Oh, poor unoffending, helpless ones, there they lay, their troubles ended, mine begun! Did I appeal to the law--I?
Does it quench the pauper's thirst if the King drink for him?
Oh, no, no, no--I wanted no impertinent interference of the law.

Laws and the gallows could not pay the debt that was owing to me! Let the laws leave the matter in my hands, and have no fears: I would find the debtor and collect the debt.

How accomplish this, do you say?
How accomplish it, and feel so sure about it, when I had neither seen the robbers' faces, nor heard their natural voices, nor had any idea who they might be?
Nevertheless, I WAS sure--quite sure, quite confident.

I had a clue--a clue which you would not have valued--a clue which would not have greatly helped even a detective, since he would lack the secret of how to apply it.

I shall come to that, presently--you shall see.