sons of the soil-第57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！



the　base　of　certain　young　trees；　round　which　she　had　then　cut　off　a

ring　of　bark；　replacing　the　earth；　moss；　and　dead　leaves　just　as　they

were　before　she　touched　them。　It　was　impossible　that　any　one　could

discover　this　annular　incision；　made；　not　like　a　cut；　but　more　like

the　ripping　or　gnawing　of　animals　or　those　destructive　insects　called

in　different　regions　borers；　or　turks；　or　white　worms；　which　are　the

first　stage　of　cockchafers。　These　destructive　pests　are　fond　of　the

bark　of　trees；　they　get　between　the　bark　and　the　sap…wood　and　eat

their　way　round。　If　the　tree　is　large　enough　for　the　insect　to　pass

into　its　second　state　（of　larvae；　in　which　it　remains　dormant　until

its　second　metamorphose）　before　it　has　gone　round　the　trunk；　the　tree

lives；　because　so　long　as　even　a　small　bit　of　the　sap…wood　remains

covered　by　the　bark；　the　tree　will　still　grow　and　recover　itself。　To

realize　to　what　a　degree　entomology　affects　agriculture；　horticulture；

and　all　earth　products；　we　must　know　that　naturalists　like　Latreille；

the　Comte　Dejean；　Klugg　of　Berlin；　Gene　of　Turin；　etc。；　find　that　the

vast　majority　of　all　known　insects　live　at　the　sacrifice　of

vegetation；　that　the　coleoptera　（a　catalogue　of　which　has　lately　been

published　by　Monsieur　Dejean）　have　twenty…seven　thousand　species；　and

that；　in　spite　of　the　most　earnest　research　on　the　part　of

entomologists　of　all　countries；　there　is　an　enormous　number　of　species

of　whom　they　cannot　trace　the　triple　transformations　which　belong　to

all　insects；　that　there　is；　in　short；　not　only　a　special　insect　to

every　plant；　but　that　all　terrestrial　products；　however　much　they　may

be　manipulated　by　human　industry；　have　their　particular　parasite。　Thus

flax；　after　covering　the　human　body　and　hanging　the　human　being；　after

roaming　the　world　on　the　back　of　an　army；　becomes　writing…paper；　and

those　who　write　or　who　read　are　familiar　with　the　habits　and　morals　of

an　insect　called　the　〃paper…louse；〃　an　insect　of　really　marvellous

celerity　and　behavior；　it　undergoes　its　mysterious　transformations　in

a　ream　of　white　paper　which　you　have　carefully　put　away；　you　see　it

gliding　and　frisking　along　in　its　shining　robe；　that　looks　like

isinglass　or　mica；truly　a　little　fish　of　another　element。



The　borer　is　the　despair　of　the　land…owner；　he　works　underground；　no

Sicilian　vespers　for　him　until　he　becomes　a　cockchafer！　If　the

populations　only　realized　with　what　untold　disasters　they　are

threatened　in　case　they　let　the　cockchafers　and　the　caterpillars　get

the　upper　hand；　they　would　pay　more　attention　than　they　do　to

municipal　regulations。



Holland　came　near　perishing；　its　dikes　were　undermined　by　the　teredo；

and　science　is　unable　to　discover　the　insect　from　which　that　mollusk

derives；　just　as　science　still　remains　ignorant　of　the　metamorphoses

of　the　cochineal。　The　ergot；　or　spur；　of　rye　is　apparently　a

population　of　insects　where　the　genius　of　science　has　been　able；　so

far；　to　discover　only　one　slight　movement。　Thus；　while　awaiting　the

harvest　and　gleaning；　fifty　old　women　imitated　the　borer　at　the　feet

of　five　or　six　hundred　trees　which　were　fated　to　become　skeletons　and

to　put　forth　no　more　leaves　in　the　spring。　They　were　carefully　chosen

in　the　least　accessible　places；　so　that　the　surrounding　branches

concealed　them。



Who　conveyed　the　secret　information　by　which　this　was　done？　No　one。

Courtecuisse　happened　to　complain　in　Tonsard's　tavern　of　having　found

a　tree　wilting　in　his　garden；　it　seemed　he　said；　to　have　a　disease；

and　he　suspected　a　borer；　for　he；　Courtecuisse；　knew　what　borers　were；

and　if　they　once　circled　a　tree　just　below　the　ground；　the　tree　died。

