loyal　companions　standing　by。　Perhaps　he　had　been　chosen　as　a　champion　of　all　these　fresh　and　kindly　things　to　cross　swords　with　the　enemy　of　all　creation。　〃After　all；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　am　more　than　a　devil；　I　am　a　man。　I　can　do　the　one　thing　which　Satan　himself　cannot　doI　can　die；〃　and　as　the　word　went　through　his　head；　he　heard　a　faint　and　far…off　hoot；　which　would　soon　be　the　roar　of　the　Paris　train。
  He　fell　to　fighting　again　with　a　supernatural　levity；　like　a　Mohammedan　panting　for　Paradise。　As　the　train　came　nearer　and　nearer　he　fancied　he　could　see　people　putting　up　the　floral　arches　in　Paris；　he　joined　in　the　growing　noise　and　the　glory　of　the　great　Republic　whose　gate　he　was　guarding　against　Hell。　His　thoughts　rose　higher　and　higher　with　the　rising　roar　of　the　train；　which　ended；　as　if　proudly；　in　a　long　and　piercing　whistle。　The　train　stopped。
  Suddenly；　to　the　astonishment　of　everyone　the　Marquis　sprang　back　quite　out　of　sword　reach　and　threw　down　his　sword。　The　leap　was　wonderful；　and　not　the　less　wonderful　because　Syme　had　plunged　his　sword　a　moment　before　into　the　man's　thigh。
  〃Stop！〃　said　the　Marquis　in　a　voice　that　compelled　a　momentary　obedience。　〃I　want　to　say　something。〃
  〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Colonel　Ducroix；　staring。　〃Has　there　been　foul　play？〃
  〃There　has　been　foul　play　somewhere；〃　said　Dr。　Bull；　who　was　a　little　pale。　〃Our　principal　has　wounded　the　Marquis　four　times　at　least；　and　he　is　none　the　worse　。〃
  The　Marquis　put　up　his　hand　with　a　curious　air　of　ghastly　patience。
  〃Please　let　me　speak；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　rather　important。　Mr。　Syme；〃　he　continued；　turning　to　his　opponent；　〃we　are　fighting　today；　if　I　remember　right；　because　you　expressed　a　wish　（which　I　thought　irrational）　to　pull　my　nose。　Would　you　oblige　me　by　pulling　my　nose　now　as　quickly　as　possible？　I　have　to　catch　a　train。〃
  〃I　protest　that　this　is　most　irregular；〃　said　Dr。　Bull　indignantly。
  〃It　is　certainly　somewhat　opposed　to　precedent；〃　said　Colonel　Ducroix；　looking　wistfully　at　his　principal。　〃There　is；　I　think；　one　case　on　record　（Captain　Bellegarde　and　the　Baron　Zumpt）　in　which　the　weapons　were　changed　in　the　middle　of　the　encounter　at　the　request　of　one　of　the　combatants。　But　one　can　hardly　call　one's　nose　a　weapon。〃
  〃Will　you　or　will　you　not　pull　my　nose？〃　said　the　Marquis　in　exasperation。　〃Come；　come；　Mr。　Syme！　You　wanted　to　do　it；　do　it！　You　can　have　no　conception　of　how　important　it　is　to　me。　Don't　be　so　selfish！　Pull　my　nose　at　once；　when　I　ask　you！〃　and　he　bent　slightly　forward　with　a　fascinating　smile。　The　Paris　train；　panting　and　groaning；　had　grated　into　a　little　station　behind　the　neighbouring　hill。
  Syme　had　the　feeling　he　had　more　than　once　had　in　these　adventures　the　sense　that　a　horrible　and　sublime　wave　lifted　to　heaven　was　just　toppling　over。　Walking　in　a　world　he　half　understood；　he　took　two　paces　forward　and　seized　the　Roman　nose　of　this　remarkable　nobleman。　He　pulled　it　hard；　and　it　came　off　in　his　hand。
