Just opposite to where the diners were at table the huge fireplace, with its bright flame, gave out a burning heat on the backs of those who sat at the right. Three spits were turning, loaded with chickens, with pigeons and with joints of mutton, and a delectable odor of roast meat and of gravy flowing ever crisp brown skin arose from the hearth, kindled merriment, caused mouths to water. All the aristocracy of the plough were eating there at Maît' Jourdain's, the innkeeper's, a dealer in horses also and a sharp fellow who had made a great deal of money in his day. The dishes were passed round, were emptied, as were the jugs of yellow cider. Every one told of his affairs, of his purchases and his sales. They exchanged news about the crops. The weather was good for greens, but too wet for grain. Suddenly the drum began to beat in the courtyard before the house. Every one, except some of the most indifferent, was on their feet at once and ran to the door, to the windows, their mouths full and napkins in their hand. When the public crier had finished his tattoo he called forth in a jerky voice, pausing in the wrong places: "Be it known to the inhabitants of Goderville and in general to all persons present at the market that there has been lost this morning on the Beuzeville road, between nine and ten o'clock, a black leather pocketbook containing five hundred francs and business papers. You are requested, to return it to the mayor's office at once or to Maitre Fortuné Houlbrèque, of Manneville. There will be twenty francs reward." Then the man went away. They heard once more at a distance the dull beating of the drum and the faint voice of the crier. Then they all began to talk of this incident, reckoning up the chances which Maître Houlbrèque had of finding or of not finding his pocketbook again. The meal went on. They were finishing their coffee when the corporal of gendarmes appeared on the threshold. He asked: "Is Maître Hauchecorne, of Bréauté, here?" Maître Hauchecorne, seated at the other end of the table, answered: "Here I am, here I am." And he followed the corporal. The mayor was waiting for him, seated in an armchair. He was the notary of the place, a tall, grave man of pompous speech. "Maître Hauchecorne," said he, "this morning on the Beuzeville road, you were seen to pick up the pocketbook lost by Maître Houlbrèque, of Manneville." The countryman looked at the mayor in amazement, frightened already at this suspicion which rested on him, he knew not why. "I--I picked up that pocketbook?" "Yes, you." "I swear I don't even know anything about it." "You were seen." "I was seen--I? Who saw me?" "M. Malandain, the harness-maker." Then the old man remembered, understood, and, reddening with anger, said: "Ah! he saw me, did he, the rascal? He saw me picking up this string here, M'sieu le Maire." And fumbling at the bottom of his pocket, he pulled out of it the little end of string.