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stood a moment watching the long shadows of the men as they plodded through the corn； and the attitudes of the horses as； with heads raised； they looked doubtfully at the newcomers。
Suddenly a man came round the corner of the house； and seeing us； and what my men were doing； began to gesticulate violently； but without sound。 The grooms saw him too； and stood； and he ran up to my stirrup； his face flushed and sullen。
〃Do you want to see us all ruined？〃 he muttered。 And he begged me to call my men out of the corn。
〃You are more likely to be ruined that way；〃 I answered； looking down at him。 〃Why； man； is it the custom in your country to turn horses into the half…ripe corn？〃
He shook his fist stealthily。 〃God forbid！〃 he said。 〃But the devil is within doors； and we must do his bidding。〃
〃Ah！〃 I replied； my curiosity aroused 〃I should like to see him。〃
The boor shaded his eyes； and looked at me sulkily from under his matted and tangled hair。 〃You are not of his company？〃 he said with suspicion。
〃I hope not；〃 I answered； smiling at his simplicity。 〃But your corn is your own。 I will call the men out。〃 On which I made a sign to them to return。 〃Now；〃 I said； as I walked my horse slowly towards the house； while he tramped along beside me； 〃who is within？〃
〃M。 Gringuet；〃 he said； with another stealthy gesture。
〃Ah！〃 I said； 〃I am afraid that I am no wiser。〃
〃The tax…gatherer。〃
〃Oh！ And those are his horses？〃 He nodded。
〃Still； I do not see why they are in the corn？〃
〃I have no hay。〃
〃But there is grass。〃
〃Ay；〃 the inn…keeper answered bitterly。
〃And he said that I might eat it。 It was not good enough for his horses。 They must have hay or corn； and if I had none； so much the worse for me。〃
Full of indignation； I made in my mind a note of M。 Gringuet's name； but at the moment I said no more； and we proceeded to the house； the exterior of which； though meagre； and even miserable； gave me an impression of neatness。 From the inside； however； a hoarse； continuous noise was issuing； which resolved itself as we crossed the threshold into a man's voice。 The speaker was out of sight； in an upper room to which a ladder gave access； but his oaths； complaints； and imprecations almost shook the house。 A middle…aged woman； scantily dressed； was busy on the hearth； but perhaps that which； next to the perpetual scolding that was going on above； most took my attention was a great lump of salt that stood on the table at the woman's elbow； and seemed to be evidence of greater luxuryfor the GABELLE had not at that time been reducedthan I could easily associate with the place。
The roaring and blustering continuing upstairs； I stood a moment in sheer astonishment。 〃Is that M。 Gringuet？〃 I said at last。
The inn…keeper nodded sullenly； while his wife stared at me。 〃But what； is the matter with him？〃 I said。
〃The gout。 But for that he would have been gone these two days to collect at Le Mesnil。〃
〃Ah！〃 I answered； beginning to understand。 〃And the salt is for a bath for his feet； is it？〃
The woman nodded。
〃Well；〃 I said； as Maignan came in with my saddlebags and laid them on the floor； 〃he will swear still louder when he gets the bill； I should think。〃
〃Bill？〃 the housewife answered bitterly； looking up again from her pots。 〃A tax…gatherer's bill？ Go to the dead man and ask for the price of his coffin； or to the babe for a nurse…fee！ You will get paid as soon。 A tax…gatherer's bill？ Be thankful if he does not take the dish with the sop！〃
She spoke plainly； yet I found a clearer proof of the slavery in which the man held them in the perfect indifference with which they regarded my arrivalthough a guest with two servants must have been a rarity in such a placeand the listless way in which they set about attending to my wants。 Keenly remembering that not long before this my enemies had striven to prejudice me in the King's eyes by alleging that； though I filled his coffers； I was grinding the poor into the dustand even； by my exactions； provoking a rebellion I was in no mood to look with an indulgent eye on those who furnished such calumnies with a show of reason。 But it has never been my wont to act hastily； and while I stood in the middle of the kitchen； debating whether I should order the servants to fling the fellow out； and bid him appear before me at Villebon； or should instead have him brought up there and then； the man's coarse voice； which had never ceased to growl and snarl above us； rose on a sudden still louder。 Something fell on the floor over our heads and rolled across it； and immediately a young girl； barefoot and short…skirted； scrambled hurriedly and blindly down the ladder and landed among us。
She was sobbing； and a little blood was flowing from a cut in her lip； and she trembled all over。 At sight of the blood and her tears the woman seemed to be transported。 Snatching up a saucepan； she sprang towards the ladder with a gesture of rage； and in a moment would have ascended if her husband had not followed and dragged her back。 The girl also； as soon as she could speak； added her entreaties to his； while Maignan and La Trape looked sharply at me； as if they expected a signal。
All this while； the bully above continued his maledictions。 〃Send that slut back to me！〃 he roared。 〃Do you think that I am going to be left alone in this hole？ Send her back； or〃 and he added half…a…dozen oaths of a kind to make an honest man's blood boil。 In the midst of this； however； and while the woman was still contending with her husband； he suddenly stopped and shrieked in anguish； crying out for the salt…bath。
But the woman； whom her husband had only half…pacified； shook her fist at the ceiling with a laugh of defiance。 〃Shriek； ay； you may shriek； you wretch！〃 she cried。 〃You must be waited on by my girl； must youno older face will do for youand you beat her？ Your horses must eat corn； must they； while we eat grass？ And we buy salt for you； and wheaten bread for you； and are beggars for you！ For you； you thieving wretch； who tax the poor and let the rich go free； who〃
〃Silence； woman！〃 her husband cried； cutting her short； with a pale face。 〃Hush； hush； he will hear you！〃
But the woman was too far gone in rage to obey。 〃What！ and is it not true？〃 she answered； her eyes glittering。 〃Will he not to…morrow go to Le Mesnil and squeeze the poor？ Ay； and will not Lescauts the corn…dealer； and Philippon the silk…merchant； come to him with bribes； and go free？ And de Fonvelle and de Curtin they with a DE； forsooth！plead their nobility； and grease his hands； and go free？ Ay； and〃
〃Silence； woman！〃 the man said again； looking apprehensively at me； and from me to my attendants； who were grinning broadly。 〃You do not know that this gentleman is not〃
〃A tax…gatherer？〃 I said； smiling。 〃No。 But how long has your friend upstairs been here？〃
〃Two days； Monsieur；〃 she answered； wiping the perspiration from her brow； and speaking more quietly。 〃He is talking of sending on a deputy to Le Mesnil； but Heaven send he may recover； and go from here himself！〃
〃Well；〃 I answered； 〃at any rate； we have had enough of this noise。 My serv