"I will recommence whenever you like."

"Not on me, though, thank ye,--not on me," exclaimed the Chourineur,
laughing; "your blows fell as if from a sledge-hammer; I am still giddy
from them. But do you know Bras Rouge, in whose passage you were?"

"Bras Rouge?" said the unknown, who appeared disagreeably surprised at
the question; adding, however, with an indifferent air, "I do not know
Bras Rouge. Is he the only person who inhabits this abode? It rained in
torrents, and I took shelter in the alley. You meant to beat this poor
girl, and I have thrashed you,--that's all."

"You're right; I have nothing to do with your affairs. Bras Rouge has a
room here, but does not occupy it often. He is usually at his
_estaminet_ in the Champs Elysees. But what's the good of talking about
him?" Then turning to the Goualeuse, "On my word, you are a good wench,
and I would not have beaten you; you know I would not harm a child,--it
was only my joke. Never mind; it was very good of you not to set on this
friend of yours against me when I was down, and at his mercy. Come and
drink with us; he pays for all. By the way, my trump," said he to the
unknown, "what say you, instead of going to tipple, shall we go and have
a crust for supper with the ogress at the White Rabbit? It is a
_tapis-franc_."

"With all my heart. I will pay for the supper. You'll come with us,
Goualeuse?" inquired the unknown.

"Thanks, sir," she replied, "but, after having seen your struggle, it
has made my heart beat so that I have no appetite."

"Pooh! pooh! one shoulder of mutton pokes the other down," said the
Chourineur; "the cookery at the White Rabbit is first-rate."

The three personages then, in perfect amity, bent their steps together
towards the tavern.

During the contest between the Chourineur and the unknown, a
charcoal-seller, of huge size, ensconced in another passage, had
contemplated with much anxiety the progress of the combat, but without
attempting to offer the slightest assistance to either antagonist. When
the unknown, the Chourineur, and the Goualeuse proceeded to the
public-house, the charcoal-man followed them.

The beaten man and the Goualeuse first entered the _tapis-franc_; the
unknown was following, when the charcoal-man accosted him, and said, in
a low voice, in the German language, and in a most respectful tone of
remonstrance, "Pray, your highness, be on your guard."

The unknown shrugged his shoulders, and rejoined his new c