sons of the soil-第16章

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policeman　produces　on　a　thief。　Fourchon　knew　he　was　wrong；　and　that

Michaud　might　very　well　accuse　him　of　saying　these　things　merely　to

terrify　the　inhabitants　of　Les　Aigues。



〃This　is　the　minister　of　war；〃　said　the　general　to　Blondet；　nodding　at

Michaud。



〃Pardon　me；　madame；　for　having　entered　without　asking　if　you　were

willing　to　receive　me；〃　said　the　newcomer　to　the　countess；　〃but　I　have

urgent　reasons　for　speaking　to　the　general　at　once。〃



Michaud；　as　he　said　this；　took　notice　of　Sibilet；　whose　expression　of

keen　delight　in　Fourchon's　daring　words　was　not　seen　by　the　four

persons　seated　at　the　table；　because　they　were　so　preoccupied　by　the

old　man；　whereas　Michaud；　who　for　secret　reasons　watched　Sibilet

constantly；　was　struck　with　his　air　and　manner。



〃He　has　earned　his　twenty　francs；　Monsieur　le　comte；〃　said　Sibilet；

〃the　otter　is　fully　worth　it。〃



〃Give　him　twenty　francs；〃　said　the　general　to　the　footman。



〃Do　you　mean　to　take　my　otter　away　from　me？〃　said　Blondet　to　the

general。



〃I　shall　have　it　stuffed；〃　replied　the　latter。



〃Ah！　but　that　good　gentleman　said　I　might　keep　the　skin；〃　cried

Fourchon。



〃Well；　then；〃　exclaimed　the　countess；　hastily；　〃you　shall　have　five

francs　more　for　the　skin；　but　go　away　now。〃



The　powerful　odor　emitted　by　the　pair　made　the　dining…room　so　horribly

offensive　that　Madame　de　Montcornet；　whose　senses　were　very　delicate；

would　have　been　forced　to　leave　the　room　if　Fourchon　and　Mouche　had

remained。　To　this　circumstance　the　old　man　was　indebted　for　his

twenty…five　francs。　He　left　the　room　with　a　timid　glance　at　Michaud；

making　him　an　interminable　series　of　bows。



〃What　I　was　saying　to　monseigneur；　Monsieur　Michaud；〃　he　added；　〃was

really　for　your　good。〃



〃Or　for　that　of　those　who　pay　you；〃　replied　Michaud；　with　a　searching

look。



〃When　you　have　served　the　coffee；　leave　the　room；〃　said　the　general　to

the　servants；　〃and　see　that　the　doors　are　shut。〃



Blondet；　who　had　not　yet　seen　the　bailiff　of　Les　Aigues；　was

conscious；　as　he　now　saw　him；　of　a　totally　different　impression　from

that　conveyed　by　Sibilet。　Just　as　the　steward　inspired　distrust　and

repulsion；　so　Michaud　commanded　respect　and　confidence。　The　first

attraction　of　his　presence　was　a　happy　face；　of　a　fine　oval；　pure　in

outline；　in　which　the　nose　bore　part；a　regularity　which　is　lacking

in　the　majority　of　French　faces。　Though　the　features　were　correct　in

drawing；　they　were　not　without　expression；　due；　perhaps；　to　the

harmonious　coloring　of　the　warm　brown　and　ochre　tints；　indicative　of

physical　health　and　strength。　The　clear　brown　eyes；　which　were　bright

and　piercing；　kept　no　reserves　in　the　expression　of　his　thought；　they

looked　straight　into　the　eyes　of　others。　The　broad　white　forehead　was

thrown　still　further　into　relief　by　his　abundant　black　hair。　Honesty；

decision；　and　a　saintly　serenity　were　the　animating　points　of　this

noble　face；　where　a　few　deep　lines　upon　the　brow　were　the　result　of

the　man's　military　career。　Doubt　and　suspicion　could　there　be　read　the

moment　they　had　entered　his　mind。　His　figure；　like　that　of　all　men

selected　for　the　elite　of　the　cavalry　service；　though　shapely　and

elegant；　was　vigorously　built。　Michaud；　who　wore　moustachios；

whiskers；　and　a　chin　beard；　recalled　that　martial　type　of　face　which　a

