t of cluck like a hen,
Hurel coughing, the doctor mourning over it, while his wife had a
nervous spasm, and Foureau, an unceremonious type of man, breaking an
Abd-el-Kader and putting it into his pocket as a souvenir.

When they had left the tree-hedge, Bouvard, to astonish the company with
the echo, exclaimed with all his strength:

"Servant, ladies!"

Nothing! No echo. This was owing to the repairs made in the barn, the
gable and the roof having been demolished.

The coffee was served on the hillock; and the gentlemen were about to
begin a game of ball, when they saw in front of them, behind the railed
fence, a man staring at them.

He was lean and sunburnt, with a pair of red trousers in rags, a blue
waistcoat, no shirt, his black beard cut like a brush. He articulated,
in a hoarse voice:

"Give me a glass of wine!"

The mayor and the Abbe Jeufroy had at once recognised him. He had
formerly been a joiner at Chavignolles.

"Come, Gorju! take yourself off," said M. Foureau. "You ought not to be
asking for alms."

"I! Alms!" cried the exasperated man. "I served seven years in the wars
in Africa. I've only just got up out of a hospital. Good God! must I
turn cutthroat?"

His anger subsided of its own accord, and, with his two fists on his
hips, he surveyed the assembled guests with a melancholy and defiant
air. The fatigue of bivouacs, absinthe, and fever, an entire existence
of wretchedness and debauchery, stood revealed in his dull eyes. His
white lips quivered, exposing the gums. The vast sky, empurpled,
enveloped him in a blood-red light; and his obstinacy in remaining there
caused a species of terror.

Bouvard, to have done with him, went to look for the remnants of a
bottle. The vagabond swallowed the wine greedily, then disappeared
amongst the oats, gesticulating as he went.

After this, blame was attached by those present to Bouvard. Such
kindnesses encouraged disorder. But Bouvard, irritated at the
ill-success of his garden, took up the defence of the people. They all
began talking at the same time.

Foureau extolled the government. Hurel saw nothing in the world but
landed property. The Abbe Jeufroy complained of the fact that it did not
protect religion. Pecuchet attacked the taxes. Madame Bordin exclaimed
at intervals, "As for me, I detest the Republic." And the doctor
declared himself in favour of progress: "For, indeed, gentlemen, we have
need of reforms."

"Possibly," said Foureau; "but