"That is what you are, with all your boasting!--A coward! Afraid of--why, man, of what are you afraid?
Basterga ?" "It may be," Claude answered sullenly.
"Basterga?
Why----" But on the word Blondel stopped; and over his face came a startling change.

The rage died out of it and the flush; and fear, and a cringing embarrassment, took the place of them.

In the same instant the change was made, and Claude saw that which caused it.
Basterga himself stood in the half-open doorway, looking towards them.
For a few seconds no one spoke.

The magistrate's tongue clave to the roof of his mouth, as the scholar advanced, cap in hand, and bowed to one and the other.

The florid politeness of his bearing thinly veiling the sarcasm of his address when he spoke.
"O mire conjunctio!" he said.