sons of the soil-第42部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



that　scorn　and　contempt　are　brought　upon　us；　it　is　because　of　such

conduct　that　the　People　are　accused　of　being　unfit　for　liberty。　The

People　should　set　an　example　of　civic　virtue　and　honor　to　the　rich。

You　all　sell　yourselves　to　Rigou　for　gold；　and　if　you　don't　sell　him

your　daughters；　at　any　rate　you　sell　him　your　honor；and　it's　wrong。〃



〃Just　see　what　a　position　Courtecuisse　is　in；〃　said　Tonsard。



〃See　what　a　position　I　am　in；〃　replied　Pere　Niseron；　〃but　I　sleep　in

peace；　there　are　no　thorns　in　my　pillow。〃



〃Let　him　talk；　Tonsard；〃　whispered　his　wife；　〃you　know　they're　just

HIS　NOTIONS；　poor　dear　man。〃



Bonnebault　and　Marie；　Catherine　and　her　brother　came　in　at　this　moment

in　a　state　of　exasperation；　which　had　begun　with　Nicolas's　failure；

and　was　raised　to　the　highest　pitch　by　Michaud's　advice　to　the

countess　about　Bonnebault。　As　Nicolas　entered　the　tavern　he　was

uttering　frightful　threats　against　the　Michaud　family　and　Les　Aigues。



〃The　harvest's　coming；　well；　I　vow　I'll　not　go　before　I've　lighted　my

pipe　at　their　wheat…stacks；〃　he　cried；　striking　his　fist　on　the　table

as　he　sat　down。



〃Mustn't　yelp　like　that　before　people；〃　said　Godain；　showing　him　Pere

Niseron。



〃If　the　old　fellow　tells；　I'll　wring　his　neck；〃　said　Catherine。　〃He's

had　his　day；　that　old　peddler　of　foolish　reasons！　They　call　him

virtuous；　it's　his　temperament　that　keeps　him　so；　that's　all。〃



Strange　and　noteworthy　sight！that　of　those　lifted　heads；　that　group

of　persons　gathered　in　the　reeking　hovel；　while　old　Mother　Tonsard

stood　sentinel　at　the　door　as　security　for　the　secret　words　of　the

drinkers。



Of　all　those　faces；　that　of　Godain；　Catherine's　suitor；　was　perhaps

the　most　alarming；　though　the　least　pronounced。　Godain；a　miser

without　money；the　cruelest　of　misers；　for　he　who　seeks　money　surely

takes　precedence　of　him　who　hoards　it；　one　turning　his　eagerness

within　himself；　the　other　looking　outside　with　terrible　intentness；

Godain　represented　the　type　of　the　majority　of　peasant　faces。



He　was　a　journeyman；　small　in　frame；　and　saved　from　the　draft　by　not

attaining　the　required　military　height；　naturally　lean　and　made　more

so　by　hard　work　and　the　enforced　sobriety　under　which　reluctant

workers　like　Courtecuisse　succumb。　His　face　was　no　bigger　than　a　man's

fist；　and　was　lighted　by　a　pair　of　yellow　eyes　with　greenish　strips

and　brown　spots；　in　which　a　thirst　for　the　possession　of　property　was

mingled　with　a　concupiscence　which　had　no　heat；for　desire；　once　at

the　boiling…point；　had　now　stiffened　like　lava。　His　skin；　brown　as

that　of　a　mummy；　was　glued　to　his　temples。　His　scanty　beard　bristled

among　his　wrinkles　like　stubble　in　the　furrows。　Godain　never

perspired；　he　reabsorbed　his　substance。　His　hairy　hands；　formed　like

claws；　nervous；　never　still；　seemed　to　be　made　of　old　wood。　Though

scarcely　twenty…seven　years　of　age；　white　lines　were　beginning　to　show

in　his　rusty　black　hair。　He　wore　a　blouse；　through　the　breast　opening

of　which　could　be　seen　a　shirt　of　coarse　linen；　so　black　that　he　must

have　worn　it　a　month　and　washed　it　himself　in　the　Thune。　His　sabots

were　mended　with　old　iron。　The　original　stuff　of　his　trousers　was

unrecognizable　from　the　darns　and　the　infinite　number　of　patches。　On

