sons of the soil-第52章

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Pechina；〃　cried　an　angry　voice；　〃and　that　he　waylays　her；　he'd　rip　the

entrails　out　of　every　one　of　you；pack　of　scoundrels　that　you　are　at

the　Grand…I…Vert！〃



〃If　you　play　me　such　a　trick　as　that；　Aglae；〃　said　the　shrill　voice　of

Marie　Tonsard；　〃you　sha'n't　tell　anything　more　except　to　the　worms　in

your　coffin。　Don't　meddle　with　my　brother's　business　or　with　mine　and

Bonnebault's　either。〃



Marie；　instigated　by　her　grandmother；　had；　as　we　see；　followed

Bonnebault；　she　had　watched　him　through　the　very　window　where　Rigou

was　now　standing；　and　had　seen　him　displaying　his　graces　and　paying

compliments　so　agreeable　to　Mademoiselle　Socquard　that　she　was　forced

to　smile　upon　him。　That　smile　had　brought　about　the　scene　in　the　midst

of　which　the　revelation　that　interested　Rigou　came　out。



〃Well；　well；　Pere　Rigou；　what　are　you　doing　here？〃　said　Socquard；

slapping　the　usurer　on　the　shoulder；　he　was　coming　from　a　barn　at　the

end　of　the　garden；　where　he　kept　various　contrivances　for　the　public

games；　such　as　weighing…machines；　merry…go…rounds；　see…saws；　all　in

readiness　for　the　Tivoli　when　opened。　Socquard　stepped　noiselessly；

for　he　was　wearing　a　pair　of　those　yellow　leather…slippers　which　cost

so　little　by　the　gross　that　they　have　an　enormous　sale　in　the

provinces。



〃If　you　have　any　fresh　lemons；　I'd　like　a　glass　of　lemonade；〃　said

Rigou；　〃it　is　a　warm　evening。〃



〃Who　is　making　that　racket？〃　said　Socquard；　looking　through　the　window

and　seeing　his　daughter　and　Marie　Tonsard。



〃They　are　quarrelling　for　Bonnebault；〃　said　Rigou；　sardonically。



The　anger　of　the　father　was　at　once　controlled　by　the　interest　of　the

tavern…keeper。　The　tavern…keeper　judged　it　prudent　to　listen　outside；

as　Rigou　was　doing；　the　father　was　inclined　to　enter　and　declare　that

Bonnebault；　possessed　of　admirable　qualities　in　the　eyes　of　a　tavern…

keeper；　had　none　at　all　as　son…in…law　to　one　of　the　notables　of

Soulanges。　And　yet　Pere　Socquard　had　received　but　few　offers　for　his

daughter。　At　twenty…two　Aglae　already　rivalled　in　size　and　weight

Madame　Vermichel；　whose　agility　seemed　phenomenal。　Sitting　behind　a

counter　increased　the　adipose　tendency　which　she　derived　from　her

father。



〃What　devil　is　it　that　gets　into　girls？〃　said　Socquard　to　Rigou。



〃Ha！〃　replied　the　ex…Benedictine；　〃of　all　the　devils；　that's　the　one

the　Church　has　most　to　do　with。〃



Just　then　Bonnebault　came　out　of　the　billiard…room　with　a　cue　in　his

hand；　and　struck　Marie　sharply；　saying：



〃You've　made　me　miss　my　stroke；　but　I'll　not　miss　you；　and　I'll　give

it　to　you　till　you　muffle　that　clapper　of　yours。〃



Socquard　and　Rigou；　who　now　thought　it　wise　to　interfere；　entered　the

cafe　by　the　front　door；　raising　such　a　crowd　of　flies　that　the　light

from　the　windows　was　obscured；　the　sound　was　like　that　of　the　distant

practising　of　a　drum…corps。　After　their　first　excitement　was　over；　the

big　flies　with　the　bluish　bellies；　accompanied　by　the　stinging　little

ones；　returned　to　their　quarters　in　the　windows；　where　on　three　tiers

of　planks；　the　paint　of　which　was　indistinguishable　under　the　fly…

specks；　were　rows　of　viscous　bottles　ranged　like　soldiers。



Marie　was　crying。　To　be　struck　before　a　rival　by　the　man　she　loves　is

one　of　those　humiliations　that　no　woman　can　endure；　no　matter　what　her

place　on　the　social　ladder　may　be；　and　the　lower　that　place　is；　the

more　violent　is　the　expression　of　her　wrath。　The　Tonsard　girl　took　no

notice　of　Rigou　or　of　Socquard；　she　flung　herself　on　a　bench；　in

gloomy　and　sullen　silence；　which　the　ex…monk　carefully　watched。



