24 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO. 



and we should soon have to succumb. Allow me to add, 

 that the gratitude which I owe to you is your surest guar- 

 antee." 



" Very well, I will trust in your words ; I shall regu- 

 late my conduct by your answer. Tell me if I can 

 travel at night ? It is fatiguing to me to move from one 

 station to another in the day under the burning influence 

 of the sun." 



" You can do so, sir ; I have already given my orders 

 to this purpose ; they will not be infringed." 



Some days afterwards, I left for Denia ; it was mid- 

 night, when some horsemen rode up to me, and addressed 

 these words to me: 



" Stop there, senor ; times are hard ; those who have 

 something must aid those who have nothing. Give us 

 the keys of your trunks ; we will only take your super- 

 fluities." 



I had already obeyed their orders, when it came into 

 my head to call out " But I have been told, that I could 

 travel without risk." 



" What is your name, sir ? >: 



" Don Francisco Arago." 



" Hombre ! vaya listed con Dios (God be with 

 you)." 



And our cavaliers, spurring away from us, rapidly lost 

 themselves in a field of " algarrobos." 



When my friend the robber of Cullera assured me that 

 I had nothing to fear from his subordinates, he informed 

 me at the same time that his authority did not extend 

 north of Valencia. The banditti of the northern part of 

 the kingdom obeyed other chiefs ; one of whom, after 

 having been taken, was condemned and hung, and his 

 body divided into four quarters, which were fastened to 



