"How so?"
"Have you not seen that all the lands belonging to the emigrated nobles, and to the Church, have been confiscated by the Convention; and that it has been decreed that they shall belong to the nation?"
"Yes; but what of that?"
"Have you not perceived that they have issued another decree to the effect that these lands can be bought with paper money at par value?"
"Yes."
"Well, my dear sir, there you have it! With a thousand francs in paper money—which is not enough to buy ten pounds of bread from the baker—the poor man can purchase an acre of land, which he can cultivate himself, and with which he can furnish bread for himself and his family."
"Who will dare to buy stolen property?"
"Confiscated; which is by no means the same thing."
"What difference? No one would take upon himself to become the accomplice of the Revolution."
"Do you know how much has been sold this year?"