"It is in vain you try to gnaw my hand, I will hold you as I like," said the Schoolmaster. Then, having, no doubt, succeeded in keeping the Chouette down, he added, "That's it! Now listen--" "Tortillard, call your father!" shrieked the Chouette, with a faltering, exhausted voice. "Help! Help!" "Turn her out, the old thing! She won't let us hear," said the little cripple, with a shout of laughter; "put her out!" The Chouette's cries were not audible from this cavern, low as it was. The wretched creature, seeing that there was no chance of help from Bras-Rouge's son, resolved to try a last effort. "Tortillard, go and fetch help, and I will give you my basket; it is full of jewels. There it is, under a stone." "How generous! Thank ye, madame. Why, haven't I got it already? Hark! Don't you hear how it rattles?" said Tortillard, shaking it. "But now, if you'll give us half a pound of gingerbread nuts, I'll go and fetch pa." "Have pity on me, and I will--" The Chouette was unable to conclude. Again there was a profound silence. The little cripple again began to beat time on the stone staircase on which he was seated, accompanying the noise of his feet with the repeated cry: "Why don't you begin? Up with the curtain! Music! Music!" "In this way, Chouette, you can no longer disturb me with your cries," said the Schoolmaster, after a few minutes, during which he had, no doubt, gagged the old woman. "You know very well," he continued, in a slow, hollow voice, "that I do not wish to end this all at once; torture for torture! You have made me suffer enough, and I must speak at length to you before I kill you,--yes, at length. It will be very terrible for you, agonising!" "Come, no stuff and nonsense, old parson," said Tortillard, raising himself half up from his seat; "punish her, but don't do her any harm. You say you'll kill her,--that's only a hum; I am very fond of my Chouette; I have only lent her to you, and you must give her back again. Don't spoil her,--I won't have my Chouette spoiled,--if you do, I'll go and fetch pa!" "Be quiet, and she shall only have what she deserves, a profitable lesson," said the Schoolmaster, in order to assure Tortillard, and for fear the cripple should go and fetch assistance. "All right! Bravo! Now the play's going to begin!" said Bras-Rouge's son, who did not seriously believe that the Schoolmaster intended to kill the Chouette.