The　mayor　had　risen　and　he　repeated：　〃Take　him　away　immediately　or　I
  shall　end　by　getting　angry。〃
  The　two　gendarmes　thereupon　seized　the　carpenter　by　the　arms　and　dragged
  him　out。　　He　allowed　them　to　do　it　without　resistance；　passed　through　the
  village　again　and　found　himself　on　the　highroad　once　more；　and　when　the
  men　had　accompanied　him　two　hundred　yards　beyond　the　village；　the
  brigadier　said：　〃Now　off　with　you　and　do　not　let　me　catch　you　about　here
  again；　for　if　I　do；　you　will　know　it。〃
  Randel　went　off　without　replying　or　knowing　where　he　was　going。　　He
  walked　on　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　or　twenty　minutes；　so　stupefied　that
  he　no　longer　thought　of　anything。　　But　suddenly；　as　he　was　passing　a
  small　house；　where　the　window　was　half　open；　the　smell　of　the　soup　and
  boiled　meat　stopped　him　suddenly；　and　hunger；　fierce；　devouring；
  maddening　hunger；　seized　him　and　almost　drove　him　against　the　walls　of
  the　house　like　a　wild　beast。
  He　said　aloud　in　a　grumbling　voice：　〃In　Heaven's　name！　they　must　give　me
  some　this　time！〃　　And　he　began　to　knock　at　the　door　vigorously　with　his
  stick；　and　as　no　one　came　he　knocked　louder　and　called　out：　〃Hey！　hey！
  you　people　in　there；　open　the　door！〃　　And　then；　as　nothing　stirred；　he
  went　up　to　the　window　and　pushed　it　wider　open　with　his　hand；　and　the
  close　warm　air　of　the　kitchen；　full　of　the　smell　of　hot　soup；　meat　and
  cabbage；　escaped　into　the　cold　outer　air；　and　with　a　bound　the　carpenter
  was　in　the　house。　　Two　places　were　set　at　the　table；　and　no　doubt　the
  proprietors　of　the　house；　on　going　to　church；　had　left　their　dinner　on
  the　fire；　their　nice　Sunday　boiled　beef　and　vegetable　soup；　while　there
  was　a　loaf　of　new　bread　on　the　chimney…piece；　between　two　bottles　which
  seemed　full。
  Randel　seized　the　bread　first　of　all　and　broke　it　with　as　much　violence
  as　if　he　were　strangling　a　man；　and　then　he　began　to　eat　voraciously；
  swallowing　great　mouthfuls　quickly。　　But　almost　immediately　the　smell　of
  the　meat　attracted　him　to　the　fireplace；　and；　having　taken　off　the　lid　of
  the　saucepan；　he　plunged　a　fork　into　it　and　brought　out　a　large　piece　of
  beef　tied　with　a　string。　　Then　he　took　more　cabbage；　carrots　and　onions
  until　his　plate　was　full；　and；　having　put　it　on　the　table；　he　sat　down
  before　it；　cut　the　meat　into　four　pieces；　and　dined　as　if　he　had　been　at
  home。　　When　he　had　eaten　nearly　all　the　meat；　besides　a　quantity　of
  vegetables；　he　felt　thirsty　and　took　one　of　the　bottles　off　the
  mantelpiece。
  Scarcely　had　he　poured　the　liquor　into　his　glass　when　he　saw　it　was
  brandy。　　So　much　the　better；　it　was　warming　and　would　instill　some　fire
  into　his　veins；　and　that　would　be　all　right；　after　being　so　cold；　and　he
  drank　some。　　He　certainly　enjoyed　it；　for　he　had　grown　unaccustomed　to
  it；　and　he　poured　himself　out　another　glassful；　which　he　drank　at　two
  gulps。　　And　then　almost　immediately　he　felt　quite　merry　and　light…hearted
  from　the　effects　of　the　alcohol；　just　as　if　some　great　happiness　filled
  his　heart。
  He　continued　to　eat；　but　more　slowly；　and　dipping　his　bread　into　the
