who will
come and help us.' 'No, as we have got him we must hold him here. But I
am growing weak, I am wounded.' 'Thunder and lightning! then run and get
assistance, if you have strength left; I will try and hold him.' M.
Murphy then disengaged himself, and I was alone with the Schoolmaster. I
don't want to brag, but, by Jove! these were moments when I was not
having a holiday. We were half on the ground, half on the bottom step of
the flight. I had my arms round the neck of the villain, my cheek
against his cheek; and he was puffing like a bull, I heard his teeth
grind. It was dark, it rained pouring; the lamp left in the passage
lighted us a little. I had twisted one of my legs around his, but, in
spite of that, his loins were so powerful that he moved himself and me
on to the bare ground. He tried to bite me, but couldn't; I never felt
so strong. Thunder! my heart beat, but it was in the right place. I
said, 'I am like a man who is grappling with a mad dog, to prevent him
from fastening on some passer-by.' 'Let me go, and I will do you no
harm,' said the Schoolmaster, in an exhausted voice. 'What! a coward?'
says I to him. 'So, then, your pluck is in your strength? So you
wouldn't have stabbed the cattle-dealer at Poissy, and robbed him, if he
had only been as strong as me, eh?' 'No,' says he; 'but I will kill you
as I did him.' And saying that, he made so violent a heave, and gave so
powerful a jerk with his legs at the same time, that he half threw me
over; if I had not kept a tight hold of his wrist which held the
stiletto, I was done for. At this moment my left hand was seized with
the cramp, and I was compelled to loosen my hold; that nearly spoiled
all, and I said to myself, 'I am now undermost and he at top,--he'll
kill me. Never mind, I had rather be in my place than his; M. Rodolph
said that I had heart and honour.' I felt it was all over with me, and
at that moment I saw the Chouette standing close by us, with her glaring
eye and red shawl. Thunder and lightning! I thought I had the nightmare.
'Finette,' cries the Schoolmaster, 'I have let fall the knife; pick it
up, there, there, under him, and strike him home, in the back, between
the shoulders; quick! quick!' 'Only wait, only wait till I find it, till
I see it, _fourline_.' And then the cursed Chouette turned and poked
about us, like an old bird of mischief as she was. At last she found the
dagger and sprung towards it, but as I was flat on my belly I gave