sons of the soil-第58章

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

of　abject　poverty　was　far　surpassed　by　this　scene；　while　the

expression　on　those　faces；　greedy；　anxious；　doltish；　idiotic；　savage；

showed　the　everlasting　advantage　which　nature　possesses　over　art　by

its　comparison　with　the　immortal　compositions　of　those　princes　of

color。　There　were　old　women　with　necks　like　turkeys；　and　hairless；

scarlet　eyelids；　who　stretched　their　heads　forward　like　setters　before

a　partridge；　there　were　children；　silent　as　soldiers　under　arms；

little　girls　who　stamped　like　animals　waiting　for　their　food；　the

natures　of　childhood　and　old　age　were　crushed　beneath　the　fierceness

of　a　savage　greed；greed　for　the　property　of　others　now　their　own　by

long　abuse。　All　eyes　were　savage；　all　gestures　menacing；　but　every　one

kept　silence　in　presence　of　the　count；　the　field…keeper；　and　the

bailiff。　At　this　moment　all　classes　were　represented；the　great　land…

owners；　the　farmers；　the　working　men；　the　paupers；　the　social　question

was　defined　to　the　eye；　hunger　had　convoked　the　actors　in　the　scene。

The　sun　threw　into　relief　the　hard　and　hollow　features　of　those　faces；

it　burned　the　bare　feet　dusty　with　the　soil；　children　were　present

with　no　clothing　but　a　torn　blouse；　their　blond　hair　tangled　with

straw　and　chips；　some　women　brought　their　babes　just　able　to　walk；　and

left　them　rolling　in　the　furrows。



The　gloomy　scene　was　harrowing　to　the　old　soldier；　whose　heart　was

kind；　and　he　said　to　Michaud：　〃It　pains　me　to　see　it。　One　must　know

the　importance　of　these　measures　to　be　able　to　insist　upon　them。〃



〃If　every　land…owner　followed　your　example；　lived　on　his　property；　and

did　the　good　that　you　and　yours　are　doing；　general；　there　would　be；　I

won't　say　no　poor；　for　they　are　always　with　us；　but　no　poor　man　who

could　not　live　by　his　labor。〃



〃The　mayors　of　Conches；　Cerneux；　and　Soulanges　have　sent　us　all　their

paupers；〃　said　Groison；　who　had　now　looked　at　the　certificates；　〃they

had　no　right　to　do　so。〃



〃No；　but　our　people　will　go　to　their　districts；〃　said　the　general。

〃For　the　time　being　we　have　done　enough　by　preventing　the　gleaning

before　the　sheaves　were　taken　away；　we　had　better　go　step　by　step；〃　he

added；　turning　to　leave　the　field。



〃Did　you　hear　him？〃　said　Mother　Tonsard　to　the　old　Bonnebault　woman；

for　the　general's　last　words　were　said　in　a　rather　louder　tone　than

the　rest；　and　reached　the　ears　of　the　two　old　women　who　were　posted　in

the　road　which　led　beside　the　field。



〃Yes；　yes！　we　haven't　got　to　the　end　yet；a　tooth　to…day　and　to…

morrow　an　ear；　if　they　could　find　a　sauce　for　our　livers　they'd　eat

'em　as　they　do　a　calf's！〃　said　old　Bonnebault；　whose　threatening　face

was　turned　in　profile　to　the　general　as　he　passed　her；　though　in　the

twinkling　of　an　eye　she　changed　its　expression　to　one　of　hypocritical

softness　and　submission　as　she　hastened　to　make　him　a　profound

curtsey。



〃So　you　are　gleaning；　are　you；　though　my　wife　helps　you　to　earn　so

much　money？〃



〃Hey！　my　dear　gentleman；　may　God　preserve　you　in　good　health！　but；

don't　you　see；　my　grandson　squanders　all　I　earn；　and　I'm　forced　to

scratch　up　a　little　wheat　to　get　bread　in　the　winter；yes；　yes；　I

glean　just　a　bit；　it　all　helps。〃



The　gleaning　proved　of　little　profit　to　the　gleaners。　The　farmers　and

tenant…farmers；　finding　themselves　backed　up；　took　care　that　their

wheat　was　well　reaped；　and　superintended　the　making　of　the　sheaves　and

their　safe　removal；　so　that　little　or　none　of　the　pillage　of　former

years　could　take　place。



Accustomed　to　get　a　good　proportion　of　wheat　in　their　gleaning；　the