his　head　was　a　horrible　cap；　evidently　cast　off　and　picked　up　in　the

doorway　of　some　bourgeois　house　in　Ville…aux…Fayes。



Clear…sighted　enough　to　estimate　the　elements　of　good　fortune　that

centred　in　Catherine　Tonsard；　his　ambition　was　to　succeed　her　father

at　the　Grand…I…Vert。　He　made　use　of　all　his　craftiness　and　all　his

actual　powers　to　capture　her；　he　promised　her　wealth；　he　also　promised

her　the　license　her　mother　had　enjoyed；　besides　this；　he　offered　his

prospective　father…in…law　an　enormous　rental；　five　hundred　francs　a

year；　for　his　inn；　until　he　could　buy　him　out；　trusting　to　an

agreement　he　had　made　with　Monsieur　Brunet　to　pay　these　costs　by　notes

on　stamped　paper。　By　trade　a　journeyman　tool…maker；　this　gnome　worked

for　the　wheelwrights　when　work　was　plentiful；　but　he　also　hired

himself　out　for　any　extra　labor　which　was　well　paid。　Though　he

possessed；　unknown　to　the　whole　neighborhood；　eighteen　hundred　francs

now　in　Gaubertin's　hands；　he　lived　like　a　beggar；　slept　in　a　barn；　and

gleaned　at　the　harvests。　He　wore　Gaubertin's　receipt　for　his　money

sewn　into　the　waist…belt　of　his　trousers；having　it　renewed　every

year　with　its　own　added　interest　and　the　amount　of　his　savings。



〃Hey！　what　do　I　care；〃　cried　Nicolas；　replying　to　Godain's　prudent

advice　not　to　talk　before　Niseron。　〃If　I'm　doomed　to　be　a　soldier　I'd

rather　the　sawdust　of　the　basket　sucked　up　my　blood　than　have　it

dribbled　out　drop　by　drop　in　the　battles。　I'll　deliver　this　country　of

at　least　one　of　those　Arminacs　that　the　devil　has　launched　upon　us。〃



And　he　related　what　he　called　Michaud's　plot　against　him；　which　Marie

and　Bonnebault　had　overheard。



〃Where　do　you　expect　France　to　find　soldiers？〃　said　the　white…haired

old　man；　rising　and　standing　before　Nicolas　during　the　silence　which

followed　the　utterance　of　this　threat。



〃We　serve　our　time　and　come　home　again；〃　remarked　Bonnebault；　twirling

his　moustache。



Observing　that　all　the　worst　characters　of　the　neighborhood　were

collecting；　Pere　Niseron　shook　his　head　and　left　the　tavern；　after

offering　a　farthing　to　Madame　Tonsard　in　payment　for　his　glass　of

wine。　When　the　worthy　man　had　gone　down　the　steps　a　movement　of　relief

and　satisfaction　passed　through　the　assembled　drinkers　which　would

have　told　whoever　watched　them　that　each　man　in　that　company　felt　he

was　rid　of　the　living　image　of　his　own　conscience。



〃Well；　what　do　you　say　to　all　that；　hey；　Courtecuisse？〃　asked

Vaudoyer；　who　had　just　come　in；　and　to　whom　Tonsard　had　related

Vatel's　attempt。



Courtecuisse　clacked　his　tongue　against　the　roof　of　his　mouth；　and　set

his　glass　on　the　table。



〃Vatel　put　himself　in　the　wrong；〃　he　said。　〃If　I　were　Mother　Tonsard；

I'd　give　myself　a　few　wounds　and　go　to　bed　and　say　I　was　ill；　and　have

that　Shopman　and　his　keeper　up　before　the　assizes　and　get　twenty

crowns　damages。　Monsieur　Sarcus　would　give　them。〃



〃In　any　case　the　Shopman　would　give　them　to　stop　the　talk　it　would

make；〃　said　Godain。



Vaudoyer；　the　former　field…keeper；　a　man　five　feet　six　inches　tall；

with　a　face　pitted　with　the　small…pox　and　furrowed　like　a　nut…cracker；

kept　silence　with　a　hesitating　air。



〃Well；　you　old　ninny；　does　that　ruffle　you？〃　asked　Tonsard；　attracted

by　the　idea　of　damages。　〃If　they　had　broken　twenty　crowns'　worth　of　my

