Heavily taxed by church, state, lord, local, and general taxes.
Few children and no dogs present.
Encounter with the Villagers
Villagers pause their activities to observe the Marquis.
A road mender is questioned:
Describes seeing a man hanging by the carriage drag, appearing ghostly.
The man was not from the village and vanished into the hillside.
The Marquis dismisses concerns about the man as trivial.
Marquis' Attitude
Marquis displays arrogance, dismissing the villagers' concerns.
Orders the postmaster, Monsieur Gabelle, to ensure any stranger in the village has honest business.
The Woman's Petition
A woman petitions the Marquis as the carriage ascends a hill:
Her husband, a forester, has died of want.
Requests a marker for his grave to prevent it from being forgotten.
She expresses the desperation and poverty they face.
The Marquis is indifferent, and the carriage continues its journey.
Arrival at the Chateau
The Marquis' carriage reaches his chateau.
Inquires if Monsieur Charles from England has arrived.
Themes and Analysis
Social Inequality: The stark contrast between the Marquis' wealth and the villagers' poverty.
Indifference of Aristocracy: The Marquis' dismissive attitude highlights the disconnect between the ruling class and the suffering peasantry.
Symbolism: The setting sun parallels the decline of the aristocracy.
Foreboding: The ghostly figure hints at unrest and foreshadows the revolutionary themes.
Conclusion: The chapter illustrates the dire conditions of the rural poor and the cold arrogance of the nobility, setting the stage for the social upheavals to come in the narrative.