"And as brainless as a hog fit for the butcher! That for you! and your like!" And before the astounded Baudichon, whose brain was slow to take in new facts, had grasped the full enormity of the insult flung at him, the Syndic was a dozen paces distant.

He had eased his mind, and that for the moment was much; though he still ground his teeth, and, had Baudichon followed him, would have struck the Councillor without thought or hesitation.

The pigs! The hogs! To press him with their wretched affairs: to press him at this moment when the grave yawned at his feet, and the coffin opened for him! To be sure he might now do with Basterga as he pleased without thought or drawback; but for their benefit--never! He paused at his door, and cast a haggard glance up and down; at the irregular line of gables which he had known from childhood, the steep, red roofs, the cobble pavement, the bakers' signs that hung here and there and with the wide eaves darkened the way; and he cursed all he saw in the frenzy of his rage.

Let Basterga, Savoy, d'Albigny do their worst! What was it to him?
Why should he move?
He went into his house despairing.
Unto this last hour a little hope had shone through the darkness.

At times the odds had seemed to be against him, at one time Heaven itself had seemed to declare itself his foe.