sons of the soil-第27章

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that　the　defendant　possesses　no　property　of　any　kind；　and　is　therefore

a　pauper。　Where　there　is　absolutely　nothing；　the　creditor；　like　the

king；　loses　his　right　to　sue。　The　paupers　in　this　case；　carefully

selected　by　Courtecuisse；　were　scattered　through　five　neighboring

districts；　whither　Brunet　betook　himself　duly　attended　by　his

satellites；　Vermichel　and　Fourchon；　to　serve　the　writs。　Later　he

transmitted　the　papers　to　Sibilet　with　a　bill　of　costs　for　five

thousand　francs；　requesting　him　to　obtain　the　further　orders　of

Monsieur　le　comte　de　Montcornet。



Just　as　Sibilet；　armed　with　these　papers；　was　calmly　explaining　to　the

count　the　result　of　the　rash　orders　he　had　given　to　Courtecuisse；　and

witnessing；　as　calmly；　a　burst　of　the　most　violent　anger　a　general　of

the　French　cavalry　was　ever　known　to　indulge　in；　Courtecuisse　entered

to　pay　his　respects　to　his　master　and　to　bring　his　own　account　of

eleven　hundred　francs；　the　sum　to　which　his　promised　commission　now

amounted。　The　natural　man　took　the　bit　in　his　teeth　and　ran　off　with

the　general；　who　totally　forgot　his　coronet　and　his　field　rank；　he　was

a　trooper　once　more；　vomiting　curses　of　which　he　probably　was　ashamed

when　he　thought　of　them　later。



〃Ha！　eleven　hundred　francs！〃　he　shouted；　〃eleven　hundred　slaps　in　your

face！　eleven　hundred　kicks！Do　you　think　I　can't　see　straight　through

your　lies？　Out　of　my　sight；　or　I'll　strike　you　flat！〃



At　the　mere　look　of　the　general's　purple　face　and　before　that　warrior

could　get　out　the　last　words；　Courtecuisse　was　off　like　a　swallow。



〃Monsieur　le　comte；〃　said　Sibilet；　gently；　〃you　are　wrong。〃



〃Wrong！　I；　wrong？〃



〃Yes；　Monsieur　le　comte；　take　care；　you　will　have　trouble　with　that

rascal；　he　will　sue　you。〃



〃What　do　I　care　for　that？　Tell　the　scoundrel　to　leave　the　place

instantly！　See　that　he　takes　nothing　of　mine；　and　pay　him　his　wages。〃



Four　hours　later　the　whole　country…side　was　gossiping　about　this

scene。　The　general；　they　said；　had　assaulted　the　unfortunate

Courtecuisse；　and　refused　to　pay　his　wages　and　two　thousand　francs

besides；　which　he　owed　him。　Extraordinary　stories　went　the　rounds；　and

the　master　of　Les　Aigues　was　declared　insane。　The　next　day　Brunet；　who

had　served　all　the　warrants　for　the　general；　now　brought　him　on　behalf

of　Courtecuisse　a　summon　to　appear　before　the　police　court。　The　lion

was　stung　by　gnats；　but　his　misery　was　only　just　beginning。



The　installation　of　a　keeper　is　not　done　without　a　few　formalities；　he

must；　for　instance；　file　an　oath　in　the　civil　court。　Some　days

therefore　elapsed　before　the　three　keepers　really　entered　upon　their

functions。　Though　the　general　had　written　to　Michaud　to　bring　his　wife

without　waiting　until　the　lodge　at　the　gate　of　the　Avonne　was　ready

for　them；　the　future　head…keeper；　or　rather　bailiff；　was　detained　in

Paris　by　his　marriage　and　his　wife's　family；　and　did　not　reach　Les

Aigues　until　a　fortnight　later。　During　those　two　weeks；　and　during　the

time　still　further　required　for　certain　formalities　which　were　carried

out　with　very　ill　grace　by　the　authorities　at　Ville…aux…Fayes；　the

forest　of　Les　Aigues　was　shamefully　devastated　by　the　peasantry；　who

took　advantage　of　the　fact　that　there　was　practically　no　watch　over

it。



The　appearance　of　three　keepers　handsomely　dressed　in　green　cloth；　the

Emperor's　color；　with　faces　denoting　firmness；　and　each　of　them　well…

made；　active；　and　capable　of　spending　their　nights　in　the　woods；　was　a

great　event　in　the　valley；　from　Conches　to　Ville…aux…Fayes。



Throughout　the　district　Groison　was　the　only　man　who　welcomed　these

