Christophewasalittlemollifiedbytheirsubmission, -commissionedofficer—alittlebull-dogofamanwithhardeyes—witharascally, hypocriticalandwickedface; , ; 'seyeswanderedslowlyroundtheroom, sparingnobody; , andclenchedhisfistonthetableandwaited, :
"; andthenifIescapetheywillputmeinprison; thegameisnotworththecandle.I'dbettergobeforeheprovokesme."
Buthispridewouldnotlethim, '; Christophe'sfaceirritatedhim; henudgedhisneighborandpointedouttheyoungmanwithasnigger; ….; ; thenseeingthathisenemyhadnothoughtofgoingonwithhisremarkshegotup, , ; noonetookanynoticeofhim.
Hewasjustturningthehandleofthedoor; , , screamed, andpushedthesoldieraway, ; andthenprotectedfromhimforamomentshetookbreathtoscreamabuseathim; , smiledwickedly, ; someonehadjumpedonhisback, , , ; ; 'spartner, astolidfarm-hand, , armedwithacudgel, , —afatlittlefairgirl—seeingagiganticsoldier—thesamewhohadsatatChristophe'stable—crushinginthechestofhisprostrateadversarywithhisboot, rantothefire, cameback, draggedthebrute', abusedthedisarmedenemy, , , , andfromadistancetheyshoutedastheyranacrossthefieldsthattheywouldfetchtheircomradesandcomebackimmediately.
Thepeasants, leftmastersofthefield, returnedtotheinn; theywereexultant; , .
, : thegiantwhoseeyeshadbeenburnedhadhadhisshoulderhalfcutoffwithahatchet; themanwhosebellyhadbeenpiercedwasdying; , whowastheleastinjuredofthethree, , , thewholelotofthem; hechokedwithrage; , :
"HoldyourgaborI'llkillyou."
Theofficertriedtogetup, andheglaredatthemanwhohadjustspokentohimwithblood-shoteyes:
