A hoarse, long groan was the reply.
Femme Gougeon came over to him, and putting her glittering eyes just over his, caught his neck with her left hand, and stretching her right up to Gougeon said "A knife!"
"No," the Admiral exclaimed peremptorily. "What would you do with the blood? To the rats with him rather, like the others. Hache, the trap."
The ex-felon staggered across a pile of scraps, and raised a triplet of planks which covered a pit. A sickening odour arose.
"Down with him," continued the robber Captain.
"But his money?" murmured Gougeon.
"Never mind it."
All the men present caught up Jude and hurried him quickly over the gaping hole, in which he could hear a scuttling of vermin feet and a chorus of squeaks.
"May the next be Répentigny!" the Admiral began. "Now up with him——"
A death-like hiss rose from Jude's lips, "Répentigny? He is my enemy too. I will be your slave. I have too much fear of you to ever harm you. Let me tell you about this Répentigny. Life, life, I beseech—I beseech—beseech you!"