He could teach people how to sail as close to the wind as possible, and yet to be beyond the reach of the law.

He affected to be only too anxious to ameliorate the lot of the peasant class, and yet he was drawing heavy sums from them by way of interest.

He endeavored by every means in his power to rouse their feelings of animosity against both the priesthood and the gentry.

His artful way of talking, and the long black coat which he wore, had given him the nickname of the "Counsellor" in the district.

The reason why he disliked the Duke was because the latter had more than once shown himself hostile to him, and had taken him before the court of justice, from which Daumon only escaped by means of bribery of suborned witnesses.