Forthelastthreequartersofanhourtheman’sdemeanorandglancewereofdespoticauthority，all-powerful，irresistible，drawnfromthesamemysterioussourcefromwhichgreatgeneralsonfieldsofbattlewhoinflameanarmy，greatoratorsinspiringvastaudiences，anditmustbesaidgreatcriminalsperpetratingboldcrimesderivetheirinspiration。Atsuchtimesinvincibleinfluenceseemstoexhalefromtheheadandissuefromthetongue；thegestureevencaninjectthewilloftheonemanintoothers。Thethreewomenknewthatsomedreadfulcrisiswasathand；withoutwarningofitsnaturetheyfeltitintherapidactionsoftheman，whosecountenanceshone，whoseforeheadspoke，whosebrillianteyesglitteredlikestars；theysawitinthesweatthatcoveredhisbrowtotherootsofhishair，whilemorethanoncehisvoicevibratedwithimpatienceandfury。Martheobeyedpassively。ArmedtotheteethandwithhisgunoverhisshoulderMichudashedintotheavenue，followedbyhiswife。Theysoonreachedthecross-roadswhereFrancoiswasinwaitinghiddenamongthebushes。
\"Theboyisintelligent，\"saidMichu，whenhecaughtsightofhim。
Thesewerehisfirstwords。Hiswifehadrushedafterhim，unabletospeak。
\"Gobacktothehouse，hideinathicktree，andwatchthecountryandthepark，\"hesaidtohisson。\"Wehaveallgonetobed，nooneisstirring。Yourgrandmotherwillnotopenthedooruntilyouaskhertoletyouin。RemembereverywordIsaytoyou。Thelifeofyourfatherandmotherdependsonit。Noonemustknowwedidnotsleepathome。\"
Afterwhisperingthesewordstotheboy，whoinstantlydisappearedintheforestlikeaneelinthemud，Michuturnedtohiswife。