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Sibilet　called　the　general's　attention　to　the　fact　that　the

gendarmerie　of　Soulanges；　and　especially　its　brigadier；　Soudry；　were

thoroughly　and　hypocritically　hostile　to　Les　Aigues。　He　made　him　see

the　importance　of　substituting　another　brigade；　which　might　show　a

better　spirit。



〃With　a　good　brigadier　and　a　company　of　gendarmes　devoted　to　your

interests；　you　could　manage　the　country；〃　he　said　to　him。



The　general　went　to　the　Prefecture　and　obtained　from　the　general　in

command　of　the　division　the　retirement　of　Soudry　and　the　substitution

of　a　man　named　Viallet；　an　excellent　gendarme　at　headquarters；　who　was

much　praised　by　his　general　and　the　prefect。　The　company　of　gendarmes

at　Soulanges　were　dispersed　to　other　places　in　the　department　by　the

colonel　of　the　gendarmerie；　an　old　friend　of　Montcornet；　and　chosen

men　were　put　in　their　places　with　secret　orders　to　keep　watch　over　the

estate　of　the　Comte　de　Montcornet；　and　prevent　all　future　attempts　to

injure　it；　they　were　also　particularly　enjoined　not　to　allow

themselves　to　be　gained　over　by　the　inhabitants　of　Soulanges。



This　last　revolutionary　measure；　carried　out　with　such　rapidity　that

there　was　no　possibility　of　countermining　it　created　much　astonishment

in　Soulanges　and　in　Ville…aux…Fayes。　Soudry；　who　felt　himself

dismissed；　complained　bitterly；　and　Gaubertin　managed　to　get　him

appointed　mayor；　which　put　the　gendarmerie　under　his　orders。　An　outcry

was　made　about　tyranny。　Montcornet　became　an　object　of　general　hatred。

Not　only　were　five　or　six　lives　radically　changed　by　him；　but　many

personal　vanities　were　wounded。　The　peasants；　taking　their　cue　from

words　dropped　by　the　small　tradesmen　of　Ville…aux…Fayes　and　Soulanges；

and　by　Rigou；　Langlume；　Guerbet；　and　the　postmaster　at　Conches；

thought　they　were　on　the　eve　of　losing　what　they　called　their　rights。



The　general　stopped　the　suit　brought　by　Courtecuisse　by　paying　him　all

he　demanded。　The　man　then　purchased；　nominally　for　two　thousand

francs；　a　little　property　surrounded　on　all　sides　but　one　by　the

estate　of　Les　Aigues；a　sort　of　cover　into　which　the　game　escaped。

Rigou；　the　owner；　had　never　been　willing　to　part　with　La　Bachelerie；

as　it　was　called；　to　the　possessors　of　the　estate；　but　he　now　took

malicious　pleasure　in　selling　it；　at　fifty　per　cent　discount；　to

Courtecuisse；　which　made　the　ex…keeper　one　of　Rigou's　numerous

henchmen；　for　all　he　actually　paid　for　the　property　was　one　thousand

francs。



The　three　keepers；　with　Michaud　the　bailiff；　and　Groison　the　field…

keeper　of　Blangy；　led　henceforth　the　life　of　guerrillas。　Living　night

and　day　in　the　forest；　they　soon　acquired　that　deep　knowledge　of

woodland　things　which　becomes　a　science　among　foresters；　saving　them

much　loss　of　time；　they　studied　the　tracks　of　animals；　the　species　of

the　trees；　and　their　habits　of　growth；　training　their　ears　to　every

sound　and　to　every　murmur　of　the　woods。　Still　further；　they　observed

faces；　watched　and　understood　the　different　families　in　the　various

villages　of　the　district；　and　knew　the　individuals　in　each　family；

their　habits；　characters；　and　means　of　living；a　far　more　difficult

matter　than　most　persons　suppose。　When　the　peasants　who　obtained　their

living　from　Les　Aigues　saw　these　well…planned　measures　of　defence；

