Volume III Part 31 (1/2)

”'No, no, master!' he stammered.

”'You see, Alderman,' said Cut-in-half, 'he never has complained. I only wish for his welfare, after all. If Gargousse scratched him the first time, it shall not happen again, I promise you. I will watch.'

”'Very well! Thus every one will be content.'

”'Gringalet the most,' said Cut-in-half; 'is it not so?'

”'Yes, yes, master,' said the trembling child.

”'And to console you for your scratches, I will give you part of a good breakfast; for the Alderman is going to send a plate of cutlets and pickles, four bottles of wine, and a gallon of brandy.'

”'At your service, Cut-in-half, my cellar and my kitchen are open for the whole world.'

”At heart the Alderman was a good man, but he was not very wise, and he liked to sell his wine, and cutlets also. The rascal knew it well; you see that he sent him off contented at having sold some eatables and drinkables, and rea.s.sured as to the fate of Gringalet. So now, here is the poor little fellow fallen again into the power of his master. The moment the Alderman had turned on his heels, Cut-in-half showed the staircase to his victim, and ordered him to mount at once to his garret; the child did not allow him to say it twice, but went, very much alarmed.

”'Oh, Lord! I am lost,' he cried, throwing himself upon the straw beside his turtle, and weeping bitterly. He was there for a good hour sobbing, when he heard Cut-in-half's coa.r.s.e voice calling him. What increased the fear of Gringalet was, that it seemed to him the voice of his master had a strange sound.

”'Will you come down at once?' said the owner of the beasts, with a horrid oath.

”The child quickly descended the stairs. Hardly had he put his foot on the ground, when his master seized him, and carried him to his chamber, staggering at each step, for Cut-in-half had drunk so much that he was as tipsy as a sow, and could hardly keep his legs; his body swayed backward and forward, and he looked at Gringalet, rolling his eyes in a most ferocious manner, but without speaking. He had too thick a tongue. Never had the child been more afraid of him.

”Gargousse was chained to the foot of the bed. In the middle of the room was a chair with a cord hanging on the back.

”'Si--(hic!)--sit down there,'” continued Pique-Vinaigre, imitating, to the end of his story, the stammering of a drunken man, whenever he related what Cut-in-half said.

”Gringalet seated himself trembling. Then Cut-in-half, without saying a word, wound the cord around him, and tied him to the chair, and that not easily; for although the owner of the beasts could still see a little, and knew what he was about, you may imagine he made granny's knots. At length Gringalet is firmly fastened in the chair. 'Oh, dear,' he murmured, 'this time no one will come to deliver me.'

”Poor little fellow, he was right; no one could--no one did come, as you will see. The Alderman had gone, and Cut-in-half had double-locked the door of the court on the inside, and drawn the bolt; no one could come there to the aid of Gringalet.”

”Oh! this time,” said several of the prisoners, much interested in the story, ”Gringalet, you are lost!”

”Poor little fellow!”---”What a pity!”

”If twenty sous would save him, I would give them.”

”I also.”

”Rascal of a Cut-in-half! Whatever is he going to do?”

Pique-Vinaigre continued: ”When Gringalet was tied to the chair, his master said to him, 'You young rascal, it is you who have been the cause that--I have been beaten by the Alderman--you--are--go-o-o-ing to die!' And he drew from his pocket a large razor, newly sharpened, opened it, and took with one hand Gringalet by the hair.”

A murmur of indignation and horror circulated among the prisoners, and interrupted for a moment Pique-Vinaigre, who resumed:

”At sight of the razor the child began to cry, 'Pardon! master, pardon! do not kill me! 'C-r-r-r-y, c-r-r-y, b-o-o-y--you will not (hic!) cry long,'

answered Cut-in-half.

”'Golden gnat! golden gnat! help!' cried poor Gringalet, almost delirious, recalling to his mind his dream; 'here is the spider going to kill me!'

”'Ah! you call--me--a-a-a (hic!) spider!' said Cut-in-half; 'on account--o-of--that--and other things you--are--go-o-o-ing to (hic!) die--do you hear-r-r?--but--not by my (hic!) hand--because, besides, they will guillotine me-e-e. I will say--and--prove--that it was--the a-a-pe--I have prepared--but no matter!' said Cut-in-half, hardly able to stand; then, calling his ape, which, at the end of his chain, ground his teeth, and looked alternately at his master and the child:

”'Look here, Gargousse,' he said showing him the razor and Gringalet, whom he held by the hair, 'you must do so to him; do you (hic!) see?'