee again! star of my soul, firmament of my heart, moon of my thoughts, planet----"

"Tell me, monsieur le chevalier, did they really take you for Giovanni?"

said Miretta, breaking in upon her adorer's compliments.

"Yes, fascinating brunette! Can you understand such a thing?--I am not acquainted with the famous robber, but it is impossible that he should have this elegant figure, this n.o.ble carriage, in a word, this distinguished physique which I possess!"

"Oh! surely not! he does not resemble you!"

"What? Do you know him, siren?"

"No, but I have heard him described so often!"

"And Giovanni is not likely to have a costume like this, is he, my dear?--But we have said enough of this brigand. Pray tell me, adorable brunette, what has become of a certain Comte de Carvajal, whom you know rather intimately, I believe?"

Miretta was disturbed by the question, but she made haste to reply:

"I do not know what you mean, monsieur le chevalier; I know no one of that name."

"Really? But all those rustics, with the wrist of steel, with whom I have met you,--and notably the one who, I know not how, caused Roland to fall from my hand,--were devilishly like the foreigner who lodged at the Hotel du Sanglier."

"What do you want with that foreigner?"

"What does it matter to you, if you do not know him? But you know that is not true, naughty wench!"

"Adieu, monsieur le chevalier! I can stay here no longer."