he began to knock at the door vigorously with
his stick, and as nobody came he knocked louder and called out: "He! he!
you people in there, open the door!" And then, as nothing moved, he went
up to the window, and pushed it open with his hand, and the close warm
air of the kitchen, full of the smell of hot soup, meat and cabbage
escaped into the cold, outer air, and with a bound the carpenter was in
the house. Two covers were laid on the table, and no doubt the
proprietors of the house, on going to church, had left their dinner on
the fire, their nice, Sunday boiled beef and vegetable soup, while there
was a loaf of new bread on the chimney-piece, between two bottles which
seemed full.

Randel seized the bread first of all, and broke it with as much violence
as if he were strangling a man, and then he began to eat it
voraciously, swallowing great mouthfuls quickly. But almost immediately
the smell of the meat attracted him to the fire-place, and having taken
off the lid of the saucepan, he plunged a fork into it and brought out a
large piece of beef tied with a string. Then he took more cabbage,
carrots and onions until his plate was full, and having put it onto the
table, he sat down before it, cut the meat into four pieces, and dined
as if he had been at home. When he had eaten nearly all the meat besides
a quantity of vegetables, he felt thirsty, and took one of the bottles
off the mantel-piece.

Scarcely had he poured the liquor into his glass, than he saw it was
brandy. So much the better; it was warming and would instill some fire
into his veins, and that would be all right, after being so cold; and he
drank some. He found it very good, certainly, for he had grown
unaccustomed to it, and he poured himself out another glassful, which he
drank at two gulps. And then, almost immediately he felt quite merry and
light-hearted from the effect of the alcohol, just as if some great
happiness were flowing through his system.

He continued to eat, but more slowly, and dipping his bread into the
soup. His skin had become burning, and especially his forehead, where
the veins were throbbing. But suddenly the church bells began to ring;
Mass was over, and instinct rather than fear, the instinct of prudence
which guides all beings, and makes them clear-sighted in danger, made
the carpenter get up. He put the remains of the loaf into one pocket,
and the brandy bottle into the other, and he furtively went to the
window and loo