Germain, whose face was livid and purple, half suffocated, and on his knees by the bench, seemed unconscious of all that was passing around him. The strangulation had been so violent that he could scarcely breathe.
After his first surprise was over, the Skeleton, by a desperate effort, contrived to keep the Chourineur off and regain his feet. Breathless, drunk with rage and hatred, he was fearful to look upon. His cadaverous face streamed with blood, his upper lip curled like that of a furious wolf, exposed his teeth clenched against each other. At last he exclaimed, in a voice palpitating with anger and exertion, for his struggle had been very violent:
"Stab him,--the ruffian!--you cowards, who let me be traitorously attacked, or the informer will escape!"
During this momentary truce, the Chourineur, raising Germain half fainting, had managed very cleverly to put him in an angle of the wall, and, availing himself of this advantageous position of defence, he was able, without fear of surprise from behind, to resist any attack of the prisoners, on whom the skill and herculean powers he had displayed had imposed considerable respect.
Pique-Vinaigre, greatly alarmed, had disappeared without his absence being remarked.
Seeing hesitation amongst the majority of prisoners, the Skeleton exclaimed:
"Aid me now, let us do for both, the big 'un as well as the little 'un!"
"Look out for squalls, then," replied the Chourineur, preparing for a struggle, with his two hands squared, and standing well-balanced on his loins; "and mind your eye, Skeleton! If you mean to play the Cut-in-Half, I'll serve you as Gargousse did, and slit your weasand."
"Fall on him!" said Le Gros-Boiteux, getting up.
"Why does this vagabond defend spies? Death to the informer, and to him, too! If he defends Germain he is a traitor!"
"Yes, and death to the traitor who defends him!"
Such were the cries uttered by the fiercest of the _détenus_. Another party, more merciful, exclaimed:
"Yes, let him explain; we mustn't kill a man without a hearing!"
"And without means of defence, too! Must we be Cut-in-Halfs?"
"So much the better!" replied the Skeleton's partisans.
"Let's fall on him! Let us support the Skeleton!"
"No, let's support the Blue Cap, and let's at the Skeleton!" retorted the Chourineur's party.