sons of the soil-第1章

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Sons　of　the　Soil



by　Honore　de　Balzac



Translated　by　Katharine　Prescott　Wormeley







DEDICATION



　　To　Monsieur　P。　S。　B。　Gavault。



　　Jean…Jacques　Rousseau　wrote　these　words　at　the　beginning　of　his

　　Nouvelle　Heloise：　〃I　have　seen　the　morals　of　my　time　and　I　publish

　　these　letters。〃　May　I　not　say　to　you；　in　imitation　of　that　great

　　writer；　〃I　have　studied　the　march　of　my　epoch　and　I　publish　this

　　work〃？



　　The　object　of　this　particular　studystartling　in　its　truth　so

　　long　as　society　makes　philanthropy　a　principle　instead　of

　　regarding　it　as　an　accidentis　to　bring　to　sight　the　leading

　　characters　of　a　class　too　long　unheeded　by　the　pens　of　writers　who

　　seek　novelty　as　their　chief　object。　Perhaps　this　forgetfulness　is

　　only　prudence　in　these　days　when　the　people　are　heirs　of　all　the

　　sycophants　of　royalty。　We　make　criminals　poetic；　we　commiserate

　　the　hangman；　we　have　all　but　deified　the　proletary。　Sects　have

　　risen；　and　cried　by　every　pen；　〃Arise；　working…men！〃　just　as

　　formerly　they　cried；　〃Arise！〃　to　the　〃tiers　etat。〃　None　of　these

　　Erostrates；　however；　have　dared　to　face　the　country　solitudes　and

　　study　the　unceasing　conspiracy　of　those　whom　we　term　weak　against

　　those　others　who　fancy　themselves　strong；that　of　the　peasant

　　against　the　proprietor。　It　is　necessary　to　enlighten　not　only　the

　　legislator　of　to…day　but　him　of　to…morrow。　In　the　midst　of　the

　　present　democratic　ferment；　into　which　so　many　of　our　writers

　　blindly　rush；　it　becomes　an　urgent　duty　to　exhibit　the　peasant　who

　　renders　Law　inapplicable；　and　who　has　made　the　ownership　of　land

　　to　be　a　thing　that　is；　and　that　is　not。



　　You　are　now　to　behold　that　indefatigable　mole；　that　rodent　which

　　undermines　and　disintegrates　the　soil；　parcels　it　out　and　divides

　　an　acre　into　a　hundred　fragments；ever　spurred　on　to　his　banquet

　　by　the　lower　middle　classes　who　make　him　at　once　their　auxiliary

　　and　their　prey。　This　essentially　unsocial　element；　created　by　the

　　Revolution；　will　some　day　absorb　the　middle　classes；　just　as　the

　　middle　classes　have　destroyed　the　nobility。　Lifted　above　the　law

　　by　its　own　insignificance；　this　Robespierre；　with　one　head　and

　　twenty　million　arms；　is　at　work　perpetually；　crouching　in　country

　　districts；　intrenched　in　municipal　councils；　under　arms　in　the

　　national　guard　of　every　canton　in　France；one　result　of　the　year

　　1830；　which　failed　to　remember　that　Napoleon　preferred　the　chances

　　of　defeat　to　the　danger　of　arming　the　masses。



　　If　during　the　last　eight　years　I　have　again　and　again　given　up　the

　　writing　of　this　book　（the　most　important　of　those　I　have

　　undertaken　to　write）；　and　as　often　returned　to　it；　it　was；　as　you

　　and　other　friends　can　well　imagine；　because　my　courage　shrank　from

　　the　many　difficulties；　the　many　essential　details　of　a　drama　so

　　doubly　dreadful　and　so　cruelly　bloody。　Among　the　reasons　which

