"Hold!" said Morel with indignation; "if you were not drunk, as you
surely are, I should be very angry. Instantly leave my room!"

"How very sharp you are this morning, old lopsides!" cried Malicorne,
insultingly alluding to the deformity in the lapidary's person.

"Do you hear, Malicorne?--he has the impudence to call this place a
_room_--a hole where I would not put my dog."

"For heaven's sake!" cried Madeleine, so alarmed, that till then she
had not spoken a word, "call for assistance; perhaps they are thieves.
Take care of the diamonds!"

In truth, seeing these two strangers, of doubtful appearance, approach
nearer and nearer to the bench on which lay the jewels, Morel, fearing
some evil intention, ran forward, and with both hands covered the
precious stones.

Hoppy, always on the watch, and listening, hearing Madeleine's words,
and seeing the movement of the artisan, said to himself; "They say he
is a cutter of false stones; if so, he would not fear their being
stolen. Just as well to know that. _I take!_ Then again, Mother
Mathieu, who comes here so often, is a dealer in _real_; and
those she has in her casket are real diamonds. I will put the Owl up
to this!" added Red Arm's son.

"If you do not leave this room instantly, I will call the police,"
said Morel.

The children, frightened at this scene, began to cry, while the old