He tugs and strains until he is red in the face, but his
"man-killer" cannot be induced to quit the scabbard and Leander, growing
impatient, follows up his first attack with a vigorous, well directed
kick, which sends the unlucky bully flying to the other side of the
stage, where he falls all in a heap and rolls in the dust. The handsome,
young gallant then bows gracefully to Isabelle and retires from the
scene.
Captain Matamore meanwhile lies sprawling on the ground, making
ludicrous and ineffectual efforts to regain his feet. Pandolphe and
Scapin go to his assistance, and when they have hauled him up, and he
has made sure that Leander is no longer present, he roars out in a voice
of thunder: "Scapin, quick, hoop me with iron bands or I shall burst!
I am in such a rage! I shall explode like a bomb! and you, treacherous
blade, do YOU play me false at such a moment? Is it thus you reward me
for having always tried to slake your insatiable thirst with the blood
of the bravest and noblest? I don't know why I have not already broken
you into a thousand pieces, as you so richly deserve--false, ungrateful
weapon that you are! But stay--was it to teach me that it is unworthy
of the true warrior to desert his post?--or forget his sterner duties
in the soft delights of love?--was it for that you refused to leap from
your scabbard as of old? It is true, alas! that thus far this week
I have not defeated a single army--I have killed neither ogre nor
dragon--I have not furnished his usual rations to Death--and in
consequence my trusty blade has rusted in the scabbard--that I should
live to say it! rusted!--and I have been forced to submit to insults,
and even blows, before the very eyes of my mistress.
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