sons of the soil-第17章

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convictions　were　joined　to　political　opinions　that　were　equally

strong。　There　was　something　of　the　priest　of　the　olden　time　about　him；

he　held　to　the　Church　and　to　the　clergy　passionately；　saw　the　bearings

of　things；　and　no　selfishness　marred　his　one　ambition；　which　was　TO

SERVE。　That　was　his　motto；to　serve　the　Church　and　the　monarchy

wherever　it　was　most　threatened；　to　serve　in　the　lowest　rank　like　a

soldier　who　feels　that　he　is　destined；　sooner　or　later；　to　attain

command　through　courage　and　the　resolve　to　do　his　duty。　He　made　no

compromises　with　his　vows　of　chastity；　and　poverty；　and　obedience；　he

fulfilled　them；　as　he　did　the　other　duties　of　his　position；　with　that

simplicity　and　cheerful　good…humor　which　are　the　sure　indications　of

an　honest　heart；　constrained　to　do　right　by　natural　impulses　as　much

as　by　the　power　and　consistency　of　religious　convictions。



The　priest　had　seen　at　first　sight　Blondet's　attachment　to　the

countess；　he　saw　that　between　a　Troisville　and　a　monarchical

journalist　he　could　safely　show　himself　to　be　a　man　of　broad

intelligence；　because　his　calling　was　certain　to　be　respected。　He

usually　came　to　the　chateau　very　evening　to　make　the　fourth　at　a　game

of　whist。　The　journalist；　able　to　recognize　the　abbe's　real　merits；

showed　him　so　much　deference　that　the　pair　grew　into　sympathy　with

each　other；　as　usually　happens　when　men　of　intelligence　meet　their

equals；　or；　if　you　prefer　it；　the　ears　that　are　able　to　hear　them。

Swords　are　fond　of　their　scabbards。



〃But　to　what　do　you　attribute　this　state　of　things；　Monsieur　l'abbe；

you　who　are　able；　through　your　disinterestedness；　to　look　over　the

heads　of　things？〃



〃I　shall　not　talk　platitudes　after　such　a　flattering　speech　as　that；〃

said　the　abbe；　smiling。　〃What　is　going　on　in　this　valley　is　spreading

more　or　less　throughout　France；　it　is　the　outcome　of　the　hopes　which

the　upheaval　of　1789　caused　to　infiltrate；　if　I　may　use　that

expression；　the　minds　of　the　peasantry；　the　sons　of　the　soil。　The

Revolution　affected　certain　localities　more　than　others。　This　side　of

Burgundy；　nearest　to　Paris；　is　one　of　those　places　where　the

revolutionary　ideas　spread　like　the　overrunning　of　the　Franks　by　the

Gauls。　Historically；　the　peasants　are　still　on　the　morrow　of　the

Jacquerie；　that　defeat　is　burnt　in　upon　their　brain。　They　have　long

forgotten　the　facts　which　have　now　passed　into　the　condition　of　an

instinctive　idea。　That　idea　is　bred　in　the　peasant　blood；　just　as　the

idea　of　superiority　was　once　bred　in　noble　blood。　The　revolution　of

1789　was　the　retaliation　of　the　vanquished。　The　peasants　then　set　foot

in　possession　of　the　soil　which　the　feudal　law　had　denied　them　for

over　twelve　hundred　years。　Hence　their　desire　for　land；　which　they　now

cut　up　among　themselves　until　actually　they　divide　a　furrow　into　two

parts；　which；　by　the　bye；　often　hinders　or　prevents　the　collection　of

taxes；　for　the　value　of　such　fractions　of　property　is　not　sufficient

to　pay　the　legal　costs　of　recovering　them。〃



〃Very　true；　for　the　obstinacy　of　the　small　ownerstheir

aggressiveness；　if　you　chooseon　this　point　is　so　great　that　in　at

least　one　thousand　cantons　of　the　three　thousand　of　French　territory；

it　is　impossible　for　a　rich　man　to　buy　an　inch　of　land　from　a

peasant；〃　said　Blondet；　interrupting　the　abbe。　〃The　peasants　who　are

willing　to　divide　up　their　scraps　of　land　among　themselves　would　not

sell　a　fraction　on　any　condition　or　at　any　price　to　the　middle

classes。　The　more　money　the　rich　man　offers；　the　more　the　vague

uneasiness　of　the　peasant　increases。　Legal　dispossession　alone　is　able

