One source of this novella has been known since the work of Michel Crouzet. From a Stendhalian model, however, that was liberally used by Mérimée, there are still observations to be made on everything that separates Mérimée from his "friend" Stendhal, in particular a certain dramatization and the exemplary dimension of this "history." Then there is the definition Rondino gives of himself: "an honest outlaw." This variant on the oxymoron evokes another model: Hernani.