Your eyes are like two balls of fire."
"Then get out of my way, lest you get burnt. You might get blown up with
all that powder in your cartridge-box."
"There's nothing in it," said the gendarme, embarrassed, but wishing to
make some kind of retort. "But you have scorched me already."
"I don't see where--you seem to be all right. But enough! Let me go."
"I'm not keeping you, you little crib-biter. You could lead a man a hard
life, who was fond of you."
"Nobody need be fond of me," said Amrei; and she rushed away as if she
had got loose from a chain.
She stood in the doorway where many spectators were crowded together. A
new dance was just beginning, and she swayed back and forth with the
music. The feeling that she had got the better of some one made her more
cheerful than ever, and she would have taken up arms against the whole
world, as well as against a single gendarme. But her tormentor soon
appeared again; he posted himself behind Amrei and said all kinds of
things to her. She made no answer and pretended not to hear him, every
now and then nodding to the people as they danced by, as if she had been
greeted by them. Only when the gendarme said:
"If I were allowed to marry, I'd take you."
She replied:
"Take me, indeed! But I shouldn't give myself!"
The gendarme was glad to have at least got an answer from her, and
continued:
"And if I were allowed to dance, I would have one with you right now.
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