　　render　me　now　almost；　it　may　be　thought；　foolhardy；　I　count　the

　　desire　to　finish　a　work　long　designed　to　be　to　you　a　proof　of　my

　　deep　and　lasting　gratitude　for　a　friendship　that　has　ever　been

　　among　my　greatest　consolations　in　misfortune。



De　Balzac。









SONS　OF　THE　SOIL









PART　I



Whoso　land　hath；　contention　hath。







CHAPTER　I



THE　CHATEAU



Les　Aigues；　August　6；　1823。



To　Monsieur　Nathan；



My　dear　Nathan；You；　who　provide　the　public　with　such　delightful

dreams　through　the　magic　of　your　imagination；　are　now　to　follow　me

while　I　make　you　dream　a　dream　of　truth。　You　shall　then　tell　me

whether　the　present　century　is　likely　to　bequeath　such　dreams　to　the

Nathans　and　the　Blondets　of　the　year　1923；　you　shall　estimate　the

distance　at　which　we　now　are　from　the　days　when　the　Florines　of　the

eighteenth　century　found；　on　awaking；　a　chateau　like　Les　Aigues　in　the

terms　of　their　bargain。



My　dear　fellow；　if　you　receive　this　letter　in　the　morning；　let　your

mind　travel；　as　you　lie　in　bed；　fifty　leagues　or　thereabouts　from

Paris；　along　the　great　mail　road　which　leads　to　the　confines　of

Burgundy；　and　behold　two　small　lodges　built　of　red　brick；　joined；　or

separated；　by　a　rail　painted　green。　It　was　there　that　the　diligence

deposited　your　friend　and　correspondent。



On　either　side　of　this　double　pavilion　grows　a　quick…set　hedge；　from

which　the　brambles　straggle　like　stray　locks　of　hair。　Here　and　there　a

tree　shoots　boldly　up；　flowers　bloom　on　the　slopes　of　the　wayside

ditch；　bathing　their　feet　in　its　green　and　sluggish　water。　The　hedge

at　both　ends　meets　and　joins　two　strips　of　woodland；　and　the　double

meadow　thus　inclosed　is　doubtless　the　result　of　a　clearing。



These　dusty　and　deserted　lodges　give　entrance　to　a　magnificent　avenue

of　centennial　elms；　whose　umbrageous　heads　lean　toward　each　other　and

form　a　long　and　most　majestic　arbor。　The　grass　grows　in　this　avenue；

and　only　a　few　wheel…tracks　can　be　seen　along　its　double　width　of　way。

The　great　age　of　the　trees；　the　breadth　of　the　avenue；　the　venerable

construction　of　the　lodges；　the　brown　tints　of　their　stone　courses；

all　bespeak　an　approach　to　some　half…regal　residence。



Before　reaching　this　enclosure　from　the　height　of　an　eminence　such　as

we　Frenchmen　rather　conceitedly　call　a　mountain；　at　the　foot　of　which

lies　the　village　of　Conches　（the　last　post…house）；　I　had　seen　the　long

valley　of　Aigues；　at　the　farther　end　of　which　the　mail　road　turns　to

follow　a　straight　line　into　the　little　sub…prefecture　of　La　Ville…aux…

Fayes；　over　which；　as　you　know；　the　nephew　of　our　friend　des　Lupeaulx

lords　it。　Tall　forests　lying　on　the　horizon；　along　vast　slopes　which

skirt　a　river；　command　this　rich　valley；　which　is　framed　in　the　far

distance　by　the　mountains　of　a　lesser　Switzerland；　called　the　Morvan。

These　forests　belong　to　Les　Aigues；　and　to　the　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles

