"In joke!" repeated young La Valteline, with a frown. "But you are not aware, belle baigneuse, that that peasant's staff has soiled my cloak!—Oh! I must chastise him for that! These knaves must be taught the respect that they owe us."
"And why do you jeer at them and attack them, if you wish them to respect you?"
"Enough, fair Ambroisine! sermons are all right for preachers, but they amount to nothing in a pretty girl's mouth!"
"Come, Jarnonville! forward! have at him! have at him! let us trounce the peasant!"
"Not without my helping to defend him!" ejaculated Master Hugonnet, running to take his stand beside the travellers, still carrying his basin and shaving brush.
"And I will not allow that girl to be insulted, without doing what I can to help her!" cried Ambroisine, following her father and placing herself in front of Miretta.
"That is right! good! good for la baigneuse!" cried all the women, who had been drawn to the scene by the noise of the quarrel. "You are on the girl's side, and we too will defend her!"
"All these ne'er-do-wells are fit for nothing but to insult women!"
"Let us pick up stones and throw them at the villains!"
"No, no! by Notre-Dame!" cried Hugonnet. "No stones, I entreat you! You will break my windows and my sign, and I shall have to pay for all the damage! We shall be able to settle this business without you!"