He would remain away for months together, and then come back to me in much better health." She was no doubt speaking of Macquart.
In the meantime, Silvere hastily regained the market-place.

As he approached the spot where he had left Miette, he heard a loud uproar of voices and saw a crowd which made him quicken his steps.

A cruel scene had just occurred.

Some inquisitive people were walking among the insurgents, while the latter quietly partook of their meal.

Amongst these onlookers was Justin Rebufat, the son of the farmer of the Jas-Meiffren, a youth of twenty years old, a sickly, squint-eyed creature, who harboured implacable hatred against his cousin Miette.
At home he grudged her the bread she ate, and treated her like a beggar picked up from the gutter out of charity.