“Get you out of their way! and how?” cried Thibault, who but too well remembered what it had cost him to meddle with the Baron’s hunting the day before. “Look about you, think, invent some way of delivering me!” “The Baron’s dogs are rough customers to deal with, and you are asking neither more nor less than that I should save your life; for I warn you, if they once get hold of you, and they will probably scent you out, they will make short work of pulling you to pieces. And now supposing I spare you this disagreeable business,” continued Thibault, who imagined that he had now got the upper hand, “what will you do for me in return?” “Do for you in return?” said the wolf, “and how about the buck?” “And how about the bowl of water?” said Thibault. “We are quits there, my good sir. Let us start a fresh business altogether; if you are agreeable to it, I am quite willing.” “Let it be so then; tell me quickly what you want of me.” “There are folks,” proceeded Thibault, “who might take advantage of the position you are now in, and ask for all kinds of extravagant things, riches, power, titles, and what not, but I am not going to do anything of the kind; yesterday I wanted the buck, and you gave it me, it is true; to-morrow, I shall want something else. For some time past I have been possessed by a kind of mania, and I do nothing but wish first for one thing and then for another, and you will not always be able to spare time to listen to my demands. So what I ask for is, that, as you are the devil in person or someone very like it, you will grant me the fulfilment of every wish I may have from this day forth.” The wolf put on a mocking expression of countenance. “Is that all?” he said, “Your peroration does not accord very well with your exordium.” “Oh!” continued Thibault, “my wishes are honest and moderate ones, and such as become a poor peasant like myself. I want just a little corner of ground, and a few timbers, and planks; that’s all that a man of my sort can possibly desire.” “I should have the greatest pleasure in doing what you ask,” said the wolf, “but it is simply impossible, you know.” “Then I am afraid you must make up your mind to put up with what the dogs may do to you.” “You think so, and you suppose I have need of your help, and so you can ask what you please?” “I do not suppose it, I am sure of it.” “Indeed! well then, look.” “Look where,” asked Thibault. “Look at the spot where I was,” said the wolf. Thibault drew back in horror. The place where the wolf had been lying was empty; the wolf had disappeared, where or how it was impossible to say. The room was intact, there was not a hole in the roof large enough to let a needle through, nor a crack in the floor through which a drop of water could have filtered. “Well, do you still think that I require your assistance to get out of trouble,” said the wolf. “Where the devil are you?”