Say nothing to Adler about this thing--say nothing to anybody.' He went away filled with fright and gratitude, poor devil.

I told Adler a long fortune--purposely so long that I could not finish it; promised to come to him on guard, that night, and tell him the really important part of it--the tragical part of it, I said--so must be out of reach of eavesdroppers.

They always kept a picket-watch outside the town--mere discipline and ceremony--no occasion for it, no enemy around.
Toward midnight I set out, equipped with the countersign, and picked my way toward the lonely region where Adler was to keep his watch.

It was so dark that I stumbled right on a dim figure almost before I could get out a protecting word.

The sentinel hailed and I answered, both at the same moment.