Answer: A. His reputation as a deceitful person makes other disbelieve him, even though he is telling the truth.
Explanation: An irony is when an event seems contrary to what we expect. In the story Hauchecorne had a bad reputation as a dishonest person, so when Malandain blamed him for stealing a wallet, no one believed Hauchecorne when he said he didn't do it, even though he was telling the truth. That is a clear example of an irony.
I think the answer is A because the villagers only knew him as a crafty old man even though he was telling the truth. They assumed this because of past experiences.
