sons of the soil-第48章

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but　fate　ordained　that　the　Lucullus　of　Blangy　felt　too　strongly　the

need　of　solitude；　in　which　to　wallow　at　his　ease　in　usury　and

sensuality；　to　live　anywhere　but　at　Blangy；　that　Madame　Soudry　had

sense　enough　to　see　that　she　could　reign　nowhere　else　except　at

Soulanges；　and　that　Ville…aux…Fayes　was　Gaubertin's　place　of　business。

Those　who　enjoy　studying　social　nature　will　admit　that　General

Montcornet　was　pursued　by　special　ill…luck　in　this　accidental

separation　of　his　dangerous　enemies；　who　thus　accomplished　the

evolutions　of　their　individual　power　and　vanity　at　such　distances　from

each　other　that　neither　star　interfered　with　the　orbit　of　the　other；

a　fact　which　doubled　and　trebled　their　powers　of　mischief。



Nevertheless；　though　all　these　worthy　bourgeois；　proud　of　their

accomplishments；　considered　their　society　as　far　superior　in

attractions　to　that　of　Ville…aux…Fayes；　and　repeated　with　comic

pomposity　the　local　dictum；　〃Soulanges　is　a　town　of　society　and　social

pleasures；〃　it　must　not　be　supposed　that　Ville…aux…Fayes　accepted　this

supremacy。　The　Gaubertin　salon　ridiculed　（〃in　petto〃）　the　salon

Soudry。　By　the　manner　in　which　Gaubertin　remarked；　〃We　are　a　financial

community；　engaged　in　actual　business；　we　have　the　folly　to　fatigue

ourselves　in　making　fortunes；〃　it　was　easy　to　perceive　a　latent

antagonism　between　the　earth　and　the　moon。　The　moon　believed　herself

useful　to　the　earth；　and　the　earth　governed　the　moon。　Earth　and　moon；

however；　lived　in　the　closest　intimacy。　At　the　carnival　the　leading

society　of　Soulanges　went　in　a　body　to　four　balls　given　by　Gaubertin；

Gendrin；　Leclercq；　and　Soudry；　junior。　Every　Sunday　the　latter；　his

wife；　Monsieur；　Madame；　and　Mademoiselle　Elise　Gaubertin　dined　with

the　Soudrys　at　Soulanges。　When　the　sub…prefect　was　invited；　and　when

the　postmaster　of　Conches　arrived　to　take　pot…luck；　Soulanges　enjoyed

the　sight　of　four　official　equipages　drawn　up　at　the　door　of　the

Soudry　mansion。







CHAPTER　II



THE　CONSPIRATORS　IN　THE　QUEEN'S　SALON



Reaching　Soulanges　about　half…past　five　o'clock；　Rigou　was　sure　of

finding　the　usual　party　assembled　at　the　Soudrys'。　There；　as

everywhere　else　in　town；　the　dinner…hour　was　three　o'clock；　according

to　the　custom　of　the　last　century。　From　five　to　nine　the　notables　of

Soulanges　met　in　Madame　Soudry's　salon　to　exchange　the　news；　make

their　political　speeches；　comment　upon　the　private　lives　of　every　one

in　the　valley；　and　talk　about　Les　Aigues；　which　latter　topic　kept　the

conversation　going　for　at　least　an　hour　every　day。　It　was　everybody's

business　to　learn　at　least　something　of　what　was　going　on；　and　also　to

pay　their　court　to　the　mistress　of　the　house。



After　this　preliminary　talk　they　played　at　boston；　the　only　game　the

queen　understood。　When　the　fat　old　Guerbet　had　mimicked　Madame　Isaure；

Gaubertin's　wife；　laughed　at　her　languishing　airs；　imitated　her　thin

voice；　her　pinched　mouth；　and　her　juvenile　ways；　when　the　Abbe　Taupin

had　related　one　of　the　tales　of　his　repertory；　when　Lupin　had　told　of

some　event　at　Ville…aux…Fayes；　and　Madame　Soudry　had　been　deluged　with

compliments　ad　nauseum；　the　company　would　say：　〃We　have　had　a　charming

game　of　boston。〃



Too　self…indulgent　to　be　at　the　trouble　of　driving　over　to　the

Soudrys'　merely　to　hear　the　vapid　talk　of　its　visitors　and　to　see　a

Parisian　monkey　in　the　guise　of　an　old　woman；　Rigou；　far　superior　in

intelligence　and　education　to　this　petty　society；　never　made　his

appearance　unless　business　brought　him　over　to　meet　the　notary。　He

