sons of the soil-第7章

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afraid　you　were　drowned。　They　have　rung　the　great　bell　three　times；

and　Monsieur　le　cure　is　hunting　for　you　in　the　park。〃



〃What　time　is　it；　Charles？〃



〃A　quarter　to　twelve。〃



〃Help　me　to　mount。〃



〃Ha！〃　exclaimed　the　groom；　noticing　the　water　that　dripped　from

Blondet's　boots　and　trousers；　〃has　monsieur　been　taken　in　by　Pere

Fourchon's　otter？〃



The　words　enlightened　the　journalist。



〃Don't　say　a　word　about　it；　Charles；〃　he　cried；　〃and　I'll　make　it　all

right　with　you。〃



〃Oh；　as　for　that！〃　answered　the　man；　〃Monsieur　le　comte　himself　has

been　taken　in　by　that　otter。　Whenever　a　visitor　comes　to　Les　Aigues；

Pere　Fourchon　sets　himself　on　the　watch；　and　if　the　gentleman　goes　to

see　the　sources　of　the　Avonne　he　sells　him　the　otter；　he　plays　the

trick　so　well　that　Monsieur　le　comte　has　been　here　three　times　and

paid　him　for　six　days'　work；　just　to　stare　at　the　water！〃



〃Heavens！〃　thought　Blondet。　〃And　I　imagined　I　had　seen　the　greatest

comedians　of　the　present　day！Potier；　the　younger　Baptiste；　Michot；

and　Monrose。　What　are　they　compared　to　that　old　beggar？〃



〃He　is　very　knowing　at　the　business；　Pere　Fourchon　is；〃　continued

Charles；　〃and　he　has　another　string　to　his　bow；　besides。　He　calls

himself　a　rope…maker；　and　has　a　walk　under　the　park　wall　by　the　gate

of　Blangy。　If　you　merely　touch　his　rope　he'll　entangle　you　so　cleverly

that　you　will　want　to　turn　the　wheel　and　make　a　bit　of　it　yourself；

and　for　that　you　would　have　to　pay　a　fee　for　apprenticeship。　Madame

herself　was　taken　in；　and　gave　him　twenty　francs。　Ah！　he　is　the　king

of　tricks；　that　old　fellow！〃



The　groom's　gossip　set　Blondet　thinking　of　the　extreme　craftiness　and

wiliness　of　the　French　peasant；　of　which　he　had　heard　a　great　deal

from　his　father；　a　judge　at　Alencon。　Then　the　satirical　meaning　hidden

beneath　Pere　Fourchon's　apparent　guilelessness　came　back　to　him；　and

he　owned　himself　〃gulled〃　by　the　Burgundian　beggar。



〃You　would　never　believe；　monsieur；〃　said　Charles；　as　they　reached　the

portico　at　Les　Aigues；　〃how　much　one　is　forced　to　distrust　everybody

and　everything　in　the　country；especially　here；　where　the　general　is

not　much　liked〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃That's　more　than　I　know；〃　said　Charles；　with　the　stupid　air　servants

