It's my orders."
But he shook himself free, and the silk hat which he had not removed
fell off in the quick struggle.
"Ask him if he remembers Saupiquet," he screamed, and then banged the
door.
A malevolent devil put a sudden idea into my head and prompted speech.
"_Do_ you remember Saupiquet?" I asked ironically.
"Monsieur, meddle with your own affairs and let me pass. You shall hear
from me."
The dwarf planted himself before the door.
"You shall not pass till you have answered me. Do you remember
Saupiquet? Do you remember the five francs you gave to Saupiquet to let
you into Sultan's stable? Ah! Ha! Ha! You wince. You grow pale. Do you
remember the ball of poison you put down Sultan's throat?"
Lola started forward with flaming eyes and anguished face.
"You--you?" she gasped. "You were so ignoble as to do that?"
"The accursed brute!" shouted Vauvenarde. "Yes, I did it. I wish I had
burned out his entrails."
Anastasius sprang at him like a tiger cat. I had a quick vision of the
dwarf clinging in the air against the other's bulky form, one hand at
his throat, and then of an incredibly swift flash of steel.
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