At this moment, Dagonin and his comrade appeared on the scene and laid vigorous hands on them both; the young man made a quick, instinctive movement toward his right pocket, where, no doubt, he kept a revolver or knife. Bernardet seized his wrist, he twisted it and said:
"Do nothing rash!"
The young man was very strong, but the huge Dagonin had Herculean biceps and the other man did not lack muscles. Fright, moreover, seemed to paralyze this tall, young gallant, who, as he saw that he was being hustled toward a police station, demanded:
"Have you arrested me, and why?"
"First for having struck me," Bernardet replied, still bareheaded, and to whom a gamin now handed his soiled hat, saying to him:
"Is this yours, Monsieur Bernardet?"
Bernardet recognized in his own quarter! That was glory!
The man seemed to wish to defend himself and still struggled, but one remark of Dagonin's seemed to pacify him:
"No rebellion! There is nothing serious about your arrest. Do not make it worse."
The young man really believed that it was only a slight matter and he would be liberated at once. The only thing that disquieted him was that this intoxicated man, suddenly become sober, had spoken to him as he did a few moments before in the cabaret.