, lowering his voice, "that the Rougons
are preparing some treachery."

"Treachery?" Silvere asked, becoming attentive.

"Yes, one of these nights they are going to seize all the good citizens
of the town and throw them into prison."

The young man was at first disposed to doubt it, but his uncle gave
precise details; he spoke of lists that had been drawn up, he mentioned
the persons whose names were on these lists, he indicated in what
manner, at what hour, and under what circumstances the plot would be
carried into effect. Silvere gradually allowed himself to be taken in
by this old woman's tale, and was soon raving against the enemies of the
Republic.

"It's they that we shall have to reduce to impotence if they persist in
betraying the country!" he cried. "And what do they intend to do with
the citizens whom they arrest?"

"What do they intend to do with them? Why, they will shoot them in the
lowest dungeons of the prison, of course," replied Macquart, with a
hoarse laugh. And as the young man, stupefied with horror, looked at
him without knowing what to say: "This will not be the first lot to be
assassinated there," he continued. "You need only go and prowl about the
Palais de Justice of an evening to hear the shots and groans."

"Oh, the wretches!" Silvere murmured.

Thereupon uncle and nephew launched out into high politics. Fine and
Gervaise, on finding them hotly debating things, quietly went to bed
without attracting their attention. Then the two men remained together
till midnight, commenting on the news from Paris and discussing the
approaching and inevitable struggle. Macquart bitterly denounced the men
of his own party, Silvere dreamed his dream of ideal liberty aloud, and
for himself only. Strange conversations these were, during which the
uncle poured out many a little nip for himself, and from which the
nephew emerged quite intoxicated with enthusiasm. Antoine, however,
never succeeded in obtaining from the young Republican any perfidious
suggestion or play of warfare against the Rougons. In vain he tried to
goad him on; he seldom heard him suggest aught but an appeal to eternal
justice, which sooner or later would punish the evil-doers.

The ingenuous youth did indeed speak warmly of taking up arms and
massacring the enemies of the Republic; but, as soon as these enemies
strayed out of his dream or became personified in his uncle Pierre or
any other person of his acquaintance, he relied upon h