Neither the government nor the court liked these outbreaks, nor the shedding of blood which resulted from repression.

Though they felt the necessity of rigorous measures, they nevertheless treated as blunderers the officials who were compelled to employ them, and dismissed them on the first pretence.

The prefects were therefore anxious to shuffle out of such difficulties whenever possible.
At the very beginning of the conversation Sarcus (the rich) had made a sign to the prefect and the attorney-general which Montcornet did not see, but which set the tone of the discussion.

The attorney-general was well aware of the state of mind of the inhabitants of the valley des Aigues through his subordinate, Soudry the young attorney.
"I foresee a terrible struggle," the latter had said to him.

"They mean to kill the gendarmes; my spies tell me so.