"Excuse me, young man, but the motion of the coach always produces a singular effect on me,--it sends me off to sleep like a child." The ruffian, under the guise of assumed sleep, thought to examine whether the physiognomy of his companion betrayed any emotion; but Rodolph was on his guard, and replied: "I rose so early that I feel sleepy, and will have a nap, too." He shut his eyes, and very soon the hard breathing of the Schoolmaster and the Chouette, who snored in chorus, so completely deceived Rodolph, that, thinking his companions sound asleep, he half opened his eyes. The Schoolmaster and the Chouette, in spite of their loud snoring, had their eyes open, and were exchanging some mysterious signs by means of their fingers curiously placed or bent in the palms of their hands. In an instant this mute language ceased. The brigand no doubt perceived, by some almost imperceptible sign, that Rodolph was not asleep, and said, in a laughing tone: "Ah, ah, comrade! what, you were trying your friends, were you?" "That can't astonish you, who sleep with your eyes open." "I, who--That's different, young man; I am a somnambulist." The hackney-coach stopped in the Place de la Madelaine. The rain had ceased for a moment, but the clouds, driven by the violence of the wind, were so dark and so low, that it was almost night in appearance. Rodolph, the Chouette, and the Schoolmaster went towards the Cours la Reine. "Young man, I have an idea, which is not a bad one," said the robber. "What is it?" "To ascertain if all that you have told us respecting the interior of the house in the Allée des Veuves is true." "You surely will not go there now, under any circumstances? It would awaken suspicion." "I am not such a flat as that, young fellow; but why have I a wife whose name is Finette?" The Chouette drew up her head. "Do you see her, young man? Why, she looks like a war-horse when he hears the blast of the trumpet!" "You mean to send her as a lookout?" "Precisely so." "No. 17, Allée des Veuves, isn't it, my man?" cried the Chouette, impatiently. "Make yourself easy: I have but one eye, but that is a good one." "Do you see, young man,--do you see she is all impatience to be at work?" "If she manages cleverly to get into the house, I do not think your idea a bad one." "Take the umbrella, _fourline_; in half an hour I will be here again, and you shall see what I will do," said the Chouette. "One moment, Finette; we are going down to the Bleeding Heart,--only two steps from here. If the little Tortillard (cripple) is there, you had better take him with you; he will remain outside on the watch whilst you go inside the house." "You are right,--little Tortillard is as cunning as a fox; he is not ten years of age, and yet it was he who the other day--" A signal from the Schoolmaster interrupted the Chouette. "What does the 'Bleeding Heart' mean? It is an odd sign for a cabaret," asked Rodolph. "You must complain to the landlord."