tiny feet; they seemed to worry and annoy her very much, it
is true, but she found them a necessary nuisance on the cold Paris
pavements, and so had to submit to wearing them with as good a grace as
she could muster. When Agostino gave her leave to quit her position
she quietly returned to her corner, rolled herself up anew in the large
cloak, and fell sound asleep again, while he, after pocketing the five
pistoles he had won, sat down to finish his measure of cheap wine;
which he did very slowly, intending to remain where he was as long as
possible; he had no lodging place yet in Paris, having arrived that very
evening, and this warm room was far more comfortable than a refuge in
some convent porch, or under the arch of a bridge perhaps, where he had
feared that he and Chiquita might have to lie shivering all night long.

Quiet being restored, comparatively speaking, Lampourde and Malartic
resumed their interrupted conversation, and after a few remarks upon
the strange performance they had just witnessed--in which Lampourde
especially praised Agostino's marvellous skill, and Malartic warmly
commended Chiquita's wonderful courage and sang-froid--the former
confided to his friend that he had a piece of work in prospect, in which
he would need some assistance, and desired to have his opinion as to
which of their comrades would be best suited for his purpose. He told
him that, in the first place, he was commissioned to despatch a certain
Captain Fracasse, an actor, who had dared to interfere with the love
affair of a very great lord. In this, of course, he would not require
any aid; but he had also to make arrangements for the abduction of
the lady, a very beautiful young actress, who was beloved by both the
nobleman and the comedian, and who would be zealously defended by the
members of the dramatic company to which she belonged; so that he should
be obliged to resort to some stratagem, and would probably need the help
of several hands to carry it out--adding that they were sure of being
well paid, for the young lord was as generous and open handed as he was
wealthy and determined. Thereupon they fell to discussing the respective
merits of their numerous friends and acquaintances--gentlemen of the
same stamp as themselves--and having decided upon four, and determined
to keep an eye upon Agostino, who seemed a clever rascal and might be
of use, they called for another bottle of wine. When that was finished
Jacquemin Lampour