To these four men was intrusted the attack upon a diligence conveying
forty thousand francs of government money. This deed was transacted
in broad daylight, with an exchange of mutual courtesy almost;
and the travellers, who were not disturbed by the attack, gave
little heed to it. But a child of only ten years of age, with
reckless bravado, seized the pistol of the conductor and fired
it into the midst of the assailants. As this peaceful weapon,
according to the custom, was only charged with powder, no one
was injured; but the occupants of the coach quite naturally
experienced a lively fear of reprisals. The little boy's mother
fell into violent hysterics. This new disturbance created a general
diversion which dominated all the preceding events and particularly
attracted the attention of the robbers. One of them flew to the
woman's side, reassuring her in the most affectionate manner,
while complimenting her upon her son's precocious courage, and
courteously pressed upon her the salts and perfumes with which
these gentlemen were ordinarily provided for their own use. She
regained consciousness. In the excitement of the moment her
travelling companions noticed that the highwayman's mask had fallen
off, but they did not see his face.

The police of those days, restricted to mere impotent supervision,
were unable to cope with the depredations of these banditti, although
they did not lack the means to follow them up. Appointments were
made at the cafes, and narratives relating to deeds carrying
with them the penalty of death circulated freely through all
the billiard-halls in the land. Such was the importance which
the culprits and the public attached to the police.

These men of blood and terror assembled in society in the evening,