sons of the soil-第35部分

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affairs；　but　I　do　know　that　he　distrusts　the　peasants　so　much　that　he

goes　armed；　even　in　broad　daylight；　when　he　enters　the　forest。　He

warns　his　men　to　be　always　on　the　alert。　Every　now　and　then　things

happen　about　here　that　bode　no　good。　The　other　day　I　was　walking　along

the　wall；　near　the　source　of　that　little　sandy　rivulet　which　comes

from　the　forest　and　enters　the　park　through　a　culvert　about　five

hundred　feet　from　here；you　know　it；　madame？　it　is　called　Silver

Spring；　because　of　the　star…flowers　Bouret　is　said　to　have　sown　there。

Well；　I　overheard　the　talk　of　two　women　who　were　washing　their　linen

just　where　the　path　to　Conches　crosses　the　brook；　they　did　not　know　I

was　there。　Our　house　can　be　seen　from　that　point；　and　one　old　woman

pointed　it　out　to　the　other；　saying：　'See　what　a　lot　of　money　they

have　spent　on　the　man　who　turned　out　Courtecuisse。'　'They　ought　to　pay

a　man　well　when　they　set　him　to　harass　poor　people　as　that　man　does；'

answered　the　other。　'Well；　it　won't　be　for　long；'　said　the　first　one；

'the　thing　is　going　to　end　soon。　We　have　a　right　to　our　wood。　The　late

Madame　allowed　us　to　take　it。　That's　thirty　years　ago；　so　the　right　is

ours。'　'We'll　see　what　we　shall　see　next　winter；'　replied　the　second。

'My　man　has　sworn　the　great　oath　that　all　the　gendarmerie　in　the　world

sha'n't　keep　us　from　getting　our　wood；　he　says　he　means　to　get　it

himself；　and　if　the　worst　happens　so　much　the　worse　for　them！'　'Good

God！'　cried　the　other；　'we　can't　die　of　cold；　and　we　must　bake　bread

to　eat！　They　want　for　nothing；　THOSE　OTHERS！　the　wife　of　that

scoundrel　of　a　Michaud　will　be　taken　care　of；　I　warrant　you！'　And

then；　Madame；　they　said　such　horrible　things　of　me　and　of　you　and　of

Monsieur　le　comte；　and　they　finally　declared　that　the　farms　would　all

be　burned；　and　then　the　chateau。〃



〃Bah！〃　said　Emile；　〃idle　talk！　They　have　been　robbing　the　general；　and

they　will　not　be　allowed　to　rob　him　any　longer。　These　people　are

furious；　that's　the　whole　of　it。　You　must　remember　that　the　law　and

the　government　are　always　strongest　everywhere；　even　in　Burgundy。　In

case　of　an　outbreak　the　general　could　bring　a　regiment　of　cavalry

here；　if　necessary。〃



The　abbe　made　a　sign　to　Madame　Michaud　from　behind　the　countess；

telling　her　to　say　no　more　about　her　fears；　which　were　doubtless　the

effect　of　that　second　sight　which　true　passion　bestows。　The　soul；

dwelling　exclusively　on　one　only　being；　grasps　in　the　end　the　moral

elements　that　surround　it；　and　sees　in　them　the　makings　of　the　future。

The　woman　who　loves　feels　the　same　presentiments　that　later　illuminate

her　motherhood。　Hence　a　certain　melancholy；　a　certain　inexplicable

sadness　which　surprises　men；　who　are　one　and　all　distracted　from　any

such　concentration　of　their　souls　by　the　cares　of　life　and　the

continual　necessity　for　action。　All　true　love　becomes　to　a　woman　an

active　contemplation；　which　is　more　or　less　lucid；　more　or　less

profound；　according　to　her　nature。



〃Come；　my　dear；　show　your　home　to　Monsieur　Emile；〃　said　the　countess；

whose　mind　was　so　pre…occupied　that　she　forgot　La　Pechina；　who　was　the

ostensible　object　of　her　visit。



The　interior　of　the　restored　pavilion　was　in　keeping　with　its

