“Long live the Provençal communities!”
“Down with those who attack them!”
The crowd, now greatly excited, pressed hard upon the steps of the overseers, so as to be present at the session.
Then the clerk arrived. Although he said much in protest of the interpretation given to his words by the recorder and the consul, those men continued to exclaim with hypocritical lamentations.
“Ah, well, ah, well, consul,” cried one of the crowd, “is Raimond V. coming? Will he appear before the tribunal?”
“Alas! my friends,” replied the consul, “do not question me. The worthy recorder has predicted only too well. The tyrannical, imperious, irascible character of the baron has been again made manifest.”
“How? How?”
“The clerk was charged yesterday to notify Raimond V. to appear before the tribunal of overseers; he has returned and—”
“There he is! Ah,—well, come to the point!”
“Ah!”