with such fury that in one instant he
had knocked Azolan and Basque down into the gutter. They fell under his
blows like pasteboard puppets--yet they are both strong men, and used
to hard knocks. Labriche was tripped up and cleverly thrown by another
actor, and fell with such force that he was completely stunned; the
back of his head has found out that the stones of Poitiers pavements
are harder than it is, poor fellow! As for me, my thick club was broken
short off by an immense stick in the hands of that giant they call
Herode, and my shoulder so badly hurt that I sha'n't have the use of my
arm here for a fortnight."

"You are no better than so many calves, you pitiful, cowardly knaves!"
cried the Duke of Vallombreuse, in a perfect frenzy of rage. "Why, any
old woman could put you to rout with her distaff, and not half try.
I made a horrid mistake when I rescued you from the galleys and the
gallows, and took you into my service, believing that you were brave
rascals, and not afraid of anything or anybody on the face of the globe.
And now, answer me this: When you found that clubs would not do, why
didn't you whip out your swords and have at him?"

"My lord had given us orders for a beating, not an assassination, and we
would not have dared to go beyond his commands."

"Behold," cried Vidalinc, laughing contemptuously, "behold a faithful,
exact and conscientious scoundrel whose obedience does not deviate so
much as a hair's breadth from his lord's commands. How delightful and
refreshing to find such purity and fidelity, combined with such rare
courage, in the character of a professional cut-throat! But now,
Vallombreuse, what do you think of all this? This chase of yours opens
well, and romantically, in a manner that must be immensely pleasing
to you, since you find the pursuit agreeable in proportion to its
difficulty, and the obstacles in the way constitute its greatest charms
for you. I ought to congratulate you, it seems to me. This Isabelle,
for an actress, is not easy of access; she dwells in a fortress, without
drawbridge or other means of entrance, and guarded, as we read of in the
history of ancient chivalry, by dragons breathing out flames of fire and
smoke. But here comes our routed army."

Azolan, Basque, and Labriche, who had recovered from his swoon, now
presented themselves reluctantly at the door, and stood extending their
hands supplicatingly towards their master. They were a miserable-looking
set o