mother's　bones　we　could　turn　it　into　good　account；　we　might　make　a

fine　fuss　for　three　hundred　francs；　Monsieur　Gourdon　would　go　to　Les

Aigues　and　tell　them　that　the　mother　had　got　a　broken　hip〃



〃And　break　it；　too；〃　interrupted　Madame　Tonsard；　〃they　do　that　in

Paris。〃



〃It　would　cost　too　much；〃　remarked　Godain。



〃I　have　been　too　long　among　the　people　who　rule　us　to　believe　that

matters　will　go　as　you　want　them；〃　said　Vaudoyer　at　last；　remembering

his　past　official　intercourse　with　the　courts　and　the　gendarmerie。　〃If

it　were　at　Soulanges；　now；　it　might　be　done；　Monsieur　Soudry

represents　the　government　there；　and　he　doesn't　wish　well　to　the

Shopman；　but　if　you　attack　the　Shopman　and　Vatel　they'll　defend

themselves　viciously；　they'll　say；　'The　woman　was　to　blame；　she　had　a

tree；　otherwise　she　would　have　let　her　bundle　be　examined　on　the

highroad；　she　wouldn't　have　run　away；　if　an　accident　happened　to　her

it　was　through　her　own　fault。'　No；　you　can't　trust　to　that　plan。〃



〃The　Shopman　didn't　resist　when　I　sued　him；〃　said　Courtecuisse；　〃he

paid　me　at　once。〃



〃I'll　go　to　Soulanges；　if　you　like；〃　said　Bonnebault；　〃and　consult

Monsieur　Gourdon；　the　clerk　of　the　court；　and　you　shall　know　to…night

if　THERE'S　MONEY　IN　IT。〃



〃You　are　only　making　an　excuse　to　be　after　that　big　goose　of　a　girl；

Socquard's　daughter；〃　said　Marie　Tonsard；　giving　Bonnebault　a　slap　on

the　shoulder　that　made　his　lungs　hum。



Just　then　a　verse　of　an　old　Burgundian　Christmas　carol　was　heard：



　　〃One　fine　moment　of　his　life

　　Was　at　the　wedding　feast；

　　He　changed　the　water　into　wine；

　　Madeira　of　the　best。〃



Every　one　recognized　the　vinous　voice　of　old　Fourchon；　to　whom　the

verse　must　have　been　peculiarly　agreeable；　Mouche　accompanied　in　his

treble　tones。



〃Ha！　they're　full！〃　cried　old　Mother　Tonsard　to　her　daughter…in…law；

〃your　father　is　as　red　as　a　grid…iron；　and　that　chip　o'　the　block　as

pink　as　vine…shoot。〃



〃Your　healths！〃　cried　the　old　man；　〃and　a　fine　lot　of　scoundrels　you

are！　All　hail！〃　he　said　to　his　granddaughter；　whom　he　spied　kissing

Bonnebault；　〃hail；　Marie；　full　of　vice！　Satan　is　with　three；　cursed

art　thou　among　women；　etcetera。　All　hail；　the　company　present！　you　are

done　for；　every　one　of　you！　you　may　just　say　good…bye　to　your　sheaves。

I　being　news。　I　always　told　you　the　rich　would　crush　us；　well　now；　the

Shopman　is　going　to　have　the　law　of　you！　Ha！　see　what　it　is　to

struggle　against　those　bourgeois　fellows；　who　have　made　so　many　laws

since　they　got　into　power　that　they've　a　law　to　enforce　every　trick

they　play〃



A　violent　hiccough　gave　a　sudden　turn　to　the　ideas　of　the

distinguished　orator。



〃If　Vermichel　were　only　here　I'd　blow　in　his　gullet；　and　he'd　get　an

idea　of　sherry　wine。　Hey！　what　a　wine　it　is！　If　I　wasn't　a　Burgundian

I'd　be　a　Spaniard！　It's　God's　own　wine！　the　pope　says　mass　with　it

Hey！　I'm　young　again！　Say；　Courtecuisse！　if　your　wife　were　only　here

we'd　be　young　together。　Don't　tell　me！　Spanish　wine　is　worth　a　dozen

of　boiled　wine。　Let's　have　a　revolution　if　it's　only　to　empty　the

cellars！〃



〃But　what's　your　news；　papa？〃　said　Tonsard。



〃There'll　be　no　harvest　for　you；　the　Shopman　has　given　orders　to　stop

the　gleaning。〃



〃Stop　the　gleaning！〃　cried　the　whole　tavern；　with　one　voice；　in　which

the　shril