  He　stood　for　some　seconds　with　a　foolish　solemnity；　with　the　pasteboard　proboscis　still　between　his　fingers；　looking　at　it；　while　the　sun　and　the　clouds　and　the　wooded　hills　looked　down　upon　this　imbecile　scene。
  The　Marquis　broke　the　silence　in　a　loud　and　cheerful　voice。
  〃If　anyone　has　any　use　for　my　left　eyebrow；〃　he　said；　〃he　can　have　it。　Colonel　Ducroix；　do　accept　my　left　eyebrow！　It's　the　kind　of　thing　that　might　come　in　useful　any　day；〃　and　he　gravely　tore　off　one　of　his　swarthy　Assyrian　brows；　bringing　about　half　his　brown　forehead　with　it；　and　politely　offered　it　to　the　Colonel；　who　stood　crimson　and　speechless　with　rage。
  〃If　I　had　known；〃　he　spluttered；　〃that　I　was　acting　for　a　poltroon　who　pads　himself　to　fight〃
  〃Oh；　I　know；　I　know！〃　said　the　Marquis；　recklessly　throwing　various　parts　of　himself　right　and　left　about　the　field。　〃You　are　making　a　mistake；　but　it　can't　be　explained　just　now。　I　tell　you　the　train　has　come　into　the　station！〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Dr。　Bull　fiercely；　〃and　the　train　shall　go　out　of　the　station。　It　shall　go　out　without　you。　We　know　well　enough　for　what　devil's　work〃
  The　mysterious　Marquis　lifted　his　hands　with　a　desperate　gesture。　He　was　a　strange　scarecrow　standing　there　in　the　sun　with　half　his　old　face　peeled　off；　and　half　another　face　glaring　and　grinning　from　underneath。
  〃Will　you　drive　me　mad？〃　he　cried。　〃The　train〃
  〃You　shall　not　go　by　the　train；〃　said　Syme　firmly；　and　grasped　his　sword。
  The　wild　figure　turned　towards　Syme；　and　seemed　to　be　gathering　itself　for　a　sublime　effort　before　speaking。
  〃You　great　fat；　blasted；　blear…eyed；　blundering；　thundering；　brainless；　Godforsaken；　doddering；　damned　fool！〃　he　said　without　taking　breath。　〃You　great　silly；　pink…faced；　towheaded　turnip！　You〃
  〃You　shall　not　go　by　this　train；〃　repeated　Syme。
  〃And　why　the　infernal　blazes；〃　roared　the　other；　〃should　I　want　to　go　by　the　train？〃
  〃We　know　all；〃　said　the　Professor　sternly。　〃You　are　going　to　Paris　to　throw　a　bomb！〃
  〃Going　to　Jericho　to　throw　a　Jabberwock！〃　cried　the　other；　tearing　his　hair；　which　came　off　easily。
  〃Have　you　all　got　softening　of　the　brain；　that　you　don't　realise　what　I　am？　Did　you　really　think　I　wanted　to　catch　that　train？　Twenty　Paris　trains　might　go　by　for　me。　Damn　Paris　trains！〃
  〃Then　what　did　you　care　about？〃　began　the　Professor。
  〃What　did　I　care　about？　I　didn't　care　about　catching　the　train；　I　cared　about　whether　the　train　caught　me；　and　now；　by　God！　it　has　caught　me。〃
  〃I　regret　to　inform　you；〃　said　Syme　with　restraint；　〃that　your　remarks　convey　no　impression　to　my　mind。　Perhaps　if　you　were　to　remove　the　remains　of　your　original　forehead　and　some　portion　of　what　was　once　your　chin；　your　meaning　would　become　clearer。　Mental　lucidity　fulfils　itself　in　many　ways。　What　do　you　mean　by　saying　that　the　train　has　caught　you？　It　may　be　my　literary　fancy；　but　somehow　I　feel　that　it　ought　to　mean　something。〃
  〃It　means　everything；〃　said　the　other；　〃and　the　end　of　everything。　Sunday　has　us　now　in　the　hollow　of　his　hand。〃
  〃Us！〃　repeated　the　Professor；　as　if　stupefied。　〃What　do　you　mean　by　'us'？〃
  〃The　police；　of　course！〃　said　the　Marquis；　and　tore　off　his　scalp　and　half　his　face。