  soup。　　His　skin　had　become　burning；　and　especially　his　forehead；　where
  the　veins　were　throbbing。　　But　suddenly　the　church　bells　began　to　ring。
  Mass　was　over；　and　instinct　rather　than　fear；　the　instinct　of　prudence；
  which　guides　all　beings　and　makes　them　clear…sighted　in　danger；　made　the
  carpenter　get　up。　　He　put　the　remains　of　the　loaf　into　one　pocket　and　the
  brandy　bottle　into　the　other；　and　he　furtively　went　to　the　window　and
  looked　out　into　the　road。　　It　was　still　deserted；　so　he　jumped　out　and
  set　off　walking　again；　but　instead　of　following　the　highroad　he　ran
  across　the　fields　toward　a　wood　he　saw　a　little　way　off。
  He　felt　alert；　strong；　light…hearted；　glad　of　what　he　had　done；　and　so
  nimble　that　he　sprang　over　the　enclosure　of　the　fields　at　a　single　bound；
  and　as　soon　as　he　was　under　the　trees　he　took　the　bottle　out　of　his
  pocket　again　and　began　to　drink　once　more；　swallowing　it　down　as　lie
  walked；　and　then　his　ideas　began　to　get　confused；　his　eyes　grew　dim；　and
  his　legs　as　elastic　as　springs；　and　he　started　singing　the　old　popular
  song：
  〃Oh！　what　joy；　what　joy　it　is；
  To　pick　the　sweet；　wild　strawberries。〃
  He　was　now　walking　on　thick；　damp；　cool　moss；　and　that　soft　carpet　under
  his　feet　made　him　feel　absurdly　inclined　to　turn　head　over　heels　as　he
  used　to　do　when　a　child；　so　he　took　a　run；　turned　a　somersault；　got　up
  and　began　over　again。　　And　between　each　time　he　began　to　sing　again：
  〃Oh！　what　joy；　what　joy　it　is；
  To　pick　the　sweet；　wild　strawberries。〃
  Suddenly　he　found　himself　above　a　deep　road；　and　in　the　road　he　saw　a
  tall　girl；　a　servant；　who　was　returning　to　the　village　with　two　pails　of
  milk。　　He　watched；　stooping　down；　and　with　his　eyes　as　bright　as　those　of
  a　dog　who　scents　a　quail；　but　she　saw　him　raised　her　head　and　said：　〃Was
  that　you　singing　like　that？〃　　He　did　not　reply；　however；　but　jumped　down
  into　the　road；　although　it　was　a　fall　of　at　least　six　feet　and　when　she
  saw　him　suddenly　standing　in　front　of　her；　she　exclaimed：　〃Oh！　dear；　how
  you　frightened　me！〃
  But　he　did　not　hear　her；　for　he　was　drunk；　he　was　mad；　excited　by　another
  requirement　which　was　more　imperative　than　hunger；　more　feverish　than
  alcohol；　by　the　irresistible　fury　of　the　man　who　has　been　deprived　of
  everything　for　two　months；　and　who　is　drunk；　who　is　young；　ardent　and
  inflamed　by　all　the　appetites　which　nature　has　implanted　in　the　vigorous
  flesh　of　men。
  The　girl　started　back　from　him；　frightened　at　his　face；　his　eyes；　his
  half…open　mouth；　his　outstretched　hands；　but　he　seized　her　by　the
  shoulders；　and　without　a　word；　threw　her　down　in　the　road。
  She　let　her　two　pails　fall；　and　they　rolled　over　noisily；　and　all　the
  milk　was　spilt；　and　then　she　screamed　lustily；　but　it　was　of　no　avail　in
  that　lonely　spot。
  When　she　got　up　the　thought　of　her　overturned　pails　suddenly　filled　her
  with　fury；　and；　taking　off　one　of　her　wooden　sabots；　she　threw　it　at　the
  man　to　break　his　head　if　he　did　not　pay　her　for　her　milk。
  But　he；　mistaking　the　reason　of　this　sudden　violent　attack；　somewhat
