Sticks and stones were showered at him.
I drew out the sword, which his position prevented him from doing, and exclaimed as I waved it in the air: 'The first rascal who advances, I will cut open like a dog.' "I accompanied these words with a flourish which kept the cannibals at a distance for the time being.
"The young fellows who were with me followed my example.

One took a pickaxe, another seized the branch of a tree, while others tried to release Christian from his horse.

During this time the crowd increased around us; the shouts redoubled: 'Down with the ordinances! These are disguised gendarmes! Vive la liberte!--We must kill them! Let's hang the spies to the lamp-posts!' "Danger was imminent, and I realized that only a patriotic harangue would get us out of the scrape.

While they were releasing Christian, I jumped upon Fidele so as to be seen by all and shouted: "'Vive la liberte!' "'Vive la liberte!' replied the crowd.
"'Down with Charles Tenth! Down with the ministers! Down with the ordinances!' "'Down!' shouted a thousand voices at once.
"You understand, ladies, this was a sort of bait, intended to close the mouths of these brutes.
"'We are all citizens, we are all Frenchmen,' I continued; 'we must not soil our hands with the blood of one of our disarmed brothers.

After a victory there are no enemies.