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第12章

sons of the soil-第12章

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Tonsard's vices to get the better of him。 Loving comfort and good

eating herself; she encouraged his idleness and gluttony。 In the first

place; she managed to procure the good…will of the servants of the

chateau; and Tonsard; in view of the results; made no complaint as to

the means。 He cared very little what his wife did; so long as she did

all he wanted of her。 That is the secret agreement of many a

household。 Madame Tonsard established the wine…shop of the Grand…I…

Vert; her first customers being the servants of Les Aigues and the

keepers and huntsmen。



Gaubertin; formerly steward to Mademoiselle Laguerre; one of La

Tonsard's chief patrons; gave her several puncheons of excellent wine

to attract custom。 The effect of these gifts (continued as long as

Gaubertin remained a bachelor) and the fame of her rather lawless

beauty commended this beauty to the Don Juans of the valley; and

filled the wine…shop of the Grand…I…Vert。 Being a lover of good

eating; La Tonsard was naturally an excellent cook; and though her

talents were only exercised on the common dishes of the country;

jugged hare; game sauce; stewed fish and omelets; she was considered

in all the country round to be an admirable cook of the sort of food

which is eaten at a counter and spiced in a way to excite a desire for

drink。 By the end of two years; she had managed to rule Tonsard; and

turn him to evil courses; which; indeed; he asked no better than to

indulge in。



The rascal was continually poaching; and with nothing to fear from it。

The intimacies of his wife with Gaubertin and the keepers and the

rural authorities; together with the laxity of the times; secured him

impunity。 As soon as his children were large enough he made them

serviceable to his comfort; caring no more for their morality than for

that of his wife。 He had two sons and two daughters。 Tonsard; who

lived; as did his wife; from hand to mouth; might have come to an end

of this easy life if he had not maintained a sort of martial law over

his family; which compelled them to work for the preservation of it。

When he had brought up his children; at the cost of those from whom

his wife was able to extort gifts; the following charter and budget

were the law at the Grand…I…Vert。



Tonsard's old mother and his two daughters; Catherine and Marie; went

into the woods at certain seasons twice a…day; and came back laden

with fagots which overhung the crutch of their poles at least two feet

beyond their heads。 Though dried sticks were placed on the outside of

the heap; the inside was made of live wood cut from young trees。 In

plain words; Tonsard helped himself to his winter's fuel in the woods

of Les Aigues。 Besides this; father and sons were constantly poaching。

From September to March; hares; rabbits; partridges; deer; in short;

all the game that was not eaten at the chateau; was sold at Blangy and

at Soulanges; where Tonsard's two daughters peddled milk in the early

mornings;coming back with the news of the day; in return for the

gossip they carried about Les Aigues; and Cerneux; and Conches。 In the

months when the three Tonsards were unable to hunt with a gun; they

set traps。 If the traps caught more game than they could eat; La

Tonsard made pies of it and sent them to Ville…aux…Fayes。 In harvest…

time seven Tonsardsthe old mother; the two sons (until they were

seventeen years of age); the two daughters; together with old Fourchon

and Mouchegleaned; and generally brought in about sixteen bushels a

day of all grains; rye; barley; wheat; all good to grind。



The two cows; led to the roadside by the youngest girl; always managed

to stray into the meadows of Les Aigues; but as; if it ever chanced

that some too flagrant trespass compelled the keepers to take notice

of it; the children were either whipped or deprived of a coveted

dainty; they had acquired such extraordinary aptitude in hearing the

enemy's footfall that the bailiff or the park…keeper of Les Aigues was

very seldom able to detect them。 Besides; the relations of those

estimable functionaries with Tonsard and his wife tied a bandage over

their eyes。 The cows; held by long ropes; obeyed a mere twitch or a

special low call back to the roadside; knowing very well that; the

danger once past; they could finish their browsing in the next field。

Old mother Tonsard; who was getting more and more infirm; succeeded

Mouche in his duties; after Fourchon; under pretence of caring for his

natural grandson's education; kept him to himself; while Marie and

Catherine made hay in the woods。 These girls knew the exact spots

where the fine forest…grass abounded; and there they cut and spread

and cocked and garnered it; supplying two thirds; at least; of the

winter fodder; and leading the cows on all fine days to sheltered

nooks where they could still find pasture。 In certain parts of the

valley of Les Aigues; as in all places protected by a chain of

mountains; in Piedmont and in Lombardy for instance; there are spots

where the grass keeps green all the year。 Such fields; called in Italy

〃marciti;〃 are of great value; though in France they are often in

danger of being injured by snow and ice。 This phenomenon is due; no

doubt; to some favorable exposure; and to the infiltration of water

which keeps the ground at a warmer temperature。



The calves were sold for about eighty francs。 The milk; deducting the

time when the cows calved or went dry; brought in about one hundred

and sixty francs a year besides supplying the wants of the family。

Tonsard himself managed to earn another hundred and sixty by doing odd

jobs of one kind or another。



The sale of food and wine in the tavern; after all costs were paid;

returned a profit of about three hundred francs; for the great

drinking…bouts happened only at certain times and in certain seasons;

and as the topers who indulged in them gave Tonsard and his wife due

notice; the latter bought in the neighboring town the exact quantity

of provisions needed and no more。 The wine produced by Tonsard's

vineyard was sold in ordinary years for twenty francs a cask to a

wine…dealer at Soulanges with whom Tonsard was intimate。 In very

prolific years he got as much as twelve casks from his vines; but

eight was the average; and Tonsard kept half for his own traffic。 In

all wine…growing districts the gleaning of the large vineyards gives a

good perquisite; and out of it the Tonsard family usually managed to

obtain three casks more。 But being; as we have seen; sheltered and

protected by the keepers; they showed no conscience in their

proceedings;entering vineyards before the harvesters were out of

them; just as they swarmed into the wheat…fields before the sheaves

were made。 So; the seven or eight casks of wine; as much gleaned as

harvested; were sold for a good price。 However; out of these various

proceeds the Grand…I…Vert was mulcted in a good sum for the personal

consumption of Tonsard and his wife; who wanted the best of everything

to eat; and better wine than they sold;which they obtained from

their friend at Soulanges in payment for their own。 In short; the

money scraped together by this family amounted to about nine hundred

francs; for they fattened two pigs a year; one for themselves and the

other to sell。



The idlers and scapegraces and also the laborers took a fancy to the

tavern of the Grand…I…Vert; partly because of La Tonsard's merits; and

partly on account of the hail…fellow…well…met relation existing

between this family and the lower classes of the valley。 The two

daughters; both remarkably handsome; followed the example of their

mother as to morals。 Moreover; the long established fame of the Grand…

I…Vert; dating from 1795; made it a venerable spot in the eyes of the

common people。 From Conches to Ville…aux…Fayes; workmen came there to

meet and make their bargains and hear the news collected by the

Tonsard women and by Mouche and old Fourchon; or supplied by Vermichel

and

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