vidence; but reflect upon all this,
and be on your guard, for you have perhaps escaped a great danger.
Be more circumspect and suspicious than ever; such at least is the
respectful advice of your most obedient, humble servant,

"Rodin."

CHAPTER XLIX. THE TRYSTING-PLACE OF THE WOLVES.

It was a Sunday morning the very day on which Mdlle. de Cardoville had
received Rodin's letter with regard to Mother Bunch's disappearance.
Two men were talking to together, seated at a table in one of the public
houses in the little village of Villiers, situated at no great distance
from Hardy's factory. The village was for the most part inhabited
by quarrymen and stonecutters, employed in working the neighboring
quarries. Nothing can be ruder and more laborious, and at the same time
less adequately paid, than the work of this class of people. Therefore,
as Agricola had told Mother Bunch, they drew painful comparisons
between their condition, almost always miserable, and the comfort and
comparative ease enjoyed by M. Hardy's workmen, thanks to his generous
and intelligent management, and to the principles of association
and community which he had put in practice amongst them. Misery and
ignorance are always the cause of great evils. Misery is easily excited
to anger, and ignorance soon yields to perfidious counsels. For a long
time, the happiness of M. Hardy's workmen had been naturally envied, but
not with a jealousy amounting to hatred. As soon, however, as the secret
enemies of the manufacturer, uniting with his rival Baron Tripeaud,
had an interest in changing this peaceful state of things--it changed
accordingly.

With diabolical skill and perseverance they succeeded in kindling the
most evil passions. By means of chosen emissaries, they applied to those
quarrymen and stonecutters of the neighborhood, whose bad conduct had
aggravated their misery. Notorious for their turbulence, audacity, and
energy, these men might exercise a dangerous influence on the majority
of their companions, who were peaceful, laborious, and honest, but
easily intimidated by violence. These turbulent leaders, previously
embittered by misfortune, were soon impressed with an exaggerated idea
of the happiness of M. Hardy's workmen, and excited to a jealous hatred
of them. They went still further; the incendiary sermons of an abbe,
a member of the Jesuits, who had come expressly from Paris to preach
during Lent against M. Hardy, acted powerfully on the