’Onecanlodgehereto-night，madame？’
’Perfectly!’saidthelandladyinahigh，sing-song，cheeryvoice。
’Good。Onecandine——sup——whatyoupleasetocallit？’
’Ah，perfectly!’criedthelandladyasbefore。
’Dispatchthen，madame，ifyouplease。Somethingtoeat，asquicklyasyoucan；andsomewineatonce。Iamexhausted。’
’Itisverybadweather，monsieur，’saidthelandlady。
’Cursedweather。’
’Andaverylongroad。’
’Acursedroad。’
Hishoarsevoicefailedhim，andherestedhisheaduponhishandsuntilabottleofwinewasbroughtfromthecounter。Havingfilledandemptiedhislittletumblertwice，andhavingbrokenoffanendfromthegreatloafthatwassetbeforehimwithhisclothandnapkin，soup-plate，salt，pepper，andoil，herestedhisbackagainstthecornerofthewall，madeacouchofthebenchonwhichhesat，andbegantochewcrust，untilsuchtimeashisrepastshouldbeready。
Therehadbeenthatmomentaryinterruptionofthetalkaboutthestove，andthattemporaryinattentiontoanddistractionfromoneanother，whichisusuallyinseparableinsuchacompanyfromthearrivalofastranger。Ithadpassedoverbythistime；andthemenhaddoneglancingathim，andweretalkingagain。
’That’sthetruereason，’saidoneofthem，bringingastoryhehadbeentelling，toaclose，’that’sthetruereasonwhytheysaidthatthedevilwasletloose。’ThespeakerwasthetallSwissbelongingtothechurch，andhebroughtsomethingoftheauthorityofthechurchintothediscussion——especiallyasthedevilwasinquestion。
Thelandladyhavinggivenherdirectionsforthenewguest’sentertainmenttoherhusband，whoactedascooktotheBreakofDay，hadresumedherneedleworkbehindhercounter。Shewasasmart，neat，brightlittlewoman，withagooddealofcapandagooddealofstocking，andshestruckintotheconversationwithseverallaughingnodsofherhead，butwithoutlookingupfromherwork。
’AhHeaven，then，’saidshe。’WhentheboatcameupfromLyons，andbroughtthenewsthatthedevilwasactuallyletlooseatMarseilles，somefly-catchersswallowedit。ButI？No，notI。’
’Madame，youarealwaysright，’returnedthetallSwiss。
’Doubtlessyouwereenragedagainstthatman，madame？’
’Ay，yes，then!’criedthelandlady，raisinghereyesfromherwork，openingthemverywide，andtossingherheadononeside。
’Naturally，yes。’
’Hewasabadsubject。’
’Hewasawickedwretch，’saidthelandlady，’andwellmeritedwhathehadthegoodfortunetoescape。Somuchtheworse。’
’Stay，madame!Letussee，’returnedtheSwiss，argumentativelyturninghiscigarbetweenhislips。’Itmayhavebeenhisunfortunatedestiny。Hemayhavebeenthechildofcircumstances。
Itisalwayspossiblethathehad，andhas，goodinhimifonedidbutknowhowtofinditout。Philosophicalphilanthropyteaches——’
Therestofthelittleknotaboutthestovemurmuredanobjectiontotheintroductionofthatthreateningexpression。Eventhetwoplayersatdominoesglancedupfromtheirgame，asiftoprotestagainstphilosophicalphilanthropybeingbroughtbynameintotheBreakofDay。
’Holdthere，youandyourphilanthropy，’criedthesmilinglandlady，noddingherheadmorethanever。’Listenthen。Iamawoman，I。Iknownothingofphilosophicalphilanthropy。ButI
