sons of the soil-第14部分

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upon　the　broken　door…steps　where　the　blinded　man　stumbled　and　fell；

and　then　rolled　nearly　down　to　the　gate；　dropping　his　gun　on　the　way。

In　an　instant　the　load　of　sticks　was　unfastened；　and　the　oak　logs

pulled　out　and　hidden　with　a　rapidity　no　words　can　describe。　Brunet；

anxious　not　to　witness　this　manoeuvre；　which　he　readily　foresaw；

rushed　after　the　keeper　to　help　him　up；　then　he　placed　him　on　the　bank

and　wet　his　handkerchief　in　water　to　wash　the　eyes　of　the　poor　fellow；

who；　in　spite　of　his　agony；　was　trying　to　reach　the　brook。



〃You　are　in　the　wrong；　Vatel；〃　said　Brunet；　〃you　have　no　right　to

enter　houses；　don't　you　see？〃



The　old　woman；　a　little　hump…backed　creature；　stood　on　the　sill　of　the

door；　with　her　hands　on　her　hips；　darting　flashes　from　her　eyes　and

curses　from　her　foaming　lips　shrill　enough　to　be　heard　at　Blangy。



〃Ha！　the　villain；　'twas　well　done！　May　hell　get　you！　To　suspect　me　of

cutting　trees！ME；　the　most　honest　woman　in　the　village。　To　hunt　me

like　vermin！　I'd　like　to　see　you　lose　your　cursed　eyes；　for　then　we'd

have　peace。　You　are　birds　of　ill…omen；　the　whole　of　you；　you　invent

shameful　stories　to　stir　up　strife　between　your　master　and　us。〃



The　keeper　allowed　the　sheriff　to　bathe　his　eyes　and　all　the　while　the

latter　kept　telling　him　that　he　was　legally　wrong。



〃The　old　thief！　she　has　tired　us　out；〃　said　Vatel　at　last。　〃She　has

been　at　work　in　the　woods　all　night。〃



As　the　whole　family　had　taken　an　active　hand　in　hiding　the　live　wood

and　putting　things　straight　in　the　cottage；　Tonsard　presently　appeared

at　the　door　with　an　insolent　air。　〃Vatel；　my　man；　if　you　ever　again

dare　to　force　your　way　into　my　domain；　my　gun　shall　answer　you；〃　he

said。　〃To…day　you　have　had　the　ashes；　the　next　time　you　shall　have　the

fire。　You　don't　know　your　own　business。　That's　enough。　Now　if　you　feel

hot　after　this　affair　take　some　wine；　I　offer　it　to　you；　and　you　may

come　in　and　see　that　my　old　mother's　bundle　of　fagots　hadn't　a　scrap

of　live　wood　in　it；　it　is　every　bit　brushwood。〃



〃Scoundrel！〃　said　the　keeper　to　the　sheriff；　in　a　low　voice；　more

enraged　by　this　speech　than　by　the　smart　of　his　eyes。



Just　then　Charles；　the　groom；　appeared　at　the　gate　of　the　Grand…I…

Vert。



〃What　is　the　matter；　Vatel？〃　he　said。



〃Ah！〃　said　the　keeper；　wiping　his　eyes；　which　he　had　plunged　wide　open

into　the　rivulet　to　give　them　a　final　cleansing。　〃I　have　some　debtors

in　there　that　I'll　cause　to　rue　the　day　they　saw　the　light。〃



〃If　you　take　it　that　way；　Monsieur　Vatel；〃　said　Tonsard；　coldly；　〃you

will　find　we　don't　want　for　courage　in　Burgundy。〃



Vatel　departed。　Not　feeling　much　curiosity　to　know　what　the　trouble

was；　Charles　went　up　the　steps　and　looked　into　the　house。



〃Come　to　the　chateau；　you　and　your　otter；if　you　really　have　one；〃　he

said　to　Pere　Fourchon。



The　old　man　rose　hurriedly　and　followed　him。



〃Well；　where　is　it；that　otter　of　yours？〃　said　Charles；　smiling

doubtfully。



〃This　way；〃　said　the　old　fellow；　going　toward　the　Thune。



The　name　is　that　of　a　brook　formed　by　the　overflow　of　the　mill…race

and　of　certain　springs　in　the　park　of　Les　Aigues。　It　runs　by　the　side

of　the　county　road　as　far　as　the　lakelet　of　Soulanges；　which　it