deluge　of　patriotic　paintings　and　engravings　came　very　near　to　making

ridiculous。　This　type　had　the　defect　of　being　common　in　the　French

army；　perhaps　the　continuance　of　the　same　emotions；　the　same　camp

sufferings　from　which　none　were　exempt；　neither　high　nor　low；　and　more

especially　the　same　efforts　of　officers　and　men　upon　the　battle…

fields；　may　have　contributed　to　produce　this　uniformity　of

countenance。　Michaud；　who　was　dressed　in　dark　blue　cloth；　still　wore

the　black　satin　stock　and　high　boots　of　a　soldier；　which　increased　the

slight　stiffness　and　rigidity　of　his　bearing。　The　shoulders　sloped；

the　chest　expanded；　as　though　the　man　were　still　under　arms。　The　red

ribbon　of　the　Legion　of　honor　was　in　his　buttonhole。　In　short；　to　give

a　last　touch　in　one　word　about　the　moral　qualities　beneath　this　purely

physical　presentment；　it　may　be　said　that　while　the　steward；　from　the

time　he　first　entered　upon　his　functions；　never　failed　to　call　his

master　〃Monsieur　le　comte；〃　Michaud　never　addressed　him　otherwise　than

as　〃General。〃



Blondet　exchanged　another　look　with　the　Abbe　Brossette；　which　meant；

〃What　a　contrast！〃　as　he　signed　to　him　to　observe　the　two　men。　Then；

as　if　to　know　whether　the　character　and　mind　and　speech　of　the　bailiff

harmonized　with　his　form　and　countenance；　he　turned　to　Michaud　and

said：



〃I　was　out　early　this　morning；　and　found　your　under…keepers　still

sleeping。〃



〃At　what　hour？〃　said　the　late　soldier；　anxiously。



〃Half…past　seven。〃



Michaud　gave　a　half…roguish　glance　at　the　general。



〃By　what　gate　did　monsieur　leave　the　park？〃　he　asked。



〃By　the　gate　of　Conches。　The　keeper；　in　his　night…shirt；　looked　at　me

through　the　window；〃　replied　Blondet。



〃Gaillard　had　probably　just　gone　to　bed；〃　answered　Michaud。　〃You　said

you　were　out　early；　and　I　thought　you　meant　day…break。　If　my　man　were

at　home　at　that　time；　he　must　have　been　ill；　but　at　half…past　seven　he

was　sure　to　be　in　bed。　We　are　up　all　night；〃　added　Michaud；　after　a

slight　pause；　replying　to　a　surprised　look　on　the　countess's　face；

〃but　our　watchfulness　is　often　wasted。　You　have　just　given　twenty…five

francs　to　a　man　who；　not　an　hour　ago；　was　quietly　helping　to　hide　the

traces　of　a　robbery　committed　upon　you　this　very　morning。　I　came　to

speak　to　you　about　it；　general；　when　you　have　finished　breakfast；　for

something　will　have　to　be　done。〃



〃You　are　always　for　maintaining　the　right；　my　dear　Michaud；　and

'summum　jus；　summum　injuria。'　If　you　are　not　more　tolerant；　you　will

get　into　trouble；　so　Sibilet　here　tells　me。　I　wish　you　could　have

heard　Pere　Fourchon　just　now；　the　wine　he　had　been　drinking　made　him

speak　out。〃



〃He　frightened　me；〃　said　the　countess。



〃He　said　nothing　I　did　not　know　long　ago；〃　replied　the　general。



〃Oh！　the　rascal　wasn't　drunk；　he　was　playing　a　part；　for　whose　benefit

I　leave　you　to　guess。　Perhaps　you　know？〃　returned　Michaud；　fixing　an

eye　on　Sibilet　which　caused　the　latter　to　turn　red。



〃O　rus！〃　cried　Blondet；　with　another　look　at　the　abbe。



〃But　these　poor　creatures　suffer；〃　said　the　countess；　〃and　there　is　a

great　deal　of　truth　in　what　old　Fourchon　has　just　screamed　at　us；for

I　cannot　call　it　speaking。〃



〃Madame；〃　replied　Michaud；　〃do　you　suppose　that　for　fourteen　years　the

soldiers　of　the　Emperor　slept　on　a　bed　of　roses？　My　general　is　a

count；　he　is　a　grand　officer　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　he　has　had

