During this momentary truce, the Chourineur, raising Germain half fainting, had managed very cleverly to put him in an angle of the wall, and, availing himself of this advantageous position of defence, he was able, without fear of surprise from behind, to resist any attack of the prisoners, on whom the skill and herculean powers he had displayed had imposed considerable respect. Pique-Vinaigre, greatly alarmed, had disappeared without his absence being remarked. Seeing hesitation amongst the majority of prisoners, the Skeleton exclaimed: "Aid me now, let us do for both, the big 'un as well as the little 'un!" "Look out for squalls, then," replied the Chourineur, preparing for a struggle, with his two hands squared, and standing well-balanced on his loins; "and mind your eye, Skeleton! If you mean to play the Cut-in-Half, I'll serve you as Gargousse did, and slit your weasand." "Fall on him!" said Le Gros-Boiteux, getting up. "Why does this vagabond defend spies? Death to the informer, and to him, too! If he defends Germain he is a traitor!" "Yes, yes, death to the spy! Death!" "Yes, and death to the traitor who defends him!" Such were the cries uttered by the fiercest of the _detenus_. Another party, more merciful, exclaimed: "No, let's hear him first!" "Yes, let him explain; we mustn't kill a man without a hearing!" "And without means of defence, too! Must we be Cut-in-Halfs?" "So much the better!" replied the Skeleton's partisans. "Nothing's too bad for a spy!" "Let's fall on him! Let us support the Skeleton!" "Yes, let's at the Blue Cap!" "No, let's support the Blue Cap, and let's at the Skeleton!" retorted the Chourineur's party. "No, down with the Blue Cap!" "Down with the Skeleton!" "Well done, my boys!" cried the Chourineur, addressing the prisoners who sided with him. "You're good fellows, and would not massacre a half dead man; none but cowards would do that. The Skeleton does not care what evil he does; he is sentenced beforehand, and that is why he urges you on; but if you help to kill Germain, you will be severely punished for it. Besides, I have something to propose. The Skeleton is desirous of doing for this young man; well, let him come and take him if he thinks he has the pluck to do it; let us two settle it; leave us to ourselves, and see what turns up. But he's afraid; he's like Cut-in-Half, only strong with the weak."