The sharp staccato of revolver shots heard in the rue Montmartre on the night of July 31 caused a shudder to pass through the city, as though they were the signal for a criminal plot which might destroy France by dividing it while the enemy was on the frontier.

High above him in the air there moved a speck, growing larger with every moment, but he did not see it or hear the faint staccato sounds which proclaimed its identity.

Her seeking, pitiful eyes were on him perpetually, trying to make him out, to acquaint herself with this new personality, which spoke in these harsh staccato phrasesto reconcile it with the exciteable, sanguine, self-confident man whom she had deserted in his youth.

" I soothed Froissart, and extracted enough from him in rapid French spasmshis idiomatic staccato French is often beyond my understandingto give me a general idea of what Dawson had done.

But the scornful staccato with which he rolled out the French, and the ringing voice and gesture with which he accompanied his exhortation, stamped it indelibly.