sons of the soil-第44章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



out　of　fear。



〃And　he　himself；　too；they've　shamefully　ill…used　him！　Good…day；

Monsieur　Rigou；〃　said　the　old　knitter　to　the　usurer；　who　bowed　to　her

and　to　his　debtor's　wife。



As　Rigou　crossed　the　Thune；　fordable　at　all　seasons；　Tonsard　came　out

of　the　tavern　and　met　him　on　the　high…road。



〃Well；　Pere　Rigou；〃　he　said；　〃so　the　Shopman　means　to　make　dogs　of

us？〃



〃We'll　see　about　that；〃　said　the　usurer；　whipping　up　his　horse。



〃He'll　protect　us；〃　said　Tonsard；　turning　to　a　group　of　women　and

children　who　were　near　him。



〃Rigou　is　thinking　as　much　about　you　as　a　cook　thinks　of　the　gudgeons

he　is　frying　in　his　pan；〃　called　out　Fourchon。



〃Take　the　clapper　out　of　your　throat　when　you　are　drunk；〃　said　Mouche；

pulling　his　grandfather　by　the　blouse；　and　tumbling　him　down　on　a　bank

under　a　poplar　tree。　〃If　that　hound　of　a　mayor　heard　you　say　that；

he'd　never　buy　any　more　of　your　tales。〃



The　truth　was　that　Rigou　was　hurrying　to　Soulanges　in　consequence　of

the　warning　given　him　by　the　steward　of　Les　Aigues；　which；　in　his

heart；　he　regarded　as　threatening　the　secret　coalition　of　the　valley。









PART　II







CHAPTER　I



THE　LEADING　SOCIETY　OF　SOULANGES



About　six　kilometres　（speaking　legally）　from　Blangy；　and　at　the　same

distance　from　Ville…aux…Fayes；　on　an　elevation　radiating　from　the　long

hillside　at　the　foot　of　which　flows　the　Avonne；　stands　the　little　town

of　Soulanges；　surnamed　La　Jolie；　with；　perhaps；　more　right　to　that

title　than　Mantes。



At　the　foot　of　the　hill；　the　Thune　broadens　over　a　clay　bottom　to　a

space　of　some　seventy　acres；　at　the　end　of　which　the　Soulanges　mills；

placed　on　numerous　little　islets；　present　as　graceful　a　group　of

buildings　as　any　landscape　architect　could　devise。　After　watering　the

park　of　Soulanges；　where　it　feeds　various　other　streams　and　artificial

lakes；　the　Thune　falls　into　the　Avonne　through　a　fine　broad　channel。



The　chateau　of　Soulanges；　rebuilt　under　Louis　XIV。　from　designs　of

Jules　Mansart；　and　one　of　the　finest　in　Burgundy；　stands　facing　the

town；　so　that　Soulanges　and　its　chateau　mutually　present　to　each　other

a　charming　and　even　elegant　vista。　The　main　road　winds　between　the

town　and　the　pond；　called　by　the　country　people；　rather　pompously；　the

lake　of　Soulanges。



The　little　town　is　one　of　those　natural　compositions　which　are

extremely　rare　in　France；　where　PRETTINESS　of　its　own　kind　is

absolutely　wanting。　Here　you　would　indeed　find；　as　Blondet　said　in　his

letter；　the　charm　of　Switzerland；　the　prettiness　of　the　environs　of

Neuf…chatel；　while　the　bright　vineyards　which　encircle　Soulanges

complete　the　resemblance；leaving　out；　be　it　said；　the　Alps　and　the

Jura。　The　streets；　placed　one　above　another　on　the　slope　of　the　hill；

have　but　few　houses；　for　each　house　stands　in　its　own　garden；　which

produces　a　mass　of　greenery　rarely　seen　in　a　town。　The　roofs；　red　or

blue；　rising　among　flower…gardens；　trees；　and　trellised　terraces；

present　an　harmonious　variety　of　aspects。



The　church；　an　old　Middle…Age　structure；　built　of　stone；　thanks　to　the

munificence　of　the　lords　of　Soulanges；　who　reserved　for　themselves

first　a　chapel　near　the　chancel；　then　a　crypt　as　their　necropolis；