excused　himself　from　visiting　on　the　ground　of　his　occupations；　his

habits；　and　his　health；　which　latter　did　not　allow　him；　he　said；　to

return　at　night　along　a　road　which　led　by　the　foggy　banks　of　the

Thune。



The　tall；　stiff　usurer　always　had　an　imposing　effect　upon　Madame

Soudry's　company；　who　instinctively　recognized　in　his　nature　the

cruelty　of　the　tiger　with　steel　claws；　the　craft　of　a　savage；　the

wisdom　of　one　born　in　a　cloister　and　ripened　by　the　sun　of　gold；a

man　to　whom　Gaubertin　had　never　yet　been　willing　to　fully　commit

himself。



The　moment　the　little　green　carriole　and　the　bay　horse　passed　the　Cafe

de　la　Paix；　Urbain；　Soudry's　man…servant；　who　was　seated　on　a　bench

under　the　dining…room　windows；　and　was　gossipping　with　the　tavern…

keeper；　shades　his　eyes　with　his　hand　to　see　who　was　coming。



〃It's　Pere　Rigou；〃　he　said。　〃I　must　go　round　and　open　the　door。　Take

his　horse；　Socquard。〃　And　Urbain；　a　former　trooper；　who　could　not　get

into　the　gendarmerie　and　had　therefore　taken　service　with　Soudry；　went

round　the　house　to　open　the　gates　of　the　courtyard。



Socquard；　a　famous　personage　throughout　the　valley；　was　treated；　as

you　see；　with　very　little　ceremony　by　the　valet。　But　so　it　is　with

many　illustrious　people　who　are　so　kind　as　to　walk　and　to　sneeze　and

to　sleep　and　to　eat　precisely　like　common　mortals。



Socquard；　born　a　Hercules；　could　carry　a　weight　of　eleven　hundred

pounds；　a　blow　of　his　fist　applied　on　a　man's　back　would　break　the

vertebral　column　in　two；　he　could　bend　an　iron　bar；　or　hold　back　a

carriage　drawn　by　one　horse。　A　Milo　of　Crotona　in　the　valley；　his　fame

had　spread　throughout　the　department；　where　all　sorts　of　foolish

stories　were　current　about　him；　as　about　all　celebrities。　It　was　told

how　he　had　once　carried　a　poor　woman　and　her　donkey　and　her　basket　on

his　back　to　market；　how　he　had　been　known　to　eat　a　whole　ox　and　drink

the　fourth　of　a　hogshead　of　wine　in　one　day；　etc。　Gentle　as　a

marriageable　girl；　Socquard；　who　was　a　stout；　short　man；　with　a　placid

face；　broad　shoulders；　and　a　deep　chest；　where　his　lungs　played　like

the　bellows　of　a　forge；　possessed　a　flute…like　voice；　the　limpid　tones

of　which　surprised　all　those　who　heard　them　for　the　first　time。



Like　Tonsard；　whose　renown　released　him　from　the　necessity　of　giving

proofs　of　his　ferocity；　in　fact；　like　all　other　men　who　are　backed　by

public　opinion　of　one　kind　or　another；　Socquard　never　displayed　his

extraordinary　muscular　force　unless　asked　to　do　so　by　friends。　He　now

took　the　horse　as　the　usurer　drew　up　at　the　steps　of　the　portico。



〃Are　you　all　well　at　home；　Monsieur　Rigou？〃　said　the　illustrious

innkeeper。



〃Pretty　well；　my　good　friend；〃　replied　Rigou。　〃Do　Plissoud　and

Bonnebault　and　Viollet　and　Amaury　still　continue　good　customers？〃



This　question；　uttered　in　a　tone　of　good…natured　interest；　was　by　no

means　one　of　those　empty　speeches　which　superiors　are　apt　to　bestow

upon　inferiors。　In　his　leisure　moments　Rigou　thought　over　the　smallest

details　of　〃the　affair；〃　and　Fourchon　had　already　warned　him　that

there　was　something　suspicious　in　the　intimacy　between　Plissoud；

Bonnebault；　and　the　brigadier；　Viollet。



Bonnebault；　in　payment　of　a　few　francs　lost　at　cards；　might　very

likely　tell　the　secrets　he　heard　at　Tonsard's　to　Viollet；　or　he　might

let　them　out　over　his　punch　without　realizing　the　importance　of　such

gossip。　But　as　the　information　of　the　old　otter　man　might　be

instigated　by　thirst；　Rigou　paid　no　attention　except　so　far　as　it

concerned　Plissoud；　whose　situation　was　likely　to　inspire　him　with　a

desire　to　counteract　the　coalition　against　Les　Aigues；　if　only　to　get

