uncle Rougon, who was
seated in a corner on the old chest. He did not wait for the poor old
woman's questions. "Grandmother," he said quickly, "you must forgive
me; I'm going to leave with the others. You see I've got blood on me. I
believe I've killed a gendarme."

"You've killed a gendarme?" Aunt Dide repeated in a strange voice.

Her eyes gleamed brightly as she fixed them on the red stains. And
suddenly she turned towards the chimney-piece. "You've taken the gun,"
she said; "where's the gun?"

Silvere, who had left the weapon with Miette, swore to her that it was
quite safe. And for the very first time, Adelaide made an allusion to
the smuggler Macquart in her grandson's presence.

"You'll bring the gun back? You promise me!" she said with singular
energy. "It's all I have left of him. You've killed a gendarme; ah, it
was the gendarmes who killed him!"

She continued gazing fixedly at Silvere with an air of cruel
satisfaction, and apparently without thought of detaining him. She never
asked him for any explanation, nor wept like those good grandmothers who
always imagine, at sight of the least scratch, that their grandchildren
are dying. All her nature was concentrated in one unique thought, to
which she at last gave expression with ardent curiosity: "Did you kill
the gendarme with the gun?"

Either Silvere did not quite catch what she said, or else he
misunderstood her.

"Yes!" he replied. "I'm going to wash my hands."

It was only on returning from the well that he perceived his uncle.
Pierre had turned pale on hearing the young man's words. Felicite was
indeed right; his family took a pleasure in compromising him. One of
his nephews had now killed a gendarme! He would never get the post
of receiver of taxes, if he did not prevent this foolish madman from
rejoining the insurgents. So he planted himself in front of the door,
determined to prevent Silvere from going out.

"Listen," he said to the young fellow, who was greatly surprised to find
him there. "I am the head of the family, and I forbid you to leave this
house. You're risking both your honour and ours. To-morrow I will try to
get you across the frontier."

But Silvere shrugged his shoulders. "Let me pass," he calmly replied.
"I'm not a police-spy; I shall not reveal your hiding-place, never
fear." And as Rougon continued to speak of the family dignity and the
authority with which his seniority invested him: "Do I belong to your
family?" the yo