"I do not know; I did not see their number." A shot was heard at a distance. "Listen!" commanded the King, taking out his watch. The men were silent. Four shots followed, a minute apart. The last one was followed by a thundering detonation which resembled platoon-firing. The King, with a smile, put his watch back in his pocket. "It is all right! Return the baggage to the storeroom, and serve me with wine of Aegina; it is Pericles' company." He saw me just as he finished the sentence. He called to me, in a jeering tone: "Come, Monsieur German, you are not _de trop_. It is well to rise early; one sees curious things. Your thirst has awakened you! Will you drink a glass of wine of Aegina with our brave gendarmes?" Five minutes later three enormous goat-skin bottles were brought from some secret hiding place. A sentinel approached the King. "Good news! They are Pericles' men!" A few of the bandits were in advance of the troops. The Corfuan, a fine talker, skipped along by the Captain's side, his tongue running. A drum was heard; then a blue flag was seen, and sixty men, fully armed, marched in double file to the King's Cabinet. I recognized M. Pericles, because I had admired him on the promenade at Athens. He was a young officer of thirty-five, dark, a coxcomb, admired by the ladies, the best waltzer at Court, and wearing his epaulets with grace. He put up his sword, ran to the King of the Mountains, who kissed him on the mouth, saying, "Good morning, godfather!" "Good morning, little one," the King replied, caressing his cheek with his hand. "Thou art well?" "Yes. And thou?" "As thou seest. And thy family?" "My uncle, the Bishop, has a fever." "Bring him here, I will cure him. The Prefect of Police is better?" "A little; he sends his kind regards; the Minister also." "What is new?" "A ball at the Palace on the 15th. It is decided; the 'Siècle' publishes it!" "Thou dancest, then, all the time? And what about the Bourse?" "There is a general fall in stocks." "Good! hast thou letters for me?" "Yes; here they are. Photini's was not ready. She will send it by the post." "A glass of wine: ... Thy health, little one!" "God bless thee, godfather! Who is this Frank who is listening to us?" "Nothing! A German of no consequence. Thou hast not news for us?" "The paymaster-general sends 20,000 francs to Argos. They will pass by the Sciromian Rocks to-morrow night." "I will be there. Will a large band be necessary?" "Yes! the coffer is guarded by two companies." "Good or bad?" "Detestable! Men who are dead shots." "I will take all my band. In my absence thou wilt guard our prisoners?" "With pleasure. Apropos, I have the most rigid orders. Thy English prisoners have written to their Ambassador. They have called the entire army to their aid." "And it is I who furnished them the paper!" "It is necessary, in consequence, that I write my report. I will recount a bloody battle." "We will write it out together."