"The scorpion is an arachnid species found in various parts of the world." "Its tail comprises five prismatic joints." "The pincers, recalling those of the larger crayfish are instruments of aggression and information." "Its tail ends in a sixth joint, a sac from which poison is injected by barbed sting." "A lover of darkness, it burrows under stones to escape the glare of the sun." "Antisocial, it ejects the intruder on its solitude." "Such lightning strikes, such virtuosity in attack." "Even a rat, for all its fury, falls prey to it." "Some hours later..." "Stop it!" "Perhaps I just happened to fall?" "No." "We saw nothing." "Is there any news, yes or no?" "Yes, the Majorcans are here." "Quick, to arms!" "To the rear!" "What about Péman?" "I'm done for." "So are we, but we're going." "Yes, but you've got accordions, hippopotamuses, wrenches, mountain goats, and..." "Bollocks!" "Let's go." "...and paintbrushes." "1930 AD." "This stone, on the site where the Majorcans died, marks the founding of the city of Imperial Rome." "Once mistress of the pagan world, now secular seat of the Church." "Aspects of its stoutest pillar, the Vatican." "The landlord's terms are very favourable." "We can move in at once." "Longing to see you, very soon now." "Your loving cousin." "But the hurly-burly of modern life has overtaken the Imperial City." "Sometimes on Sundays..." "Various picturesque aspects of the great city." "Bandaged?" "Yes, it's been sore for over a week." "Is Daddy home yet, Mummy?" "Yes, he's in the dispensary." "Then he'll dress for the party." "We went out together this morning and engaged four of them." "The little moustached one sang like the rest." "Only a pianist is lacking." "But our priest is a fine violinist." "I think the musicians we have will be enough." "Six of them placed near the microphone will make more noise than sixty ten kilometres away." "I know sound gets lost in the open air but we could bring the guests in close." "Get a move on." "The Majorcans will be arriving at nine." "Bastard!" "Filthy swine!" "Keep your trap shut!" "Want us to work you over?" "Here's a taste of the rough stuff!" "Enough is enough!" "Let me show you who you're dealing with." "Let's have a look, then." "The International Goodwill Society hereby appoints you its special delegate." "This document testifies to our faith in you." "We pray that you will prove worthy of this trust we place in you, and successfully complete your goodwill mission." "On your spirit of self-sacrifice and your proven valour depend many lives." "Children, women, old men" "The honour of our Fatherland" "Rests on the outcome of this noble enterprise" "At his magnificent Roman estate, the Marquis of X prepares for his guests." "The Minister of the Interior is on the telephone." "You scoundrel!" "You are entirely to blame!" "You compromised me, too." "Do you realise that not one child survived?" "Many women and old men perished, too." "You're bothering me about a few brats?" "Filthy ruffian, you've dragged me down with you!" "Dishonoured me!" "You can die for all I care!" "Then listen to my last words..." "Has he gone?" "Are you sleepy?" "I was just falling asleep." "Where's the light switch?" "At the foot of the bed." "Your elbow's hurting me." "Move your head closer, the pillow is cooler on this side." "Where's your hand?" "That feels so good." "Let's just sit here and not move." "Are you cold?" "No, I was falling." "I've been waiting so long for him." "What joy!" "What joy in having killed our children." "My love... my love..." "Just as these feathers fell, but a long way away, the survivors from the Château de Selliny emerged to return to Paris." "120 days earlier, four godless and unprincipled scoundrels had, driven by their depravity, shut themselves away to indulge in the most bestial of orgies." "To them, the life of a woman mattered no more than that of a fly." "They took with them eight lovely adolescent girls to serve as victims for their criminal desires plus four women well versed in debauchery, whose narrative skills would serve to stimulate their already jaded appetites whenever interest flagged." "Here are the survivors of these orgies, leaving the Château de Selliny." "First and foremost of the four instigators, the Duc de Blangis."