Oh, wait; put this pistol back in the holsters and take care of these other two for me." And the young man removed the two from his belt and handed them to the hostler.
"Well," exclaimed the latter, laughing, "any more barkers ?" "You know, Patout, they say the roads are unsafe." "Ah! I should think they weren't safe! We're up to our necks in regular highway robberies, M.Charles.Why, no later than last week they stopped and robbed the diligence between Geneva and Bourg!" "Indeed!" exclaimed Morgan; "and whom do they accuse of the robbery ?" "Oh, it's such a farce! Just fancy; they say it was the Companions of Jesus.

I don't believe a word of it, of course.

Who are the Companions of Jesus if not the twelve apostles ?" "Of course," said Morgan, with his eternally joyous smile, "I don't know of any others." "Well!" continued Patout, "to accuse the twelve apostles of robbing a diligence, that's the limit.

Oh! I tell you, M.Charles, we're living in times when nobody respects anything." And shaking his head like a misanthrope, disgusted, if not with life, at least with men, Patout led the horse to the stable.
As for Morgan, he watched Patout till he saw him disappear down the courtyard and enter the dark stable; then, skirting the hedge which bordered the garden, he went toward a large clump of trees whose lofty tops were silhouetted against the darkness of the night, with the majesty of things immovable, the while their shadows fell upon a charming little country house known in the neighborhood as the Chateau des Noires-Fontaines.

As Morgan reached the chateau wall, the hour chimed from the belfry of the village of Montagnac.