〃Get　a　fresh　lemon；　Aglae；〃　said　Pere　Socquard；　〃and　go　and　rinse　that

glass　yourself。〃



〃You　did　right　to　send　her　away；〃　whispered　Rigou；　〃or　she　might　have

been　hurt〃；　and　he　glanced　significantly　at　the　hand　with　which　Marie

grasped　a　stool　she　had　caught　up　to　throw　at　Aglae's　head。



〃Now；　Marie；〃　said　Socquard；　standing　before　her；　〃people　don't　come

here　to　fling　stools；　if　you　were　to　break　one　of　my　mirrors；　the　milk

of　your　cows　wouldn't　pay　for　the　damage。〃



〃Pere　Socquard；　your　daughter　is　a　reptile；　I'm　worth　a　dozen　of　her；

I'd　have　you　know。　If　you　don't　want　Bonnebault　for　a　son…in…law；　it

is　high　time　for　you　to　tell　him　to　go　and　play　billiards　somewhere

else；　he's　losing　a　hundred　sous　every　minute。〃



In　the　middle　of　this　flux　of　words；　screamed　rather　than　said；

Socquard　took　Marie　round　the　waist　and　flung　her　out　of　the　door；　in

spite　of　her　cries　and　resistance。　It　was　none　too　soon；　for

Bonnebault　rushed　out　of　the　billiard…room；　his　eyes　blazing。



〃It　sha'n't　end　so！〃　cried　Marie　Tonsard。



〃Begone！〃　shouted　Bonnebault；　whom　Viollet　held　back　round　the　body

lest　he　should　do　the　girl　some　hurt。　〃Go　to　the　devil；　or　I　will

never　speak　to　you　or　look　at　you　again！〃



〃You！〃　said　Marie；　flinging　him　a　furious　glance。　〃Give　me　back　my

money；　and　I'll　leave　you　to　Mademoiselle　Socquard　if　she　is　rich

enough　to　keep　you。〃



Thereupon　Marie；　frightened　when　she　saw　that　even　Socquard…Alcides

could　scarcely　hold　Bonnebault；　who　sprang　after　her　like　a　tiger；

took　to　flight　along　the　road。



Rigou　followed；　and　told　her　to　get　into　his　carriole　to　escape

Bonnebault；　whose　shouts　reached　the　hotel　Soudry；　then；　after　hiding

Marie　under　the　leather　curtains；　he　came　back　to　the　cafe　to　drink

his　lemonade　and　examine　the　group　it　now　contained；　composed　of

Plissoud；　Amaury；　Viollet；　and　the　waiter；　who　were　all　trying　to

pacify　Bonnebault。



〃Come；　hussar；　it's　your　turn　to　play；〃　said　Amaury；　a　small；　fair

young　man；　with　a　dull　eye。



〃Besides；　she's　taken　herself　off；〃　said　Viollet。



If　any　one　ever　betrayed　astonishment　it　was　Plissoud　when　he　beheld

the　usurer　of　Blangy　sitting　at　one　of　the　tables；　and　more　occupied

in　watching　him；　Plissoud；　than　in　noticing　the　quarrel　that　was　going

on。　In　spite　of　himself；　the　sheriff　allowed　his　face　to　show　the

species　of　bewilderment　which　a　man　feels　at　an　unexpected　meeting

with　a　person　whom　he　hates　and　is　plotting　against；　and　he　speedily

withdrew　into　the　billiard…room。



〃Adieu；　Pere　Socquard；〃　said　Rigou。



〃I'll　get　your　carriage；〃　said　the　innkeeper；　〃take　your　time。〃



〃How　shall　I　find　out　what　those　fellows　have　been　saying　over　their

pool？〃　Rigou　was　asking　himself；　when　he　happened　to　see　the　waiter's

face　in　the　mirror　beside　him。



The　waiter　was　a　jack　at　all　trades；　he　cultivated　Socquard's　vines；

swept　out　the　cafe　and　the　billiard…room；　kept　the　garden　in　order；

and　watered　the　Tivoli；　all　for　fifty　francs　a　year。　He　was　always

without　a　jacket；　except　on　grand　occasions；　usually　his　sole　garments

were　a　pair　of　blue　linen　trousers；　heavy　shoes；　and　a　striped　velvet

waistcoat；　over　which　he　wore　an　apron　of　homespun　linen　when　at　work

in　the　cafe　or　billiard…room。　This　apron；　with　strings；　was　the　badge

of　his　functions。　The　fellow　had　been　hired　by　Socquard　at　the　last

annual　fair；　for　in　this　valley；　as　throughout　Burgundy；　servants　are

hired　in　the　market…place　by　the　year；　exactly　as　one　buys　horses。



〃What's　your　name？〃　said　Rigou。



〃Michel；　at　your　service；〃　replied　the　waiter。



〃Doesn't　old　Fourchon　come　here　sometimes？〃



