tell you again, if I get sent to the galleys 'tis all along of you;
for had you not taken my little all from me, I should not have been
driven to the necessity of robbing others; I might have lived and died
an honest man. You may be acquitted, you may escape the punishment you
deserve, but, at least, you shall carry my marks away with you. Ha, ha!
You can come it grand, and swagger about here dressed up with your gold
chains and trinkets, bought, no doubt, with the money of other poor
devils who have been cheated by you as I have been. Take that for your
pains--and that--that--and that! Now, have you had enough? No! Then
here's for you again!"

"Help, help!" screamed the bailiff, as he rolled on the ground at
Frank's feet, while his infuriated antagonist continued to belabour him
with all his force.

The rest of the prisoners took little or no interest in this affray, but
contented themselves with forming a circle around the two combatants, or
rather the assailant and the assailed; for Maitre Boulard, frightened
and out of breath, made not the slightest resistance, but contented
himself with warding off his adversary's blows as well as he could.
Fortunately, the repeated cries of the poor maltreated bailiff reached
the ears of one of the superintending officers, by whose intervention he
was rescued from the rough hands of Frank. Pale, terrified, and almost
speechless with terror, Maitre Boulard arose. One eye was wholly closed
by the severe beating he had received, and without giving himself time
to pick up his cap, he wildly cried, as he rushed towards the officer:

"Open the door! Let me out--let me out! I can't and I won't stay here
another minute. Help, here! Help, help!"

"As for you," exclaimed the officer, grasping Frank by the collar, "do
you come along with me before the governor. I know you'll catch it, too,
for fighting; two days in the black-hole is the very least you'll get, I
promise you."

"I've paid him off, at any rate," returned Frank; "and I don't care for
the rest."

"I say," whispered Gros-Boiteux, while affecting to be merely helping to
arrange his dress, "I say, you won't breathe a word of what's going to
happen to the sneak, of course?"

"Oh, don't be afraid; 'tis just likely, had I been by, I might have
stood up in his defence, because to kill a man in that manner
is--hard--at least--and for such a trifle! But as for telling of it, or
betraying you all--oh, no!"

"Now, then," called o