finishing the sentence which the magistrate had taken the liberty of
interrupting.

This idea of the abbe was, like the quotations from "The
Cup-and-Ball," of frequent recurrence.

"Do you mean that Burgundy will always be the land of fisticuffs?"
asked Pere Guerbet.

"That's not ill said," remarked the abbe; "not at all; in fact it's
almost an exact history of our country."

"I don't know anything about the history of France," blurted Soudry;
"and before I try to learn it, it is more important to me to know why
old Rigou has gone into the Cafe de la Paix with Socquard."

"Oh!" returned the abbe, "wherever he goes and wherever he stays, you
may be quite certain it is for no charitable purpose."

"That man gives me goose-flesh whenever I see him," said Madame
Vermut.

"He is so much to be feared," remarked the doctor, "that if he had a
spite against me I should have no peace till he was dead and buried;
he would get out of his coffin to do you an ill-turn."

"If any one can force the Shopman to come to the fair, and manage to
catch him in a trap, it'll be Rigou," said Soudry to his wife, in a
low tone.