crosses；　and　then　falls　into　the　Avonne；　after　feeding　the　mills　and

ponds　on　the　Soulanges　estate。



〃Here　it　is；　I　hid　it　in　the　brook；　with　a　stone　around　its　neck。〃



As　he　stooped　and　rose　again　the　old　man　missed　the　coin　out　of　his

pocket；　where　metal　was　so　uncommon　that　he　was　likely　to　notice　its

presence　or　its　absence　immediately。



〃Ah；　the　sharks！〃　he　cried。　〃If　I　hunt　otters　they　hunt　fathers…in…

law！　They　get　out　of　me　all　I　earn；　and　tell　me　it　is　for　my　good！　If

it　were　not　for　my　poor　Mouche；　who　is　the　comfort　of　my　old　age；　I'd

drown　myself。　Children！　they　are　the　ruin　of　their　fathers。　You

haven't　married；　have　you；　Monsieur　Charles？　Then　don't；　never　get

married；　and　then　you　can't　reproach　yourself　for　spreading　bad　blood。

I；　who　expected　to　buy　my　tow　with　that　money；　and　there　it　is

filched；　stolen！　That　monsieur　up　at　Les　Aigues；　a　fine　young　fellow；

gave　me　ten　francs；　ha！　well！　it'll　put　up　the　price　of　my　otter　now。〃



Charles　distrusted　the　old　man　so　profoundly　that　he　took　his

grievances　（this　time　very　sincere）　for　the　preliminary　of　what　he

called；　in　servant's　slang；　〃varnish；〃　and　he　made　the　great　mistake

of　letting　his　opinion　appear　in　a　satirical　grin；　which　the　spiteful

old　fellow　detected。



〃Come；　come！　Pere　Fourchon；　now　behave　yourself；　you　are　going　to　see

Madame；〃　said　Charles；　noticing　how　the　rubies　flashed　on　the　nose　and

cheeks　of　the　old　drunkard。



〃I　know　how　to　attend　to　business；　Charles；　and　the　proof　is　that　if

you　will　get　me　out　of　the　kitchen　the　remains　of　the　breakfast　and　a

bottle　or　two　of　Spanish　wine；　I'll　tell　you　something　which　will　save

you　from　a　'foul。'〃



〃Tell　me；　and　Francois　shall　get　Monsieur's　own　order　to　give　you　a

glass　of　wine；〃　said　the　groom。



〃Promise？〃



〃I　promise。〃



〃Well　then；　I　know　you　meet　my　granddaughter　Catherine　under　the

bridge　of　the　Avonne。　Godain　is　in　love　with　her；　he　saw　you；　and　he

is　fool　enough　to　be　jealous；I　say　fool；　for　a　peasant　oughtn't　to

have　feelings　which　belong　only　to　rich　folks。　If　you　go　to　the　ball

of　Soulanges　at　Tivoli　and　dance　with　her；　you'll　dance　higher　than

you'll　like。　Godain　is　rich　and　dangerous；　he　is　capable　of　breaking

your　arm　without　your　getting　a　chance　to　arrest　him。〃



〃That　would　be　too　dear；　Catherine　is　a　fine　girl；　but　she　is　not

worth　all　that；〃　replied　Charles。　〃Why　should　Godain　be　so　angry？

others　are　not。〃



〃He　loves　her　enough　to　marry　her。〃



〃If　he　does；　he'll　beat　her；〃　said　Charles。



〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃She　takes　after　her

mother；　against　whom　Tonsard　never　raised　a　finger；he's　too　afraid

she'll　be　off；　hot　foot。　A　woman　who　knows　how　to　hold　her　own　is

mighty　useful。　Besides；　if　it　came　to　fisticuffs　with　Catherine；

Godain；　though　he's　pretty　strong；　wouldn't　give　the　last　blow。〃



〃Well；　thank　you；　Pere　Fourchon；　here's　forty　sous　to　drink　my　health

in　case　I　can't　get　you　the　sherry。〃



Pere　Fourchon　turned　his　head　aside　as　he　pocketed　the　money　lest

Charles　should　see　the　expression　of　amusement　and　sarcasm　which　he

was　unable　to　repress。



〃Catherine；〃　he　resumed；　〃is　a　proud　minx；　she　likes　sherry。　You　had

better　tell　her　to　go　and　get　it　at　Les　Aigues。〃



Charles　looked　at　Pere　Fourchon　with　naive　admiration；　not　suspecting

