and tell him what has passed." "Never! I wouldn't even dare to touch
it!" "Very well, I will take it myself, but now let's go back to bed and
try to get some more sleep if we can." "I don't care to sleep." "Well,
light your pipe, then, and we will talk while we wait for daylight.
Let's go downstairs, there may be some one there still." "I would rather
stay here." "All right." And we sat down again before the fire.

As soon as dawn appeared, I took the watch from the table. It was a fine
one with minute and second hands. Wilfred seemed somewhat reassured.
"Kasper," he said, "on second thoughts, it seems more suitable for me to
go to the bailiff. You are too young to take part in such matters. You
would make a mess of it when you tried to explain the affair." "Just as
you like," I replied. "Yes, it would look odd for a man of my years to
send a mere child in my place." "Very good; I understand."

He took the watch, but I believe that only his pride drove him to this
resolution. He would have been ashamed to show less courage than I
before his comrades. We went down from the loft in a thoughtful mood. As
we crossed the alleyway that comes out on the Rue Saint Christopher, we
heard the clicking of glasses. I recognized the voice of old Bremer and
his sons, Ludwig and Karl. "By Jove," said I, "it wouldn't be a bad idea
to take a glass before we start." I pushed open the door of the
tap-room as I spoke, and we found all our company gathered there, their
instruments variously deposited about the room. We were received with
shouts of satisfaction and places were quickly made for us at the table.
"Ho! Good morning, comrades," said Bremer; "more snow and wind. All
the taverns are full of people, and every bottle that is opened means a
florin in our pockets." I saw little Annette looking as fresh and fair
as a rose, and smiling fondly at me with her lips and eyes. This sight
reanimated me. It was I who got the daintiest morsels, and whenever
she approached to set a glass of wine at my elbow, she touched me
caressingly on the shoulder, and I thought, with a beating heart, of the
days when we used to go chestnutting together. But in spite of this, the
pale face of our strange visitor of the night before recurred to me from
time to time, and made me tremble. I looked at Wilfred; he, too, seemed
thoughtful.

Eight o'clock came and our party was about to start out, when the door
was thrown open, and three big fellows, with lead-colore