He comes to revisit his former estates, and to take them from those who have purchased them, if possible.

From you, Rousselet, he will claim the meadows upon the Oiselle, which always yield two crops; from you, Father Gauchais, the ground upon which the Croix-Brulee stands; from you, Chanlouineau, the vineyards on the Borderie----" Chanlouineau was the impetuous young man who had interrupted Father Chupin twice already.
"Claim the Borderie!" he exclaimed, with even greater violence; "let him try, and we will see.

It was waste land when my father bought it--covered with briers; even a goat could not have found pasture there.
We have cleared it of stones, we have scratched up the soil with our very nails, we have watered it with our sweat, and now they would try to take it from us! Ah! they shall have my last drop of blood first!" "I do not say but----" "But what?
Is it any fault of ours that the nobles fled to foreign lands?
We have not stolen their lands, have we?
The government offered them for sale; we bought them, and paid for them; they are lawfully ours." "That is true; but Monsieur de Sairmeuse is the great friend of the king." The young soldier, whose voice had aroused the most noble sentiments only a moment before, was forgotten.
Invaded France, the threatening enemy, were alike forgotten.

The all-powerful instinct of avarice was suddenly aroused.
"In my opinion," resumed Chanlouineau, "we should do well to consult the Baron d'Escorval." "Yes, yes!" exclaimed the peasants; "let us go at once!" They were starting, when a villager who sometimes read the papers, checked them by saying: "Take care what you do.

Do you not know that since the return of the Bourbons Monsieur d'Escorval is of no account whatever?
Fouche has him upon the proscription list, and he is under the surveillance of the police." This objection dampened the enthusiasm.
"That is true," murmured some of the older men; "a visit to Monsieur d'Escorval would, perhaps, do us more harm than good.