exterior。　On　the　ground…floor　the　old　divisions　had　been　replaced；　and

the　architect；　sent　from　Paris　with　his　own　workmen　（a　cause　of　bitter

complaint　in　the　neighborhood　against　the　master　of　Les　Aigues）；　had

made　four　rooms　out　of　the　space。　First；　an　ante…chamber；　at　the

farther　end　of　which　was　a　winding　wooden　staircase；　behind　which　came

the　kitchen；　on　either　side　of　the　antechamber　was　a　dining…room　and　a

parlor　panelled　in　oak　now　nearly　black；　with　armorial　bearings　in　the

divisions　of　the　ceilings。　The　architect　chosen　by　Madame　de

Montcornet　for　the　restoration　of　Les　Aigues　had　taken　care　to　put　the

furniture　of　this　room　in　keeping　with　its　original　decoration。



At　the　time　of　which　we　write　fashion　had　not　yet　given　an　exaggerated

value　to　the　relics　of　past　ages。　The　carved　settee；　the　high…backed

chairs　covered　with　tapestry；　the　consoles；　the　clocks；　the　tall

embroidery　frames；　the　tables；　the　lustres；　hidden　away　in　the　second…

hand　shops　of　Auxerre　and　Ville…aux…Fayes　were　fifty　per…cent　cheaper

than　the　modern；　ready…made　furniture　of　the　faubourg　Saint　Antoine。

The　architect　had　therefore　bought　two　or　three　cartloads　of　well…

chosen　old　things；　which；　added　to　a　few　others　discarded　at　the

chateau；　made　the　little　salon　of　the　gate　of　the　Avonne　an　artistic

creation。　As　to　the　dining…room；　he　painted　it　in　browns　and　hung　it

with　what　was　called　a　Scotch　paper；　and　Madame　Michaud　added　white

cambric　curtains　with　green　borders　at　the　windows；　mahogany　chairs

covered　with　green　cloth；　two　large　buffets　and　a　table；　also　in

mahogany。　This　room；　ornamented　with　engravings　of　military　scenes；

was　heated　by　a　porcelain　stove；　on　each　side　of　which　were　sporting…

guns　suspended　on　the　walls。　These　adornments；　which　cost　but　little；

were　talked　of　throughout　the　whole　valley　as　the　last　extreme　of

oriental　luxury。　Singular　to　say；　they；　more　than　anything　else；

excited　the　envy　of　Gaubertin；　and　whenever　he　thought　of　his　fixed

determination　to　bring　Les　Aigues　to　the　hammer　and　cut　it　in　pieces；

he　reserved　for　himself；　〃in　petto；〃　this　beautiful　pavilion。



On　the　next　floor　three　chambers　sufficed　for　the　household。　At　the

windows　were　muslin　curtains　which　reminded　a　Parisian　of　the

particular　taste　and　fancy　of　bourgeois　requirements。　Left　to　herself

in　the　decoration　of　these　rooms；　Madame　Michaud　had　chosen　satin

papers；　on　the　mantel…shelf　of　her　bedroomwhich　was　furnished　in

that　vulgar　style　of　mahogany　and　Utrecht　velvet　which　is　seen

everywhere；　with　its　high…backed　bed　and　canopy　to　which　embroidered

muslin　curtains　are　fastenedstood　an　alabaster　clock　between　two

candelabra　covered　with　gauze　and　flanked　by　two　vases　filled　with

artificial　flowers　protected　by　glass　shades；　a　conjugal　gift　of　the

former　cavalry　sergeant。　Above；　under　the　roof；　the　bedrooms　of　the

cook；　the　man…of…all…work；　and　La　Pechina　had　benefited　by　the　recent

restoration。



〃Olympe；　my　dear；　you　did　not　tell　me　all；〃　said　the　countess；

entering　Madame　Michaud's　bedroom；　and　leaving　Emile　and　the　abbe　on

the　stairway；　whence　they　descended　when　they　heard　her　shut　the　door。



Madame　Michaud；　to　whom　the　abbe　had　contrived　to　whisper　a　word；　was

now　anxious　to　say　no　more　about　her　fears；　which　were　really　greater

than　she　had　intimated；　and　she　therefore　began　to　talk　of　a　matter

