sons of the soil-第10章

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for　all；　to　persons　accustomed　to　the　decencies　of　middle…class　life；

that　the　peasants　have　no　decency　in　their　domestic　habits　and

customs。　They　make　no　appeal　to　morality　when　their　daughters　are

seduced；　unless　the　seducer　is　rich　and　timid。　Children；　until　the

State　takes　possession　of　them；　are　used　either　as　capital　or　as

instruments　of　convenience。　Self…interest　has　become；　specially　since

1789；　the　sole　motive　of　the　masses；　they　never　ask　if　an　action　is

legal　or　immoral；　but　only　if　it　is　profitable。　Morality；　which　is　not

to　be　confounded　with　religion；　begins　only　at　a　certain　competence；

just　as　one　sees；　in　a　higher　sphere；　how　delicacy　blossoms　in　the

soul　when　fortune　decorates　the　furniture。　A　positively　moral　and

upright　man　is　rare　among　the　peasantry。　Do　you　ask　why？　Among　the

many　reasons　that　may　be　given　for　this　state　of　things；　the　principal

one　is　this：　Through　the　nature　of　their　social　functions；　the

peasants　live　a　purely　material　life　which　approximates　to　that　of

savages；　and　their　constant　union　with　nature　tends　to　foster　it。　When

toil　exhausts　the　body　it　takes　from　the　mind　its　purifying　action；

especially　among　the　ignorant。　The　Abbe　Brossette　was　right　in　saying

that　the　state　policy　of　the　peasant　is　his　poverty。



Meddling　in　everybody's　interests；　Tonsard　heard　everybody's

complaints；　and　often　instigated　frauds　to　benefit　the　needy。　His

wife；　a　kindly　appearing　woman；　had　a　good　word　for　evil…doers；　and

never　withheld　either　approval　or　personal　help　from　her　customers　in

anything　they　undertook　against　the　rich。　This　inn；　a　nest　of　vipers；

brisk　and　venomous；　seething　and　active；　was　a　hot…bed　for　the　hatred

of　the　peasants　and　the　workingmen　against　the　masters　and　the

wealthy。



The　prosperous　life　of　the　Tonsards　was；　therefore；　an　evil　example。

Others　asked　themselves　why　they　should　not　take　their　wood；　as　the

Tonsards　did；　from　the　forest；　why　not　pasture　their　cows　and　have

game　to　eat　and　to　sell　as　well　as　they；　why　not　harvest　without

sowing　the　grapes　and　the　grain。　Accordingly；　the　pilfering　thefts

which　thin　the　woods　and　tithe　the　ploughed　lands　and　meadows　and

vineyards　became　habitual　in　this　valley；　and　soon　existed　as　a　right

throughout　the　districts　of　Blangy；　Conches；　and　Cerneux；　all　adjacent

to　the　domain　of　Les　Aigues。　This　sore；　for　certain　reasons　which　will

be　given　in　due　time；　did　far　greater　injury　to　Les　Aigues　than　to　the

estates　of　Ronquerolles　or　Soulanges。　You　must　not；　however；　fancy

that　Tonsard；　his　wife　and　children；　and　his　old　mother　ever

deliberately　said　to　themselves；　〃We　will　live　by　theft；　and　commit　it

as　cleverly　as　we　can。〃　Such　habits　grow　slowly。　To　the　dried　sticks

they　added；　in　the　first　instance；　a　single　bit　of　good　wood；　then；

emboldened　by　habit　and　a　carefully　prepared　immunity　（necessary　to

plans　which　this　history　will　unfold）；　they　ended　at　last　in　cutting

〃their　wood；〃　and　stealing　almost　their　entire　livelihood。　Pasturage

for　the　cows　and　the　abuses　of　gleaning　were　established　as　customs

little　by　little。　When　the　Tonsards　and　the　do…nothings　of　the　valley

had　tasted　the　sweets　of　these　four　rights　（thus　captured　by　rural

paupers；　and　amounting　to　actual　robbery）　we　can　easily　imagine　they

would　never　give　them　up　unless　compelled　by　a　power　greater　than

their　own　audacity。



At　the　time　when　this　history　begins　Tonsard；　then　about　fifty　years

of　age；　tall　and　strong；　rather　stout　than　thin；　with　curly　black

hair；　skin　highly　colored　and　marbled　like　a　brick　with　purple

