After a short pause he resumed: "I heard two shots fired as I came here.

Perhaps those ruffians have been shooting some more prisoners.

If she passed through the ranks of the soldiers at that moment, the sight of blood may have thrown her into this fit.

She must have had some dreadful shock." Fortunately he had with him the little medicine-case which he had been carrying about ever since the departure of the insurgents.

He tried to pour a few drops of reddish liquid between aunt Dide's closely-set teeth, while Macquart again asked his brother: "Have you got the money ?" "Yes, I've brought it; we'll settle now," Rougon replied, glad of this diversion.
Thereupon Macquart, seeing that he was about to be paid, began to moan.
He had only learnt the consequence of his treachery when it was too late; otherwise he would have demanded twice or thrice as much.