I observed a tall, muscular fellow, wrapped in a
great mantle, passing across the square, but skulking along in the
dark, as if avoiding notice. The people, too, seemed to draw back as he
passed. It was whispered to me that he was a notorious bandit."
"But why was he not immediately seized?" said the Englishman.
"Because it was nobody's business; because nobody wished to incur the
vengeance of his comrades; because there were not sufficient _gens
d'armes_ near to insure security against the numbers of desperadoes he
might have at hand; because the _gens d'armes_ might not have received
particular instructions with respect to him, and might not feel
disposed to engage in the hazardous conflict without compulsion. In
short, I might give you a thousand reasons, rising out of the state of
our government and manners, not one of which after all might appear
satisfactory."
The Englishman shrugged his shoulders with an air of contempt.
"I have been told," added the Roman, rather quickly, "that even in your
metropolis of London, notorious thieves, well known to the police as
such, walk the streets at noon-day, in search of their prey, and are
not molested unless caught in the very act of robbery."
The Englishman gave another shrug, but with a different expression.
"Well, sir, I fixed my eye on this daring wolf thus prowling through
the fold, and saw him enter a church. I was curious to witness his
devotions.
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