The
students had not fully recovered from their surprise, and the
yells sank into murmurs.
"You curs!" said Maurice, panting. "Shame on you! and an old dog
that can't defend himself! You knew he had no teeth."
"God save your Excellency!" laughed a student in the rear, who
had not tasted the cane; "you may be sure we knew he had no
teeth or we wouldn't have risked our precious calves. Don't let
him scare you with the popgun, comrades. At him, my brave ones;
he will be more sport than the dog! Down with the Osians, dogs,
followers and all!"
"Come on, then," said Maurice, whose fighting blood was at heat.
"Come on, if you think it isn't over. There are six bullets in
this popgun, and I don't give a particular damn where they go.
Come on!"
Whether or not this challenge would have been accepted remains
unwritten. There now came on the air the welcome sound of
galloping hoofs, and presently two cuirassiers wheeled into the
street. What Maurice had left undone with the cane the
cuirassiers completed with the flat of their sabers. They had
had a brush with the students the night before, and they went at
them as if determined to take both interest and principal.
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