halted at a little inn on a cross-road. The bandits went up stairs,
excepting two, who remained with me in the kitchen, and one of whom had
appropriated my fowling-piece, and the other my game-bag. As to my diamond
ring and my hundred crowns, they had become perfectly invisible.

"Presently somebody shouted from above, and my guards, taking me by the
collar, pushed me up stairs, and into a room on the first floor.

"Seated at a table, upon which was a capital supper and numerous array of
bottles, was the captain of the robbers, a fine-looking man of thirty-five
or forty years of age. He was dressed exactly like a theatrical robber, in
blue velvet, with a red sash and silver buckles. His arm was passed round
the waist of a very pretty girl in the costume of a Roman peasant; that is
to say, an embroidered boddice, short bright-coloured petticoat, and red
stockings. Her feet attracted my attention, they were so beautifully small.
On one of her fingers I saw my diamond ring--a circumstance which, as well
as the company in which I found her, gave me a very indifferent idea of
the young lady's morality.

"'What countryman are you?' asked the captain.

"'I am a Frenchman, your excellency.'

"'So much the better!' cried the young girl.

"I saw with pleasure that, at any rate, I was amongst people who spoke my
own language.

"'You are a musician?'