So saying, the masked individual deposited a bag of gold beside
the wine merchant, bowed courteously to the other guests, and
went out, leaving some terrified and others bewildered by such
daring.




CHAPTER II

AN ITALIAN PROVERB

Although the two sentiments which we have just indicated were
the dominant ones, they did not manifest themselves to an equal
degree in all present. The shades were graduated according to
the sex, age, character, we may almost say, the social positions
of the hearers. The wine merchant, Jean Picot, the principal
personage in the late event, recognizing at first sight by his
dress, weapons, mask, one of the men who had stopped the coach
on the preceding day, was at first sight stupefied, then little
by little, as he grasped the purport of this mysterious brigand's
visit to him, he had passed from stupefaction to joy, through
the intermediate phases separating these two emotions. His bag
of gold was beside him, yet he seemingly dared not touch it;
perhaps he feared that the instant his hand went forth toward
it, it would melt like the dream-gold which vanishes during that
period of progressive lucidity which separates profound slumber
from thorough awakening.

The stout gentleman of the diligence and his wife had displayed,