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"Back, Rolla!" exclaimed Firejaws, hoarsely, as he laid his iron fist upon his wife's shoulder. Schwan came to the door and cordially said: "Where are your comrades? The soup is waiting." Robeckal hurriedly glided from the wagon, and approaching close to Rolla, he whispered a few words in her ear. "Let me go, Girdel," said the giantess. "Who would take such a stupid joke in earnest?
Hardly had the door closed behind him than the man in the brown overcoat stopped reading his paper and left the room too. "One word, friend," he said to Robeckal. "Quick, what does it concern?" "Twenty francs for you, if you answer me properly." "Go ahead." "What is this Firejaws?" "Athlete, acrobat, wrestler anything you please." "What is his right name?" "Girdel, Cesar Girdel."
"I, wretch!" thundered Firejaws, in whose eyes a warning glance shone. "Bah! you are getting angry about nothing," said Robeckal, mockingly, placing his other hand on the edge of the wagon. "Strike him, Robeckal!" cried Rolla, urgingly.
Come, I am hungry." Firejaws looked at his wife in amazement. Her face, which had been purple with anger, was now overspread by a broad grin, and shrugging his shoulders, Girdel walked toward the house. Fanfaro followed, and Robeckal and Rolla remained alone. "We must make an end of it, Rolla," grumbled Robeckal. "I am satisfied. The sooner the better!" "Good. I shall do it to-night.
The family consisted of an athlete who called himself Firejaws; his daughter Caillette, a tight-rope dancer, a clown called Mario, and a young acrobat, Fanfaro. Every day the troupe performed on the Place du Chateau d'Eau, and, besides this, people visited the house under the pretence of taking lessons from Fanfaro in parlor magic.
Can I invite you now to join us in a glass of wine?" Girdel protested more politely than earnestly; Schwan brought a bottle and glasses, and the giant sat down by the strangers. While this was going on, the first comer appeared to be deeply immersed in the paper, though he had not lost a word of the conversation, and as Firejaws took a seat near the strangers, he began again to laugh mockingly.
"Here, Papa Firejaws," came cheerfully from the interior of the wagon, and at the same moment a dark head appeared in sight above a large box. The head was followed by a beautifully formed body, and placing his hand lightly on the edge of the wagon, Fanfaro swung gracefully to the ground. "Madcap, can't you stop turning?" scolded Girdel, laughingly; "go into the house and get your breakfast!"
All the outer walls of the booth were covered with yellow bills, upon which could be read that "Signor Firejaws" would lift with his teeth red-hot irons of fabulous weight, swallow burning lead, and perform the most startling acrobatic tricks.
The doctor went, while the other man struck his face with his hands and softly murmured: "God grant that he be right. I would rather die a thousand deaths than lose the dear boy in this way." Hot tears ran over the man's brown cheeks, and his broad breast rose and fell, torn by convulsive sobs. "Shame yourself, Firejaws!" he murmured, "if any one saw you now!
"The devil take me, but these arms must belong to my old friend Firejaws," exclaimed Schwan, now laughing; and hardly had he spoken the words than the possessor of the arms, a giant seven feet tall, cheerfully said: "Well guessed, Father Schwan. Firejaws in propria persona."
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