veterans。　Delighted　to　be　thus　reinforced；　he　let　fall　a　few　threats

against　thieves；　who　before　long；　he　said；　would　be　watched　so　closely

that　they　could　do　no　damage。　Thus　the　usual　proclamation　of　all　great

commanders　was　not　lacking　to　the　present　war；　in　this　case　it　was

said　aloud　and　also　whispered　in　secret。



Sibilet　called　the　general's　attention　to　the　fact　that　the

gendarmerie　of　Soulanges；　and　especially　its　brigadier；　Soudry；　were

thoroughly　and　hypocritically　hostile　to　Les　Aigues。　He　made　him　see

the　importance　of　substituting　another　brigade；　which　might　show　a

better　spirit。



〃With　a　good　brigadier　and　a　company　of　gendarmes　devoted　to　your

interests；　you　could　manage　the　country；〃　he　said　to　him。



The　general　went　to　the　Prefecture　and　obtained　from　the　general　in

command　of　the　division　the　retirement　of　Soudry　and　the　substitution

of　a　man　named　Viallet；　an　excellent　gendarme　at　headquarters；　who　was

much　praised　by　his　general　and　the　prefect。　The　company　of　gendarmes

at　Soulanges　were　dispersed　to　other　places　in　the　department　by　the

colonel　of　the　gendarmerie；　an　old　friend　of　Montcornet；　and　chosen

men　were　put　in　their　places　with　secret　orders　to　keep　watch　over　the

estate　of　the　Comte　de　Montcornet；　and　prevent　all　future　attempts　to

injure　it；　they　were　also　particularly　enjoined　not　to　allow

themselves　to　be　gained　over　by　the　inhabitants　of　Soulanges。



This　last　revolutionary　measure；　carried　out　with　such　rapidity　that

there　was　no　possibility　of　countermining　it　created　much　astonishment

in　Soulanges　and　in　Ville…aux…Fayes。　Soudry；　who　felt　himself

dismissed；　complained　bitterly；　and　Gaubertin　managed　to　get　him

appointed　mayor；　which　put　the　gendarmerie　under　his　orders。　An　outcry

was　made　about　tyranny。　Montcornet　became　an　object　of　general　hatred。

Not　only　were　five　or　six　lives　radically　changed　by　him；　but　many

personal　vanities　were　wounded。　The　peasants；　taking　their　cue　from

words　dropped　by　the　small　tradesmen　of　Ville…aux…Fayes　and　Soulanges；

and　by　Rigou；　Langlume；　Guerbet；　and　the　postmaster　at　Conches；

thought　they　were　on　the　eve　of　losing　what　they　called　their　rights。



The　general　stopped　the　suit　brought　by　Courtecuisse　by　paying　him　all

he　demanded。　The　man　then　purchased；　nominally　for　two　thousand

francs；　a　little　property　surrounded　on　all　sides　but　one　by　the

estate　of　Les　Aigues；a　sort　of　cover　into　which　the　game　escaped。

Rigou；　the　owner；　had　never　been　willing　to　part　with　La　Bachelerie；

as　it　was　called；　to　the　possessors　of　the　estate；　but　he　now　took

malicious　pleasure　in　selling　it；　at　fifty　per　cent　discount；　to

Courtecuisse；　which　made　the　ex…keeper　one　of　Rigou's　numerous

henchmen；　for　all　he　actually　paid　for　the　property　was　one　thousand

francs。



The　three　keepers；　with　Michaud　the　bailiff；　and　Groison　the　field…

keeper　of　Blangy；　led　henceforth　the　life　of　guerrillas。　Living　night

and　day　in　the　forest；　they　soon　acquired　that　deep　knowledge　of

woodland　things　which　becomes　a　science　among　foresters；　saving　them

much　loss　of　time；　they　studied　the　tracks　of　animals；　the　species　of

the　trees；　and　their　habits　of　growth；　training　their　ears　to　every

sound　and　to　every　murmur　of　the　woods。　Still　further；　they　observed

faces；　watched　and　understood　the　different　families　in　the　various

villages　of　the　district；　and　knew　the　individuals　in　each　family；

their　habits；　characters；　and　means　of　living；a　far　more　difficult

matter　than　most　persons　suppose。　When　the　peasants　who　obtained　their

living　from　Les　Aigues　saw　these　well…planned　measures　of　defence；