assume　to　shield　themselves　when　they　wish　not　to　answer　their

superiors；　which　nevertheless　gave　Blondet　a　good　deal　to　think　of。



〃Here　you　are；　truant！〃　cried　the　general；　coming　out　on　the　terrace

when　he　heard　the　horses。　〃Here　he　is；　don't　be　uneasy！〃　he　called

back　to　his　wife；　whose　little　footfalls　were　heard　behind　him。　〃Now

the　Abbe　Brossette　is　missing。　Go　and　find　him；　Charles；〃　he　said　to

the　groom。







CHAPTER　III



THE　TAVERN



The　gate　of　Blangy；　built　by　Bouret；　was　formed　of　two　wide　pilasters

of　projecting　rough…hewn　stone；　each　surmounted　by　a　dog　sitting　on

his　haunches　and　holding　an　escutcheon　between　his　fore　paws。　The

proximity　of　a　small　house　where　the　steward　lived　dispensed　with　the

necessity　for　a　lodge。　Between　the　two　pilasters；　a　sumptuous　iron

gate；　like　those　made　in　Buffon's　time　for　the　Jardin　des　Plantes；

opened　on　a　short　paved　way　which　led　to　the　country　road　（formerly

kept　in　order　by　Les　Aigues　and　the　Soulanges　family）　which　unites

Conches；　Cerneux；　Blangy；　and　Soulanges　to　Ville…aux…Fayes；　like　a

wreath；　for　the　whole　road　is　lined　with　flowering　hedges　and　little

houses　covered　with　roses　and　honey…suckle　and　other　climbing　plants。



There；　along　a　pretty　wall　which　extends　as　far　as　a　terrace　from

which　the　land　of　Les　Aigues　falls　rapidly　to　the　valley　till　it　meets

that　of　Soulanges；　are　the　rotten　posts；　the　old　wheel；　and　the　forked

stakes　which　constituted　the　manufactory　of　the　village　rope…maker。



Soon　after　midday；　while　Blondet　was　seating　himself　at　table　opposite

the　Abbe　Brossette　and　receiving　the　tender　expostulations　of　the

countess；　Pere　Fourchon　and　Mouche　arrived　at　this　establishment。　From

that　vantage…ground　Pere　Fourchon；　under　pretence　of　rope…making；

could　watch　Les　Aigues　and　see　every　one　who　went　in　and　out。　Nothing

escaped　him；　the　opening　of　the　blinds；　tete…a…tete　loiterings；　or　the

least　little　incidents　of　country　life；　were　spied　upon　by　the　old

fellow；　who　had　set　up　this　business　within　the　last　three　years；a

trifling　circumstance　which　neither　the　masters；　nor　the　servants；　nor

the　keepers　of　Les　Aigues　had　as　yet　remarked　upon。



〃Go　round　to　the　house　by　the　gate　of　the　Avonne　while　I　put　away　the

tackle；〃　said　Pere　Fourchon　to　his　attendant；　〃and　when　you　have

blabbed　about　the　thing；　they'll　no　doubt　send　after　me　to　the　Grand…

I…Vert；　where　I　am　going　for　a　drop　of　drink；for　it　makes　one

thirsty　enough　to　wade　in　the　water　that　way。　If　you　do　just　as　I　tell

you；　you'll　hook　a　good　breakfast　out　of　them；　try　to　meet　the

countess；　and　give　a　slap　at　me；　and　that　will　put　it　into　her　head　to

come　and　preach　morality　or　something！　There's　lots　of　good　wine　to

get　out　of　it。〃



After　these　last　instructions；　which　the　sly　look　in　Mouche's　face

rendered　quite　superfluous；　the　old　peasant；　hugging　the　otter　under

his　arm；　disappeared　along　the　country　road。



Half…way　between　the　gate　and　the　village　there　stood；　at　the　time

when　Emile　Blondet　stayed　at　Les　Aigues；　one　of　those　houses　which　are

never　seen　but　in　parts　of　France　where　stone　is　scarce。　Bits　of

bricks　picked　up　anywhere；　cobblestones　set　like　diamonds　in　the　clay

mud；　formed　very　solid　walls；　though　worn　in　places；　the　roof　was

supported　by　stout　branches　and　covered　with　rushes　and　straw；　while

the　clumsy　shutters　and　the　broken　doorin　short；　everything　about

the　cottage　was　the　product　of　lucky　finds；　or　of　gifts　obtained　by

begging。



The　peasant　has　an　instinct　for　his　habitation　like　that　of　an　animal

for　its　nest　or　its　burrow；　and　this　instinct　was　very　marked　in　all

the　arrangements　of　this　cottage。　In　the　first　place；　the　door　and　the

window　looked　to　the　north。　The　house；　placed　on　a　little　rise　in　the

stoniest　angle　of　a　vineyard；　was　certainly　healthful。　It　was　reached

by　three　steps；　carefully　made　with　stakes　and　planks　filled　in　with

broken　stone　and　gravel；　so　that　the　water　ran　off　rapidly；　and　as　the

rain　seldom　comes　from　the　northward　in　Burgundy；　no　dampness　could

rot　the　foundations；　slight　as　they　were。　Below　the　steps　and　along

the　path　ran　a　rustic　paling；　hidden　beneath　a　hedge　of　hawthorn　and

sweet…brier。　An　arbor；　with　a　few　clumsy　tables　and　wooden　benches；

filled　the　space　between　the　cottage　and　the　road；　and　invited　the

