sons of the soil-第21章

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so　many　persons　of　low　degree。



Gaubertin；　who　discovered　during　the　excitement　of　the　scene　（which

lasted　more　than　two　hours）　the　difficulties　in　which　the　general

would　soon　be　involved；　jumped　on　his　pony　after　leaving　the　room

where　the　quarrel　took　place；　and　galloped　to　Soulanges　to　consult　the

Soudrys。　At　his　first　words；　〃The　general　and　I　have　parted；　whom　can

we　put　in　my　place　without　his　suspecting　it？〃　the　Soudrys　understood

their　friend's　wishes。　Do　not　forget　that　Soudry；　for　the　last

seventeen　years　chief　of　police　of　the　canton；　was　doubly　shrewd

through　his　wife；　an　adept　in　the　particular　wiliness　of　a　waiting…

maid　of　an　Opera　divinity。



〃We　may　go　far；〃　said　Madame　Soudry；　〃before　we　find　any　one　to　suit

the　place　as　well　as　our　poor　Sibilet。〃



〃Made　to　order！〃　exclaimed　Gaubertin；　still　scarlet　with

mortification。　〃Lupin；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　notary；　who　was

present；　〃go　to　Ville…aux…Fayes　and　whisper　it　to　Marechal；　in　case

that　big　fire…eater　asks　his　advice。〃



Marechal　was　the　lawyer　whom　his　former　patron；　when　buying　Les　Aigues

for　the　general；　had　recommended　to　Monsieur　de　Montcornet　as　legal

adviser。



Sibilet；　eldest　son　of　the　clerk　of　the　court　at　Ville…aux…Fayes；　a

notary's　clerk；　without　a　penny　of　his　own；　and　twenty…five　years　old；

had　fallen　in　love　with　the　daughter　of　the　chief…magistrate　of

Soulanges。　The　latter；　named　Sarcus；　had　a　salary　of　fifteen　hundred

francs；　and　was　married　to　a　woman　without　fortune；　the　eldest　sister

of　Monsieur　Vermut；　the　apothecary　of　Soulanges。　Though　an　only

daughter；　Mademoiselle　Sarcus；　whose　beauty　was　her　only　dowry；　could

scarcely　have　lived　on　the　salary　paid　to　a　notary's　clerk　in　the

provinces。　Young　Sibilet；　a　relative　of　Gaubertin；　by　a　connection

rather　difficult　to　trace　through　family　ramifications　which　make

members　of　the　middle　classes　in　all　the　smaller　towns　cousins　to　each

other；　owed　a　modest　position　in　a　government　office　to　the　assistance

of　his　father　and　Gaubertin。　The　unlucky　fellow　had　the　terrible

happiness　of　being　the　father　of　two　children　in　three　years。　His　own

father；　blessed　with　five；　was　unable　to　assist　him。　His　wife's　father

owned　nothing　beside　his　house　at　Soulanges　and　an　income　of　two

thousand　francs。　Madame　Sibilet　the　younger　spent　most　of　her　time　at

her　father's　home　with　her　two　children；　where　Adolphe　Sibilet；　whose

official　duty　obliged　him　to　travel　through　the　department；　came　to

see　her　from　time　to　time。



Gaubertin's　exclamation；　though　easy　to　understand　from　this　summary

of　young　Sibilet's　life；　needs　a　few　more　explanatory　details。



Adolphe　Sibilet；　supremely　unlucky；　as　we　have　shown　by　the　foregoing

sketch　of　him；　was　one　of　those　men　who　cannot　reach　the　heart　of　a

woman　except　by　way　of　the　altar　and　the　mayor's　office。　Endowed　with

the　suppleness　of　a　steel…spring；　he　yielded　to　pressure；　certain　to

revert　to　his　first　thought。　This　treacherous　habit　is　prompted　by

cowardice；　but　the　business　training　which　Sibilet　underwent　in　the

office　of　a　provincial　notary　had　taught　him　the　art　of　concealing

this　defect　under　a　gruff　manner　which　simulated　a　strength　he　did　not

possess。　Many　false　natures　mask　their　hollowness　in　this　way；　be

rough　with　them　in　return　and　the　effect　produced　is　that　of　a　balloon

collapsed　by　a　prick。　Such　was　Sibilet。　But　as　most　men　are　not

observers；　and　as　among　observers　three　fourths　observe　only　after　a

thing　has　taken　place；　Adolphe　Sibilet's　grumbling　manner　was

