which the masquerade
of the cholera then was. The day was now drawing to a close. On the
piercing call of the butcher, several groups, at the head of which were
Ciboule and the quarryman, flew towards the scene of the struggle,
while those who had pursued the pretended poisoner from the Rue de la
Calandre, reached the square on their side.

At sight of this threatening crowd advancing towards him, Goliath,
whilst he continued to defend himself against the butcher, who held him
with the tenacity of a bull-dog, felt that he was lost unless he could
rid himself of this adversary before the arrival of the rest; with a
furious blow of the fist, therefore, he broke the jaw of the butcher,
who just then was above him, and disengaging himself from his hold, he
rose, and staggered a few steps forward. Suddenly he stopped. He saw
that he was surrounded. Behind him rose the walls of the cathedral; to
the right and left, and in front of him, advanced a hostile multitude.
The groans uttered by the butcher, who had just been lifted from the
ground covered with blood, augmented the fury of the populace.

This was a terrible moment for Goliath: still standing alone in the
centre of a ring that grew smaller every second, he saw on all sides
angry enemies rushing towards him, and uttering cries of death. As the
wild boar turns round once or twice, before resolving to stand at bay
and face the devouring pack, Goliath, struck with terror, made one or
two abrupt and wavering movements. Then, as he abandoned the possibility
of flight, instinct told him that he had no mercy to expect from a crowd
given up to blind and savage fury--a fury the more pitiless as it was
believed to be legitimate. Goliath determined, therefore, at least to
sell his life dearly; he sought for a knife in his pocket, but, not
finding it, he threw out his left leg in an athletic posture, and
holding up his muscular arms, hard and stiff as bars of iron, waited
with intrepidity for the shock.

The first who approached Goliath was Ciboule. The hag, heated and out
of breath, instead of rushing upon him, paused, stooped down, and
taking off one of the large wooden shoes that she wore, hurled it at the
giant's head with so much force and with so true an aim that it struck
him right in the eye, which hung half out of its socket. Goliath pressed
his hands to his face, and uttered a cry of excruciating pain.

"I've made him squint!" said Ciboule, with a burst of laughter.