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At the same time we heard the sound of the church clock at Sullacaro, which
slowly struck nine o’clock.

Maestro Orlandini was, it appears, of the opinion of Louis XV, who
established it as a principle that punctuality is a king’s politeness. It was
certainly impossible to be more punctual than this king of the mountains, to
whom Lucien had named the ninth hour for their rendezvous.

As he approached we both got up.

CHAPTER V

“You are not alone, Signor Lucien,” said the bandit.

“Don’t be uneasy about that, Orlandini. Monsieur is a friend of mine, who has
heard you spoken of, and wished to pay you a visit. I did not think I ought to
refuse him that pleasure.

“Monsieur is welcome to the country,” replied the bandit, bowing, at the same
time advancing a few steps towards. us.

I returned his salute with the most minute politeness.

“You must have been here some time, already?” continued Orlandini.

“Yes, about twenty minutes.”

“That’s it. I heard Diamante’s voice, howling at the mucchio, and about a
quarter of an hour ago he came to meet me. That’s a good and faithful animal; is
he not, Signor Lucien?”

“No doubt he is good and faithful,” replied Lucien, caressing Diamante.

“But if you knew that Signor Lucien was here, why did you not come earlier?”

“Because we had our rendezvous appointed for nine o’clock,” answered the
bandit, “and he is not more punctual who arrives too early, than he who arrives
too late.”

“Is that a reproach you make me, Orlandini?” said Lucien, laughing.

“No, sir—you may have had your reasons for doing so; besides, you have
company, and it is probably on account of monsieur that you have this time
abandoned your usual custom; for you, Signor Lucien, are also very punctual, of
which, thank Heaven, I have received numerous proofs.”

“This is probably the last occasion of the kind, Orlandini.”

“Yes; had we, therefore, better not take up our conversation?” asked the
bandit.

“If you are ready to follow me.”

“At your service, signor.”

Lucien turned back to me.

“You excuse me?” he said.

“Certainly, sir. Attend to your task.”

They both left me and ascended the breach through which Orlandini had first
made his appearance. They halted on the top of it, and stood upright, their
black silhouettes strongly cut in the bright moonlight, which seemed to surround
them with a flood of silver.

I could now observe Orlandini more minutely.

He was a very tall man, with a long beard, and dressed exactly like the young
De Franchi, only his garments showed a frequent contact with the earth that
served him for a bed every night, and of the briers in whose thorny mazes he
lived, their proprietor, and through which he had more than once had to fly for
his life.

I could not understand their conversation, on account of the distance, and
also because they spoke the Corsican dialect. But I could easily discover by
their gestures that the bandit repelled with great warmth a series of arguments
which the young man brought forward with a calmness which did honor to the
impartiality displayed in this whole transaction. At last the gestures of
Orlandini became less frequent and less energetic, his language even seemed to
become more peaceable, and after a last observation his head sank on his breast.
He remained in this position a few seconds, and on a sudden impulse offered his
hand to the young man.

The conversation, it seemed, was finished, for they both approached me.

“My worthy guest,” said the young De Franchi, “Orlandini wishes to offer you
his hand and thank you.”

“What for?” interrupted I “For having consented to be one of his witnesses. I
have engaged my word for you.”

“This alone is sufficient to make me accept it, without even knowing what the
question is.”

I offered my hand to the bandit, who did me the honor of touching it with the
end of his fingers.

“So,” continued Lucien, “you may say to my brother that all is settled after
his desires, and that you have even signed the contract.”

“There is then a marriage to take place?”