which indicated that he went from village to village, and that he had something to cry throughout the country.
He had just unrolled the placard, as Michelle Fléchard drew near, and he began to read it. He said in a loud voice,—
"The French Republic. One and indivisible."
The drum rolled. There was a sort of undulation in the crowd. Some took off their caps; others pulled their hats down over their eyes. At this time, and in this country, a person's opinion could almost be told by the headgear; hats were Royalist, caps were Republican. The murmur of confused voices ceased, the people listened, the crier read,—
"In virtue of the orders to us given, and the power to us delegated, by the Committee of Public Welfare——"
There was a second rolling of the drum. The crier continued,—
"And in execution of the decree of the National Convention, which outlaws rebels taken armed, and which orders capital punishment to whoever gives them shelter or helps them to escape."
One peasant asked his neighbor in a low voice,—
"What is capital punishment?"
The neighbor replied, "I don't know."
The crier waved the placard,—
"In accordance with Article 17 of the law of the thirtieth of April, giving full power to delegates and sub-delegates against the rebels, are outlawed—"
He paused and added,—
"The individuals designated by the name and surnames which follow—"
The crowd was all attention.
The voice of the crier thundered,—
"Lantenac, brigand."
"That is monseigneur," murmured a peasant.
And this was whispered through the crowd, "That is monseigneur."
The crier added,—
"Lantenac, ci-devant marquis, brigand."
"L'Imânus, brigand."
Two peasants looked at each other askance.
"That is Gouge-le-Bruant."
"Yes, it is Brise-Bleu."
