his smooth white hand （such a treacherous hand it looked； as it went
creeping from him！） to the sheet； and gently lifted it away。
'Death of my soul！' he whispered； falling back； 'here's Cavalletto！'
The little Italian； previously influenced in his sleep； perhaps； by the
stealthy presence at his bedside； stopped in his regular breathing； and
with a long deep respiration opened his eyes。 At first they were not
awake； though open。 He lay for some seconds looking placidly at his
old prison panion； and then； all at once； with a cry of surprise and
alarm； sprang out of bed。
'Hush！ What's the matter？ Keep quiet！ It's I。 You know me？' cried the
other； in a suppressed voice。
But John Baptist； widely staring； muttering a number of invocations
and ejaculations； tremblingly backing into a corner； slipping on
his trousers； and tying his coat by the two sleeves round his neck；
manifested an unmistakable desire to escape by the door rather than
renew the acquaintance。 Seeing this； his old prison rade fell back
upon the door； and set his shoulders against it。
'Cavalletto！ Wake； boy！ Rub your eyes and look at me。 Not the name you
used to call me……don't use that……Lagnier； say Lagnier！'
John Baptist； staring at him with eyes opened to their utmost width；
made a number of those national； backhanded shakes of the right
forefinger in the air； as if he were resolved on negativing beforehand
everything that the other could possibly advance during the whole term
of his life。
'Cavalletto！ Give me your hand。 You know Lagnier； the gentleman。 Touch
the hand of a gentleman！'
Submitting himself to the old tone of condescending authority； John
Baptist； not at all steady on his legs as yet； advanced and put his
hand in his patron's。 Monsieur Lagnier laughed； and having given it a
squeeze； tossed it up and let it go。
'Then you were……' faltered John Baptist。
'Not shaved？ No。 See here！' cried Lagnier； giving his head a twirl； 'as
tight on as your own。'
John Baptist； with a slight shiver； looked all round the room as if to
recall where he was。 His patron took that opportunity of turning the key
in the door； and then sat down upon his bed。
'Look！' he said； holding up his shoes and gaiters。 'That's a poor trim
for a gentleman； you'll say。 No matter； you shall see how Soon I'll mend
it。 e and sit down。 Take your old place！'
John Baptist； looking anything but reassured； sat down on the floor at
the bedside； keeping his eyes upon his patron all the time。
'That's well！' cried Lagnier。 'Now we might be in the old infernal hole
again； hey？ How long have you been out？'
'Two days after you； my master。'
'How do you e here？'
'I was cautioned not to stay there； and so I left the town at once；
and since then I have changed about。 I have been doing odds and ends at
Avignon； at Pont Esprit； at Lyons； upon the Rhone； upon the Saone。' As
he spoke； he rapidly mapped the places out with his sunburnt hand upon
the floor。 'And where are you going？'
'Going； my master？'
'Ay！'
John Baptist seemed to desire to evade the question without knowing how。
'By Bacchus！' he said at last； as if he were forced to the admission； 'I
have sometimes had a thought of going to Paris； and perhaps to England。'
'Cavalletto。 This is in confidence。 I also am going to Paris and perhaps
to England。 We'll go together。'
The little man nodded his head； and showed his teeth； and yet seemed not
quite convinced that it was a surpassingly desirable arrangement。
'We'll go together；' repeated Lagnier。 'You shall see how soon I will
force myself to be recognised as a gentleman； and you shall profit by
it。 It is agreed？ Are we one？'
'Oh； surely； surely！' said the little man。
'Then you shall hear before I sleep……and in six words； for I want
sleep……how I appear before you； I； Lagnier。 Remember that。 Not the
other。'
'Altro； altro！ Not Ri……' Before John Baptist could finish the name； his
rade had got his hand under his chin and fiercely shut up his mouth。
'Death！ what are you doing？ Do you want me to be trampled upon and
stoned？ Do YOU want to be trampled upon and stoned？ You would be。 You
don't imagine that they would set upon me； and let my prison chum go？
Don't think it！' There was an expression in his face as he released his
grip of his friend's jaw； from which his friend inferred that if the
course of events really came to any stoning and trampling； Monsieur
Lagnier would so distinguish him with his notice as to ensure his
having his full share of it。 He remembered what a cosmopolitan gentleman
Monsieur Lagnier was； and how few weak distinctions he made。
'I am a man；' said Monsieur Lagnier； 'whom society has deeply wronged
since you last saw me。 You know that I am sensitive and brave； and that
it is my character to govern。 How has society respected those qualities
in me？ I have been shrieked at through the streets。 I have been guarded
through the streets against men； and especially women； running at me
armed with any weapons they could lay their hands on。 I have lain in
prison for security； with the place of my confinement kept a secret；
lest I should be torn out of it and felled by a hundred blows。 I have
been carted out of Marseilles in the dead of night； and carried leagues
away from it packed in straw。 It has not been safe for me to go near my
house； and； with a beggar's pittance in my pocket； I have walked through
vile mud and weather ever since； until my feet are crippled……look at
them！ Such are the humiliations that society has inflicted upon me；
possessing the qualities I have mentioned； and which you know me to
possess。 But society shall pay for it。'
All this he said in his panion's ear； and with his hand before his
lips。
'Even here；' he went on in the same way； 'even in this mean
drinking…shop； society pursues me。 Madame defames me； and her guests
defame me。 I； too； a gentleman with manners and acplishments
to strike them dead！ But the wrongs society has heaped upon me are
treasured in this breast。'
To all of which John Baptist； listening attentively to the suppressed
hoarse voice； said from time to time； 'Surely； surely！' tossing his
head and shutting his eyes； as if there were the clearest case against
society that perfect candour could make out。
'Put my shoes there；' continued Lagnier。 'Hang my cloak to dry there
by the door。 Take my hat。' He obeyed each instruction； as it was given。
'And this is the bed to which society consigns me； is it？ Hah。 Very
well！'
As he stretched out his length upon it； with a ragged handkerchief
bound round his wicked head； and only his wicked head showing above the
bedclothes； John Baptist was rather strongly reminded of what had so
very nearly happened to prevent the moustache from any more going up as
it did； and the nose from any more ing down as it did。
'Shaken out of destiny's dice…box again into your pany； eh？ By
Heaven！ So much the better for you。 You'll profit by it。 I shall need a
long rest。 Let me sleep in the morning。'
John Baptist replied that he should sleep as long as he would； and
wishing him a happy night； put out the candle。 One might have Supposed
that the next proceeding of the Ita