blotches；　yellow　whites　to　the　eyes；　large　ears　with　broad　flaps；　a

muscular　frame；　encased；　however；　in　flabby　flesh；　a　retreating

forehead；　and　a　hanging　lip；Tonsard；　such　as　you　see　him；　hid　his

real　character　under　an　external　stupidity；　lightened　at　times　by　a

show　of　experience；　which　seemed　all　the　more　intelligent　because　he

had　acquired　in　the　company　of　his　father…in…law　a　sort　of　bantering

talk；　much　affected　by　old　Fourchon　and　Vermichel。　His　nose；　flattened

at　the　end　as　if　the　finger　of　God　intended　to　mark　him；　gave　him　a

voice　which　came　from　his　palate；　like　that　of　all　persons　disfigured

by　a　disease　which　thickens　the　nasal　passages；　through　which　the　air

then　passes　with　difficulty。　His　upper　teeth　overlapped　each　other；

and　this　defect　（which　Lavater　calls　terrible）　was　all　the　more

apparent　because　they　were　as　white　as　those　of　a　dog。　But　for　a

certain　lawless　and　slothful　good　humor；　and　the　free…and…easy　ways　of

a　rustic　tippler；　the　man　would　have　alarmed　the　least　observing　of

spectators。



If　the　portraits　of　Tonsard；　his　inn；　and　his　father…in…law　take　a

prominent　place　in　this　history；　it　is　because　that　place　belongs　to

him　and　to　the　inn　and　to　the　family。　In　the　first　place；　their

existence；　so　minutely　described；　is　the　type　of　a　hundred　other

households　in　the　valley　of　Les　Aigues。　Secondly；　Tonsard；　without

being　other　than　the　instrument　of　deep　and　active　hatreds；　had　an

immense　influence　on　the　struggle　that　was　about　to　take　place；　being

the　friend　and　counsellor　of　all　the　complainants　of　the　lower

classes。　His　inn；　as　we　shall　presently　see；　was　the　rendezvous　for

the　aggressors；　in　fact；　he　became　their　chief；　partly　on　account　of

the　fear　he　inspired　throughout　the　valleyless；　however；　by　his

actual　deeds　than　by　those　that　were　constantly　expected　of　him。　The

threat　of　this　man　was　as　much　dreaded　as　the　thing　threatened；　so

that　he　never　had　occasion　to　execute　it。



Every　revolt；　open　or　concealed；　has　its　banner。　The　banner　of　the

marauders；　the　drunkards；　the　idlers；　the　sluggards　of　the　valley　des

Aigues　was　the　terrible　tavern　of　the　Grand…I…Vert。　Its　frequenters

found　amusement　there；as　rare　and　much…desired　a　thing　in　the

country　as　in　a　city。　Moreover；　there　was　no　other　inn　along　the

country…road　for　over　twelve　miles；　a　distance　which　conveyances　（even

when　laden）　could　easily　do　in　three　hours；　so　that　those　who　went

from　Conches　to　Ville…aux…Fayes　always　stopped　at　the　Grand…I…Vert；　if

only　to　refresh　themselves。　The　miller　of　Les　Aigues；　who　was　also

assistant…mayor；　and　his　men　came　there。　The　grooms　and　valets　of　the

general　were　not　averse　to　Tonsard's　wine；　rendered　attractive　by

Tonsard's　daughters；　so　the　Grand…I…Vert　held　subterraneous

communication　with　the　chateau　through　the　servants；　and　knew

immediately　everything　that　they　knew。　It　is　impossible　either　by

benefits　or　through　their　own　self…interests；　to　break　up　the

perpetual　understanding　that　exists　between　the　servants　of　a

household　and　the　people　from　whom　they　come。　Domestic　service　is　of

the　masses；　and　to　the　masses　it　will　ever　remain　attached。　This　fatal

comradeship　explains　the　reticence　of　the　last　words　of　Charles　the

groom；　as　he　and　Blondet　reached　the　portico　of　the　chateau。







CHAPTER　IV



ANOTHER　IDYLL



〃Ha！　by　my　pipe；　papa！〃　exclaimed　Tonsard；　seeing　his　father…in…law　as

the　old　man　entered　and　supposing　him　in　quest　of　food；　〃your　stomach

is　lively　this　morning！　We　haven't　anything　to　give　you。　How　about

that　rope；the　rope；　you　know；　you　were　to　make　for　us？　It　is　amazing

how　much　you　make　over　night　and　how　little　there　is　made　in　the