and　the　Comte　de　Soulanges；　whose　castles　and　parks　and　villages；　seen

in　the　distance　from　these　heights；　give　the　scene　a　strong

resemblance　to　the　imaginary　landscapes　of　Velvet　Breughel。



If　these　details　do　not　remind　you　of　all　the　castles　in　the　air　you

have　desired　to　possess　in　France　you　are　not　worthy　to　receive　the

present　narrative　of　an　astounded　Parisian。　At　last　I　have　seen　a

landscape　where　art　is　blended　with　nature　in　such　a　way　that　neither

of　them　spoils　the　other；　the　art　is　natural；　and　the　nature　artistic。

I　have　found　the　oasis　that　you　and　I　have　dreamed　of　when　reading

novels；nature　luxuriant　and　adorned；　rolling　lines　that　are　not

confused；　something　wild　withal；　unkempt；　mysterious；　not　common。　Jump

that　green　railing　and　come　on！



When　I　tried　to　look　up　the　avenue；　which　the　sun　never　penetrates

except　when　it　rises　or　when　it　sets；　striping　the　road　like　a　zebra

with　its　oblique　rays；　my　view　was　obstructed　by　an　outline　of　rising

ground；　after　that　is　passed；　the　long　avenue　is　obstructed　by　a

copse；　within　which　the　roads　meet　at　a　cross…ways；　in　the　centre　of

which　stands　a　stone　obelisk；　for　all　the　world　like　an　eternal

exclamation　mark。　From　the　crevices　between　the　foundation　stones　of

this　erection；　which　is　topped　by　a　spiked　ball　（what　an　idea！）；　hang

flowering　plants；　blue　or　yellow　according　to　the　season。　Les　Aigues

must　certainly　have　been　built　by　a　woman；　or　for　a　woman；　no　man

would　have　had　such　dainty　ideas；　the　architect　no　doubt　had　his　cue。



Passing　through　the　little　wood　placed　there　as　sentinel；　I　came　upon

a　charming　declivity；　at　the　foot　of　which　foamed　and　gurgled　a　little

brook；　which　I　crossed　on　a　culvert　of　mossy　stones；　superb　in　color；

the　prettiest　of　all　the　mosaics　which　time　manufactures。　The　avenue

continues　by　the　brookside　up　a　gentle　rise。　In　the　distance；　the

first　tableau　is　now　seen；a　mill　and　its　dam；　a　causeway　and　trees；

linen　laid　out　to　dry；　the　thatched　cottage　of　the　miller；　his

fishing…nets；　and　the　tank　where　the　fish　are　kept；not　to　speak　of

the　miller's　boy；　who　was　already　watching　me。　No　matter　where　you　are

in　the　country；　however　solitary　you　may　think　yourself；　you　are

certain　to　be　the　focus　of　the　two　eyes　of　a　country　bumpkin；　a

laborer　rests　on　his　hoe；　a　vine…dresser　straightens　his　bent　back；　a

little　goat…girl；　or　shepherdess；　or　milkmaid　climbs　a　willow　to　stare

at　you。



Presently　the　avenue　merges　into　an　alley　of　acacias；　which　leads　to

an　iron　railing　made　in　the　days　when　iron…workers　fashioned　those

slender　filagrees　which　are　not　unlike　the　copies　set　us　by　a　writing…

master。　On　either　side　of　the　railing　is　a　ha…ha；　the　edges　of　which

bristle　with　angry　spikes；regular　porcupines　in　metal。　The　railing

is　closed　at　both　ends　by　two　porter's…lodges；　like　those　of　the

palace　at　Versailles；　and　the　gateway　is　surmounted　by　colossal　vases。

The　gold　of　the　arabesques　is　ruddy；　for　rust　has　added　its　tints；　but

this　entrance；　called　〃the　gate　of　the　Avenue；〃　which　plainly　shows

the　hand　of　the　Great　Dauphin　（to　whom；　indeed；　Les　Aigues　owes　it）；

seems　to　me　none　the　less　beautiful　for　that。　At　the　end　of　each　ha…ha

the　walls　of　the　park；　built　of　rough…hewn　stone；　begin。　These　stones；

set　in　a　mortar　made　of　reddish　earth；　display　their　variegated

colors；　the　warm　yellows　of　the　silex；　the　white　of　the　lime

carbonates；　the　russet　browns　of　the　sandstone；　in　many　a　fantastic

shape。　As　you　first　enter　it；　the　park　is　gloomy；　the　walls　are　hidden

by　creeping　plants　and　by　trees　that　for　fifty　years　have　heard　no

sound　of　axe。　One　might　think　it　a　virgin　forest；　made　primeval　again

through　some　phenomenon　granted　exclusively　to　forests。　The　trunks　of

the　trees　are　swathed　with　lichen　which　hangs　from　one　to　another。

Mistletoe；　with　its　viscid　leaves；　droops　from　every　fork　of　the

branches　where　moisture　settles。　I　have　found　gigantic　ivies；　wild

arabesques　which　flourish　only　at　fifty　leagues　from　Paris；　here　where

land　does　not　cost　enough　to　make　one　sparing　of　it。　The　landscape　on

such　free　lines　covers　a　great　deal　of　ground。　Nothing　is　smoothed

off；　rakes　are　unknown；　ruts　and　ditches　are　full　of　water；　frogs　are

tranquilly　delivered　of　their　tadpoles；　the　woodland　flowers　bloom；

and　the　heather　is　as　beautiful　as　that　I　have　seen　on　your　mantle…

shelf　in　January　in　the　elegant　beau…pot　sent　by　Florine。　This　mystery

is　intoxicating；　it　inspires　vague　desires。　The　forest　odors；　beloved

of　souls　that　are　epicures　of　poesy；　who　delight　in　the　tiny　mosses；

the　noxious　fungi；　the　moist　mould；　the　willows；　the　balsams；　the　wild

thyme；　the　green　waters　of　a　pond；　the　golden　star　of　the　yellow

water…lily；the　breath　of　all　such　vigorous　propagations　came　to　my

nostrils　and　filled　me　with　a　single　thought；　was　it　their　soul？　I

seemed　to　see　a　rose…tinted　gown　floating　along　the　winding　alley。



The　path　ended　abruptly　in　another　copse；　where　birches　and　poplars

and　all　the　quivering　trees　palpitated；an　intelligent　family　with