has；　by　way　of　portal；　an　immense　arcade；　like　that　of　the　church　at

Lonjumeau；　and　is　bordered　by　flower…beds　adorned　with　statues；　and

flanked　on　either　side　by　columns　with　niches；　which　terminate　in

spires。　This　portal；　often　seen　in　churches　of　the　same　period　when

chance　has　saved　them　from　the　ravages　of　Calvinism；　is　surmounted　by

a　triglyph；　above　which　stands　a　statue　of　the　Virgin　holding　the

infant　Jesus。　The　sides　of　the　structure　are　externally　of　five

arches；　defined　by　stone　ribs　and　lighted　by　windows　with　small　panes。

The　apse　rests　on　arched　abutments　that　are　worthy　of　a　cathedral。　The

clock…tower；　placed　in　a　transept　of　the　cross；　is　square　and

surmounted　by　a　belfry。　The　church　can　be　seen　from　a　great　distance；

for　it　stands　at　the　top　of　the　great　square；　at　the　lower　end　of

which　the　high…road　passes　through　the　town。



This　square；　large　for　the　size　of　the　town；　is　surrounded　by　very

original　buildings；　all　of　different　epochs。　Many；　half…wood；　half…

brick；　with　their　timbers　faced　with　slate；　date　back　to　the　Middle

Ages。　Others；　of　stone；　with　balconies；　show　the　form　of　gable　so　dear

to　our　ancestors；　which　belongs　to　the　twelfth　century。　Several　charm

the　eye　with　those　old　projecting　beams；　carved　with　grotesque　faces；

which　form　the　roof　of　a　sort　of　shed；　and　recall　the　days　when　the

middle　classes　were　exclusively　commercial。　The　finest　house　among

them　was　that　of　the　chief　magistrate　of　former　days；a　house　with　a

sculptured　front　on　a　line　with　the　church；　to　which　it　forms　a　fine

accompaniment。　Sold　as　national　property；　it　was　bought　in　by　the

commune；　which　turned　it　into　a　town…hall　and　court…house；　where

Monsieur　Sarcus　had　presided　ever　since　the　establishment　of　municipal

judges。



This　slight　sketch　will　give　an　idea　of　the　square　of　Soulanges；

adorned　in　the　centre　with　a　charming　fountain　brought　from　Italy　in

1520　by　the　Marechal　de　Soulanges；　which　was　not　unworthy　of　a　great

capital。　An　unfailing　jet　of　water；　coming　from　a　spring　higher　up　the

hill；　was　shed　by　four　Cupids　in　white　marble；　bearing　shells　in　their

arms　and　baskets　of　grapes　upon　their　heads。



Literary　travellers　who　may　pass　this　way　（should　any　such　follow

Emile　Blondet）　might　imagine　the　spot　to　have　inspired　Moliere　and　the

Spanish　drama；　which　held　its　footing　so　long　on　French　boards；

showing　that　comedy　is　native　to　warm　countries　where　so　much　of　life

is　passed　in　the　public　streets。　The　square　of　Soulanges　is　all　the

more　a　reminder　of　that　classic　stage　because　the　two　principal

streets；　opening　just　on　a　line　with　the　fountain；　afford　the　exit　and

entrances　so　necessary　for　the　dramatic　masters　and　valets　whose

business　it　is　either　to　meet　or　to　avoid　each　other。　At　the　corner　of

one　of　these　streets；　called　the　rue　de　la　Fontaine；　shone　the

notarial　escutcheon　of　Maitre　Lupin。　The　houses　of　Messieurs　Sarcus；

Guerbet　the　collector；　Brunet；　Gourdon；　clerk　of　the　court；　and　that

of　his　brother　the　doctor；　also　that　of　old　Monsieur　Gendrin…Vatebled；

the　keeper　of　the　forests　and　streams；all　these　houses；　kept　with

extreme　neatness　by　their　owners；　who　held　firmly　to　the　flattering

surname　of　their　native　town；　stand　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　square

