ated all mankind and been merciless to foes, if
they came into my power, and have pretended friendliness I did not feel so
as to make use of those who thought me friendly.

"I can well recall only one human being I really loved: my wife. She had
her weak points, for she was a despiser of the gods, mocking all religion
and addicted to some contemptible Syrian cult of superstition and
puerilities. But I loved her in spite of that failing, for, in every other
way, she was a paragon. She is dead now and spared the agonies she would
have suffered at my capture and fate. Our two daughters are safe; both
healthy, both with the full status of citizens of the Republic, both well
provided with possessions, each married to a good, reliable husband,
though the younger is almost too young to be a wife. I feel at peace about
them.

"I really loved my wife and in a way, her two girls. But, except for them,
I have cheated, ensnared, robbed and killed without pity or remorse."

"You have no regrets?" I queried.

"No remorse," he corrected me. "I should do it all over again if I were
back as I was when I took to brigandage.

"Of course, while my wife was alive and I hoped for an old age with her, I
had a dream of investing my savings in a house in some out-of-the-way town
and in an estate near it and living at ease on the proceeds of my
robberies. But that was always far off in the future; I laid up a hoard to
make it possible, but I was never anywhere near ready to make use of that
hoard. Now it has been divided between my daughters, for, after their
mother's death, I realized that no life but brigandage was possible for
me. If I had not been captured I should have gone on as I was, I should go
on now, could I escape and resume my old life. I feel no remorse.

"But I confess to one regret. I have, all my life, requited every helper
and paid off every grudge. But one benefactor, my greatest benefactor, I
have not repaid, although, when I learned of his inestimable service to
me, I swore a great oath to requite him, if it ever was in my power. I
have never been able to learn who he was, or even whether he is yet
living. If he is, I hate to die without requiting him as he deserves, in
so far as I might.

"And I own that I was and am keenly curious to learn who he was. The mere
curiosity gnaws at me. Perhaps you understand."

"I do," I said. "I also am extremely curious about a mystery I encountered
in the earlier part of my adventu