they　met　them　with　dumb　resistance　or　sneering　submission。



From　the　first；　Michaud　and　Sibilet　mutually　disliked　each　other。　The

frank　and　loyal　soldier；　with　the　sense　of　honor　of　a　subaltern　of　the

young　〃garde；〃　hated　the　servile　brutality　and　the　discontented　spirit

of　the　steward。　He　soon　took　note　of　the　objections　with　which　Sibilet

opposed　all　measures　that　were　really　judicious；　and　the　reasons　he

gave　for　those　that　were　questionable。　Instead　of　calming　the　general；

Sibilet；　as　the　reader　has　already　seen；　constantly　excited　him　and

drove　him　to　harsh　measures；　all　the　while　trying　to　daunt　him　by

drawing　his　attention　to　countless　annoyances；　petty　vexations；　and

ever…recurring　and　unconquerable　difficulties。　Without　suspecting　the

role　of　spy　and　exasperator　undertaken　by　Sibilet　（who　secretly

intended　to　eventually　make　choice　in　his　own　interests　between

Gaubertin　and　the　general）　Michaud　felt　that　the　steward's　nature　was

bad　and　grasping；　and　he　was　unable　to　explain　to　himself　its　apparent

honesty。　The　enmity　which　separated　the　two　functionaries　was

satisfactory　to　the　general。　Michaud's　hatred　led　him　to　watch　the

steward；　though　he　would　not　have　condescended　to　play　the　part　of　spy

if　the　general　had　not　required　it。　Sibilet　fawned　upon　the　bailiff

and　flattered　him；　without　being　able　to　get　anything　from　him　beyond

an　extreme　politeness　which　the　loyal　soldier　established　between　them

as　a　barrier。



Now；　all　preliminary　details　having　been　made　known；　the　reader　will

understand　the　conduct　of　the　general's　enemies　and　the　meaning　of　the

conversation　which　he　had　with　what　he　called　his　two　ministers；　after

Madame　de　Montcornet；　the　abbe；　and　Blondet　left　the　breakfast…table。







CHAPTER　IX



CONCERNING　THE　MEDIOCRACY



〃Well；　Michaud；　what's　the　news？〃　asked　the　general　as　soon　as　his

wife　had　left　the　room。



〃General；　if　you　will　permit　me　to　say　so；　it　would　be　better　not　to

talk　over　matters　in　this　room。　Walls　have　ears；　and　I　should　like　to

be　certain　that　what　we　say　reaches　none　but　our　own。〃



〃Very　good；〃　said　the　general；　〃then　let　us　walk　towards　the　steward's

lodge　by　the　path　through　the　fields；　no　one　can　overhear　us　there。〃



A　few　moments　later　the　general；　with　Michaud　and　Sibilet；　was

crossing　the　meadows；　while　Madame　de　Montcornet；　with　the　abbe　and

Blondet；　was　on　her　way　to　the　gate　of　the　Avonne。



Michaud　related　the　scene　that　had　just　taken　place　at　the　Grand…I…

Vert。



〃Vatel　did　wrong；〃　said　Sibilet。



〃They　made　that　plain　to　him　at　once；〃　replied　Michaud；　〃by　blinding

him；　but　that's　nothing。　General；　you　remember　the　plan　we　agreed

upon；to　seize　the　cattle　of　those　depredators　against　whom　judgment

was　given？　Well；　we　can't　do　it。　Brunet；　like　his　colleague　Plissoud；

is　not　loyal　in　his　support。　They　both　warn　the　delinquents　when　they

are　about　to　make　a　seizure。　Vermichel；　Brunet's　assistant；　went　to

the　Grand…I…Vert　this　morning；　ostensibly　after　Pere　Fourchon；　and

Marie　Tonsard；　who　is　intimate　with　Bonnebault；　ran　off　at　once　to

give　the　alarm　at　Conches。　The　depredations　have　begun　again。〃



〃A　strong　show　of　authority　is　becoming　daily　more　and　more

necessary；〃　said　Sibilet。



〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　cried　the　general。　〃We　must　demand　the

