"I am here!" the hunchback said, sternly. He drew himself up erect and
menacing, and flung back the long hair from his face. Peyrolles gave a
gasp of horror as he recognized the man whom he had seen such a short
while before in the presence of the king.
"Lagardere!" he cried, and was about to scream for help when Cocardasse
grasped him by the throat. There was a short struggle, and then
Cocardasse flung the dead body of Peyrolles at the feet of Lagardere.
Lagardere bent over him and spoke his epitaph: "The last of the lackeys.
Now for the master."