"Gargousse was chained to the foot of the bed. In the middle of the room was a chair with a cord hanging on the back. "'Si--(hic!)--sit down there,'" continued Pique-Vinaigre, imitating, to the end of his story, the stammering of a drunken man, whenever he related what Cut-in-half said. "Gringalet seated himself trembling. Then Cut-in-half, without saying a word, wound the cord around him, and tied him to the chair, and that not easily; for although the owner of the beasts could still see a little, and knew what he was about, you may imagine he made granny's knots. At length Gringalet is firmly fastened in the chair. 'Oh, dear,' he murmured, 'this time no one will come to deliver me.' "Poor little fellow, he was right; no one could--no one did come, as you will see. The Alderman had gone, and Cut-in-half had double-locked the door of the court on the inside, and drawn the bolt; no one could come there to the aid of Gringalet." "Oh! this time," said several of the prisoners, much interested in the story, "Gringalet, you are lost!" "Poor little fellow!"---"What a pity!" "If twenty sous would save him, I would give them." "I also." "Rascal of a Cut-in-half! Whatever is he going to do?" Pique-Vinaigre continued: "When Gringalet was tied to the chair, his master said to him, 'You young rascal, it is you who have been the cause that--I have been beaten by the Alderman--you--are--go-o-o-ing to die!' And he drew from his pocket a large razor, newly sharpened, opened it, and took with one hand Gringalet by the hair." A murmur of indignation and horror circulated among the prisoners, and interrupted for a moment Pique-Vinaigre, who resumed: "At sight of the razor the child began to cry, 'Pardon! master, pardon! do not kill me! 'C-r-r-r-y, c-r-r-y, b-o-o-y--you will not (hic!) cry long,' answered Cut-in-half. "'Golden gnat! golden gnat! help!' cried poor Gringalet, almost delirious, recalling to his mind his dream; 'here is the spider going to kill me!' "'Ah! you call--me--a-a-a (hic!) spider!' said Cut-in-half; 'on account--o-of--that--and other things you--are--go-o-o-ing to (hic!) die--do you hear-r-r?--but--not by my (hic!) hand--because, besides, they will guillotine me-e-e. I will say--and--prove--that it was--the a-a-pe--I have prepared--but no matter!' said Cut-in-half, hardly able to stand; then, calling his ape, which, at the end of his chain, ground his teeth, and looked alternately at his master and the child: "'Look here, Gargousse,' he said showing him the razor and Gringalet, whom he held by the hair, 'you must do so to him; do you (hic!) see?'