considered　the　result　of　an　honest　frankness；　of　a　capacity　much

praised　by　his　master；　and　of　a　stubborn　uprightness　which　no

temptation　could　shake。　Some　men　are　as　much　benefited　by　their

defects　as　others　by　their　good　qualities。



Adeline　Sarcus；　a　pretty　young　woman；　brought　up　by　a　mother　（who　died

three　years　before　her　marriage）　as　well　as　a　mother　can　educate　an

only　daughter　in　a　remote　country　town；　was　in　love　with　the　handsome

son　of　Lupin；　the　Soulanges　notary。　At　the　first　signs　of　this

romance；　old　Lupin；　who　intended　to　marry　his　son　to　Mademoiselle

Elise　Gaubertin；　lost　no　time　in　sending　young　Amaury　Lupin　to　Paris；

to　the　care　of　his　friend　and　correspondent　Crottat；　the　notary；

where；　under　pretext　of　drawing　deeds　and　contracts；　Amaury　committed

a　variety　of　foolish　acts；　and　made　debts；　being　led　thereto　by　a

certain　Georges　Marest；　a　clerk　in　the　same　office；　but　a　rich　young

man；　who　revealed　to　him　the　mysteries　of　Parisian　life。　By　the　time

Lupin　the　elder　went　to　Paris　to　bring　back　his　son；　Adeline　Sarcus

had　become　Madame　Sibilet。　In　fact；　when　the　adoring　Adolphe　offered

himself；　her　father；　the　old　magistrate；　prompted　by　young　Lupin's

father；　hastened　the　marriage；　to　which　Adeline　yielded　in　sheer

despair。



The　situation　of　clerk　in　a　government　registration　office　is　not　a

career。　It　is；　like　other　such　places　which　admit　of　no　rise；　one　of

the　many　holes　of　the　government　sieve。　Those　who　start　in　life　in

these　holes　（the　topographical；　the　professorial；　the　highway…and…

canal　departments）　are　apt　to　discover；　invariably　too　late；　that

cleverer　men　then　they；　seated　beside　them；　are　fed；　as　the　Opposition

writers　say；　on　the　sweat　of　the　people；　every　time　the　sieve　dips

down　into　the　taxation…pot　by　means　of　a　machine　called　the　budget。

Adolphe；　working　early　and　late　and　earning　little；　soon　found　out　the

barren　depths　of　his　hole；　and　his　thoughts　busied　themselves；　as　he

trotted　from　township　to　township；　spending　his　salary　in　shoe…leather

and　costs　of　travelling；　with　how　to　find　a　permanent　and　more

profitable　place。



No　one　can　imagine；　unless　he　happens　to　squint　and　to　have　two

legitimate　children；　what　ambitions　three　years　of　misery　and　love　had

developed　in　this　young　man；　who　squinted　both　in　mind　and　vision；　and

whose　happiness　halted；　as　it　were；　on　one　leg。　The　chief　cause　of

secret　evil　deeds　and　hidden　meanness　is；　perhaps；　an　incompleted

happiness。　Man　can　better　bear　a　state　of　hopeless　misery　than　those

terrible　alternations　of　love　and　sunshine　with　continual　rain。　If　the

body　contracts　disease；　the　mind　contracts　the　leprosy　of　envy。　In

petty　minds　that　leprosy　becomes　a　base　and　brutal　cupidity；　both

insolent　and　shrinking；　in　cultivated　minds　it　fosters　anti…social

doctrines；　which　serve　a　man　as　footholds　by　which　to　rise　above　his

superiors。　May　we　not　dignify　with　the　title　of　proverb　the　pregnant

saying；　〃Tell　me　what　thou　hast；　and　I　will　tell　thee　of　what　thou　art

thinking〃？



Though　Adolphe　loved　his　wife；　his　hourly　thought　was：　〃I　have　made　a

mistake；　I　have　three　balls　and　chains；　but　I　have　only　two　legs。　I

ought　to　have　made　my　fortune　before　I　married。　I　could　have　found　an

Adeline　any　day；　but　Adeline　stands　in　the　way　of　my　getting　a　fortune

now。〃



Adolphe　had　been　to　see　his　relation　Gaubertin　three　times　in　three

years。　A　few　words　exchanged　between　them　let　Gaubertin　see　the　muck

of　a　soul　ready　to　ferment　under　the　hot　temptations　of　legal　robbery。

He　warily　sounded　a　nature　that　could　be　warped　to　the　exigencies　of

any　plan；　provided　it　was　profitable。　At　each　of　the　three　visits

Sibilet　grumbled　at　his　fate。