knowwhatIhaveseen，andwhatIhavelookedinthefaceinthisworldhere，whereIfindmyself。AndItellyouthis，myfriend，thattherearepeoplemenandwomenboth，unfortunatelywhohavenogoodinthem——none。Thattherearepeoplewhomitisnecessarytodetestwithoutcompromise。Thattherearepeoplewhomustbedealtwithasenemiesofthehumanrace。Thattherearepeoplewhohavenohumanheart，andwhomustbecrushedlikesavagebeastsandclearedoutoftheway。Theyarebutfew，Ihope；butIhaveseeninthisworldherewhereIfindmyself，andevenatthelittleBreakofDaythattherearesuchpeople。AndIdonotdoubtthatthisman——whatevertheycallhim，Iforgethisname——isoneofthem。’
Thelandlady’slivelyspeechwasreceivedwithgreaterfavourattheBreakofDay，thanitwouldhaveelicitedfromcertainamiablewhitewashersoftheclassshesounreasonablyobjectedto，nearerGreatBritain。
’Myfaith!Ifyourphilosophicalphilanthropy，’saidthelandlady，puttingdownherwork，andrisingtotakethestranger’ssoupfromherhusband，whoappearedwithitatasidedoor，’putsanybodyatthemercyofsuchpeoplebyholdingtermswiththematall，inwordsordeeds，orboth，takeitawayfromtheBreakofDay，foritisn’tworthasou。’
Assheplacedthesoupbeforetheguest，whochangedhisattitudetoasittingone，helookedherfullintheface，andhismoustachewentupunderhisnose，andhisnosecamedownoverhismoustache。
’Well!’saidthepreviousspeaker，’letuscomebacktooursubject。Leavingallthataside，gentlemen，itwasbecausethemanwasacquittedonhistrialthatpeoplesaidatMarseillesthatthedevilwasletloose。Thatwashowthephrasebegantocirculate，andwhatitmeant；nothingmore。’
’Howdotheycallhim？’saidthelandlady。’Biraud，isitnot？’
’Rigaud，madame，’returnedthetallSwiss。
’Rigaud!Tobesure。’
Thetraveller’ssoupwassucceededbyadishofmeat，andthatbyadishofvegetables。Heateallthatwasplacedbeforehim，emptiedhisbottleofwine，calledforaglassofrum，andsmokedhiscigarettewithhiscupofcoffee。Ashebecamerefreshed，hebecameoverbearing；andpatronisedthecompanyattheDaybreakincertainsmalltalkatwhichheassisted，asifhisconditionwerefarabovehisappearance。
Thecompanymighthavehadotherengagements，ortheymighthavefelttheirinferiority，butinanycasetheydispersedbydegrees，andnotbeingreplacedbyothercompany，lefttheirnewpatroninpossessionoftheBreakofDay。Thelandlordwasclinkingaboutinhiskitchen；thelandladywasquietatherwork；andtherefreshedtravellersatsmokingbythestove，warminghisraggedfeet。
’Pardonme，madame——thatBiraud。’
’Rigaud，monsieur。’
’Rigaud。Pardonmeagain——hascontractedyourdispleasure，how？’
Thelandlady，whohadbeenatonemomentthinkingwithinherselfthatthiswasahandsomeman，atanothermomentthatthiswasanill-lookingman，observedthenosecomingdownandthemoustachegoingup，andstronglyinclinedtothelatterdecision。Rigaudwasacriminal，shesaid，whohadkilledhiswife。
’Ay，ay？Deathofmylife，that’sacriminalindeed。Buthowdoyouknowit？’
’Alltheworldknowsit。’
’Hah!Andyetheescapedjustice？’
’Monsieur，thelawcouldnotproveitagainsthimtoitssatisfaction。Sothelawsays。Nevertheless，alltheworldknowshedidit。Thepeopleknewitsowell，thattheytriedtotearhimtopieces。’
’Beingallinperfectaccordwiththeirownwives？’saidtheguest。
’Haha!’
