On hearing these words the Lord of Fear shrank into himself until you would have thought that half of him had disappeared, and Dame Coward sank back into her chair, behind which her daughters concealed themselves. “Imprudent wretch!” stuttered Fear, shaking until he nearly fell. “How dare you defy me thus?” “To judge from your appearance,” said Mitaine, smiling, “there’s no great merit in that.” “You dare to doubt my courage? You deserve to suffer the terrors of my vengeance.” It was not without some difficulty that Fear uttered these words, for his tongue was almost paralysed. “You have no influence over me; and all the absurd scarecrows you have called up to terrify me are only fit to be laughed at!” “My name is the terror of the universe.” “You libel the universe by saying so. Because a few weak minds allow you to rule them, you consider yourself master of the world. Come out of your den into the light of day, and see how you will be received!” “The women are on my side!” “They are not! When they catch a glimpse of you they cannot in truth repress an exclamation of natural disgust. An insect, a shadow, an unusual noise can make them tremble; but when a serious danger presents itself, when a great sentiment animates them, they will, as Christians, die the death of martyrs; as wives, follow their husbands into battle, like the Gallic women; and, as mothers, struggle with lions for the safety of their children. They will, in short, achieve immortality, like Judith, like Lucretia, like St. Genevieve.” “Well, at any rate, I have the children. The little people are my subjects.” “And you dare to tell this to me? Why, you actually elevate impudence almost to the position of courage. The children would obey you least of any of us if wicked teachers and foolish parents did not place them in your power. They threaten them with the dark room, and they take care to lock you up there with them. They call the wolf to eat them. Did Romulus and Remus quake at the approach of their wild nurse? I am but a child, but I know how much you are worth, and, by St. Landri’s Shrine! I defy you utterly.” Mitaine became aware of a low sound, and noticed a stir among the corpses. At the end of one of the numberless passages that opened into the hall where this happened there appeared some pale rays of light which seemed to come nearer. As their light grew more distinct that of the toad began to die out, and the creature itself commenced shifting uneasily on its seat. The Lord of Fear seemed more alarmed than ever. His teeth chattered like castanets--he had to make three attempts before he could speak. “You do ill to deny my power; all these who surround me have acknowledged it!”