sons of the soil-第24章

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The　government　is　a　gentleman　who　is；　like　your　obedient　servant　when

he　was　in　its　employ；　a　worthy　man　with　a　frayed　overcoat；　who　reads

the　newspapers　at　a　desk。　Let　his　salary　be　twelve　hundred　or　twelve

thousand　francs；　his　disposition　is　the　same；　it　is　not　a　whit　softer。

Talk　of　reductions　and　releases　from　the　public　treasury　represented

by　the　said　gentleman！　He'll　only　pooh…pooh　you　as　he　mends　his　pen。

No；　the　law　is　the　wrong　road　for　you；　Monsieur　le　comte。〃



〃Then　what's　to　be　done？〃　cried　the　general；　his　blood　boiling　as　he

tramped　up　and　down　before　the　bench。



〃Monsieur　le　comte；〃　said　Sibilet；　abruptly；　〃what　I　say　to　you　is　not

for　my　own　interests；　certainly；　but　I　advise　you　to　sell　Les　Aigues

and　leave　the　neighborhood。〃



On　hearing　these　words　the　general　sprang　back　as　if　a　cannon…ball　had

struck　him；　then　he　looked　at　Sibilet　with　a　shrewd；　diplomatic　eye。



〃A　general　of　the　Imperial　Guard　running　away　from　the　rascals；　when

Madame　la　comtesse　likes　Les　Aigues！〃　he　said。　〃No；　I'll　sooner　box

Gaubertin's　ears　on　the　market…place　of　Ville…aux…Fayes；　and　force　him

to　fight　me　that　I　may　shoot　him　like　a　dog。〃



〃Monsieur　le　comte；　Gaubertin　is　not　such　a　fool　as　to　let　himself　be

brought　into　collision　with　you。　Besides；　you　could　not　openly　insult

the　mayor　of　so　important　a　place　as　Ville…aux…Fayes。〃



〃I'll　have　him　turned　out；　the　Troisvilles　can　do　that　for　me；　it　is　a

question　of　income。〃



〃You　won't　succeed；　Monsieur　le　comte；　Gaubertin's　arms　are　long；　you

will　get　yourself　into　difficulties　from　which　you　cannot　escape。〃



〃Let　us　think　of　the　present；〃　interrupted　the　general。　〃About　that

suit？〃



〃That；　Monsieur　le　comte；　I　can　manage　to　win　for　you；〃　replied

Sibilet；　with　a　knowing　glance。



〃Bravo；　Sibilet！〃　said　the　general；　shaking　his　steward's　hand；　〃how

are　you　going　to　do　it？〃



〃You　will　win　it　on　a　writ　of　error；〃　replied　Sibilet。　〃In　my　opinion

the　Gravelots　have　the　right　of　it。　But　it　is　not　enough　to　be　in　the

right；　they　must　also　be　in　order　as　to　legal　forms；　and　that　they

have　neglected。　The　Gravelots　ought　to　have　summoned　you　to　have　the

woods　better　watched。　They　can't　ask　for　indemnity；　at　the　close　of　a

lease；　for　damages　which　they　know　have　been　going　on　for　nine　years；

there　is　a　clause　in　the　lease　as　to　this；　on　which　we　can　file　a　bill

of　exceptions。　You　will　lose　the　suit　at　Ville…aux…Fayes；　possibly　in

the　upper　court　as　well；　but　we　will　carry　it　to　Paris　and　you　will

win　at　the　Court　of　Appeals。　The　costs　will　be　heavy　and　the　expenses

ruinous。　You　will　have　to　spend　from　twelve　to　fifteen　thousand　francs

merely　to　win　the　suit；but　you　will　win　it；　if　you　care　to。　The　suit

will　only　increase　the　enmity　of　the　Gravelots；　for　the　expenses　will

be　even　heavier　on　them。　You　will　be　their　bugbear；　you　will　be　called

litigious　and　calumniated　in　every　way；　still；　you　can　win〃



〃Then；　what's　to　be　done？〃　repeated　the　general；　on　whom　Sibilet's

arguments　were　beginning　to　produce　the　effect　of　a　violent　poison。



Just　then　the　remembrance　of　the　blows　he　had　given　Gaubertin　with　his

cane　crossed　his　mind；　and　made　him　wish　he　had　bestowed　them　on

himself。　His　flushed　face　was　enough　to　show　Sibilet　the　irritation

that　he　felt。



〃You　ask　me　what　can　be　done；　Monsieur　le　comte？　Why；　only　one　thing；

compromise；　but　of　course　you　can't　negotiate　that　yourself。　I　must　be

thought　to　cheat　you！　We；　poor　devils；　whose　only　fortune　and　comfort

is　in　our　good　name；　it　is　hard　on　us　to　even　seem　to　do　a