ThelandladyoftheBreakofDaylookedathimagain，andfeltalmostconfirmedinherlastdecision。Hehadafinehand，though，andheturneditwithagreatshow。Shebeganoncemoretothinkthathewasnotill-lookingafterall。
’Didyoumention，madame——orwasitmentionedamongthegentlemen——
whatbecameofhim？’
Thelandladyshookherhead；itbeingthefirstconversationalstageatwhichhervivaciousearnestnesshadceasedtonodit，keepingtimetowhatshesaid。IthadbeenmentionedattheDaybreak，sheremarked，ontheauthorityofthejournals，thathehadbeenkeptinprisonforhisownsafety。Howeverthatmightbe，hehadescapedhisdeserts；somuchtheworse。
Theguestsatlookingatherashesmokedouthisfinalcigarette，andasshesatwithherheadbentoverherwork，withanexpressionthatmighthaveresolvedherdoubts，andbroughthertoalastingconclusiononthesubjectofhisgoodorbadlooksifshehadseenit。Whenshedidlookup，theexpressionwasnotthere。Thehandwassmoothinghisshaggymoustache。
’Mayoneasktobeshowntobed，madame？’
Verywillingly，monsieur。Hola，myhusband!Myhusbandwouldconducthimup-stairs。Therewasonetravellerthere，asleep，whohadgonetobedveryearlyindeed，beingoverpoweredbyfatigue；
butitwasalargechamberwithtwobedsinit，andspaceenoughfortwenty。ThisthelandladyoftheBreakofDaychirpinglyexplained，callingbetweenwhiles，’Hola，myhusband!’outatthesidedoor。
Myhusbandansweredatlength，’ItisI，mywife!’andpresentinghimselfinhiscook’scap，lightedthetravellerupasteepandnarrowstaircase；thetravellercarryinghisowncloakandknapsack，andbiddingthelandladygoodnightwithacomplimentaryreferencetothepleasureofseeingheragainto-morrow。Itwasalargeroom，witharoughsplinteryfloor，unplasteredraftersoverhead，andtwobedsteadsonoppositesides。Here’myhusband’
putdownthecandlehecarried，andwithasidelonglookathisgueststoopingoverhisknapsack，grufflygavehimtheinstruction，’Thebedtotheright!’andlefthimtohisrepose。Thelandlord，whetherhewasagoodorabadphysiognomist，hadfullymadeuphismindthattheguestwasanill-lookingfellow。
Theguestlookedcontemptuouslyatthecleancoarsebeddingpreparedforhim，and，sittingdownontherushchairatthebedside，drewhismoneyoutofhispocket，andtolditoverinhishand。’Onemusteat，’hemutteredtohimself，’butbyHeavenI
musteatatthecostofsomeothermanto-morrow!’
Ashesatpondering，andmechanicallyweighinghismoneyinhispalm，thedeepbreathingofthetravellerintheotherbedfellsoregularlyuponhishearingthatitattractedhiseyesinthatdirection。Themanwascoveredupwarm，andhaddrawnthewhitecurtainathishead，sothathecouldbeonlyheard，notseen。Butthedeepregularbreathing，stillgoingonwhiletheotherwastakingoffhiswornshoesandgaiters，andstillcontinuingwhenhehadlaidasidehiscoatandcravat，becameatlengthastrongprovocativetocuriosity，andincentivetogetaglimpseofthesleeper’sface。
Thewakingtraveller，therefore，stolealittlenearer，andyetalittlenearer，andalittlenearertothesleepingtraveller’sbed，untilhestoodclosebesideit。Eventhenhecouldnotseehisface，forhehaddrawnthesheetoverit。Theregularbreathingstillcontinuing，heputhissmoothwhitehandsuchatreacheroushanditlooked，asitwentcreepingfromhim!tothesheet，andgentlylifteditaway。
’Deathofmysoul!’hewhispered，fallingback，’here’sCavalletto!’
ThelittleItalian，previouslyinfluencedinhissleep，perhaps，bythestealthypresenceathisbedside，stoppedinhisregularbreathing，andwithalongdeeprespirationopenedhiseyes。Atfirsttheywerenotawake，thoughopen。Helayforsomesecondslookingplacidlyathisoldprisoncompanion，andthen，allatonce，withacryofsurpriseandalarm，sprangoutofbed。