"Up; I will keep them quiet!" The Syndic wasted a moment in astonishment, then he took in the situation and the other's cleverness.

Before Basterga had ceased to speak, he was at the door of the staircase, and had dragged it open.

But as he set his foot on the lowest stair, Anne, held as she was against Basterga's breast, and almost stifled by the arm which covered her mouth, managed to clutch the Syndic by his skirts, and, once having taken hold, held him with the strength of despair.

In vain he struggled and strove and wrestled to jerk himself free; in vain Basterga, hampered by Claude, tried to drag the girl away--Blondel came away with her! She clung to him, and even, freeing her mouth for a moment, succeeded in uttering a scream.
"Curse her!" Basterga foamed: and had he had a hand to spare, he would have struck her down.

"Pull, man, have you no strength! Let go, you vixen! Let go, or----" He tried to press her throat, but in changing his hold allowed her to utter a second scream, louder, more shrill, more full of passion than the other.