Probably no one of them would have, at individual expense, sent the wife of the village policeman to a hospital in London, to be cured--or to die--of cancer.

None would have troubled to insist that a certain stagnant pool in the village be filled up.

Nor would one have suddenly risen in court and have acted as counsel for a gipsy! At the same time, all were too well-bred to think that Gaston did this because the gipsy had a daughter with him, a girl of strong, wild beauty, with a look of superiority over her position.
He thought of all the circumstances now.
It was very many months ago.

The man had been accused of stealing and assault, but the evidence was unconvincing to Gaston.

The feeling in court was against the gipsy.