The conquerors exacted money, a great deal of money. The citizens
kept on paying; they could afford to pay, they were rich. But the
more a Norman businessman becomes opulent, the more he suffers when
he has to make any sacrifice, or sees any parcel of his property
pass into the hands of others.

And yet, within a distance of two or three leagues from the City,
down the river, in the direction of Croisset, Dieppendalle or
Biessart, boatmen and fishermen often hauled from the bottom of
the water the body of some German swollen in his uniform, killed
with a knife or by a blow of savate, his head crushed by a stone,
or pushed from a bridge into the water. The mud of the river-bed
buried such obscure, savage and yet legitimate vengeances, unknown
acts of heroism, silent attacks more perilous than battles in the
open, and yet without any of the halo and glamour of glory.

For hatred of the foreigner always arms some intrepid persons ready
to die for an idea.

As the invaders, although subjecting the City to their inflexible
discipline, had committed none of the horrors which rumor credited
them with having perpetrated all along their triumphal march, people
became bolder, and desire to do business belabored again the hearts
of the local merchants. Some of them had large interest in Havre,
which was occupied by the French Army, and they tried to reach that
sea port in going by land to Dieppe and proceeding from there by
boat.

They used the influence of the German Officers, with whom they
had become acquainted, and a special permit was secured from the