’Hush!What’sthematter？Keepquiet!It’sI。Youknowme？’
criedtheother，inasuppressedvoice。
ButJohnBaptist，widelystaring，mutteringanumberofinvocationsandejaculations，tremblinglybackingintoacorner，slippingonhistrousers，andtyinghiscoatbythetwosleevesroundhisneck，manifestedanunmistakabledesiretoescapebythedoorratherthanrenewtheacquaintance。Seeingthis，hisoldprisoncomradefellbackuponthedoor，andsethisshouldersagainstit。
’Cavalletto!Wake，boy!Rubyoureyesandlookatme。Notthenameyouusedtocallme——don’tusethat——Lagnier，sayLagnier!’
JohnBaptist，staringathimwitheyesopenedtotheirutmostwidth，madeanumberofthosenational，backhandedshakesoftherightforefingerintheair，asifhewereresolvedonnegativingbeforehandeverythingthattheothercouldpossiblyadvanceduringthewholetermofhislife。