“Wewillkeepthetiresofthewheelsforyou，“shoutedawheelwright，whohadcometoinspectthedamagedonetothecart。
Oneoftheshaftswasstickinguprightintheground，asstraightasatree。Maxstoodby，paleandthoughtful，anddeeplyannoyedbyFario’sspeech。Forfivedaysafterthis，nothingwastalkedofinIssoudunbutthetaleoftheSpaniard’sbarrow；itwasevenfatedtotravelabroad，asGoddetremarked，——foritwenttheroundofBerry，wherethespeechesofFarioandMaxwererepeated，andattheendofaweektheaffair，greatlytotheSpaniard’ssatisfaction，wasstillthetalkofthethreedepartmentsandthesubjectofendlessgossip。InconsequenceofthevindictiveSpaniard’sterriblespeech，MaxandtheRabouilleusebecametheobjectofcertaincommentswhichweremerelywhisperedinIssoudun，thoughtheywerespokenaloudinBourges，Vatan，Vierzon，andChateauroux。MaxenceGiletknewenoughofthatregionofthecountrytoguesshowenvenomedsuchcommentswouldbecome。
“Wecan’tstoptheirtongues，“hesaidatlast。“Ah！Ididafoolishthing！“
“Max！“saidFrancois，takinghisarm。“Theyarecomingto-night。“
“They！Who！“