Then his brutality
received an unexpected check. Imagine that a sparrow-hawk had
seized a trembling pigeon, and that a royal falcon swooped, and
with one lightning-like stroke of body and wing buffeted him away,
and there he was on his back, gaping and glaring and grasping at
nothing with his claws. So swift and irresistible, but far more
terrible and majestic, Josephine de Beaurepaire came from her
chair with one gesture of her body between her mother and the
notary, who was advancing on her with arms folded in a brutal
menacing way,--not the Josephine we have seen her, the calm,
languid beauty, but the Demoiselle de Beaurepaire,--her great
heart on fire, her blood up,--not her own only, but all the blood
of all the De Beaurepaires,--pale as ashes with wrath, her purple
eyes flaring, and her whole panther-like body ready either to
spring or strike.
"'Slave! you dare to insult her, and before me! _Arriere,
miserable!_ or I soil my hand with your face!'
"And her hand was up with the word, up, up,--higher it seemed than
ever a hand was lifted before.
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