It would be excessively pleasant to crush you once and for all, as one would a buzzing fly." "Pleasant, perhaps, but immeasurably foolish," rejoined de Batz coolly; "you would only get thirty-five livres for my head, and I offer you ten times that amount for the self-same commodity." "I know, I know; but the whole thing has become too dangerous." "Why?
I am very modest.

I don't ask a great deal.

Let your hounds keep off my scent." "You have too many d--d confederates." "Oh! Never mind about the others.

I am not bargaining about them.

Let them look after themselves." "Every time we get a batch of them, one or the other denounces you." "Under torture, I know," rejoined de Batz placidly, holding his podgy hands to the warm glow of the fire.