‘I wouldn’t trust him, sir; he is a hypocrite. He has made it up with the other one—just think of that!’
‘What! he has made friends with his rival in the affections of Mademoiselle Desgarcins?’
‘Just so, sir.’
‘That is sad indeed, Michel; I thought only human beings could be guilty of so mean an action.’
‘You see, sir, these monkeys have frequented the society of human beings.’
I now advanced upon the Last of the Laidmanoirs with so much precaution that I contrived to shut him into the greenhouse, where he retreated into a corner and prepared to defend himself, while Potich, from the outside, encouraged his friend by making horrible faces at me through the glass. At this moment piercing shrieks were heard from Mademoiselle Desgarcins; Michel had just caught her. These cries so enraged the Last of the Laidmanoirs that he dashed out upon me; but I parried his attack with the palm of my hand; with which he came in contact so forcibly that he lost breath for a minute, and I then picked him up by the scruff of the neck.
‘Have you caught Mademoiselle Desgarcins?’ I shouted to Michel.
‘Have you caught the Last of the Laidmanoirs?’ returned he.