There will have to be an end to all this." "I'll hold my tongue, since it annoys you," the old rascal replied, feigning a good-natured manner.

"Still, there are some things that you ought not to be ignorant of, unless you want to play the part of a fool." Macquart, while exerting himself to set Silvere against the Rougons, experienced the keenest pleasure on drawing tears of anguish from the young man's eyes.

He detested him, perhaps, more than he did the others, and this because he was an excellent workman and never drank.

He brought all his instincts of refined cruelty into play, in order to invent atrocious falsehoods which should sting the poor lad to the heart; then he revelled in his pallor, his trembling hands and his heart-rending looks, with the delight of some evil spirit who measures his stabs and finds that he has struck his victim in the right place.

When he thought that he had wounded and exasperated Silvere sufficiently, he would at last touch upon politics.
"I've been assured," he would say, lowering his voice, "that the Rougons are preparing some treachery." "Treachery ?" Silvere asked, becoming attentive.
"Yes, one of these nights they are going to seize all the good citizens of the town and throw them into prison." The young man was at first disposed to doubt it, but his uncle gave precise details; he spoke of lists that had been drawn up, he mentioned the persons whose names were on these lists, he indicated in what manner, at what hour, and under what circumstances the plot would be carried into effect.