seemed to serve our captors for a camp; for here they drew rein and disposed of us, their booty.  My feet were bound, as my hands already had been, and I was thrown thus helpless on my face on one side; the miserable Belviso, whose disguise and beauty made him appear what he had so unhappily pretended to be, had his hands tied behind him, but his ankles left free.  Him they placed on the other side of the ruin at some distance from me.  They had made no effort to search me, my wretched rags of a clown of the theatre being my protection, and by that means only I was able to keep the pistol given me by the corporal.  Mercifully I had not used it yet, for when the attack was made I saw that I had better make no defence if I wished to save my life; and I could not see that I had any good reason for risking it on behalf of the soldiers.  I suppose it must have been evident that I was a prisoner, and that it would be better worth their while to keep and sell me as a slave than to blow my brains out.  It was only too clear what they intended to do with my poor friend.

The brigands, so soon as they were rid of us, set to work preparing a meal for themselves.  They lit a fire in the chapel, filled a cauldron, fed and watered their horses.  Very soon they were all about the pot, eating and drinking like wild beasts; and when the meat was done they went on with the wine and brandy which they had in abundance, played cards and dice, quarrelled or caroused far into the night.  It was densely dark, save for the chance flames of the fire, when I heard them all wrangling together and had some hopes of a fight which might turn to our advantage.  But whatever was the subject of their disputations, their fury died down into grumbling.  They had decided on drawing lots for possession of us, as I now understand—­but some were too drunk to take a part, and some too indifferent.  It came down to three who went on with the contest, while three fell asleep and snored through all the noise.

I saw the whole affair:  how three billets were put into an empty crock and one was drawn out.  The man who drew it had won me, I could tell, because when he had shown his paper to the others, he came over to where I was and touched me with his foot to learn whether I was safe.  I shammed sleep, and never moved; so presently he lay down by the side of me and himself slept.  Meantime another, of the remaining two, had drawn Belviso and had gone towards his victim.  I saw the loser creep after him, and lost sight of both in the dark; but then, after a horrible pause, I heard my wretched friend begin to cry for mercy, to confess the truth, to pray to God, to shriek in a way I shuddered to hear.  The ruffian at my side, like his companions by the fire, slept through all, and this dared me to what sounds like an act of madness.  With a temerity born of my anguish on Belviso’s account, I rolled over and over until I was close to the fire.  There, I thrust my ankles into the flames, regardless