The harebrained self-conceit which had emboldened Wamba to undertake this dangerous office, was scarce sufficient to support him when he found himself in the presence of a man so dreadful, and so much dreaded, as Reginald Front-de-Boeuf, and he brought out his "pax vobiscum", to which he, in a good measure, trusted for supporting his character, with more anxiety and hesitation than had hitherto accompanied it.
Az ostoba önhittség, amely rávette Wambát, hogy erre a veszedelmes küldetésre vállalkozzék, nem tartott sokáig. Ugyancsak inába szállt a bátorsága, amikor észrevette, hogy egyenesen a rettentő és rettegett Front-de-Boeuf színe elé vezetik.