to　bring　the　landed　property　of　the　peasant　into　the　market。　Many

persons　have　noticed　this　fact　without　being　able　to　find　a　reason　for

it。〃



〃This　is　the　reason；〃　said　the　abbe；　rightly　believing　that　a　pause

with　Blondet　was　equivalent　to　a　question：　〃twelve　centuries　have　done

nothing　for　a　caste　whom　the　historic　spectacle　of　civilization　has

never　yet　diverted　from　its　one　predominating　thought；a　caste　which

still　wears　proudly　the　broad…brimmed　hat　of　its　masters；　ever　since

an　abandoned　fashion　placed　it　upon　their　heads。　That　all…pervading

thought；　the　roots　of　which　are　in　the　bowels　of　the　people；　and　which

attached　them　so　vehemently　to　Napoleon　（who　was　personally　less　to

them　than　he　thought　he　was）　and　which　explains　the　miracle　of　his

return　in　1815；that　desire　for　land　is　the　sole　motive　power　of　the

peasant's　being。　In　the　eyes　of　the　masses　Napoleon；　ever　one　with

them　through　his　million　of　soldiers；　is　still　the　king　born　of　the

Revolution；　the　man　who　gave　them　possession　of　the　soil　and　sold　to

them　the　national　domains。　His　anointing　was　saturated　with　that

idea。〃



〃An　idea　to　which　1814　dealt　a　blow；　an　idea　which　monarchy　should

hold　sacred；〃　said　Blondet；　quickly；　〃for　the　people　may　some　day　find

on　the　steps　of　the　throne　a　prince　whose　father　bequeathed　to　him　the

head　of　Louis　XVI。　as　an　heirloom。〃



〃Here　is　madame；　don't　say　any　more；〃　said　the　abbe；　in　a　low　voice。

〃Fourchon　has　frightened　her；　and　it　is　very　desirable　to　keep　her

here　in　the　interests　of　religion　and　of　the　throne；　and；　indeed；　in

those　of　the　people　themselves。〃



Michaud；　the　bailiff　of　Les　Aigues；　had　come　to　the　chateau　in

consequence　of　the　assault　on　Vatel's　eyes。　But　before　we　relate　the

consultation　which　then　and　there　took　place；　the　chain　of　events

requires　a　succinct　account　of　the　circumstances　under　which　the

general　purchased　Les　Aigues；　the　serious　causes　which　led　to　the

appointment　of　Sibilet　as　steward　of　that　magnificent　property；　and

the　reasons　why　Michaud　was　made　bailiff；　with　all　the　other

antecedents　to　which　were　due　the　tension　of　the　minds　of　all；　and　the

fears　expressed　by　Sibilet。



This　rapid　summary　will　have　the　merit　of　introducing　some　of　the

principal　actors　in　this　drama；　and　of　exhibiting　their　individual

interests；　we　shall　thus　be　enabled　to　show　the　dangers　which

surrounded　the　General　comte　de　Montcornet　at　the　moment　when　this

history　opens。







CHAPTER　VI



A　TALE　OF　THIEVES



When　Mademoiselle　Laguerre　first　visited　her　estate；　in　1791；　she　took

as　steward　the　son　of　the　ex…bailiff　of　Soulanges；　named　Gaubertin。

The　little　town　of　Soulanges；　at　present　nothing　more　than　the　chief

town　of　a　canton；　was　once　the　capital　of　a　considerable　county；　in

the　days　when　the　House　of　Burgundy　made　war　upon　France。　Ville…aux…

Fayes；　now　the　seat　of　the　sub…prefecture；　then　a　mere　fief；　was　a

dependency　of　Soulanges；　like　Les　Aigues；　Ronquerolles；　Cerneux；

Conches；　and　a　score　of　other　parishes。　The　Soulanges　have　remained

counts；　whereas　the　Ronquerolles　are　now　marquises　by　the　will　of　that

power；　called　the　Court；　which　made　the　son　of　Captain　du　Plessis　duke

over　the　heads　of　the　first　families　of　the　Conquest。　All　of　which

serves　to　prove　that　towns；　like　families；　are　variable　in　their

destiny。



Gaubertin；　a　young　man　without　property　of　any　kind；　succeeded　a

steward　enriched　by　a　management　of　thirty　years；　who　preferred　to

become　a　partner　in　the　famous　firm　of　Minoret　rather　than　continue　to

administer　Les　Aigues。　In　his　own　interests　he　introduced　into　his

place　as　land…steward　Francois　Gaubertin；　his　accountant　for　five