enforcement　of　the　judgment　of　the　court；　which　carried　with　it

imprisonment；　we　must　arrest　for　debt　all　those　who　do　not　pay　the

damages　I　have　won　and　the　costs　of　the　suits。〃



〃These　fellows　imagine　the　law　is　powerless；　and　tell　each　other　that

you　dare　not　arrest　them；〃　said　Sibilet。　〃They　think　they　frighten

you！　They　have　confederates　at　Ville…aux…Fayes；　for　even　the

prosecuting　attorney　seems　to　have　ignored　the　verdicts　against　them。〃



〃I　think；〃　said　Michaud；　seeing　that　the　general　looked　thoughtful；

〃that　if　you　are　willing　to　spend　a　good　deal　of　money　you　can　still

protect　the　property。〃



〃It　is　better　to　spend　money　than　to　act　harshly；〃　remarked　Sibilet。



〃What　is　your　plan？〃　asked　the　general　of　his　bailiff。



〃It　is　very　simple；〃　said　Michaud。　〃Inclose　the　whole　forest　with

walls；　like　those　of　the　park；　and　you　will　be　safe；　the　slightest

depredation　then　becomes　a　criminal　offence　and　is　taken　to　the

assizes。〃



〃At　a　franc　and　a　half　the　square　foot　for　the　material　only；　Monsieur

le　comte　would　find　his　wall　would　cost　him　a　third　of　the　whole　value

of　Les　Aigues；〃　said　Sibilet；　with　a　laugh。



〃Well；　well；〃　said　Montcornet；　〃I　shall　go　and　see　the　attorney…

general　at　once。〃



〃The　attorney…general；〃　remarked　Sibilet；　gently；　〃may　perhaps　share

the　opinion　of　his　subordinate；　for　the　negligence　shown　by　the　latter

is　probably　the　result　of　an　agreement　between　them。〃



〃Then　I　wish　to　know　it！〃　cried　Montcornet。　〃If　I　have　to　get　the

whole　of　them　turned　out；　judges；　civil　authorities；　and　the　attorney…

general　to　boot；　I'll　do　it；　I'll　go　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　or　to

the　king　himself。〃



At　a　vehement　sign　made　by　Michaud　the　general　stopped　short　and　said

to　Sibilet；　as　he　turned　to　retrace　his　steps；　〃Good　day；　my　dear

fellow；〃words　which　the　steward　understood。



〃Does　Monsieur　le　comte　intend；　as　mayor；　to　enforce　the　necessary

measures　to　repress　the　abuse　of　gleaning？〃　he　said；　respectfully。

〃The　harvest　is　coming　on；　and　if　we　are　to　publish　the　statutes　about

certificates　of　pauperism　and　the　prevention　of　paupers　from　other

districts　gleaning　our　land；　there　is　no　time　to　be　lost。〃



〃Do　it　at　once；　and　arrange　with　Groison；〃　said　the　count。　〃With　such

a　class　of　people；〃　he　added；　〃we　must　follow　out　the　law。〃



So；　without　a　moment's　reflection；　Montcornet　gave　in　to　a　measure

that　Sibilet　had　been　proposing　to　him　for　more　than　a　fortnight；　to

which　he　had　hitherto　refused　to　consent；　but　now；　in　the　violence　of

anger　caused　by　Vatel's　mishap；　he　instantly　adopted　it　as　the　right

thing　to　do。



When　Sibilet　was　at　some　distance　the　general　said　in　a　low　voice　to

his　bailiff：



〃Well；　my　dear　Michaud；　what　is　it；　why　did　you　make　me　that　sign？〃



〃You　have　an　enemy　within　the　walls；　general；　yet　you　tell　him　plans

which　you　ought　not　to　confide　even　to　the　secret　police。〃



〃I　share　your　suspicions；　my　dear　friend；〃　replied　Montcornet；　〃but　I

don't　intend　to　commit　the　same　fault　twice　over。　I　shall　not　part

with　another　steward　till　I'm　sure　of　a　better。　I　am　waiting　to　get

rid　of　Sibilet；　till　you　understand　the　business　of　steward　well

enough　to　take　his　place；　and　till　Vatel　is　fit　to　succeed　you。　And

yet；　I　have　no　ground　of　complaint　against　Sibilet。　He