And as for Rougon, I esteem him.

He's a man of courage and common-sense." "He had the gun, hadn't he ?" interrupted aunt Dide, whose wandering mind seemed to be following Silvere far away along the high road.
"The gun?
Ah! yes; Macquart's carbine," continued Antoine, after casting a glance at the mantel-shelf, where the fire-arm was usually hung.

"I fancy I saw it in his hands.

A fine instrument to scour the country with, when one has a girl on one's arm.

What a fool!" Then he thought he might as well indulge in a few coarse jokes.