questionable　thing。　We　are　always　judged　by　appearances。　Gaubertin

himself　saved　Mademoiselle　Laguerre's　life　during　the　Revolution；　but

it　seemed　to　others　that　he　was　robbing　her。　She　rewarded　him　in　her

will　with　a　diamond　worth　ten　thousand　francs；　which　Madame　Gaubertin

now　wears　on　her　head。〃



The　general　gave　Sibilet　another　glance　still　more　diplomatic　than　the

first；　but　the　steward　seemed　to　take　no　notice　of　the　challenge　it

expressed。



〃If　I　were　to　appear　dishonest；　Monsieur　Gaubertin　would　be　so

overjoyed　that　I　could　instantly　obtain　his　help；〃　continued　Sibilet。

〃He　would　listen　with　all　his　ears　if　I　said　to　him：　'Suppose　I　were

to　extort　twenty　thousand　francs　from　Monsieur　le　comte　for　Messrs。

Gravelot；　on　condition　that　they　shared　them　with　me？'　If　your

adversaries　consented　to　that；　Monsieur　le　comte；　I　should　return　you

ten　thousand　francs；　you　lose　only　the　other　ten；　you　save

appearances；　and　the　suit　is　quashed。〃



〃You　are　a　fine　fellow；　Sibilet；〃　said　the　general；　taking　his　hand

and　shaking　it。　〃If　you　can　manage　the　future　as　well　as　you　do　the

present；　I'll　call　you　the　prince　of　stewards。〃



〃As　to　the　future；〃　said　Sibilet；　〃you　won't　die　of　hunger　if　no

timber　is　cut　for　two　or　three　years。　Let　us　begin　by　putting　proper

keepers　in　the　woods。　Between　now　and　then　things　will　flow　as　the

water　does　in　the　Avonne。　Gaubertin　may　die；　or　get　rich　enough　to

retire　from　business；　at　any　rate；　you　will　have　sufficient　time　to

find　him　a　competitor。　The　cake　is　too　rich　not　to　be　shared。　Look　for

another　Gaubertin　to　oppose　the　original。〃



〃Sibilet；〃　said　the　old　soldier；　delighted　with　this　variety　of

solutions。　〃I'll　give　you　three　thousand　francs　if　you'll　settle　the

matter　as　you　propose。　For　the　rest；　we'll　think　about　it。〃



〃Monsieur　le　comte；〃　said　Sibilet；　〃first　and　foremost　have　the　forest

properly　watched。　See　for　yourself　the　condition　in　which　the

peasantry　have　put　it　during　your　two　years'　absence。　What　could　I　do？

I　am　steward；　I　am　not　a　bailiff。　To　guard　Les　Aigues　properly　you

need　a　mounted　patrol　and　three　keepers。〃



〃I　certainly　shall　have　the　estate　properly　guarded。　So　it　is　to　be

war；　is　it？　Very　good；　then　we　shall　make　war。　That　doesn't　frighten

me；〃　said　Montcornet；　rubbing　his　hands。



〃A　war　of　francs；〃　said　Sibilet；　〃and　you　may　find　that　more　difficult

than　the　other　kind；　men　can　be　killed　but　you　can't　kill　self…

interest。　You　will　fight　your　enemy　on　the　battle…field　where　all

landlords　are　compelled　to　fight；I　mean　cash　results。　It　is　not

enough　to　produce；　you　must　sell；　and　in　order　to　sell；　you　must　be　on

good　terms　with　everybody。〃



〃I　shall　have　the　country　people　on　my　side。〃



〃By　what　means？〃



〃By　doing　good　among　them。〃



〃Doing　good　to　the　valley　peasants！　to　the　petty　shopkeepers　of

Soulanges！〃　exclaimed　Sibilet；　squinting　horribly；　by　reason　of　the

irony　which　flamed　brighter　in　one　eye　than　in　the　other。　〃Monsieur　le

comte　doesn't　know　what　he　undertakes。　Our　Lord　Jesus　Christ　would　die

again　upon　the　cross　in　this　valley！　If　you　wish　an　easy　life；　follow

the　example　of　the　late　Mademoiselle　Laguerre；　let　yourself　be　robbed；

or　else　make　people　afraid　of　you。　Women；　children；　and　the　masses　are

all　governed　by　fear。　That　was　the　great　secret　of　the　Convention；　and

of　the　Emperor；　too。〃



〃Good　heavens！　is　this　the　forest　of　Bondy？〃　cried　the　general。



〃My　dear；〃　said　Sibilet's　wife；　appearing　at　this　moment；　〃your

breakfast　is　ready。　Pray　excuse　him；　Monsieur　le　comte；　he　has　eaten

nothing　since　morning　for　he　was　obliged　to　go　to　Ronquerolles　to

deliver　some　barley。〃



〃Go；　go；　Sibilet；〃　said　the　general。



