t part of the
Company, which appeared to be chiefly composed of soldiers, hastened
forward to meet them. The Villains stayed not to receive their attack:
Perceiving their danger they turned the heads of their Horses, and fled
into the wood, whither they were followed by our Preservers. In the
mean while the Stranger, whom I guessed to be the Baron Lindenberg,
after thanking me for my care of his Lady, proposed our returning with
all speed to the Town. The Baroness, on whom the effects of the opiate
had not ceased to operate, was placed before him; Marguerite and her
Son remounted their Horses; the Baron's Domestics followed, and we soon
arrived at the Inn, where He had taken his apartments.

This was at the Austrian Eagle, where my Banker, whom before my
quitting Paris I had apprised of my intention to visit Strasbourg, had
prepared Lodgings for me. I rejoiced at this circumstance. It gave me
an opportunity of cultivating the Baron's acquaintance, which I foresaw
would be of use to me in Germany. Immediately upon our arrival the
Lady was conveyed to bed; A Physician was sent for, who prescribed a
medicine likely to counteract the effects of the sleepy potion, and
after it had been poured down her throat, She was committed to the care
of the Hostess. The Baron then addressed himself to me, and entreated
me to recount the particulars of this adventure. I complied with his
request instantaneously; for in pain respecting Stephano's fate, whom I
had been compelled to abandon to the cruelty of the Banditti, I found
it impossible for me to repose, till I had some news of him. I
received but too soon the intelligence, that my trusty Servant had
perished. The Soldiers who had pursued the Brigands returned while I
was employed in relating my adventure to the Baron. By their account I
found that the Robbers had been overtaken: Guilt and true courage are
incompatible; They had thrown themselves at the feet of their Pursuers,
had surrendered themselves without striking a blow, had discovered
their secret retreat, made known their signals by which the rest of the
Gang might be seized, and in short had betrayed ever mark of cowardice
and baseness. By this means the whole of the Band, consisting of near
sixty persons, had been made Prisoners, bound, and conducted to
Strasbourg. Some of the Soldiers hastened to the Cottage, One of the
Banditti serving them as Guide. Their first visit was to the fatal
Barn, where they were