There were four of them, then, but the little steward might be
left out of the reckoning. Had I a weapon I should have smiled
at such odds as those. But, hand to hand, I was no match for the
one even without three others to aid him. Cunning, then, not
force, must be my aid. I wished to look round for some mode of
escape, and in doing so I gave an almost imperceptible movement
of my head. Slight as it was it did not escape my guardians.
"Come, wake up, wake up!" cried the steward.
"Get on your feet, little Frenchman," growled the gondolier.
"Get up, I say," and for the second time he spurned me with his
foot.
Never in the world was a command obeyed so promptly as that one.
In an instant I had bounded to my feet and rushed as hard as I
could to the back of the hall. They were after me as I have seen
the English hounds follow a fox, but there was a long passage
down which I tore.
It turned to the left and again to the left, and then I found
myself back in the hall once more. They were almost within touch
of me and there was no time for thought.
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