There was no longer mayor, town councilmen or gendarmes, only the Hero of the People, Billet.
“But we have no priest now,” said Mayor Longpre.
“We do not want him,” replied Billet who had never been in church but twice, for his wedding and his child’s baptism. “We will read the Declaration of the Rights of Man from the altar. That is the Creed of Liberty and the Gospel of the Future.”
Billet could not read but he had his manifesto by heart. When he had finished and with a noble movement embraced the Law and the Sword by taking the mayor’s and Pitou’s hands, the multitude appreciated the grandeur of what they were doing in shouting:
“Long live the Nation!”
It was one of the scenes of which Gilbert had spoken to the Queen without her understanding him.
From that time forward, France became one great family, with one heart and one language.
CHAPTER XXX.
UNDER THE WINDOW.
ON the surface all was calm and almost smiling on the Billet Farm.
As before, Billet, on his strong horse, trotted all over the land keeping his hands up to the mark. But a sharp observer would have noticed that on whatever part he was he tried to get a look at his daughter’s room window.