Maurice was not familiar
with the lower town; Johann was. A few yards ahead there was an
alley he knew, and once in it he could laugh at all pursuit. It
might be added that if Maurice knew but little of the lower town,
he knew still less about Johann.
Suddenly, in the midst of his narrative, Johann put his leg
stiffly between his enemy's and gave a mighty jerk with his arm,
with the result that Maurice, wholly unprepared, went sprawling
to the pavement. He was on his feet in an instant, but Johann
was free and flying up the alley. Maurice gave chase, but
uselessly. Johann had disappeared. The alley was a cul de sac,
but was lined with doors; and these Maurice hammered to ease his
conscience. No one answered. Deeply disgusted with his lack of
caution, Maurice regained the street, where he brushed the dust
from his knees.
"I'll take it out of his hide the next time we meet. He wasn't
worth the trouble, anyway."
A sybil might have whispered in his ear that a very large fish
had escaped his net, but Maurice continued, conscious of nothing
save chagrin and a bruised knee. He resumed the piecing together
of events, or rather he attempted to; very few pieces could be
brought together.
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