〃Employ　me；　cousin；〃　he　said；　〃take　me　as　a　clerk　and　make　me　your

successor。　You　shall　see　how　I　work。　I　am　capable　of　overthrowing

mountains　to　give　my　Adeline；　I　won't　say　luxury；　but　a　modest

competence。　You　made　Monsieur　Leclercq's　fortune；　why　won't　you　put　me

in　a　bank　in　Paris？〃



〃Some　day；　later　on；　I'll　find　you　a　place；〃　Gaubertin　would　say；

〃meantime　make　friends　and　acquaintance；　such　things　help。〃



Under　these　circumstances　the　letter　which　Madame　Soudry　hastily

dispatched　brought　Sibilet　to　Soulanges　through　a　region　of　castles　in

the　air。　His　father…in…law；　Sarcus；　whom　the　Soudrys　advised　to　take

steps　in　the　interest　of　his　daughter；　had　gone　in　the　morning　to　see

the　general　and　to　propose　Adolphe　for　the　vacant　post。　By　advice　of

Madame　Soudry；　who　was　the　oracle　of　the　little　town；　the　worthy　man

had　taken　his　daughter　with　him；　and　the　sight　of　her　had　had　a

favorable　effect　upon　the　Comte　de　Montcornet。



〃I　shall　not　decide；〃　he　answered；　〃without　thoroughly　informing

myself　about　all　applicants；　but　I　will　not　look　elsewhere　until　I

have　examined　whether　or　not　your　son…in…law　possesses　the

requirements　for　the　place。〃　Then；　turning　to　Madame　Sibilet　he　added；

〃The　satisfaction　of　settling　so　charming　a　person　at　Les　Aigues〃



〃The　mother　of　two　children；　general；〃　said　Adeline；　adroitly；　to

evade　the　gallantry　of　the　old　cuirassier。



All　the　general's　inquiries　were　cleverly　anticipated　by　the　Soudrys；

Gaubertin；　and　Lupin；　who　quietly　obtained　for　their　candidate　the

influence　of　the　leading　lawyers　in　the　capital　of　the　department；

where　a　royal　court　held　sessions；such　as　Counsellor　Gendrin；　a

distant　relative　of　the　judge　at　Ville…aux…Fayes；　Baron　Bourlac；

attorney…general；　and　another　counsellor　named　Sarcus；　a　cousin　thrice

removed　of　the　candidate。　The　verdict　of　every　one　to　whom　the　general

applies　was　favorable　to　the　poor　clerk；〃so　interesting；〃　as　they

called　him。　His　marriage　had　made　Sibilet　as　irreproachable　as　a　novel

of　Miss　Edgeworth's；　and　presented　him；　moreover；　in　the　light　of　a

disinterested　man。



The　time　which　the　dismissed　steward　remained　at　Les　Aigues　until　his

successor　could　be　appointed　was　employed　in　creating　troubles　and

annoyances　for　his　late　master；　one　of　the　little　scenes　which　he　thus

played　off　will　give　an　idea　of　several　others。



The　morning　of　his　final　departure　he　contrived　to　meet；　as　it　were

accidentally；　Courtecuisse；　the　only　keeper　then　employed　at　Les

Aigues；　the　great　extent　of　which　really　needed　at　least　three。



〃Well；　Monsieur　Gaubertin；〃　said　Courtecuisse；　〃so　you　have　had

trouble　with　the　count？〃



〃Who　told　you　that？〃　answered　Gaubertin。　〃Well；　yes；　the　general

expected　to　order　us　about　as　he　did　his　cavalry；　he　didn't　know

Burgundians。　The　count　is　not　satisfied　with　my　services；　and　as　I　am

not　satisfied　with　his　ways；　we　have　dismissed　each　other；　almost　with

fisticuffs；　for　he　raged　like　a　whirlwind。　Take　care　of　yourself；

Courtecuisse！　Ah！　my　dear　fellow；　I　expected　to　give　you　a　better

master。〃



〃I　know　that；〃　said　the　keeper；　〃and　I'd　have　served　you　well。　Hang

it；　when　friends　have　known　each　other　for　twenty　years；　you　know！　You

put　me　here　in　the　days　of　the　poor　dear　sainted　Madame。　Ah；　what　a

good　woman　she　was！　none　like　her　now！　The　place　has　lost　a　mother。〃



〃Look　here；　Courtecuisse；　if　you　are　willing；　you　might　help　us　to　a

fine　stroke。〃



〃Then　you　are　going　to　stay　here？　I　heard　you　were　off　to　Paris。〃



〃No；　I　shall　wait　to　see　how　things　turn　out；　meantime　I　shall　do

business　at　Ville…aux…Fayes。　The　general　doesn't　know　what　he　is

dealing　with　in　these　p