The　next　morning　the　count　rose　early；　before　daylight；　and　went　to

the　gate　of　the　Avonne；　intending　to　talk　with　the　one　forester　whom

he　employed　and　find　out　what　the　man's　sentiments　really　were。



Some　seven　or　eight　hundred　acres　of　the　forest　of　Les　Aigues　lie

along　the　banks　of　the　Avonne；　and　to　preserve　the　majestic　beauty　of

the　river　the　large　trees　that　border　it　have　been　left　untouched　for

a　distance　of　three　leagues　on　both　sides　in　an　almost　straight　line。

The　mistress　of　Henri　IV。；　to　whom　Les　Aigues　formerly　belonged；　was

as　fond　of　hunting　as　the　king　himself。　In　1593　she　ordered　a　bridge

to　be　built　of　a　single　arch　with　shelving　roadway　by　which　to　ride

from　the　lower　side　of　the　forest　to　a　much　larger　portion　of　it；

purchased　by　her；　which　lay　upon　the　slopes　of　the　hills。　The　gate　of

the　Avonne　was　built　as　a　place　of　meeting　for　the　huntsmen；　and　we

know　the　magnificence　bestowed　by　the　architects　of　that　day　upon　all

buildings　intended　for　the　delight　of　the　crown　and　the　nobility。　Six

avenues　branched　away　from　it；　their　place　of　meeting　forming　a　half…

moon。　In　the　centre　of　the　semi…circular　space　stood　an　obelisk

surmounted　by　a　round　shield；　formerly　gilded；　bearing　on　one　side　the

arms　of　Navarre　and　on　the　other　those　of　the　Countess　de　Moret。

Another　half…moon；　on　the　side　toward　the　river；　communicated　with　the

first　by　a　straight　avenue；　at　the　opposite　end　of　which　the　steep

rise　of　the　Venetian…shaped　bridge　could　be　seen。　Between　two　elegant

iron　railings　of　the　same　character　as　that　of　the　magnificent　railing

which　formerly　surrounded　the　garden　of　the　Place　Royale　in　Paris；　now

so　unfortunately　destroyed；　stood　a　brick　pavilion；　with　stone　courses

hewn　in　facets　like　those　of　the　chateau；　with　a　very　pointed　roof　and

window…casings　of　stone　cut　in　the　same　manner。　This　old　style；　which

gave　the　building　a　regal　air；　is　suitable　only　to　prisons　when　used

in　cities；　but　standing　in　the　heart　of　forests　it　derives　from　its

surroundings　a　splendor　of　its　own。　A　group　of　trees　formed　a　screen；

behind　which　the　kennels；　an　old　falconry；　a　pheasantry；　and　the

quarters　of　the　huntsmen　were　falling　into　ruins；　after　being　in　their

day　the　wonder　and　admiration　of　Burgundy。



In　1595；　the　royal　hunting…parties　set　forth　from　this　magnificent

pavilion；　preceded　by　those　fine　dogs　so　dear　to　Rubens　and　to　Paul

Veronese；　the　huntsmen　mounted　on　high…steeping　steeds　with　stout　and

blue…white　satiny　haunches；　seen　no　longer　except　in　Wouverman's

amazing　work；　followed　by　footmen　in　livery；　the　scene　enlivened　by

whippers…in；　wearing　the　high　top…boots　with　facings　and　the　yellow

leathern　breeches　which　have　come　down　to　the　present　day　on　the

canvas　of　Van　der　Meulen。　The　obelisk　was　erected　in　commemoration　of

the　visit　of　the　Bearnais；　and　his　hunt　with　the　beautiful　Comtesse　de

Moret；　the　date　is　given　below　the　arms　of　Navarre。　That　jealous

woman；　whose　son　was　afterwards　legitimatized；　would　not　allow　the

arms　of　France　to　figure　on　the　obelisk；　regarding　them　as　a　rebuke。



At　the　time　of　which　we　write；　when　the　general's　eyes　rested　on　this

splendid　ruin；　moss　had　gathered　for　centuries　on　the　four　faces　of

the　roof；　the　hewn…stone　courses；　mangled　by　time；　seemed　to　cry　with

yawning　mouths　against　the　profanation；　disjointed　leaden　settings　let

fall　their　octagonal　panes；　so　that　the　windows　seemed　blind　of　an　eye

here　and　there。　Yellow　wallflowers　bloomed　about　the　copings；　ivy　slid

its　white　rootlets　into　every　crevice。



All　things　bespoke　a　shameful　want　of　care；the　seal　set　by　mere

life…possessors　o