the　eager　interest　the　general's　enemies　took　in　slipping　one　more　spy

into　the　chateau。



〃The　general　ought　to　feel　happy　now；〃　continued　Fourchon；　〃the

peasants　are　all　quiet。　What　does　he　say？　Is　he　satisfied　with

Sibilet？〃



〃It　is　only　Monsieur　Michaud　who　finds　fault　with　Sibilet。　They　say

he'll　get　him　sent　away。〃



〃Professional　jealousy！〃　exclaimed　Fourchon。　〃I'll　bet　you　would　like

to　get　rid　of　Francois　and　take　his　place。〃



〃Hang　it！　he　has　twelve　hundred　francs　wages；〃　said　Charles；　〃but　they

can't　send　him　off；he　knows　the　general's　secrets。〃



〃Just　as　Madame　Michaud　knows　the　countess's；〃　remarked　Fourchon；

watching　the　other　carefully。　〃Look　here；　my　boy；　do　you　know　whether

Monsieur　and　Madame　have　separate　rooms？〃



〃Of　course；　if　they　didn't；　Monsieur　wouldn't　be　so　fond　of　Madame。〃



〃Is　that　all　you　know？〃　said　Fourchon。



As　they　were　now　before　the　kitchen　windows　nothing　more　was　said。







CHAPTER　V



ENEMIES　FACE　TO　FACE



While　breakfast　was　in　progress　at　the　chateau；　Francois；　the　head

footman；　whispered　to　Blondet；　but　loud　enough　for　the　general　to

overhear　him；



〃Monsieur；　Pere　Fourchon's　boy　is　here；　he　says　they　have　caught　the

otter；　and　wants　to　know　if　you　would　like　it；　or　whether　they　shall

take　it　to　the　sub…prefect　at　Ville…aux…Fayes。〃



Emile　Blondet；　though　himself　a　past…master　of　hoaxing；　could　not　keep

his　cheeks　from　blushing　like　those　of　a　virgin　who　hears　an

indecorous　story　of　which　she　knows　the　meaning。



〃Ha！　ha！　so　you　have　hunted　the　otter　this　morning　with　Pere

Fourchon？〃　cried　the　general；　with　a　roar　of　laughter。



〃What　is　it？〃　asked　the　countess；　uneasy　at　her　husband's　laugh。



〃When　a　man　of　wit　and　intelligence　is　taken　in　by　old　Fourchon；〃

continued　the　general；　〃a　retired　cuirassier　need　not　blush　for　having

hunted　that　otter；　which　bears　an　enormous　resemblance　to　the　third

posthorse　we　are　made　to　pay　for　and　never　see。〃　With　that　he　went　off

into　further　explosions　of　laughter；　in　the　midst　of　which　he

contrived　to　say：　〃I　am　not　surprised　you　had　to　change　your　boots

and　your　trousers；　I　have　no　doubt　you　have　been　wading！　The　joke

didn't　go　as　far　as　that　with　me；I　stayed　on　the　bank；　but　then；　you

know；　you　are　so　much　more　intelligent　than　I〃



〃But　you　forget；〃　interrupted　Madame　de　Montcornet；　〃that　I　do　not


know　what　you　are　talking　of。〃



At　these　words；　said　with　some　pique；　the　general　grew　serious；　and

Blondet　told　the　story　of　his　fishing　for　the　otter。



〃But　if　they　really　have　an　otter；〃　said　the　countess；　〃those　poor

people　are　not　to　blame。〃



〃Oh；　but　it　is　ten　years　since　an　otter　has　been　seen　about　here；〃

said　the　pitiless　general。



〃Monsieur　le　comte；〃　said　Francois；　〃the　boy　swears　by　all　that's

sacred　that　he　has　got　one。〃



〃If　they　have　one　I'll　buy　it；〃　said　the　general。



〃I　don't　suppose；〃　remarked　the　Abbe　Brossette；　〃that　God　has

condemned　Les　Aigues　to　never　have　otters。〃



〃Ah；　Monsieur　le　cure！〃　cried　Blondet；　〃if　you　bring　the　Almighty

against　me〃



〃But　what　is　all　this？　Who　is　here？〃　said　the　countess；　hastily。



〃Mouche；　madame；the　boy　who　goes　about　with　old　Fourchon；〃　said　the

footman。



〃Bring　him　inthat　is；　if　Madame　will　allow　it？〃　said　the　general；

〃he　may　amuse