  The　head　which　emerged　was　the　blonde；　well　brushed；　smooth…haired　head　which　is　common　in　the　English　constabulary；　but　the　face　was　terribly　pale。
  〃I　am　Inspector　Ratcliffe；〃　he　said；　with　a　sort　of　haste　that　verged　on　harshness。　〃My　name　is　pretty　well　known　to　the　police；　and　I　can　see　well　enough　that　you　belong　to　them。　But　if　there　is　any　doubt　about　my　position；　I　have　a　card〃　and　he　began　to　pull　a　blue　card　from　his　pocket。
  The　Professor　gave　a　tired　gesture。
  〃Oh；　don't　show　it　us；〃　he　said　wearily；　〃we've　got　enough　of　them　to　equip　a　paper…chase。〃
  The　little　man　named　Bull；　had；　like　many　men　who　seem　to　be　of　a　mere　vivacious　vulgarity；　sudden　movements　of　good　taste。　Here　he　certainly　saved　the　situation。　In　the　midst　of　this　staggering　transformation　scene　he　stepped　forward　with　all　the　gravity　and　responsibility　of　a　second；　and　addressed　the　two　seconds　of　the　Marquis。
  〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃we　all　owe　you　a　serious　apology；　but　I　assure　you　that　you　have　not　been　made　the　victims　of　such　a　low　joke　as　you　imagine；　or　indeed　of　anything　undignified　in　a　man　of　honour。　You　have　not　wasted　your　time；　you　have　helped　to　save　the　world。　We　are　not　buffoons；　but　very　desperate　men　at　war　with　a　vast　conspiracy。　A　secret　society　of　anarchists　is　hunting　us　like　hares；　not　such　unfortunate　madmen　as　may　here　or　there　throw　a　bomb　through　starvation　or　German　philosophy；　but　a　rich　and　powerful　and　fanatical　church；　a　church　of　eastern　pessimism；　which　holds　it　holy　to　destroy　mankind　like　vermin。　How　hard　they　hunt　us　you　can　gather　from　the　fact　that　we　are　driven　to　such　disguises　as　those　for　which　I　apologise；　and　to　such　pranks　as　this　one　by　which　you　suffer。　〃
  The　younger　second　of　the　Marquis；　a　short　man　with　a　black　moustache；　bowed　politely；　and　said
  〃Of　course；　I　accept　the　apology；　but　you　will　in　your　turn　forgive　me　if　I　decline　to　follow　you　further　into　your　difficulties；　and　permit　myself　to　say　good　morning！　The　sight　of　an　acquaintance　and　distinguished　fellow…townsman　coming　to　pieces　in　the　open　air　is　unusual；　and；　upon　the　whole；　sufficient　for　one　day。　Colonel　Ducroix；　I　would　in　no　way　influence　your　actions；　but　if　you　feel　with　me　that　our　present　society　is　a　little　abnormal；　I　am　now　going　to　walk　back　to　the　town。〃
  Colonel　Ducroix　moved　mechanically；　but　then　tugged　abruptly　at　his　white　moustache　and　broke　out
  〃No；　by　George！　I　won't。　If　these　gentlemen　are　really　in　a　mess　with　a　lot　of　low　wreckers　like　that；　I'll　see　them　through　it。　I　have　fought　for　France；　and　it　is　hard　if　I　can't　fight　for　civilization。〃
  Dr。　Bull　took　off　his　hat　and　waved　it；　cheering　as　at　a　public　meeting。
  〃Don't　make　too　much　noise；〃　said　Inspector　Ratcliffe；　〃Sunday　may　hear　you。〃
  〃Sunday！〃　cried　Bull；　and　dropped　his　hat。
  〃Yes；〃　retorted　Ratcliffe；　〃he　may　be　with　them。〃
  〃With　whom？〃　asked　Syme。
  〃With　the　people　out　of　that　train；〃　said　the　other。
  〃What　you　say　seems　utterly　wild；〃　began　Syme。　〃Why；　as　a　matter　of　factBut；　my　God；〃　he　cried　out　suddenly；　lik