Follow me, I say. My servant
indeed? Come, come!"
And, still grumbling, he flung open the door, which the Breton
had left ajar, and stalked in upon us, fuming and blowing out his
cheeks for all the world like a bantam cock with its feathers
erect. He was a short, pursy man; with a short nose, a wide
face, and small eyes. But had he been Caesar and Alexander
rolled into one, he could not have crossed the threshold with a
more tremendous assumption of dignity. Once inside, he stood and
glared at us, somewhat taken aback, I think, for the moment by
our numbers; but recovering himself almost immediately, he
strutted towards us, and, without uncovering or saluting us, he
asked in a deep voice who was responsible for the man outside.
"I am, the graver mountebank answered, looking at the stranger
with a sober air of surprise. "He is my servant."
"Ah!" the Mayor exclaimed, with a withering glance. "And who,
may I ask, are you?"
"You may ask, certainly," the player answered drily. "But until
you take off your hat I shall not answer.
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