"Oh, if we were alone!" said Simon.
"Yes, if you were alone; but unfortunately you are not alone. Oh, if you were, brave Simon, excellent patriot! how you would belabor the poor child, eh? But you are not alone, and dare not show your rage before honest men like us who know that the ancients, whom we endeavor to take for our models, respected all who were weak. You dare not, for you are not alone; and you are not valiant, my worthy man, when you have children of five feet six inches to combat."
"Oh!" muttered Simon, grinding his teeth.
"Capet," said Fouquier, "have you confided any secrets to Simon?"
The child never turned round, but his face assumed an expression of irony impossible to describe.
"About your mother?" continued Fouquier.
A look of supreme contempt passed over his countenance.
"Reply, yes or no!" cried Hanriot.
"Say yes!" roared Simon, holding his leather stirrup over the child's head.