poke speaks to mock me. Is it
befitting in this presence?'

There was a struggle among the men. Whoever it was who had spoken (I did
not wish to know), I had no need to condemn the mocker; they themselves
silenced him; then Jacques Richard (still less worthy of credit) cried
out again with a voice that was husky. What are men made of?
Notwithstanding everything, it was from the _cabaret_, from the
wine-shop, that he had come. He said, 'Though M. le Maire will not take
my opinion, yet it is this. Let them reopen the chapel in the hospital.
The ladies of St. Jean--'

'Hold thy peace,' I said, 'miserable!' But a murmur rose. 'Though it is
not his part to speak, I agree,' said one. 'And I.' 'And I.' There was
well-nigh a tumult of consent; and this made me angry. Words were on my
lips which it might have been foolish to utter, when M. de Bois-Sombre,
who is a man of judgment, interfered.

'M. le Maire,' he said, 'as there are none of us here who would show
disrespect to the Church and holy things--that is understood--it is not
necessary to enter into details. Every restriction that would wound the
most susceptible is withdrawn; not one more than another, but all. We
have been indifferent in the past, but for the future you will agree
with me that everything shall be changed. The ambassador--whoever he may
be--' he added with a catching of his breath, 'must be empowered to
promise--everything--submission to all that may be required.'

Here the women could not restrain themselves; they all rose up with a
cry, and many of them began to weep. 'Ah!' said one with a hysterical
sound of laughter in her tears. '_Sainte Mere_! it will be heaven upon
earth.'

M. le Cure said nothing; a keen glance of wonder, yet of subdued
triumph, shot from under his eyelids. As for me, I wrung my hands: 'What
you say will be superstition; it will be hypocrisy,' I cried.

But at that moment a further incident occurred. Suddenly, while we
deliberated, a long loud peal of a trumpet sounded into the air. I have
already said that many sounds had been heard before; but this was
different; there was not one of us that did not feel that this was
addressed to himself. The agitation was extreme; it was a summons, the
beginning of some distinct communication. The crowd scattered; but for
myself, after a momentary struggle, I went forward resolutely. I did not
even look back at my wife. I was no longer Martin Dupin, but the Maire
of Semur, the saviour o