It will be a good many years before such a crowd will be seen again in front of a Phalsburg shop.
I had only time to tell my wife that Burguet would defend the deserter, and then went down into the cellar to fill the two tuns at the counter, which were already empty.
A fortnight after, Sorlé doubled the price; our first two pipes were sold, and this extra price did not lessen the demand.
Men always find money for brandy and tobacco, even when they have none left for bread. This is why governments impose their heaviest taxes upon these two articles; they might be heavier still without diminishing their use—only, children would starve to death.
I have seen this—I have seen this great folly in men, and I am astonished whenever I think of it.
That day we kept on selling until seven o'clock in the evening, when the tattoo was sounded.
My pleasure in making money had made me forget the deserter; I did not think of him again till after supper, when night set in; but I did not say a word about him; we were all so tired and so delighted with the day's profits that we did not want to be troubled with thinking of such things. But after Zeffen and the children had retired, I told Sorlé of our visit to the prisoner. I told her, too, that Burguet had hopes, which made her very happy.
About nine o'clock, by God's blessing, we were all asleep.