The two armed fellows laughed heartily at this speech, while the other, throwing the sack from him, rushed at me with clenched hands. ‘Hold off, Gros Jean,’ said one of his companions; ‘if he never tells a heavier lie than that, he may make an easy confession on Sunday’; and with that he pushed him rudely back, and stood between us. ‘Come, then,’ cried he, ‘take up that sack and follow us.’ My blood curdled at the order; there was something fearful in the very look of the long bag as it lay on the ground. I thought I could actually trace the outline of a human figure. Heaven preserve me, I believed I saw it move! ‘Take it up,’ cried he sternly; ‘there’s no fear of its biting you.’ ‘Ah,’ said I to myself, ‘the poor fellow is dead, then.’ Without more ado they placed the bag on my shoulders, and ordered me to move forward. I grew pale and sick, and tottered at each step. ‘Is it the smell affects you?’ said one, with a demoniac sneer. ‘Pardon, messieurs,’ said I, endeavouring to pluck up courage, and seem at ease; ‘I never carried a--a thing like this before.’ ‘Step out briskly,’ cried he; ‘you ‘ve a long way before you’; and with that he moved to the front, while the others brought up the rear. As we proceeded on our way, they informed me that if by any accident they should be overtaken by any of my friends or associates, meaning thereby any of the human race that should chance to walk that way, the first thing they would do would be to shoot me dead--a circumstance that considerably damped all my ardour for a rescue, and made me tremble lest at any turn of the way some faggot-gatherer might appear in sight. Meanwhile, never did a man labour more strenuously to win the favour of his company. I began by protesting my extreme innocence; vowed that a man of more estimable and amiable qualities than myself never did nor never would exist. To this declaration they listened with manifest impatience, if not with actual displeasure. I then tried another tack. I abused the rich and commended the poor; I harangued in round terms on the grabbing monopoly of the great, who enjoyed all the good things of this life, and would share none with their neighbours; I even hinted a sly encomium on those public-spirited individuals whose gallantry and sense of justice led them to risk their lives in endeavours to equalise somewhat more fairly this world’s wealth, and who were so ungenerously styled robbers and highwaymen, though they were in reality benefactors and heroes. But they only laughed at this; nor did they show any real sympathy with my opinions till in my general attack on all constituted authorities-- kings, priests, statesmen, judges, and gendarmes--by chance I included revenue-officers. The phrase seemed like a spark on gunpowder.