"It is robbery, bare-faced robbery—"
"None of that, sir, you are not so honest yourself, that you can afford to taunt others!"
He looked at her in astonishment, and then rushed at the door as if to force it open. She called for Robeccal, who hurried to obey her summons. Talizac called Fernando, and Robeccal turned back. Drawing an enormous knife, he said, fiercely:
"Don't you interfere! My wife will settle her own matters with this gentleman!"
Fernando's attitude during the fight between Frederic and Montferrand has already informed us as to the courage of this man. Perhaps he was wise in not risking his life to defend Talizac, whom he estimated at his proper value. He was interested in the Fongereues family only as an emissary of that Society which at that time labored to strangle Liberalism at its birth.
"Very good!" answered Fernando, shrugging his shoulders indifferently, but as he did not propose to be mixed up in any disagreeable affair in this house, he determined to take himself off.
The giantess was not alarmed by Talizac's mad attempt. She calmly lifted him by the collar and landed him on the stairs, half way down.
"Robbers! Murderers!" shouted the Vicomte.
"Confound you! hold your tongue!" said Robeccal, flourishing the knife which had such an effect on Fernando.