false　as　well　as　the　true　poor；　forgetting　the　count's　pardon　at

Conches；　now　felt　a　deep　but　silent　anger　against　him；　which　was

aggravated　by　the　Tonsards；　Courtecuisse；　Bonnebault；　Laroche；

Vaudoyer；　Godain；　and　their　adherents。　Matters　went　worse　still　after

the　vintage；　for　the　gathering　of　the　refuse　grape　was　not　allowed

until　Sibilet　had　examined　the　vines　with　extreme　care。　This　last

restriction　exasperated　these　sons　of　the　soil　to　the　highest　pitch；

but　when　so　great　a　social　distance　separates　the　angered　class　from

the　threatened　class；　words　and　threats　are　lost；　nothing　comes　to　the

surface　or　is　perceived　but　facts；　meantime　the　malcontents　work

underground　like　moles。



The　fair　of　Soulanges　took　place　as　usual　quite　peacefully；　except　for

certain　jarrings　between　the　leading　society　and　the　second…class

society　of　Soulanges；　brought　about　by　the　despotism　of　the　queen；　who

could　not　tolerate　the　empire　founded　and　established　over　the　heart

of　the　brilliant　Lupin　by　the　beautiful　Euphemie　Plissoud；　for　she

herself　laid　permanent　claim　to　his　fickle　fervors。



The　count　and　countess　did　not　appear　at　the　fair　nor　at　the　Tivoli

fete；　and　that；　again；　was　counted　a　wrong　by　the　Soudrys；　the

Gaubertins；　and　their　adherents；　it　was　pride；　it　was　disdain；　said

the　Soudry　salon。　During　this　time　the　countess　was　filling　the　void

caused　by　Emile's　return　to　Paris　with　the　immense　interest　and

pleasure　all　fine　souls　take　in　the　good　they　are　doing；　or　think　they

do；　and　the　count；　for　his　part；　applied　himself　no　less　zealously　to

changes　and　ameliorations　in　the　management　of　his　estate；　which　he

expected　and　believed　would　modify　and　benefit　the　condition　of　the

people　and　hence　their　characters。　Madame　de　Montcornet；　assisted　by

the　advice　and　experience　of　the　Abbe　Brossette；　came；　little　by

little；　to　have　a　thorough　and　statistical　knowledge　of　all　the　poor

families　of　the　district；　their　respective　condition；　their　wants；

their　means　of　subsistence；　and　the　sort　of　help　she　must　give　to　each

to　obtain　work　so　as　not　to　make　them　lazy　or　idle。



The　countess　had　placed　Genevieve　Niseron；　La　Pechina；　in　a　convent　at

Auxerre；　under　pretext　of　having　her　taught　to　sew　that　she　might

employ　her　in　her　own　house；　but　really　to　save　her　from　the　shameful

attempts　of　Nicolas　Tonsard；　whom　Rigou　had　managed　to　save　from　the

conscription。　The　countess　also　believed　that　a　religious　education；

the　cloister；　and　monastic　supervision；　would　subdue　the　ardent

passions　of　the　precocious　little　girl；　whose　Montenegrin　blood　seemed

to　her　like　a　threatening　flame　which　might　one　day　set　fire　to　the

domestic　happiness　of　her　faithful　Olympe。



So　all　was　at　peace　at　the　chateau　des　Aigues。　The　count；　misled　by

Sibilet；　reassured　by　Michaud；　congratulated　himself　on　his　firmness；

and　thanked　his　wife　for　having　contributed　by　her　benevolence　to　the

immense　comfort　of　their　tranquillity。　The　question　of　the　sale　of　his

timber　was　laid　aside　till　he　should　go　to　Paris　and　arrange　with　the

dealers。　He　had　not　the　slightest　notion　of　how　to　do　business；　and　he

was　in　total　ignorance　of　the　power　wielded　by　Gaubertin　over　the

current　of　the　Yonne；the　main　line　of　conveyance　which　supplied　the

timber　of　the　Paris　market。







CHAPTER　VII



THE　GREYHOUND



Towards　the　middle　of　September　Emile　Blondet；　who　had　gone　to　Paris

to　publish　a　book；　returned　to　refresh　himself　at　Les　Aigues　and　to

think　over　the　work　he　was　planning　for　the　winter。　At　Les　Aigues；　the

loving　and　sincere　qualities　which　succeed　adolescence　in　a　young

