ead through the group, which, at
first composed of three or four persons, increased every instant around
the door of the wine-shop. A dull, menacing clamor began to rise from
the crowd; the first accuser, seeing his fears thus shared and almost
justified, thought he was acting like a good and courageous citizen
in taking Goliath by the collar, and saying to him: "Come and explain
yourself at the guard-house, villain!"

The giant, already provoked at insults of which he did not perceive the
real meaning, was exasperated at this sudden attack; yielding to his
natural brutality, he knocked his adversary down upon the counter,
and began to hammer him with his fists. During this collision, several
bottles and two or three panes of glass were broken with much noise,
whilst the woman of the house, more and more frightened, cried out with
all her might; "Help! a poisoner! Help! murder!"

At the sound of the breaking windows and these cries of distress, the
passers-by, of whom the greater number believed in the stories about
the poisoners, rushed into the shop to aid in securing Goliath. But
the latter, thanks to his herculean strength, after struggling for
some moments with seven or eight persons, knocked down two of his most
furious assailants, disengaged himself from the others, drew near the
counter, and, taking a vigorous spring, rushed head-foremost, like
a bull about to butt, upon the crowd that blocked up the door; then,
forcing a passage, by the help of his enormous shoulders and athletic
arms, he made his way into the street, and ran with all speed in the
direction of the square of Notre-Dame, his garments torn, his head bare,
and his countenance pale and full of rage. Immediately, a number of
persons from amongst the crowd started in pursuit of Goliath, and a
hundred voices exclaimed: "Stop--stop the poisoner!"

Hearing these cries, and seeing a man draw near with a wild and troubled
look, a butcher, who happened to be passing with his large, empty tray
on his head, threw it against Goliath's shins, and taken by surprise, he
stumbled and fell. The butcher, thinking he had performed as heroic an
action as if he had encountered a mad dog, flung himself on Goliath,
and rolled over with him on the pavement, exclaiming: "Help! it is a
poisoner! Help! help!" This scene took place not far from the Cathedral,
but at some distance from the crowd which was pressing round the
hospital gate, as well as from the eating-house in