〃Two　or　three　times　a　week；　with　Monsieur　Vermichel；　who　gives　me　a

couple　of　sous　to　warn　him　if　his　wife's　after　them。〃



〃He's　a　fine　old　fellow；　Pere　Fourchon；　knows　a　great　deal　and　is　full

of　good　sense；〃　said　Rigou；　paying　for　his　lemonade　and　leaving　the

evil…smelling　place　when　he　saw　Pere　Socquard　leading　his　horse　round。



Just　as　he　was　about　to　get　into　the　carriage；　Rigou　noticed　the

chemist　crossing　the　square　and　hailed　him　with　a　〃Ho；　there；　Monsieur

Vermut！〃　Recognizing　the　rich　man；　Vermut　hurried　up。　Rigou　joined

him；　and　said　in　a　low　voice：



〃Are　there　any　drugs　that　can　eat　into　the　tissue　of　the　skin　so　as　to

produce　a　real　disease；　like　a　whitlow　on　the　finger；　for　instance？〃



〃If　Monsieur　Gourdon　would　help；　yes；〃　answered　the　little　chemist。



〃Vermut；　not　a　word　of　all　this；　or　you　and　I　will　quarrel；　but　speak

of　the　matter　to　Monsieur　Gourdon；　and　tell　him　to　come　and　see　me　the

day　after　to…morrow。　I　may　be　able　to　procure　him　the　delicate

operation　of　cutting　off　a　forefinger。〃



Then；　leaving　the　little　man　thoroughly　bewildered；　Rigou　got　into　the

carriole　beside　Marie　Tonsard。



〃Well；　you　little　viper；〃　he　said；　taking　her　by　the　arm　when　he　had

fastened　the　reins　to　a　hook　in　front　of　the　leathern　apron　which

closed　the　carriole　and　the　horse　had　started　on　a　trot；　〃do　you　think

you　can　keep　Bonnebault　by　giving　way　to　such　violence？　If　you　were　a

wise　girl　you　would　promote　his　marriage　with　that　hogshead　of

stupidity　and　take　your　revenge　afterwards。〃



Marie　could　not　help　smiling　as　she　answered：



〃Ah；　how　bad　you　are！　you　are　the　master　of　us　all　in　wickedness。〃



〃Listen　to　me；　Marie；　I　like　the　peasants；　but　it　won't　do　for　any　one

of　you　to　come　between　my　teeth　and　a　mouthful　of　game。　Your　brother

Nicolas；　as　Aglae　said；　is　after　La　Pechina。　That　must　not　be；　I

protect　her；　that　girl。　She　is　to　be　my　heiress　for　thirty　thousand

francs；　and　I　intend　to　marry　her　well。　I　know　that　Nicolas；　helped　by

your　sister　Catherine；　came　near　killing　the　little　thing　this

morning。　You　are　to　see　your　brother　and　sister　at　once；　and　say　to

them：　'If　you　let　La　Pechina　alone；　Pere　Rigou　will　save　Nicolas　from

the　conscription。'〃



〃You　are　the　devil　incarnate！〃　cried　Marie。　〃They　do　say　you've　signed

a　compact　with　him。　Is　that　true？〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Rigou；　gravely。



〃I　heard　it；　but　I　didn't　believe　it。〃



〃He　has　guaranteed　that　no　attacks　aimed　at　me　shall　hurt　me；　that　I

shall　never　be　robbed；　that　I　shall　live　a　hundred　years　and　succeed

in　everything　I　undertake；　and　be　as　young　to　the　day　of　my　death　as　a

two…year　old　cockerel〃



〃Well；　if　that's　so；〃　said　Marie；　〃it　must　be　DEVILISHLY　easy　for　you

to　save　my　brother　from　the　conscription〃



〃If　he　chooses；　that's　to　say。　He'll　have　to　lose　a　finger；〃　returned

Rigou。　〃I'll　tell　him　how。〃



〃Look　out；　you　are　taking　the　upper　road！〃　exclaimed　Marie。



〃I　never　go　by　the　lower　at　night；〃　said　the　ex…monk。



〃On　account　of　the　cross？〃　said　Marie；　naively。



〃That's　it；　sly…boots；〃　replied　her　diabolical　companion。



They　had　reached　a　spot　where　the　high…road　cuts　through　a　slight

elevation　of　ground；　making　on　each　side　of　it　a　rather　steep　slope；

such　as　we　often　see　on　the　mail…roads　of　France。　At　the　end　of　this

little　gorge；　which　is　about　a　hundred　feet　long；　the　roads　to

Ronquerolles　and　to　Cerneux　meet　and　form　an　open　space；　in　the　centre

of　which　stands　a　cross。　From　either　slope　a　man　could　aim　at　a　victim

and　kill　him　at　close　quarters；　with　all　the　more　ease　because　the

little　hill　is　covered　with　vines；　and　the　evil…doer　could