“Hum!” said Bruno; “it will not be much short, considering the sum it contains. I shall only take what I am absolutely in need of.”
“Are you in want of much?” asked the brigadier, with anxiety.
“I want three thousand ounces,” said Bruno.
“Well, that is reasonable enough,” said the brigadier; “a good many people would not be so delicate as you are.”
“You may make yourself quite easy in the matter, for I will give you a receipt for what I take,” said Bruno.
“Talking of receipts,” said the brigadier, rising, “that’s well thought of, for it reminds me of some papers I had in my holsters.”
“Don’t make yourself uneasy about them,” observed Bruno; “here they are.”
“You will do me the greatest service by returning them to me,” said the brigadier.
“I know that,” said Bruno, “for I have satisfied myself of their importance; the first is your brigadier’s commission; I have made a note at the foot of that, declaring that you have conducted yourself so well that you deserve to be made a quarter-master. The second is my description, and I have taken the liberty to make a few small corrections as to particular signs; for instance, I have added charmed: the third paper is a letter from his excellency the viceroy to the Countess Gemma, of Castel Nuovo; and I have too much gratitude for this lady, who has lent me this castle of hers, to place any restraint on her loving correspondence. Here are your papers, my brave fellow; one more glass to your health, and sleep tranquilly. To-morrow, at five o’clock, we will put you on your road; it is much more prudent, I can assure you, to travel by day than by night, for perhaps you may not always have the good fortune of falling into such good hands.”
“I think you are right,” said Tommassi, rolling up his papers, “and you appear to me to be an honester fellow than many more apparently honest folks of my acquaintance.”