passers…by　to　rest　themselves。　At　the　upper　end　of　the　bank　by　the

house　roses　grew；　and　wall…flowers；　violets；　and　other　flowers　that

cost　nothing。　Jessamine　and　honey…suckle　had　fastened　their　tendrils

on　the　roof；　mossy　already；　though　the　building　was　far　from　old。



To　the　right　of　the　house；　the　owner　had　built　a　stable　for　two　cows。

In　front　of　this　erection　of　old　boards；　a　sunken　piece　of　ground

served　as　a　yard　where；　in　a　corner；　was　a　huge　manure…heap。　On　the

other　side　of　the　house　and　the　arbor　stood　a　thatched　shed；　supported

on　trunks　of　trees；　under　which　the　various　outdoor　properties　of　the

peasantry　were　put　away；the　utensils　of　the　vine…dressers；　their

empty　casks；　logs　of　wood　piled　about　a　mound　which　contained　the

oven；　the　mouth　of　which　opened；　as　was　usual　in　the　houses　of　the

peasantry；　under　the　mantle…piece　of　the　chimney　in　the　kitchen。



About　an　acre　of　land　adjoined　the　house；　inclosed　by　an　evergreen

hedge　and　planted　with　grape…vines；　tended　as　peasants　tend　them；

that　is　to　say；　well…manured；　and　dug　round；　and　layered　so　that　they

usually　set　their　fruit　before　the　vines　of　the　large　proprietors　in　a

circuit　of　ten　miles　round。　A　few　trees；　almond；　plum；　and　apricot；

showed　their　slim　heads　here　and　there　in　this　enclosure。　Between　the

rows　of　vines　potatoes　and　beans　were　planted。　In　addition　to　all

this；　on　the　side　towards　the　village　and　beyond　the　yard　was　a　bit　of

damp　low　ground；　favorable　for　the　growth　of　cabbages　and　onions

（favorite　vegetables　of　the　working…classes）；　which　was　closed　by　a

wooden　gate；　through　which　the　cows　were　driven；　trampling　the　path

into　mud　and　covering　it　with　dung。



The　house；　which　had　two　rooms　on　the　ground…floor；　opened　upon　the

vineyard。　On　this　side　an　outer　stairway；　roofed　with　thatch　and

resting　against　the　wall　of　the　house；　led　up　to　the　garret；　which　was

lighted　by　one　round　window。　Under　this　rustic　stairway　opened　a

cellar　built　of　Burgundy　brick；　containing　several　casks　of　wine。



Though　the　kitchen　utensils　of　the　peasantry　are　usually　only　two；

namely；　a　frying…pan　and　an　iron　pot；　with　which　they　manage　to　do　all

their　cooking；　exceptions　to　this　rule；　in　the　shape　of　two　enormous

saucepans　hanging　beneath　the　mantle…shelf　and　above　a　small　portable

stove；　were　to　be　seen　in　this　cottage。　In　spite；　however；　of　this

indication　of　luxury；　the　furniture　was　in　keeping　with　the　external

appearance　of　the　place。　A　jar　held　water；　the　spoons　were　of　wood　or

pewter；　the　dishes；　of　red　clay　without　and　white　within；　were　scaling

off　and　had　been　mended　with　pewter　rivets；　the　heavy　table　and　chairs

were　of　pine　wood；　and　for　flooring　there　was　nothing　better　than　the

hardened　earth。　Every　fifth　year　the　walls　received　a　coat　of　white…

wash　and　so　did　the　narrow　beams　of　the　ceiling；　from　which　hung

bacon；　strings　of　onions；　bundles　of　tallow　candles；　and　the　bags　in

which　a　peasant　keeps　his　seeds；　near　the　bread…box　stood　an　old…

fashioned　wardrobe　in　walnut；　where　the　scanty　household　linen；　and

the　one　change　of　garments　together　with　the　holiday　attire　of　the

entire　family　were　kept。



Above　the　mantel　of　the　chimney　gleamed　a　poacher's　old　gun；　not　worth

five　francs；the　wood　scorched；　the　barrel　to　all　appearances　never

cleaned。　An　observer　might　reflect　that　the　protection　of　a　hovel　with

only　a　latch；　and　an　outer　gate　that　was　only　a　paling　and　never

closed；　needed　no　better　weapon；　but　still　the　wonder　was　to　what　use

it　was　put。　In　the　first　place；　though　the　wood　was　of　the　commonest

kind；　the　barrel　was　carefully　selected；　and　came　from　a　valuable　gun；

given　in　all　probability　to　a　game…keeper。　Moreover；　the　owner　of　this

weapon　never　missed　his　aim；　there　was　between　him　and　his　gun　the

same　intimate　acquaintance　that　there　is　between　a　workman　and　his

tool。　If　the　muzzle　must　be　raised　or　lowered　the　merest　fraction　in

its　aim；　because　it　carries　just　an　atom　above　or　below　the　range；　the

poacher　knows　it；　he　obeys　the　rule　and　never　misses。　An　officer　of

artillery　would　have　found　the　essential　parts　of　this　weapon　in　good

condition　notwithstanding　its　uncleanly　appearance。　In　all　that　the

peasant　appropriates　to　his　use；　in　all　that　serves　him；　he　displays

just　the　amount　of　force　that　is　needed；　neither　more　no