"Good-day!" said the bailiff to Nicholas.
"Ah! good-day, master, I did not see you; you come, as usual, to take a little walk?"
"Yes, my boy, and to-day I have two reasons for doing it. I am going to tell you why; but first take these cigars. Come, now, among comrades--the devil! one must not stand on ceremony."
"Thank you, my gentleman. Why have you two reasons for walking?"
"You will understand it, my boy; I do not feel any appetite to-day. I said to myself, 'Looking at these gay boys at their dinner, and seeing them make use of their jaws, perhaps hunger will come.'"
"Not so bad. But look this way if you wish to see two babies who eat lustily," said Nicholas, leading the bailiff by degrees near the bench of Frank, whose back was turned; "just look at these two; your hunger will come as if you were eating a whole bottle of pickles."
"Oh! let us see this phenomenon!" said Boulard.
The Big Cripple and Frank quickly turned their heads. The bailiff was stupefied, and stood with his mouth open on recognizing him whom he had swindled.
Frank, throwing his bread and meat on the bench, with one bound jumped at Boulard, whom he caught by the throat, crying:
"My money! And yet is is too late, for it is your fault that I am here."
"If I go to the hulks, mark me, it is your fault; for if I had that of which you robbed me, I should not have been under the necessity of stealing. I should have remained honest, as I wished to be. And you will be acquitted perhaps--they will do nothing to you. But I will do something to you. You shall bear my marks. Ah! you wear jewels, gold chains, and you rob. There--there--have you enough? No--here, take some more!"
"Help, help!" cried the bailiff, rolling under the feet of Frank, who struck him furiously.
The other prisoners, very indifferent to this squabble, made a ring round the combatants, or, rather, round the beating and the beaten, for Boulard, panting and much alarmed, made no resistance, but endeavored to parry, as well as he could, the blows of his adversary. Happily, the overseer ran up, on hearing the cries, and released the bailiff from his peril. Boulard arose, pale and trembling, with one of his large eyes bruised, and, without giving himself time to pick up his cap, cried, as he ran toward the wicket: