hat was used to give the signal--three loud
raps--for the rising of the curtain, which made a very formidable
weapon, and would do good service in his strong hands.

"Captain," said he to the baron as they quitted the tennis-court, "we
will let the women go on a little way in advance of us, under the escort
of Blazius and Leander, one of whom is too old, the other too cowardly,
to be of any service to us in case of need. And we don't want to have
their fair charges terrified, and deafening us with their shrieks.
Scapin shall accompany us, for he knows a clever trick or two for
tripping a man up, that I have seen him perform admirably in several
wrestling bouts. He will lay one or two of our assailants flat on their
backs for us before they can turn round. In any event here is my good
club, to supplement your good sword."

"Thanks, my brave friend Herode," answered de Sigognac, "your kind offer
is not one to be refused; but let us take our precautions not to be
surprised, though we are in force. We will march along in single file,
through the very middle of the street, so that these rogues, lurking in
dark corners, will have to emerge from their hiding places to come out
to us, and we shall be able to see them before they can strike us. I
will draw my sword, you brandish your club, and Scapin must cut a pigeon
wing, so as to make sure that his legs are supple and in good working
order. Now, forward march!"

He put himself at the head of the little column, and advanced cautiously
into the narrow street that led from the tennis-court to the hotel of
the Armes de France, which was very crooked, badly paved, devoid of
lamps, and capitally well calculated for an ambuscade. The overhanging
gable-ends on either side of the way made the darkness in the street
below them still more dense--a most favourable circumstance for the
ruffians lying in wait there. Not a single ray of light streamed forth
from the shut-up house whose inmates were presumably all sleeping
soundly in their comfortable beds, and there was no moon that night.
Basque, Azolan, Labriche and Merindol had been waiting more than half an
hour for Captain Fracasse in this street, which they knew he was obliged
to pass through in returning to his hotel. They had disposed themselves
in pairs on opposite sides of the way, so that when he was between them
their clubs could all play upon him together, like the hammers of
the Cyclops on their great anvil. The passing of t