"Don't you agree with me that it is very comical?" "Sandis! baron, I see nothing amusing in it at all! What do you see in it that moves you to laughter?" "Pardieu! Passedix, the fact that you no more resemble Giovanni than that enormous lady yonder resembles the Marquise de Santoval; and I speak by the card, having had the honor of being set upon and robbed by the illustrious brigand!" "What, monsieur le baron! have you been attacked by the famous Giovanni?" said the little hunchback, raising his head in order to look at Montrevert more closely. "Yes, monsieur, and much more than attacked--I was beaten; for I tried to defend myself. But Léodgard here knows Giovanni much better than I, for he has had two encounters with him: the first, when he was robbed, like myself; on the second occasion, he tried to avenge me and kill the villainous thief; he fought with him and wounded him.--Is not that so, count?" "Yes, it is true, I wounded him; at least, I thought so!" Léodgard replied, trying to hide his emotion, and glancing uneasily in every direction. "You thought so!" rejoined Montrevert; "why, it was no delusion, as you were covered with blood when you came back to us." "Cadédis!" cried Passedix, raising his hand to put aside one of the plumes, which fell over his left eye; "I don't know what I would give to cut that infernal robber in four pieces!" "In that case, messieurs," said Monsieur de Noirteuil, "you must indeed know this Giovanni perfectly." "That is why I said just now that the Chevalier Passedix did not resemble him at all!" said Montrevert. "Not that you can see his face, which is all hidden by his beard, but you can distinguish his eyes, which are very black and very bright, and his nose, which is long and sharp." "Well! all that resembles me, I should say!" "But he is a long way from having a figure like yours--he is not even so tall as Léodgard; he is very active, and seems to be powerfully built and quite young." "I see no great difference from your humble servant." "For some time past, we have heard nothing of people being attacked by this robber," said the little old man; "it would seem that he is reposing, or that he has left Paris." "No, indeed!" said La Valteline; "but the shrewd rascal always awaits a good opportunity before acting; he does not steal for trifles! No, no! he is a fellow who selects his victims.--Not more than fifteen days, that is to say, fifteen nights ago, the wealthy Destaillis, receiver of the salt tax, was robbed by him as he left a gambling house in which he had broken the bank!" "Sandis! if I were lieutenant of police, I would be ashamed of not having captured this Giovanni yet!" "It seems that he has retreats, hiding places, in every quarter; he throws off the track all the bloodhounds that are set on him."