Thereupon　he　explained　the　process。　The　old　women　at　once　set　to　work

at　the　same　destruction；　with　the　mystery　and　cleverness　of　gnomes；

and　their　efforts　were　doubled　by　the　rules　now　enforced　by　the　mayor

of　Blangy　and　necessarily　followed　by　the　mayors　of　the　adjoining

districts。



The　great　land…owners　of　the　department　applauded　General　de

Montcornet's　course；　and　the　prefect　in　his　private　drawing…room

declared　that　if；　instead　of　living　in　Paris；　other　land…owners　would

come　and　live　on　their　estates　and　follow　such　a　course　together；　a

solution　of　the　difficulty　could　be　obtained；　for　certain　measures；

added　the　prefect；　ought　to　be　taken；　and　taken　in　concert；　modified

by　benefactions　and　by　an　enlightened　philanthropy；　such　as　every　one

could　see　actuated　in　General　Montcornet。



The　general　and　his　wife；　assisted　by　the　abbe；　tried　the　effects　of

such　benevolence。　They　studied　the　subject；　and　endeavored　to　show　by

incontestable　results　to　those　who　pillaged　them　that　more　money　could

be　made　by　legitimate　toil。　They　supplied　flax　and　paid　for　the

spinning；　the　countess　had　the　thread　woven　into　linen　suitable　for

towels；　aprons；　and　coarse　napkins　for　kitchen　use；　and　for

underclothing　for　the　very　poor。　The　general　began　improvements　which

needed　many　laborers；　and　he　employed　none　but　those　in　the　adjoining

districts。　Sibilet　was　in　charge　of　the　works　and　the　Abbe　Brossette

gave　the　countess　lists　of　the　most　needy；　and　often　brought　them　to

her　himself。　Madame　de　Montcornet　attended　to　these　matters　personally

in　the　great　antechamber　which　opened　upon　the　portico。　It　was　a

beautiful　waiting…room；　floored　with　squares　of　white　and　red　marble；

warmed　by　a　porcelain　stove；　and　furnished　with　benches　covered　with

red　plush。



It　was　there　that　one　morning；　just　before　harvest；　old　Mother　Tonsard

brought　her　granddaughter　Catherine；　who　had　to　make；　she　said；　a

dreadful　confession；dreadful　for　the　honor　of　a　poor　but　honest

family。　While　the　old　woman　addressed　the　countess　Catherine　stood　in

an　attitude　of　conscious　guilt。　Then　she　related　on　her　own　account

the　unfortunate　〃situation〃　in　which　she　was　placed；　which　she　had

confided　to　none　but　her　grandmother；　for　her　mother；　she　knew；　would

turn　her　out；　and　her　father；　an　honorable　man；　might　kill　her。　If　she

only　had　a　thousand　francs　she　could　be　married　to　a　poor　laborer

named　Godain；　who　KNEW　ALL；　and　who　loved　her　like　a　brother；　he　could

buy　a　poor　bit　of　ground　and　build　a　cottage　if　she　had　that　sum。　It

was　very　touching。　The　countess　promised　the　money；　resolving　to

devote　the　price　of　some　fancy　to　this　marriage。　The　happy　marriages

of　Michaud　and　Groison　encouraged　her。　Besides；　such　a　wedding　would

be　a　good　example　to　the　people　of　the　neighborhood　and　stimulate　to

virtuous　conduct。　The　marriage　of　Catherine　Tonsard　and　Godain　was

accordingly　arranged　by　means　of　the　countess's　thousand　francs。



Another　time　a　horrible　old　woman；　Mother　Bonnebault；　who　lived　in　a

hut　between　the　gate　of　Conches　and　the　village；　brought　back　a　great

bundle　of　skeins　of　linen　thread。



〃Madame　la　comtesse　has　done　wonders；〃　said　the　abbe；　full　of　hope　as

to　the　moral　progress　of　his　savages。　〃That　old　woman　did　immense

damage　to　your　woods；　but　now　she　has　no　time　for　it；　she　stays　at

home　and　spins　from　morning　till　night；　her　time　is　all　taken　up　and

well　paid　for。〃



Peace　reigned　everywhere。　Groison　made　very　satisfactory　reports；

depredations　seemed　to　have　ceased；　and　it　is　even　possible　that　the

state　of　the　neighborhood　and　the　feeling　of　the　inhabitants　might

really　have　changed　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　revengeful　eagerness　of

