"Do you think to frighten me?" "I only tell you what will happen." "I don't heed it. I shall stay!" "You will stay?" "Yes." "In spite of us?" "In spite of you, of Calabash, of Nicholas, and all blackguards like him." "Really, you make me laugh." From the lips of this woman, with her repulsive and ferocious look, these words were horrible. "I tell you I will remain here until I find the means of gaining my livelihood elsewhere with the children. Alone, I should not long be unemployed, for I could return to the woods; but, on their account, I may be some time in finding what I am seeking for. In the meanwhile, here I remain." "Oh, you remain until the moment when you can take away the children?" "Exactly as you say." "Take away the children?" "When I say to them 'Come!' they will come; and quickly too, I promise you." The widow shrugged her shoulders, and replied: "Listen! I told you a short time since that, even if you were to live for a hundred years, you should recollect this night. I will explain those words. But, before I do so, have you quite made up your mind?" "Yes! Yes! Yes! A thousand times over, yes!" "In a little while, however, you will say 'No! No! No! A thousand times, no!' Listen to me attentively! Do you know the trade your brother follows?" "I have my suspicions; but I do not wish to know." "You shall know. He steals!" "So much the worse for him!" "And for you!" "For me?" "He commits robberies at night, with forcible entry,--burglary; a case of the galleys. We receive what he plunders. If we are discovered, we shall be sentenced to the same punishment as he is, as receivers, and you too. They will sweep away the whole family, and the children will be turned out into the streets, where they will learn the trade of their father and grandfather as well as here." "I apprehended as a receiver,--as your accomplice? Where's the proofs?" "No one knows how you live. You are vagabondising on the water; you have the reputation of a bad fellow; you dwell with us, and who will believe that you are ignorant of our thefts and receivings?" "I will prove the contrary." "We will accuse you as our accomplice." "Accuse me! And why?" "To pay you off for staying amongst us against our will." "Just now you tried to make me frightened in one way, now you are trying another tack. But it won't do. I will prove that I never robbed. I remain." "Ah! You remain? Listen then, again! Do you remember last year a person who passed the Christmas night here?" "Christmas night?" said Martial, trying to recall his memory. "Try and remember,--try!" "I do not recollect." "Don't you recollect that Bras Rouge brought here in the evening a well-dressed man, who was desirous of concealing himself?" "Yes, now I remember. I went up to bed and left him taking his supper with you. He passed the night here, and, before daybreak, Nicholas took him to St. Ouen." "You are sure Nicholas took him to St. Ouen?" "You told me so next morning."