This story, the tenth of the Eugene Sue series "The Mysteries of thePeople; or, History of a Proletarian Family Across the Ages," is amatchless sketch of the Northman. It reproduces his uncouthnessillumined with his brilliant latent qualities. The characteristics ofthe Northman invader have for their setting the physical andintellectual dullness of the Frankish conquerors of Gaul. The clash ofthe two reproduces a historic picture, or a page of history, that isunique.