“‘Well,’ said La Carconte, after a moment’s pause, ‘you are not a man.’
“‘What do you mean?’ added Caderousse.
“‘If you had been a man, you would not have let him go from here.’
“‘Woman!’
“‘Or else he should not have reached Beaucaire.’
“‘Woman!’
“‘The road takes a turn—he is obliged to follow it—while alongside of the canal there is a shorter road.’
“‘Woman!—you offend the good God. There—listen!’
And at this moment there was a tremendous peal of thunder, while the livid lightning illumined the room, and the thunder, rolling away in the distance, seemed to withdraw unwillingly from the cursed abode. ‘Mercy!’ said Caderousse, crossing himself.
