This was the time when the old rogue generally railed against the wealthy for living on the sweat of the poor man's brow.

He was superbly indignant with the gentlemen of the new town, who lived so idly, and compelled the poor to keep them in luxury.

The fragments of communistic notions which he culled from the newspapers in the morning became grotesque and monstrous on falling from his lips.

He would talk of a time near at hand when no one would be obliged to work.

He always, however, kept his fiercest animosity for the Rougons.