Volume II Part 105 (1/2)
CHAPTER x.x.xVIII.
SCREECH-OWL.
Her rapidity of step, the ferocious ardor of a desire for rapine and murder which she still possessed, had flushed her hideous visage; her one green eye sparkled with savage joy.
Tortillard followed her, jumping and limping. Just as she was descending the last steps of the stairs, the son of Bras-Rouge, through a wicked frolic, placed his foot on the trailing folds of La Chouette's dress. This caused the old woman to stumble; not being able to catch hold of the bal.u.s.ters, she fell on her knees, her hands both stretched out, abandoning her precious basket, from whence escaped a golden bracelet set with diamonds and fine pearls. La Chouette, having, in her fall, excoriated her fingers a little, picked up the bracelet, which had not escaped the quick eyesight of Tortillard, rose and threw herself furiously on the little cripple, who approached her with a hypocritical air, saying, ”Oh! bless us! your foot slipped!”
Without answering, La Chouette seized him by the hair, and, stooping down, bit him in the cheek; the blood spurted from the wound. Strange as it may appear, Tortillard, notwithstanding his wickedness, and the great pain he endured, uttered not a complaint nor cry. He wiped his bleeding face, and said, with a forced laugh:
”I would rather you would not kiss me so hard another time, La Chouette.”
”Wicked little devil, why did you step on my gown to make me fall?”
”I? Oh, now! I swear to you that I did not do it on purpose, my good Chouette; as if your little Tortillard would wish to hurt you; he loves you too well for that. You did well to beat him, affront him, bite him; he is attached to you like a poor little dog to his master,”
said the child in a caressing and coaxing voice.
Deceived by the hypocrisy, La Chouette answered, ”Very well! if I have bitten you wrongfully, it shall be punishment for some other time, when you have deserved it. Come, to-day I bear no malice. Where is your cheat of a father?”
”In the house; shall I call him?”
”No; have the Martials come yet?”
”Not yet.”
”Then I have time to go and see my man; I want to speak to old No-eyes.”
”Are you going to the cellar?” asked Tortillard, hardly concealing his diabolical joy.
”What is that to you?”
”To me?”
”Yes; you asked me that in such a droll way.”
”Because I thought of something funny.”
”What?”
”That you must have brought a pack of cards along to amuse him,”
answered Tortillard, in a cunning manner; ”it will be a little change for him; he only plays at biting with the rats; in that game he always wins, and in the end it tires him.”
La Chouette laughed violently at this witticism, and said to the little cripple, ”Mamma's little monkey. I do not know a blackguard that is more wicked than you are. You little rogue, go, get me a candle; you shall light me down, help me to open his door; you know that I can't move it alone.”
”Oh, no, it is too dark in the cellar,” said Tortillard, shaking his head.
”How? you, as wicked as the devil, a coward; I would like to see that!
Come, go quick, and say to your father, I will soon return; that I am with my pet; that we are talking about the publication of our bans of marriage,” added the monster, chuckling. ”Come, make haste, you shall be groomsman, and if you are a good boy, you shall have my garter.”