and　form　the　aristocratic　quarter　of　Soulanges。



The　house　of　Madame　Soudryfor　the　powerful　individuality　of

Mademoiselle　Laguerre's　former　waiting…maid　took　the　lead　of　her

husband　in　the　communitywas　modern；　having　been　built　by　a　rich

wine…merchant；　born　in　Soulanges；　who；　after　making　his　money　in

Paris；　returned　there　in　1793　to　buy　wheat　for　his　native　town。　He　was

slain　as　an　〃accapareur；〃　a　monopolist；　by　the　populace；　instigated　by

a　mason；　the　uncle　of　Godain；　with　whom　he　had　had　some　quarrel　about

the　building　of　his　ambitious　house。　The　settlement　of　his　estate；

sharply　contested　by　collateral　heirs；　dragged　slowly　along　until；　in

1798；　Soudry；　who　had　then　returned　to　Soulanges；　was　able　to　buy　the

wine…merchant's　palace　for　three　thousand　francs　in　specie。　He　then

let　it；　in　the　first　instance；　to　the　government　for　the　headquarters

of　the　gendarmerie。　In　1811　Mademoiselle　Cochet；　whom　Soudry　consulted

about　all　his　affairs；　strongly　objected　to　the　renewal　of　the　lease；

making　the　house　uninhabitable；　she　declared；　with　barracks。　The　town

of　Soulanges；　assisted　by　the　department；　then　erected　a　building　for

the　gendarmerie　in　a　street　running　at　right　angles　from　the　town…

hall。　Thereupon　Soudry　cleaned　up　his　house　and　restored　its　primitive

lustre；　not　a　little　dimmed　by　the　stabling　of　horses　and　the

occupancy　of　gendarmes。



The　house；　only　one　story　high；　with　projecting　windows　in　the　roof；

has　a　view　on　three　sides；　one　to　the　square；　another　to　a　lake；　the

third　to　a　garden。　The　fourth　side　looks　on　a　courtyard　which

separates　the　Soudrys　from　the　adjoining　house　occupied　by　a　grocer

named　Wattebled；　a　man　of　the　SECOND…CLASS　society　of　Soulanges；

father　of　the　beautiful　Madame　Plissoud；　of　whom　we　shall　presently

have　occasion　to　speak。



All　little　towns　have　a　renowned　beauty；　just　as　they　have　a　Socquard

and　a　Cafe　de　la　Paix。



It　will　be　apparent　to　every　one　that　the　frontage　of　the　Soudry

mansion　on　the　lake　must　have　a　terraced　garden　confined　by　a　stone

balustrade　which　overlooks　both　the　lake　and　the　main　road。　A　flight

of　steps　leads　down　from　the　terrace　to　the　road；　and　on　it　an　orange…

tree；　a　pomegranate；　a　myrtle；　and　other　ornamental　shrubs　are　placed；

necessitating　a　greenhouse。　On　the　side　toward　the　square　the　house　is

entered　from　a　portico　raised　several　steps　above　the　level　of　the

street。　According　to　the　custom　of　small　towns　the　gate　of　the

courtyard；　used　only　for　the　service　of　the　house　or　for　any　unusual

arrival；　was　seldom　opened。　Visitors；　who　mostly　came　on　foot；　entered

by　the　portico。



The　style　of　the　Hotel　Soudry　is　plain。　The　courses　are　indicated　by

projecting　lines；　the　windows　are　framed　by　mouldings　alternately

broad　and　slender；　like　those　of　the　Gabriel　and　Perronnet　pavilion　in

the　place　Louis　XV。　These　ornaments　in　so　small　a　town　give　a　certain

solid　and　monumental　air　to　the　building　which　has　become　celebrated。



Opposite　to　this　house；　in　another　angle　of　the　square　stands　the

famous　Cafe　de　la　Paix；　the　characteristics　of　which；　together　with

the　fascinations　of　its　Tivoli；　will　require；　somewhat　later；　a　less

succinct　description　than　that　we　have　given　of　the　Soudry　mansion。



Rigou　very　seldom　came　to　Soulanges；　everybody　was　in　the　habit　of

going　to　him；Lupin　and　Gaubertin；　Soudry　and　Gendrin；so　much　were

they　afraid　of　him。　But　we　shall　presently　understand　why　any　educated

man；　such　as　the　ex…Benedictine；　would　have　done　as　Rigou　did；　and

kept　away　from　the　little　town；　after　reading　the　following　sketch　of

the　personages　who　composed　what　was　called　in　those　parts　〃the

leading　society　of　Soulanges。〃



Of　its　principal　figures；　the　most　original；　as　you　have　already

suspected；　was　that　of　Madame　Soudry；　whose　personality；　to　be　duly

rendered；　needs　a　minute　and　careful　brush。



Madame　Soudry；　respectfully　imitating　Mademoiselle　Laguerre；　began　by

allowing　herself　a　〃mere　touch　of　rouge〃；　but　this　delicate　tint　had

changed　through　force　of　habit　to　those　vermilion　patches

picturesquely　described　by　our　ancestors　as　〃carriage…wheels。〃　The

wrinkles　growing　deeper　and　deeper；　it　occurred　to　the　ex…lady's…maid

to　fill　them　up　with　paint。　Her　forehead　becoming　unduly　yellow；　and

the　temples　too　shiny；　she　〃laid　on〃　a　little　white；　and　renewed　the

veins　of　her　youth　with　a　tracery　of　blue。　All　this　color　gave　an

exaggerate