"i forget your arms." "a huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel." "and the motto? " "nemo me impune lacessit." "good! " he said. the wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells jingled. my own fancy grew warm with the medoc. we had passed through long walls of piled skeletons, with casks and puncheons intermingling, into the inmost recesses of the catacombs. i paused again, and this time i made bold to seize fortunato by an arm above the elbow. "the nitre! " i said; "see, it increases. it hangs like moss upon the vaults. we are below the river's bed. the drops of moisture trickle among the bones. come, we will go back ere it is too late. your cough — " "it is nothing," he said; "let us go on. but first, another draught of the medoc." i broke and reached him a flagon of de grave. he emptied it at a breath. his eyes flashed with a fierce light. he laughed and threw the bottle upwards with a gesticulation i did