'Spare me!' he gasped.
I had not only been abominably frightened; I was shocked besides: my delicacy was in arms, like a lady to whom violence should have been offered by a similar monster.

I plucked myself from his horrid contact, I snatched the pistol--even discharged, it was a formidable weapon--and menaced him with the butt.

'Spare you!' I cried, 'you beast!' His voice died in his fat inwards, but his lips still vehemently framed the same words of supplication.

My anger began to pass off, but not all my repugnance; the picture he made revolted me, and I was impatient to be spared the further view of it.
'Here,' said I, 'stop this performance: it sickens me.

I am not going to kill you, do you hear?
I have need of you.' A look of relief, that I could almost have called beautiful, dawned on his countenance.