Gaubertin；　the　cabals　of　the　leading　society　of　Soulanges；　and　the

intrigues　of　Rigou；　who　one　and　all；　with　〃the　affair〃　in　view；　blew

the　embers　of　hatred　and　crime　in　the　hearts　of　the　peasantry　of　the

valley　des　Aigues。



The　keepers　still　complained　of　finding　a　great　many　branches　cut　with

shears　in　the　deeper　parts　of　the　wood　and　left　to　dry；　evidently　as　a

provision　for　winter。　They　watched　for　the　delinquents　without　ever

being　able　to　catch　them。　The　count；　assisted　by　Groison；　had　given

certificates　of　pauperism　to　only　thirty　or　forty　of　the　real　poor　of

the　district；　but　the　other　two　mayors　had　been　less　strict。　The　more

clement　the　count　showed　himself　in　the　affair　at　Conches　the　more

determined　he　was　to　enforce　the　laws　about　gleaning；　which　had　now

degenerated　into　theft。　He　did　not　interfere　with　the　management　of

three　of　his　farms　which　were　leased　to　tenants；　nor　with　those　whose

tenants　worked　for　his　profit；　of　which　he　had　a　number；　but　he

managed　six　farms　himself；　each　of　about　two　hundred　acres；　and　he　now

published　a　notice　that　it　was　forbidden；　under　pain　of　being　arrested

and　made　to　pay　the　fine　imposed　by　the　courts；　to　enter　those　fields

before　the　crop　was　carried　away。　The　order　concerned　only　his　own

immediate　property。　Rigou；　who　knew　the　country　well；　had　let　his

farm…lands　in　portions　and　on　short　leases　to　men　who　knew　how　to　get

in　their　own　crops；　and　who　paid　him　in　grain；　therefore　gleaning　did

not　affect　him。　The　other　proprietors　were　peasants；　and　no　nefarious

gleaning　was　attempted　on　their　land。



When　the　harvest　began　the　count　went　himself　to　Michaud　to　see　how

things　were　going　on。　Groison；　who　advised　him　to　do　this；　was　to　be

present　himself　at　the　gleaning　of　each　particular　field。　The

inhabitants　of　cities　can　have　no　idea　what　gleaning　is　to　the

inhabitants　of　the　country；　the　passion　of　these　sons　of　the　soil　for

it　seems　inexplicable；　there　are　women　who　will　give　up　well…paid

employments　to　glean。　The　wheat　they　pick　up　seems　to　them　sweeter

than　any　other；　and　the　provision　they　thus　make　for　their　chief　and

most　substantial　food　has　to　them　an　extraordinary　attraction。　Mothers

take　their　babes　and　their　little　girls　and　boys；　the　feeblest　old　men

drag　themselves　into　the　wheat…fields；　and　even　those　who　own　property

are　paupers　for　the　nonce。　All　gleaners　appear　in　rags。



The　count　and　Michaud　were　present　on　horseback　when　the　first

tattered　batch　entered　the　first　fields　from　which　the　wheat　had　been

carried。　It　was　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning。　August　had　been　a　hot

month；　the　sky　was　cloudless；　blue　as　a　periwinkle；　the　earth　was

baked；　the　wheat　flamed；　the　harvestmen　worked　with　their　faces

scorched　by　the　reflection　of　the　sun…rays　on　the　hard　and　arid　earth。

All　were　silent；　their　shirts　wet　with　perspiration；　while　from　time

to　time；　they　slaked　their　thirst　with　water　from　round；　earthenware

jugs；　furnished　with　two　handles　and　a　mouth…piece　stoppered　with　a

willow　stick。



At　the　father　end　of　the　stubble…field　stood　the　carts　which　contained

the　sheaves；　and　near　them　a　group　of　at　least　a　hundred　beings　who

far　exceeded　the　hideous　conceptions　of　Murillo　and　Teniers；　the

boldest　painters　of　such　scenes；　or　of　Callot；　that　poet　of　the

fantastic　in　poverty。　The　pictured　bronze　legs；　the　bare　heads；　the

ragged　garments　so　curiously　faded；　so　damp　with　grease；　so　darned　and

spotted　and　discolored；　in　short；　the　painters'　ideal　of　the　material

of　abject　poverty　was　far　surpassed　by　this　scene；　whi