And Margarita heard the ruffian step as if to get swing for a blow. She
hurried into the passage, and slipping in front of her father, said to
his assailant:

'You have asked for me! I am here!'

Her face was colourless, and her voice seemed to issue from between a
tightened cord. She stood with her left foot a little in advance, and her
whole body heaving and quivering: her arms folded and pressed hard below
her bosom: her eyes dilated to a strong blue: her mouth ashy white. A
strange lustre, as of suppressed internal fire, flickered over her.

'My name 's Schwartz Thier, and so 's my nature!' said the fellow with a
grin; 'but may I never smack lips with a pretty girl again, if I harm
such a young beauty as this! Friendly dealing's my plan o' life.'

'Clear out of my house, then, fellow, and here's money for you,' said
Gottlieb, displaying a wrathfully-trembling handful of coin.

'Pish! money! forty times that wouldn't cover my bet! And if it did?
Shouldn't I be disgraced? jeered at for a sheep-heart? No, I'm no ninny,
and not to be diddled. I'll talk to the young lady! Silence, out there!
all's going proper': this to his comrades through the door. 'So, my
beautiful maiden! thus it stands: We saw you at the window, looking like
a fresh rose with a gold crown on. Here are we poor fellows come to
welcome the Kaiser. I began to glorify you. "Schwartz Thier!" says Henker
Rothhals to me, "I'll wager you odds you don't have a kiss of that fine
girl within twenty minutes, counting from the hand-smack!" Done! was my
word, and we clapped our fists together. Now, you see, that's