Fool, if you did not wish the dogs to feed on your flesh, it would have been better if you had taken your evening walk in some other direction." These raging words did not have the effect of alarming me in the least, nor even of astonishing me very much, albeit up till now the old man had always shown himself suave and respectful.

His attack did not seem quite spontaneous.

In spite of the wildness of his manner and the violence of his speech, he appeared to be acting a part which he had rehearsed beforehand.

I was only angry, and stepping forward, I dealt him a very sharp rap with my knuckles on his chest.

"Moderate your language, old man," I said; "remember that you are addressing a superior." "What do you say to me ?" he screamed in a shrill, broken voice, accompanying his words with emphatic gestures.