As for you, my Esculapius, give me your hand!" At the same instant, he noticed ten or a dozen inquisitive people on tiptoe on the pavement just by the windows of the laboratory.

Forthwith he marched and opened them with a precipitation which upset the gazers among the crowd.
"People," said he, "I have knocked down a hundred beggarly pandours who respect neither sex nor infirmity.

For the benefit of those who are not satisfied, I will state that I call myself colonel Fougas of the 23d.
And _Vive l'Empereur!_" A confused mixture of plaudits, cries, laughs, and jeers, answered this unprecedented allocution.

Leon Renault hastened out to make apologies to all to whom they were due.

He invited a few friends to dine the same evening with the terrible colonel, and, of course, he did not forget to send a special messenger to Clementine.