they　met　them　with　dumb　resistance　or　sneering　submission。



From　the　first；　Michaud　and　Sibilet　mutually　disliked　each　other。　The

frank　and　loyal　soldier；　with　the　sense　of　honor　of　a　subaltern　of　the

young　〃garde；〃　hated　the　servile　brutality　and　the　discontented　spirit

of　the　steward。　He　soon　took　note　of　the　objections　with　which　Sibilet

opposed　all　measures　that　were　really　judicious；　and　the　reasons　he

gave　for　those　that　were　questionable。　Instead　of　calming　the　general；

Sibilet；　as　the　reader　has　already　seen；　constantly　excited　him　and

drove　him　to　harsh　measures；　all　the　while　trying　to　daunt　him　by

drawing　his　attention　to　countless　annoyances；　petty　vexations；　and

ever…recurring　and　unconquerable　difficulties。　Without　suspecting　the

role　of　spy　and　exasperator　undertaken　by　Sibilet　（who　secretly

intended　to　eventually　make　choice　in　his　own　interests　between

Gaubertin　and　the　general）　Michaud　felt　that　the　steward's　nature　was

bad　and　grasping；　and　he　was　unable　to　explain　to　himself　its　apparent

honesty。　The　enmity　which　separated　the　two　functionaries　was

satisfactory　to　the　general。　Michaud's　hatred　led　him　to　watch　the

steward；　though　he　would　not　have　condescended　to　play　the　part　of　spy

if　the　general　had　not　required　it。　Sibilet　fawned　upon　the　bailiff

and　flattered　him；　without　being　able　to　get　anything　from　him　beyond

an　extreme　politeness　which　the　loyal　soldier　established　between　them

as　a　barrier。



Now；　all　preliminary　details　having　been　made　known；　the　reader　will

understand　the　conduct　of　the　general's　enemies　and　the　meaning　of　the

conversation　which　he　had　with　what　he　called　his　two　ministers；　after

Madame　de　Montcornet；　the　abbe；　and　Blondet　left　the　breakfast…table。







CHAPTER　IX



CONCERNING　THE　MEDIOCRACY



〃Well；　Michaud；　what's　the　news？〃　asked　the　general　as　soon　as　his

wife　had　left　the　room。



〃General；　if　you　will　permit　me　to　say　so；　it　would　be　better　not　to

talk　over　matters　in　this　room。　Walls　have　ears；　and　I　should　like　to

be　certain　that　what　we　say　reaches　none　but　our　own。〃



〃Very　good；〃　said　the　general；　〃then　let　us　walk　towards　the　steward's

lodge　by　the　path　through　the　fields；　no　one　can　overhear　us　there。〃



A　few　moments　later　the　general；　with　Michaud　and　Sibilet；　was

crossing　the　meadows；　while　Madame　de　Montcornet；　with　the　abbe　and

Blondet；　was　on　her　way　to　the　gate　of　the　Avonne。



Michaud　related　the　scene　that　had　just　taken　place　at　the　Grand…I…

Vert。



〃Vatel　did　wrong；〃　said　Sibilet。



〃They　made　that　plain　to　him　at　once；〃　replied　Michaud；　〃by　blinding

him；　but　that's　nothing。　General；　you　remember　the　plan　we　agreed

upon；to　seize　the　cattle　of　those　depredators　against　whom　judgment

was　given？　Well；　we　can't　do　it。　Brunet；　like　his　colleague　Plissoud；

is　not　loyal　in　his　support。　They　both　warn　the　delinquents　when　they

are　about　to　make　a　seizure。　Vermichel；　Brunet's　assistant；　went　to

the　Grand…I…Vert　this　morning；　ostensibly　after　Pere　Fourchon；　and

Marie　Tonsard；　who　is　intimate　with　Bonnebault；　ran　off　at　once　to

give　the　alarm　at　Conches。　The　depredations　have　begun　again。〃



〃A　strong　show　of　authority　is　becoming　daily　more　and　more

necessary；〃　said　Sibilet。



〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　cried　the　general。　〃We　must　demand　the

enforcement　of　the　judgment　of　the　court；　which　carried　with　it

imprisonment；　we　must　arrest　for　debt　all　those　who　do　not　pay　the

damages　I　have　won　and　the　costs　of　the　suits。〃



〃These　fellows　imagine　the　law　is　powerless；　and　tell　each　other　that

you　dare　not　arrest　them；〃　said　Sibilet。　〃They　think　they　frighten

you！　They　have　confederates　at　Ville…aux