“Mydearfriend，“saidthemayorofVille-aux-Fayes，whocouldtalkto，everymaninhisownlanguage，“whathashappenedtoyouislikelyto，happentousall。Thenoblesarebackuponus。Thementowhomthe，Emperorgavetitlesmakecommoncausewiththeoldnobility。Theyall，wanttocrushthepeople，re-establishtheirformerrightsandtake，ourpropertyfromus。ButweareBurgundians;wemustresist，and，drivethoseArminacsbacktoParis。ReturntoBlangy;youshallbe，agentforMonsieurPolissard，thewood-merchant，whoiscontractorfor，theforestofRonquerolles。Don’tbeuneasy，mylad;I’llfindyou，enoughtodoforthewholeofthecomingyear。Butrememberonething;
thewoodisforourselves！Notasingledepredation，orthethingis，atanend。SendallinterloperstoLesAigues。Ifthere’sbrushor，fagotstosellmakepeoplebuyours;don’tletthembuyofLesAigues。
You’llgetbacktoyourplaceasfield-keeperbeforelong;thisthing，can’tlast。Thegeneralwillgetsickoflivingamongthieves。Didyou，knowthatthatShopmancalledmeathief，me！——sonofthestanchest，andmostincorruptibleofrepublicans;me！——thesoninlawofMouchon，thatfamousrepresentativeofthepeople，whodiedwithoutleavingme，enoughtoburyhim？”
Thegeneralraisedthesalaryofthenewfield-keepertothreehundred，francs;andbuiltatown-hall，inwhichhegavehimaresidence。Then，hemarriedhimtoadaughterofoneofhistenant-farmers，whohad，latelydied，leavingheranorphanwiththreeacresofvineyard。
Groisonattachedhimselftothegeneralasadogtohismaster。This，legitimatefidelitywasadmittedbythewholecommunity。Thekeeper，wasfearedandrespected，butlikethecaptainofavesselwhose，ship’scompanyhatehim;thepeasantryshunnedhimastheywoulda，leper。Meteitherinsilenceorwithsarcasmsveiledunderashowof，good-humor，thenewkeeperwasasentinelwatchedbyothersentinels。