years；　whom　he　now　relied　on　to　cover　his　retreat；　and　who；　out　of

gratitude　for　his　instructions；　promised　to　obtain　for　him　a　release

in　full　of　all　claims　from　Madame　Laguerre；　who　by　this　time　was

terrified　at　the　Revolution。　Gaubertin's　father；　the　attorney…general

of　the　department；　henceforth　protected　the　timid　woman。　This

provincial　Fouquier…Tinville　raised　a　false　alarm　of　danger　in　the

mind　of　the　opera…divinity　on　the　ground　of　her　former　relations　to

the　aristocracy；　so　as　to　give　his　son　the　equally　false　credit　of

saving　her　life；　on　the　strength　of　which　Gaubertin　the　younger

obtained　very　easily　the　release　of　his　predecessor。　Mademoiselle

Laguerre　then　made　Francois　Gaubertin　her　prime　minister；　as　much

through　policy　as　from　gratitude。　The　late　steward　had　not　spoiled

her。　He　sent　her；　every　year；　about　thirty　thousand　francs；　though　Les

Aigues　brought　in　at　that　time　at　least　forty　thousand。　The

unsuspecting　opera…singer　was　therefore　much　delighted　when　the　new

steward　Gaubertin　promised　her　thirty…six　thousand。



To　explain　the　present　fortune　of　the　land…steward　of　Les　Aigues

before　the　judgment…seat　of　probability；　it　is　necessary　to　state　its

beginnings。　Pushed　by　his　father's　influence；　he　became　mayor　of

Blangy。　Thus　he　was　able；　contrary　to　law；　to　make　the　debtors　pay　in

coin；　by　〃terrorizing〃　（a　phrase　of　the　day）　such　of　them　as　might；　in

his　opinion；　be　subjected　to　the　crushing　demands　of　the　Republic。　He

himself　paid　the　citizens　in　assignats　as　long　as　the　system　of　paper

money　lasted；a　system　which；　if　it　did　not　make　the　nation

prosperous；　at　least　made　the　fortunes　of　private　individuals。　From

1793　to　1795；　that　is；　for　three　years；　Francois　Gaubertin　wrung　one

hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　out　of　Les　Aigues；　with　which　he

speculated　on　the　stock…market　in　Paris。　With　her　purse　full　of

assignats　Mademoiselle　was　actually　obliged　to　obtain　ready　money　from

her　diamonds；　now　useless　to　her。　She　gave　them　to　Gaubertin；　who　sold

them；　and　faithfully　returned　to　her　their　full　price。　This　proof　of

honesty　touched　her　heart；　henceforth　she　believed　in　Gaubertin　as　she

did　in　Piccini。



In　1796；　at　the　time　of　his　marriage　with　the　citoyenne　Isaure

Mouchon；　daughter　of　an　old　〃conventional；〃　a　friend　of　his　father；

Gaubertin　possessed　about　three　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　in

money。　As　the　Directory　seemed　to　him　likely　to　last；　he　determined；

before　marrying；　to　have　the　accounts　of　his　five　years'　stewardship

ratified　by　Mademoiselle；　under　pretext　of　a　new　departure。



〃I　am　to　be　the　head　of　a　family；〃　he　said　to　her；　〃you　know　the

reputation　of　land…stewards；　my　father…in…law　is　a　republican　of　Roman

austerity；　and　a　man　of　influence　as　well；　I　want　to　prove　to　him　that

I　am　as　upright　as　he。〃



Mademoiselle　Laguerre　accepted　his　accounts　at　once　in　very　flattering

terms。



In　those　earlier　days　the　steward　had　endeavored；　in　order　to　win　the

confidence　of　Madame　des　Aigues　（as　Mademoiselle　was　then　called）　to

repress　the　depredations　of　the　peasantry；　fearing；　and　not　without

reason；　that　the　revenues　would　suffer　too　severely；　and　that　his

private　bonus　from　the　buyers　of　the　timber　would　sensibly　diminish。

But　in　those　days　the　sovereign　people　felt　the　soil　was　their　own

everywhere；　Madame　was　afraid　of　the　surrounding　kings　and　told　her

Richelieu　that　the　first　desire　of　her　soul　was　to　die　in　peace。　The

revenues　of　the　late　singer　were　so　far　in　excess　of　her　expenses　that

she　allowed　all　the　worst；　and；　as　it　proved；　fatal　precedents　to　be

established。　To　avoid　a　lawsuit；