"On the other hand, the unfortunate thief felt very uncomfortable. Nature had endowed him with rather a remarkable physiognomy, and it was difficult to find a passport to fit him unless it were made on purpose; so that out of five or six which he had in his possession, not one would do. At last he made up his mind to walk out of the town without a passport, as if he were one of the town's-people going for a stroll. He accordingly took a cane in his hand, and lounging along with an affectation of great indifference, approached a gate at which the Austrians were on guard. But the sentry had his orders, and when the stranger drew near-- "'Who goes there?' he vociferated. "'A friend,' answered the thief. "'Advance, friend!' said the sentry with a significant rattle of his musket--a sort of intimation that non-compliance might be rewarded by a bullet. "The thief walked up to the soldier. "'Your passport,' demanded the latter. "'My passport!' repeated the thief in tone of infinite astonishment, 'I have none.' "'All the better for you,' said the sentry, shouldering his musket. 'If you had _had_ one I should have been obliged to send you into the guard-house to have it examined, and that would have detained you a good half hour. But since you have no passport you can't show one, so you may pass.' "And the intelligent warrior recommenced his monotonous promenade; while the thief, profiting by his obliging permission, walked out of the town."