"There, citizen," he cried, "do you see that imperious gesture? That
means you promised to dig in the aristocrat's garden this afternoon,
so march! Here, then, is one that has gained nothing by kings being put
down, for I am ruled with a mopstick of iron. Thank your stars, citizen,
that you are not in may place."

"Dard," retorted Jacintha, "if you don't like your place, I'd quit it.
There are two or three young men down in the village will be glad to
take it."

"I won't give them the chance, the vile egotists!" cried Dard. And he
returned to the chateau and little odd jobs.

Jacintha hung behind, lowered her eyes, put on a very deferential
manner, and thanked Edouard for the kind sentiments he had uttered; but
at the same time she took the liberty to warn him against believing the
extravagant stories Dard had been telling about her mistress's poverty.
She said the simple fact was that the baron had contracted debts, and
the baroness, being the soul of honor, was living in great economy to
pay them off. Then, as to Dard getting no supper up at Beaurepaire, a
complaint that appeared to sting her particularly, she assured him she
was alone to blame: the baroness would be very angry if she knew it.
"But," said she, "Dard is an egotist. Perhaps you may have noticed that
trait in him."

"Glimpses of it," replied Riviere, laughing.

"Monsieur, he is so egotistic that he has not a friend in the world
but me. I forgive him, because I know the reason; he has never had a