Mouret plainly told him that he had become accustomed to look upon Ursule as an orphan, and would have no contentions with her family at any price.

Their affairs were prospering.
Antoine was received so coldly that he hastened to take the diligence home again.

But, before leaving, he was anxious to revenge himself for the secret contempt which he read in the workman's eyes; and, observing that his sister appeared rather pale and dejected, he said to her husband, in a slyly cruel way, as he took his departure: "Have a care, my sister was always sickly, and I find her much changed for the worse; you may lose her altogether." The tears which rushed to Mouret's eyes convinced him that he had touched a sore wound.

But then those work-people made too great a display of their happiness.
When he was back again in Plassans, Antoine became the more menacing from the conviction that his hands were tied.

During a whole month he was seen all over the place.