Fouchard for his part had the extraordinary idea of doing business with these fellows. Beating the country as they did in all directions, the ditches as well as the cattle-sheds and sheep-cots, they had become his purveyors of diseased meat. Not an ox nor a sheep died within a radius of three leagues but they came at night to pick it up and take it to him. And he paid them in provisions, especially in bread, big batches of loaves which Silvine baked expressly for them. Moreover, although the old fellow scarcely liked the Francs-tireurs, he had a secret admiration for them, cunning rogues that they were, plying their calling without caring a rap for anybody; and, although he was realising a fortune by his dealings with the Prussians, he laughed inwardly, with the laugh of a savage, whenever he learnt that another of them had been found by the wayside with his throat cut.
'To your health!' said he, chinking glasses with the three men, and, after wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he added: 'I say, what a row they've been making about those two Uhlans whom they found near Villecourt with their heads missing. You know that Villecourt has been burning since yesterday; it's a sentence, as they say, that they've passed on the village to punish it for having harboured you. You must be prudent, mind; and don't come back here for a time. Your bread shall be taken to you.' Shrugging his shoulders, Sambuc began to sneer. Pooh! the Prussians might run as fast as they liked, they wouldn't catch him! Then all at once he flew into a violent passion, and, thumping on the table, exclaimed: 'Thunder! yes, it's nice to get hold of the Uhlans, no doubt, but it's the other chap that I'd like to say a word to—you know him, the spy, that fellow who worked for you——'
'Goliath,' said Fouchard.
Quite startled, Silvine, who had just taken up her work again, ceased sewing and listened.
'That's the man, Goliath! Ah! the brigand! he knows the Dieulet Woods as well as I know my pocket, and he's quite capable of getting us caught one of these mornings. In fact, he bragged to-day at the Malta Cross that he'd settle our business for us within a week. The dirty rogue! it was certainly he who guided the Bavarians through the woods, on the day before the fight at Beaumont—wasn't it, you fellows, eh?'
'As sure as that's a candle lighting us!' declared Cabasse.
'Per amica silentia lunæ,' added Ducat, whose quotations were not always apposite.
With another thump of his fist, Sambuc made the table shake. 'He is judged and condemned, the brigand! If you should happen to know where he's going at any time, just warn me, and his head shall join those of the Uhlans in the Meuse—yes, thunder! I'll answer for it!'
Silence fell. Silvine, who was very pale, gazed fixedly at the Francs-tireurs.