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difficult to find in Blangy； Conches； and Cerneux； one hundred and
twenty indigent persons against whom to bring the suits； and in order
to do so； they had taken old women； mothers； and grandmothers of those
who owned property but who possessed nothing of their own； like
Tonsard's mother。 Laroche； an old laborer； possessed absolutely
nothing； he was not； like Tonsard； hot…blooded and vicious；his
motive power was a cold； dull hatred； he toiled in silence with a
sullen face； work was intolerable to him； but he had to work to live；
his features were hard and their expression repulsive。 Though sixty
years old； he was still strong； except that his back was bent； he saw
no future before him； no spot that he could call his own； and he
envied those who possessed the land； for this reason he had no pity on
the forests of Les Aigues； and took pleasure in despoiling them
uselessly。
〃Will they be allowed to put us in prison？〃 he was saying。 〃After
Conches they'll come to Blangy。 I'm an old offender； and I shall get
three months。〃
〃What can we do against the gendarmerie； old drunkard？〃 said Vaudoyer。
〃Why！ cut the legs of their horses with our scythes。 That'll bring
them down； their muskets are not loaded； and when they find us ten to
one against them they'll decamp。 If the three villages all rose and
killed two or three gendarmes； they couldn't guillotine the whole of
us。 They'd have to give way； as they did on the other side of
Burgundy； where they sent a regiment。 Bah！ that regiment came back
again； and the peasants cut the woods just as much as they ever did。〃
〃If we kill；〃 said Vaudoyer； 〃it is better to kill one man； the
question is； how to do it without danger and frighten those Arminacs
so that they'll be driven out of the place。〃
〃Which one shall we kill？〃 asked Laroche。
〃Michaud；〃 said Courtecuisse。 〃Vaudoyer is right； he's perfectly
right。 You'll see that when a keeper is sent to the shades there won't
be one of them willing to stay even in broad daylight to watch us。 Now
they're there night and day；demons！〃
〃Wherever one goes；〃 said old Mother Tonsard；who was seventy…eight
years old； and presented a parchment face honey…combed with the small…
pox； lighted by a pair of green eyes； and framed with dirty…white
hair； which escaped in strands from a red handkerchief；〃wherever one
goes； there they are！ they stop us； they open our bundles； and if
there's a single branch； a single twig of a miserable hazel； they
seize the whole bundle； and they say they'll arrest us。 Ha； the
villains！ there's no deceiving them； if they suspect you； you've got
to undo the bundle。 Dogs！ all three are not worth a farthing！ Yes；
kill 'em； and it won't ruin France； I tell you。〃
〃Little Vatel is not so bad；〃 said Madame Tonsard。
〃He！〃 said Laroche； 〃he does his business； like the others； when
there's a joke going he'll joke with you； but you are none the better
with him for that。 He's worse than the rest；heartless to poor folks；
like Michaud himself。〃
〃Michaud has got a pretty wife； though；〃 said Nicolas Tonsard。
〃She's with young；〃 said the old woman； 〃and if this thing goes on
there'll be a queer kind of baptism for the little one when she
calves。〃
〃Oh！ those Arminacs！〃 cried Marie Tonsard； 〃there's no laughing with
them； and if you did； they'd threaten to arrest you。〃
〃You've tried your hand at cajoling them； have you？〃 said
Courtecuisse。
〃You may bet on that。〃
〃Well；〃 said Tonsard with a determined air； 〃they are men like other
men； and they can be got rid of。〃
〃But I tell you；〃 said Marie； continuing her topic； 〃they won't be
cajoled； I don't know what's the matter with them； that bully at the
pavilion； he's married； but Vatel； Gaillard； and Steingel are not；
they've not a woman belonging to them； indeed； there's not a woman in
the place who would marry them。〃
〃Well； we shall see how things go at the harvest and the vintage；〃
said Tonsard。
〃They can't stop the gleaning；〃 said the old woman。
〃I don't know that；〃 remarked Madame Tonsard。 〃Groison said that the
mayor was going to publish a notice that no one should glean without a
certificate of pauperism； and who's to give that certificate？ Himself；
of course。 He won't give many； I tell you！ And they say he is going to
issue an order that no one shall enter the fields till the carts are
all loaded。〃
〃Why； the fellow's a pestilence！〃 cried Tonsard； beside himself with
rage。
〃I heard that only yesterday；〃 said Madame Tonsard。 〃I offered Groison
a glass of brandy to get something out of him。〃
〃Groison！ there's another lucky fellow！〃 said Vaudoyer； 〃they've built
him a house and given him a good wife； and he's got an income and
clothes fit for a king。 There was I； field…keeper for twenty years；
and all I got was the rheumatism。〃
〃Yes； he's very lucky；〃 said Godain； 〃he owns property〃
〃And we go without； like the fools that we are；〃 said Vaudoyer。 〃Come；
let's be off and find out what's going on at Conches； they are not so
patient over there as we are。〃
〃Come on；〃 said Laroche； who was none too steady on his legs。 〃If I
don't exterminate one of two of those fellows may I lose my name。〃
〃You！〃 said Tonsard； 〃you'd let them put the whole district in prison；
but Iif they dare to touch my old mother； there's my gun and it
never misses。〃
〃Well；〃 said Laroche to Vaudoyer； 〃I tell you that if they make a
single prisoner at Conches one gendarme shall fall。〃
〃He has said it； old Laroche！〃 cried Courtecuisse。
〃He has said it；〃 remarked Vaudoyer； 〃but he hasn't done it； and he
won't do it。 What good would it do to get yourself guillotined for
some gendarme or other？ No； if you kill； I say； kill Michaud。〃
During this scene Catherine Tonsard stood sentinel at the door to warn
the drinkers to keep silent if any one passed。 In spite of their half…
drunken legs they sprang rather than walked out of the tavern； and
their bellicose temper started them at a good pace on the road to
Conches； which led for over a mile along the park wall of Les Aigues。
Conches was a true Burgundian village； with one street； which was
crossed by the main road。 The houses were built either of brick or of
cobblestones； and were squalid in aspect。 Following the mail…road from
Ville…aux…Fayes； the village was seen from the rear and there it
presented rather a picturesque effect。 Between the road and the
Ronquerolles woods； which continued those of Les Aigues and crowned
the heights； flowed a little river； and several houses； rather
prettily grouped； enlivened the scene。 The church and the parsonage
stood alone and were seen from the park of Les Aigues； which came
nearly up to them。 In front of the church was a square bordered by
trees； where the conspirators of the Grand…I…Vert saw the gendarmerie
and hastened their already hasty steps。 Just then three men on
horseback rode rapidly out of the park of