sons of the soil-第7部分

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down　there〃



From　the　other　side　of　the　water　Mouche　pointed　his　finger　to　certain

air…bubbles　coming　up　from　the　bottom　of　the　Avonne　and　bursting　on

its　surface。



〃It　has　come　back！〃　said　Pere　Fourchon；　〃don't　you　see　it　breathe；　the

beggar？　How　do　you　suppose　they　manage　to　breathe　at　the　bottom　of　the

water？　Ah；　the　creature's　so　clever　it　laughs　at　science。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Blondet；　who　supposed　the　last　word　was　a　jest　of　the

peasantry　in　general　rather　than　of　this　peasant　in　particular；　〃wait

and　catch　the　otter。〃



〃And　what　are　we　to　do　about　our　day's　work；　Mouche　and　I？〃



〃What　is　your　day　worth？〃



〃For　the　pair　of　us；　my　apprentice　and　me？Five　francs；〃　said　the　old

man；　looking　Blondet　in　the　eye　with　a　hesitation　which　betrayed　an

enormous　overcharge。



The　journalist　took　ten　francs　from　his　pocket；　saying；　〃There's　ten；

and　I'll　give　you　ten　more　for　the　otter。〃



〃And　it　won't　cost　you　dear　if　there's　white　on　its　back；　for　the　sub…

prefect　told　me　there　wasn't　one　o'　them　museums　that　had　the　like；

but　he　knows　everything；　our　sub…prefect；no　fool　he！　If　I　hunt　the

otter；　he；　M'sieur　des　Lupeaulx；　hunts　Mademoiselle　Gaubertin；　who　has

a　fine　white　〃dot〃　on　her　back。　Come　now；　my　good　gentleman；　if　I　may

make　so　bold；　plunge　into　the　middle　of　the　Avonne　and　get　to　that

stone　down　there。　If　we　head　the　otter　off；　it　will　come　down　stream；

for　just　see　their　slyness；　the　beggars！　they　always　go　above　their

burrow　to　feed；　for；　once　full　of　fish；　they　know　they　can　easily

drift　down；　the　sly　things！　Ha！　if　I'd　been　trained　in　their　school　I

should　be　living　now　on　an　income；　but　I　was　a　long　time　finding　out

that　you　must　go　up　stream　very　early　in　the　morning　if　you　want　to

bag　the　game　before　others。　Well；　somebody　threw　a　spell　over　me　when

I　was　born。　However；　we　three　together　ought　to　be　slyer　than　the

otter。〃



〃How　so；　my　old　necromancer？〃



〃Why；　bless　you！　we　are　as　stupid　as　the　beasts；　and　so　we　come　to

understand　the　beasts。　Now；　see；　this　is　what　we'll　do。　When　the　otter

wants　to　get　home　Mouche　and　I'll　frighten　it　here；　and　you'll

frighten　it　over　there；　frightened　by　us　and　frightened　by　you　it　will

jump　on　the　bank；　and　when　it　takes　to　earth；　it　is　lost！　It　can't

run；　it　has　web　feet　for　swimming。　Ho；　ho！　it　will　make　you　laugh；

such　floundering！　you　don't　know　whether　you　are　fishing　or　hunting！

The　general　up　at　Les　Aigues；　I　have　known　him　to　stay　here　three　days

running；　he　was　so　bent　on　getting　an　otter。〃



Blondet；　armed　with　a　branch　cut　for　him　by　the　old　man；　who　requested

him　to　whip　the　water　with　it　when　he　called　to　him；　planted　himself

in　the　middle　of　the　river　by　jumping　from　stone　to　stone。



〃There；　that　will　do；　my　good　gentleman。〃



Blondet　stood　where　he　was　told　without　remarking　the　lapse　of　time；

for　every　now　and　then　the　old　fellow　made　him　a　sign　as　much　as　to

say　that　all　was　going　well；　and　besides；　nothing　makes　time　go　so

fast　as　the　expectation　that　quick　action　is　to　succeed　the　perfect

stillness　of　watching。



〃Pere　Fourchon；〃　whispered　the　boy；　finding　himself　alone　with　the　old

man；　〃there's　REALLY　an　otter！〃



〃Do　you　see　it？〃



〃There；　see　there！〃



The　old　fellow　was　dumb…founded　at　beholding　under　water　the　reddish…

brown　fur　of　an　actual　otter。



〃It's　coming　my　way！〃　said　the　child。



〃Hit　him　a　sharp　blow　on　the　head　and　jump　into　the　water　and　hold　him

fast　down；　but　don't　let　him　go！〃



Mouche　dove　into　the　water　like　a　frightened　frog。



〃Come；　come；　my　good　gentleman；〃　cried　Pere　Fourchon　to　Blondet；

jumping　into　the　water　and　leaving　his　sabots　on　the　bank；　〃frighten

him！　frighten　him！　Don't　you　see　him？　he　is　swimming　fast　your　way！〃



The　old　man　dashed　toward　Blondet　through　the　water；　calling　out　with

the　gravity　that　country　people　retain　in　the　midst　of　their　greatest

excitements：



〃Don't　you　see　him；　there；　along　the　rocks？〃



Blondet；　placed　by　direction　of　the　old　fellow　in　such　a　way　that　the

sun　was　in　his　eyes；　thrashed　the　water　with　much　satisfaction　to

himself。



〃Go　on；　go　on！〃　cried　Pere　Fourchon；　〃on　the　rock　side；　the　burrow　is

there；　to　your　left！〃



Carried　away　by　excitement　and　by　his　long　waiting；　Blondet　slipped

from　the　stones　into　the　water。



〃Ha！　brave　you　are；　my　good　gentleman！　Twenty　good　Gods！　I　see　him

between　your　legs！　you'll　have　him！　Ah！　there！　he's　gonehe's

gone！〃　cried　the　old　man；　in　despair。



Then；　in　the　fury　of　the　chase；　the　old　fellow　plunged　into　the

deepest　part　of　the　stream　in　front　of　Blondet。



〃It's　your　fault　we've　lost　him！〃　he　cried；　as　Blondet　gave　him　a　hand

to　pull　him　out；　dripping　like　a　triton；　and　a　vanquished　triton。　〃The

rascal；　I　see　him；　under　those　rocks！　He　has　let　go　his　fish；〃

continued　Fourchon；　pointing　to　something　that　floated　on　the　surface。

〃We'll　have　that　at　any　rate；　it's　a　tench；　a　real　tench。〃



Just　then　a　groom　in　livery　on　horseback　and　leading　another　horse　by

the　bridle　galloped　up　the　road　toward　Conches。



〃See！　there's　the　chateau　people　sending　after　you；〃　said　the　old　man。

〃If　you　want　to　cross　back　again　I'll　give　you　a　hand。　I　don't　mind

about　getting　wet；　it　saves　washing！〃



〃How　about　rheumatism？〃



〃Rheumatism！　don't　you　see　the　sun　has　browned　our　legs；　Mouche　and

me；　like　tobacco…pipes。　Here；　lean　on　me；　my　good　gentlemanyou're

from　Paris；　you　don't　know；　though　you　DO　know　so　much；　how　to　walk　on

our　rocks。　If　you　stay　here　long　enough；　you'll　learn　a　deal　that's

written　in　the　book　o'　nature；you　who　write；　so　they　tell　me；　in　the

newspapers。〃



Blondet　had　reached　the　bank　before　Charles；　the　groom；　perceived　him。



〃Ah；　monsieur！〃　he　cried；　〃you　don't　know　how　anxious　Madame　has　been

since　she　heard　you　had　gone　through　the　gate　of　Conches；　she　was

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；

coul