I felt that to attack such a phalanx, even with a king's good will, was beyond the daring of a Crillon, and I looked round to see whether I could not amuse myself in some more modest fashion.
The material was not lacking.

Crillon, still mouthing out his anger, strode up and down in front of the trunk on which M.de Biron was seated; but the latter was, or affected to be, asleep.

'Crillon is for ever going into rages now,' a courtier beside me whispered.
'Yes,' his fellow answered, with a shrug of the shoulder; 'it is a pity there is no one to tame him.

But he has such a long reach, morbleu!' 'It is not that so much as the fellow's fury,' the first speaker rejoined under his breath.

'He fights like a mad thing; fencing is no use against him.' The other nodded.