which　reminded　the　countess　of　the　object　of　her　visit。



〃I　love　Michaud；　madame；　as　you　know。　Well；　how　would　you　like　to

have；　in　your　own　house；　a　rival　always　beside　you？〃



〃A　rival？〃



〃Yes；　madame；　that　swarthy　girl　you　gave　me　to　take　care　of　loves

Michaud　without　knowing　it；　poor　thing！　The　child's　conduct；　long　a

mystery　to　me；　has　been　cleared　up　in　my　mind　for　some　days。〃



〃Why；　she　is　only　thirteen　years　old！〃



〃I　know　that；　madame。　But　you　will　admit　that　a　woman　who　is　three

months　pregnant　and　means　to　nurse　her　child　herself　may　have　some

fears；　but　as　I　did　not　want　to　speak　of　this　before　those　gentlemen；

I　talked　a　great　deal　of　nonsense　when　you　questioned　me；〃　said　the

generous　creature；　adroitly。



Madame　Michaud　was　not　really　afraid　of　Genevieve　Niseron；　but　for　the

last　three　days　she　was　in　mortal　terror　of　some　disaster　from　the

peasantry。



〃How　did　you　discover　this？〃　said　the　countess。



〃From　everything　and　from　nothing；〃　replied　Olympe。　〃The　poor　little

thing　moves　with　the　slowness　of　a　tortoise　when　she　is　obliged　to

obey　me；　but　she　runs　like　a　lizard　when　Justin　asks　for　anything；　she

trembles　like　a　leaf　at　the　sound　of　his　voice；　and　her　face　is　that

of　a　saint　ascending　to　heaven　when　she　looks　at　him。　But　she　knows

nothing　about　love；　she　has　no　idea　that　she　loves　him。〃



〃Poor　child！〃　said　the　countess　with　a　smile　and　tone　that　were　full

of　naivete。



〃And　so；〃　continued　Madame　Michaud；　answering　with　a　smile　the　smile

of　her　late　mistress；　〃Genevieve　is　gloomy　when　Justin　is　out　of　the

house；　if　I　ask　her　what　she　is　thinking　of　she　replies　that　she　is

afraid　of　Monsieur　Rigou；　or　some　such　nonsense。　She　thinks　people

envy　her；　though　she　is　as　black　as　the　inside　of　a　chimney。　When

Justin　is　patrolling　the　woods　at　night　the　child　is　as　anxious　as　I

am。　If　I　open　my　window　to　listen　for　the　trot　of　his　horse；　I　see　a

light　in　her　room；　which　shows　me　that　La　Pechina　（as　they　call　here）

is　watching　and　waiting　too。　She　never　goes　to　bed；　any　more　than　I

do；　till　he　comes　in。〃



〃Thirteen！〃　exclaimed　the　countess；　〃unfortunate　child！〃



〃Unfortunate？　no。　This　passion　will　save　her。〃



〃From　what？〃　asked　Madame　de　Montcornet。



〃From　the　fate　which　overtakes　nearly　all　the　girls　of　her　age　in

these　parts。　Since　I　have　taught　her　cleanliness　she　is　much　less　ugly

than　she　was；　in　fact；　there　is　something　odd　and　wild　about　her　which

attracts　men。　She　is　so　changed　that　you　would　hardly　recognize　her。

The　son　of　that　infamous　innkeeper　of　the　Grand…I…Vert；　Nicolas；　the

worst　fellow　in　the　whole　district；　wants　her；　he　hunts　her　like　game。

Though　I　can't　believe　that　Monsieur　Rigou；　who　changes　his　servant…

girls　every　year　or　two　is　persecuting　such　a　little　fright；　it　is

quite　certain　that　Nicolas　Tonsard　is。　Justin　told　me　so。　It　would　be

a　dreadful　fate；　for　the　people　of　this　valley　actually　live　like

beasts；　but　Justin　and　our　two　servants　and　I　watch　her　carefully。

Therefore　don't　be　uneasy；　madame；　she　never　goes　out　alone　except　in

broad　daylight；　and　then　only　as　far　as　the　gate　of　Conches。　If　by

chance　she　fell　into　an　ambush；　her　feeling　for　Justin　would　give　her

strength　and　wit　to　escape；　for　all　women　who　have　a　preference　in

their　hearts　can　resist　a　man　they　hate。〃



〃It　was　ab