man's　soul　reappeared　in　the　used…up　journalist。



〃What　a　fine　soul！〃　was　the　comment　of　the　count　and　the　countess　when

they　spoke　of　him。



Men　who　are　accustomed　to　move　among　the　abysses　of　social　nature；　to

understand　all　and　to　repress　nothing；　make　themselves　an　oasis　in　the

heart；　where　they　forget　their　perversities　and　those　of　others；　they

become　within　that　narrow　and　sacred　circle；saints；　there；　they

possess　the　delicacy　of　women；　they　give　themselves　up　to　a　momentary

realization　of　their　ideal；　they　become　angelic　for　some　one　being　who

adores　them；　and　they　are　not　playing　comedy；　they　join　their　soul　to

innocence；　so　to　speak；　they　feel　the　need　to　brush　off　the　mud；　to

heal　their　sores；　to　bathe　their　wounds。　At　Les　Aigues　Emile　Blondet

was　without　bitterness；　without　sarcasm；　almost　without　wit；　he　made

no　epigrams；　he　was　gentle　as　a　lamb；　and　platonically　tender。



〃He　is　such　a　good　young　fellow　that　I　miss　him　terribly　when　he　is

not　here；〃　said　the　general。　〃I　do　wish　he　could　make　a　fortune　and

not　lead　that　Paris　life　of　his。〃



Never　did　the　glorious　landscape　and　park　of　Les　Aigues　seem　as

luxuriantly　beautiful　as　it　did　just　then。　The　first　autumn　days　were

beginning；　when　the　earth；　languid　from　her　procreations　and　delivered

of　her　products；　exhales　the　delightful　odors　of　vegetation。　At　this

time　the　woods；　especially；　are　delicious；　they　begin　to　take　the

russet　warmth　of　Sienna　earth；　and　the　green…bronze　tones　which　form

the　lovely　tapestry　beneath　which　they　hide　from　the　cold　of　winter。



Nature；　having　shown　herself　in　springtime　jaunty　and　joyous　as　a

brunette　glowing　with　hope；　becomes　in　autumn　sad　and　gentle　as　a

blonde　full　of　pensive　memories；　the　turf　yellows；　the　last　flowers

unfold　their　pale　corollas；　the　white…eyed　daisies　are　fewer　in　the

grass；　only　their　crimson　calices　are　seen。　Yellows　abound；　the　shady

places　are　lighter　for　lack　of　leafage；　but　darker　in　tone；　the　sun；

already　oblique；　slides　its　furtive　orange　rays　athwart　them；　leaving

long　luminous　traces　which　rapidly　disappear；　like　the　train　of　a

woman's　gown　as　she　bids　adieu。



On　the　morning　of　the　second　day　after　his　arrival；　Emile　was　at　a

window　of　his　bedroom；　which　opened　upon　a　terrace　with　a　balustrade

from　which　a　noble　view　could　be　seen。　This　balcony　ran　the　whole

length　of　the　apartments　of　the　countess；　on　the　side　of　the　chateau

towards　the　forests　and　the　Blangy　landscape。　The　pond；　which　would

have　been　called　a　lake　were　Les　Aigues　nearer　Paris；　was　partly　in

view；　so　was　the　long　canal；　the　Silver…spring；　coming　from　across　the

pavilion　of　the　Rendezvous；　crossed　the　lawn　with　its　sheeny　ribbon；

reflecting　the　yellow　sand。



Beyond　the　park；　between　the　village　and　the　walls；　lay　the　cultivated

parts　of　Blangy；meadows　where　the　cows　were　grazing；　small

properties　surrounded　by　hedges；　filled　with　fruit　of　all　kinds；　nut

and　apple　trees。　By　way　of　frame；　the　heights　on　which　the　noble

forest…trees　were　ranged；　tier　above　tier；　closed　in　the　scene。　The

countess　had　come　out　in　her　slippers　to　look　at　the　flowers　in　her

balcony；　which　were　sending　up　their　morning　fragrance；　she　wore　a

cambric　dressing…gown；　beneath　which　the　rosy　tints　of　her　white

shoulders　could　be　seen；　a　coquettish　little　cap　was　placed　in　a

bewitching　manner　on　her　hair；　which　escaped　it　recklessly；　her　little

feet　showed　their　warm　flesh　color　through　the　transparent　stockings；

the　cambric　gown；　unconfined　at　the　waist；　floated　open　as　the　breeze

took　it；　and　showed　an　embroidered　petticoat。



〃Oh！　are　you　there？〃　she　said。



〃Yes。〃



〃What　a