his　paws　greased　by　one　or　the　other　of　the　two　parties。



Plissoud　combined　with　his　duties　of　under…sheriff　other　occupations

which　were　poorly　remunerated；　that　of　agent　of　insurance　（a　new　form

of　enterprise　just　beginning　to　show　itself　in　France）；　agent；　also；

of　a　society　providing　against　the　chances　of　recruitment。　His

insufficient　pay　and　a　love　of　billiards　and　boiled　wine　made　his

future　doubtful。　Like　Fourchon；　he　cultivated　the　art　of　doing

nothing；　and　expected　his　fortune　through　some　lucky　but　problematic

chance。　He　hated　the　leading　society；　but　he　had　measured　its　power。

He　alone　knew　the　middle…class　coalition　organized　by　Gaubertin　to　its

depths；　and　he　continued　to　sneer　at　the　rich　men　of　Soulanges　and

Ville…aux…Fayes；　as　if　he　alone　represented　the　opposition。　Without

money　and　not　respected；　he　did　not　seem　a　person　to　be　feared

professionally；　and　so　Brunet；　glad　to　have　a　despised　competitor；

protected　him　and　helped　him　along；　to　prevent　him　selling　his

business　to　some　eager　young　man；　like　Bonnac　for　instance；　who　might

force　him；　Brunet；　to　divide　the　patronage　of　the　canton　between　them。



〃Thanks　to　those　fellows；　we　keep　the　ball　a…rolling；〃　said　Socquard。

〃But　folks　are　trying　to　imitate　my　boiled　wine。〃



〃Sue　them；〃　said　Rigou；　sententiously。



〃That　would　lead　too　far；〃　replied　the　innkeeper。



〃Do　your　clients　get　on　well　together？〃



〃Tolerably；　yes；　sometimes　they'll　have　a　row；　but　that's　only　natural

for　players。〃



All　heads　were　at　the　window　of　the　Soudry　salon　which　looked　to　the

square。　Recognizing　the　father　of　his　daughter…in…law；　Soudry　came　to

the　portico　to　receive　him。



〃Well；　comrade；〃　said　the　mayor　of　Soulanges；　〃is　Annette　ill；　that

you　give　us　your　company　of　an　evening？〃



Through　an　old　habit　acquired　in　the　gendarmerie　Soudry　always　went

direct　to　the　point。



〃No；　There's　trouble　brewing；〃　replied　Rigou；　touching　his　right

fore…finger　to　the　hand　which　Soudry　held　out　to　him。　〃I　came　to　talk

about　it；　for　it　concerns　our　children　in　a　way〃



Soudry；　a　handsome　man　dressed　in　blue；　as　though　he　were　still　a

gendarme；　with　a　black　collar；　and　spurs　at　his　heels；　took　Rigou　by

the　arm　and　led　him　up　to　his　imposing　better…half。　The　glass　door　to

the　terrace　was　open；　and　the　guests　were　walking　about　enjoying　the

summer　evening；　which　brought　out　the　full　beauty　of　the　glorious

landscape　which　we　have　already　described。



〃It　is　a　long　time　since　we　have　seen　you；　my　dear　Rigou；〃　said　Madame

Soudry；　taking　the　arm　of　the　ex…Benedictine　and　leading　him　out　upon

the　terrace。



〃My　digestion　is　so　troublesome！〃　he　replied；　〃see！　my　color　is　almost

as　high　as　yours。〃



Rigou's　appearance　on　the　terrace　was　the　sign　for　an　explosion　of

jovial　greetings　on　the　part　of　the　assembled　company。



〃And　how　may　the　lord　of　Blangy　be？〃　said　little　Sarcus；　justice　of

the　peace。



〃Lord！〃　replied　Rigou；　bitterly；　〃I　am　not　even　cock　of　my　own　village

now。〃



〃The　hens　don't　say　so；　scamp！〃　exclaimed　Madame　Soudry；　tapping　her

fan　on　his　arm。



〃All　well；　my　dear　master？〃　said　the　notary；　bowing　to　his　chief

client。



〃Pretty　well；〃　replied　Rigou；　again　putting　his　fore…finger　into　his

interlocutor's　hand。



This　gesture；　by　which　Rigou　kept　down　the　process　of　hand…shaking　to

the　coldest　and　stiffest　of　demonstrations　would　have　revealed　the

whole　man　to　any　observer　who　did　not　already　know　him。



〃Let　us　find　a　corner　where　we　can　talk　quietly；〃　said　the　ex…monk；

looking　at　Lupin　and　at　Madame　Soudry。



〃Let　us　return　to　the　salon；〃　replied　the　queen。



〃What　has　the　Shopman　done　now？〃　asked　Soudry；