“What about all those, that you and your mate have killed, you wretch?”
“But it is not true—and—”
“Drink, then!” repeated the inflexible quarryman; “I ask you for the last time.”
“To drink that would be death,” cried Father d’Aigrigny.
“Oh! only hear the wretch!” cried the mob, pressing closer to him; “he has confessed—he has confessed!”
“He has betrayed himself!”(40)
“He said, ‘to drink that would be death!’”
“But listen to me,” cried the abbe, clasping his hands together; “this phial is—”
Furious cries interrupted Father d’Aigrigny. “Ciboule, make an end of that one!” cried the quarryman, spurning Goliath with his foot. “I will begin this one!” And he seized Father d’Aigrigny by the throat.
At these words, two different groups formed themselves. One, led by Ciboule, “made an end” of Goliath, with kicks and blows, stones and wooden shoes; his body was soon reduced to a horrible thing, mutilated, nameless, formless—a mere inert mass of filth and mangled flesh. Ciboule gave her cloak, which they tied to one of the dislocated ankles of the body, and thus dragged it to the parapet of the quay. There, with shouts of ferocious joy, they precipitated the bloody remains into the river. Now who does not shudder at the thought that, in a time of popular commotion, a word, a single word, spoken imprudently, even by an honest man, and without hatred, will suffice to provoke so horrible a murder.