"Ah! you know me, do you?"
"Per Dio! Do I not always know those whom I address? Otherwise I should run the risk of wasting my time by attacking poor devils without a sou!"
"But you might often have found me in that condition."
"I know that too; but to-night you played lansquenet at the Sire de Jarnonville's, and luck smiled upon you; that is why I attacked you."
"Clearly, you add to your other talents that of being a sorcerer. All Italians smell of the stake!"
"I should regret extremely, signor, to resort to my weapons; surely you must have been told that that is not my habit! I must always be driven to it. But if you do not give up your purse with a good grace——"
"No, a thousand times no! Do you expect to frighten me, I wonder?"
Giovanni gave the young count hardly time to finish his sentence; he drew his broad sword, and, leaping upon his adversary with a rapidity and address which left him no time to attack, in a few seconds he had sent Léodgard's gleaming rapier flying through the air; and placing the point of his weapon against the young nobleman's breast, with his left hand he swiftly took the purse from his belt, saying, with a slight movement of the head:
"You see, my young gentleman, it was not worth while to go through so many forms!"
And in an instant the brigand had vanished.