"No," he roared, "leave me alone. Why does he refuse to chink glasses
with you? I shall not allow you to be insulted--do you hear? I am quite
sick of him."
Burle, paling under the insult, turned slightly and said to Morandot,
"What does this mean? He calls me in here to insult me. Is he drunk?"
With a wild oath the major rose on his trembling legs and struck the
captain's cheek with his open hand. Melanie dived and thus escaped one
half of the smack. An appalling uproar ensued. Phrosine screamed behind
the counter as if she herself had received the blow; the domino players
also entrenched themselves behind their table in fear lest the soldiers
should draw their swords and massacre them. However, Doucet and Morandot
pinioned the captain to prevent him from springing at the major's
throat and forcibly let him to the door. When they got him outside they
succeeded in quieting him a little by repeating that Laguitte was quite
in the wrong. They would lay the affair before the colonel, having
witnessed it, and the colonel would give his decision. As soon as they
had got Burle away they returned to the cafe where they found Laguitte
in reality greatly disturbed, with tears in his eyes but affecting
stolid indifference and slowly finishing his beer.
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