Ernest Pérochon

“ The door opened and a man appeared who at once made the sign of the cross and then spat on the floor to show his disgust.
"You can sit down, Jules," said Madeleine; "there aren't any bad boys around."
The half-wit looked behind the furniture and under the bed; then he stood up in the middle of the room and began to mumble:
"Jules, why do you go to the Dissenters? My Lord God, I have no use for them. Jules, you close the gates of their field, you go and fill their jugs at the spring. My Lord God, it isn't true, Thou art a great liar! May the devil burn all the Dissenters!" ”

“ Madeleine handed him a small piece; he gobbled the rest of his pork and said:
"Have the Dissenters any more pork for Jules, who hasn't finished his bread?"
"You're a nice one!" said Madeleine. "Can't you be content with what I've given you? Here, take this slice and go away. I'm busy."
He hid the pork in his hand and swallowed the bread.
"Have the Dissenters——" he began.
"Stop it!" said Madeleine, who was trying to catch up with her work. "You aren't hungry any more."
"Dissenters have nails under their wooden shoes. They're big fry, they are!" ”

“ He knew everybody by name, sometimes he would tell the youngsters what the weather had been like on the day of their christening and the names of their godfather and godmother and whether there had been any sugar almonds given away to the neighbours. ”