  sobered；　and　frightened　at　what　he　had　done；　ran　off　as　fast　as　he　could；
  while　she　threw　stones　at　him；　some　of　which　hit　him　in　the　back。
  He　ran　for　a　long　time；　very　long；　until　he　felt　more　tired　than　he　had
  ever　been　before。　　His　legs　were　so　weak　that　they　could　scarcely　carry
  him；　all　his　ideas　were　confused；　he　lost　recollection　of　everything　and
  could　no　longer　think　about　anything；　and　so　he　sat　down　at　the　foot　of　a
  tree；　and　in　five　minutes　was　fast　asleep。　　He　was　soon　awakened；
  however；　by　a　rough　shake；　and；　on　opening　his　eyes；　he　saw　two　cocked
  hats　of　shiny　leather　bending　over　him；　and　the　two　gendarmes　of　the
  morning；　who　were　holding　him　and　binding　his　arms。
  〃I　knew　I　should　catch　you　again；〃　said　the　brigadier　jeeringly。　　But
  Randel　got　up　without　replying。　　The　two　men　shook　him；　quite　ready　to
  ill　treat　him　if　he　made　a　movement；　for　he　was　their　prey　now。　　He　had
  become　a　jailbird；　caught　by　those　hunters　of　criminals　who　would　not　let
  him　go　again。
  〃Now；　start！〃　the　brigadier　said；　and　they　set　off。　　It　was　late
  afternoon；　and　the　autumn　twilight　was　setting　in　over　the　land；　and　in
  half　an　hour　they　reached　the　village；　where　every　door　was　open；　for　the
  people　had　heard　what　had　happened。　　Peasants　and　peasant　women　and
  girls；　excited　with　anger；　as　if　every　man　had　been　robbed　and　every
  woman　attacked；　wished　to　see　the　wretch　brought　back；　so　that　they　might
  overwhelm　him　with　abuse。　　They　hooted　him　from　the　first　house　in　the
  village　until　they　reached　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　where　the　mayor　was
  waiting　for　him　to　be　himself　avenged　on　this　vagabond；　and　as　soon　as　he
  saw　him　approaching　he　cried：
  〃Ah！　　my　fine　fellow！　here　we　are！〃　　And　he　rubbed　his　hands；　more
  pleased　than　he　usually　was；　and　continued：　〃I　said　so。　　I　said　so；　the
  moment　I　saw　him　in　the　road。〃
  And　then　with　increased　satisfaction：
  〃Oh；　you　blackguard！　　Oh；　you　dirty　blackguard！　　You　will　get　your　twenty
  years；　my　fine　fellow！〃
  THE　FISHING　HOLE
  〃Cuts　and　wounds　which　caused　death。〃　　Such　was　the　charge　upon　which
  Leopold　Renard；　upholsterer；　was　summoned　before　the　Court　of　Assizes。
  Round　him　were　the　principal　witnesses；　Madame　Flameche；　widow　of　the
  victim；　and　Louis　Ladureau；　cabinetmaker；　and　Jean　Durdent；　plumber。
  Near　the　criminal　was　his　wife；　dressed　in　black；　an　ugly　little　woman；
  who　looked　like　a　monkey　dressed　as　a　lady。
  This　is　how　Renard　（Leopold）　recounted　the　drama。
  〃Good　heavens；　it　is　a　misfortune　of　which　I　was　the　prime　victim　all　the
  time；　and　with　which　my　will　has　nothing　to　do。　　The　facts　are　their　own
  commentary；　Monsieur　le　President。　　I　am　an　honest　man；　a　hard…working
  man；　an　upholsterer；　living　in　the　same　street　for　the　last　sixteen
  years；　known；　liked；　respected　and　esteemed　by　all；　as　my　neighbors　can
  testify；　even　the　porter's　wife；　who　is　not　amiable　every　day。　　I　am　fond
  of　work；　I　am　fond　of　saving；　I　like　honest　men　and　respectable
  amusements。　　That　is　what　has　ruined　me；　so　much　the　worse　for　me；　but　as
  my　will　had　nothing　to