morning！　You　ought　long　ago　to　have　twisted　the　one　that　is　to　twist

you　out　of　existence；　you　are　getting　too　costly　for　us。〃



The　wit　of　a　peasant　or　laborer　is　very　Attic；　it　consists　in　speaking

out　his　mind　and　giving　it　a　grotesque　expression。　We　find　the　same

thing　in　a　drawing…room。　Delicacy　of　wit　takes　the　place　of

picturesque　vulgarity；　and　that　is　really　all　the　difference　there　is。



〃That's　enough　for　the　father…in…law！〃　said　the　old　man。　〃Talk

business；　I　want　a　bottle　of　the　best。〃



So　saying；　Fourchon　rapped　a　five…franc　piece　that　gleamed　in　his　hand

on　the　old　table　at　which　he　was　seated；which；　with　its　coating　of

grease；　its　scorched　black　marks；　its　wine　stains；　and　its　gashes；　was

singular　to　behold。　At　the　sound　of　coin　Marie　Tonsard；　as　trig　as　a

sloop　about　to　start　on　a　cruise；　glanced　at　her　grandfather　with　a

covetous　look　that　shot　from　her　eyes　like　a　spark。　La　Tonsard　came

out　of　her　bedroom；　attracted　by　the　music　of　metal。



〃You　are　always　rough　to　my　poor　father；〃　she　said　to　her　husband；

〃and　yet　he　has　earned　a　deal　of　money　this　year；　God　grant　he　came　by

it　honestly。　Let　me　see　that；〃　she　added；　springing　at　the　coin　and

snatching　it　from　Fourchon's　fingers。



〃Marie；〃　said　Tonsard；　gravely；　〃above　the　board　you'll　find　some

bottled　wine。　Go　and　get　a　bottle。〃



Wine　is　of　only　one　quality　in　the　country；　but　it　is　sold　as　of　two

kinds；cask　wine　and　bottled　wine。



〃Where　did　you　get　this；　papa〃　demanded　La　Tonsard；　slipping　the　coin

into　her　pocket。



〃Philippine！　you'll　come　to　a　bad　end；〃　said　the　old　man；　shaking　his

head　but　not　attempting　to　recover　his　money。　Doubtless　he　had　long

realized　the　futility　of　a　struggle　between　his　daughter；　his　terrible

son…in…law；　and　himself。



〃Another　bottle　of　wine　for　which　you　get　five　francs　out　of　me；〃　he

added；　in　a　peevish　tone。　〃But　it　shall　be　the　last。　I　shall　give　my

custom　to　the　Cafe　de　la　Paix。〃



〃Hold　your　tongue；　papa！〃　remarked　his　fair　and　fat　daughter；　who　bore

some　resemblance　to　a　Roman　matron。　〃You　need　a　shirt；　and　a　pair　of

clean　trousers；　and　a　hat；　and　I　want　to　see　you　with　a　waistcoat。

That's　what　I　take　the　money　for。〃



〃I　have　told　you　again　and　again　that　such　things　would　ruin　me；〃　said

the　old　man。　〃People　would　think　me　rich　and　stop　giving　me　anything。〃



The　bottle　brought　by　Marie　put　an　end　to　the　loquacity　of　the　old

man；　who　was　not　without　that　trait；　characteristic　of　those　whose

tongues　are　ready　to　tell　out　everything；　and　who　shrink　from　no

expression　of　their　thought；　no　matter　how　atrocious　it　may　be。



〃Then　you　don't　want　to　tell　where　you　filched　that　money？〃　said

Tonsard。　〃We　might　go　and　get　more　where　that　came　from；the　rest　of

us。〃



He　was　making　a　snare；　and　as　he　finished　it　the　ferocious　innkeeper

happened　to　glance　at　his　father…in…law's　trousers；　and　there　he　spied

a　raised　round　spot　which　clearly　defined　a　second　five…franc　piece。



〃Having　become　a　capitalist　I　drink　your　health；〃　said　Pere　Fourchon。



〃If　you　choose　to　be　a　capitalist　you　can　be；〃　said　Tonsard；　〃you　have

the　means；　you　have！　But　the　devil　has　bored　a　hole　in　the　back　of

your　head　through　which　everything　runs　out。〃



〃Hey！　I　only　played　the　otter　trick　on　that　young　fellow　they　have　got

at　Les　Aigues。　He's　from　Paris。　That's　all　there　is　to　it。〃



〃If　crowds　of　people　would　come　to　see　the　sources　of　the　Avonne；

you'd　be　rich；　Grandpa　Fourchon；〃　said　Marie。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　drinking　the　last　glassful　the　bottle　contained；　〃and

I've　played　the　sham　otter　so　long；　the　live　otters　have　got　angry；

and　one　of　them　came　right　between　my