t too, for us," said Courtecuisse, "there's a fine moon, and
there are no keepers on the roads as there are in the woods; one can
hear much farther; and down there, by the pavilions, behind the hedges,
just where they join the little wood, one can aim at a man from behind,
like a rabbit, at five hundred feet."

"It will be half-past eleven before he comes past there," said Tonsard,
"it will take him half an hour to go to Soulanges and as much more to
get back,--but look here! suppose Monsieur Gourdon were on the road?"

"Don't trouble about that," said Courtecuisse, "I'll stand ten minutes
away from you to the right on the road towards Blangy, and Vaudoyer
will be ten minutes away on your left towards Conches; if anything comes
along, the mail, or the gendarmes, or whatever it is, we'll fire a shot
into the ground,--a muffled sound, you'll know it."

"But suppose I miss him?" said Tonsard.

"He's right," said Courtecuisse, "I'm the best shot; Vaudoyer, I'll go
with you; Bonnebault may watch in my place; he can give a cry; that's
easier heard and less suspicious."

All three returned to the tavern and the wedding festivities went on;
but about eleven o'clock Vaudoyer, Courtecuisse, Tonsard, and Bonnebault
went out, carrying their guns, though none of the women took any notice
of them. They came back in about three-quarters of an hour, and sat
drinking till past one o'clock. Tonsard's girls and their mother and the
old Bonnebault woman had plied the miller, the mechanics, and the two
peasants, as well as Fourchon, with so much drink that they were all
on the ground and snoring when the four men left the tavern; on their
return, the sleepers were shaken and roused, and every one seemed to
them, as before, in his place.

While this orgy was going on Michaud's household was in a scene of
mortal anxiety. Olympe had felt false pains, and her husband, thinking
she was about to be delivered, rode off instantly in haste for the
doctor. But the poor woman's pains ceased as soon as she realized that
Michaud was gone; for her mind was so preoccupied by the danger her
husband ran at that hour of the night, in a lawless region filled with
determined foes, that the anguish of her soul was powerful enough
to deaden and momentarily subdue those of the body. In vain her
servant-woman declared her fears were imaginary; she seemed not to
comprehend a word that was said to her, and sat by the fire in her
bed-chamber listening to every