perquisites　and　endowments　given　to　him；　am　I　jealous　of　him；　I　who

fought　as　he　did？　Do　I　wish　to　cheat　him　of　his　glory；　to　steal　his

perquisites；　to　deny　him　the　honor　due　to　his　rank？　The　peasant　should

obey　as　the　soldier　obeys；　he　should　feel　the　loyalty　of　a　soldier；

his　respect　for　acquired　rights；　and　strive　to　become　an　officer

himself；　honorably；　by　labor　and　not　by　theft。　The　sabre　and　the

plough　are　twins；　though　the　soldier　has　something　more　than　the

peasant；he　has　death　hanging　over　him　at　any　minute。〃



〃I　want　to　say　that　from　the　pulpit；〃　cried　the　abbe。



〃Tolerant！〃　continued　the　keeper；　replying　to　the　general's　remark

about　Sibilet；　〃I　would　tolerate　a　loss　of　ten　per　cent　upon　the　gross

returns　of　Les　Aigues；　but　as　things　are　now　thirty　per　cent　is　what

you　lose；　general；　and；　if　Monsieur　Sibilet's　accounts　show　it；　I

don't　understand　his　tolerance；　for　he　benevolently　gives　up　a

thousand　or　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year。〃



〃My　dear　Monsieur　Michaud；〃　replied　Sibilet；　in　a　snappish　tone；　〃I

have　told　Monsieur　le　comte　that　I　would　rather　lose　twelve　hundred

francs　a　year　than　my　life。　Think　of　it　seriously；　I　have　warned　you

often　enough。〃



〃Life！〃　exclaimed　the　countess；　〃you　can't　mean　that　anybody's　life　is

in　danger？〃



〃Don't　let　us　argue　about　state　affairs　here；〃　said　the　general；

laughing。　〃All　this；　my　dear；　merely　means　that　Sibilet；　in　his

capacity　of　financier；　is　timid　and　cowardly；　while　the　minister　of

war　is　brave　and；　like　his　general；　fears　nothing。〃



〃Call　me　prudent；　Monsieur　le　comte；〃　interposed　Sibilet。



〃Well；　well！〃　cried　Blondet；　laughing；　〃so　here　we　are；　like　Cooper's

heroes　in　the　forests　of　America；　in　the　midst　of　sieges　and　savages。〃



〃Come；　gentlemen；　it　is　your　business　to　govern　without　letting　me

hear　the　wheels　of　the　administration；〃　said　Madame　de　Montcornet。



〃Ah！　madame；〃　said　the　cure；　〃but　it　may　be　right　that　you　should　know

the　toil　from　which　those　pretty　caps　you　wear　are　derived。〃



〃Well；　then；　I　can　go　without　them；〃　replied　the　countess；　laughing。

〃I　will　be　very　respectful　to　a　twenty…franc　piece；　and　grow　as

miserly　as　the　country　people　themselves。　Come；　my　dear　abbe；　give　me

your　arm。　Leave　the　general　with　his　two　ministers；　and　let　us　go　to

the　gate　of　the　Avonne　to　see　Madame　Michaud；　for　I　have　not　had　time

since　my　arrival　to　pay　her　a　visit；　and　I　want　to　inquire　about　my

little　protegee。〃



And　the　pretty　woman；　already　forgetting　the　rags　and　tatters　of

Mouche　and　Fourchon；　and　their　eyes　full　of　hatred；　and　Sibilet's

warnings；　went　to　have　herself　made　ready　for　the　walk。



The　abbe　and　Blondet　obeyed　the　behest　of　the　mistress　of　the　house

and　followed　her　from　the　dining…room；　waiting　till　she　was　ready　on

the　terrace　before　the　chateau。



〃What　do　you　think　of　all　this？〃　said　Blondet　to　the　abbe。



〃I　am　a　pariah；　they　dog　me　as　they　would　a　common　enemy。　I　am　forced

to　keep　my　eyes　and　ears　perpetually　open　to　escape　the　traps　they　are

constantly　laying　to　get　me　out　of　the　place；〃　replied　the　abbe。　〃I　am

even　doubtful；　between　ourselves；　as　to　whether　they　will　not　shoot

me。〃



〃Why　do　you　stay？〃　said　Blondet。



〃We　can't　desert　God's　cause　any　more　than　that　of　an　emperor；〃

replied　the　priest；　with　a　simplicity　that　affected　Blondet。　He　took

the　abbe's　hand　and　shook　it　cordially。



〃You　see　how　it　is；　therefore；　that　I　know　very　little　of　the　plots

that　are　going　on；〃　continued　the　abbe。　〃Still；　I　know　enough　to　feel

sure　that　the　general　is　under　what　in　Artois　and　in　Belgium　is　called

an　'evil　grudge。'〃



A　few　words　are　here　necessary　about　the　curate　of　Blangy。



This　priest；　the　fourth　son　of　a　worthy　middle…class　family　of　Autun；

was　an　intelligent　man　carrying　his　head　high　in　his　collar。　Small　and

slight；　he　redeemed　his　rather　puny　appearance　by　the　precise　and

carefully　dressed　air　that　belongs　to　Burgundians。　He　accepted　the

second…rate　post　of　Blangy　out　of　pure　devotion；　for　his　religious

convictions　were　joined　to　political　opinions　that　were　equally

strong。　There　was　something　of　the　priest　of　the　o