sons of the soil-第14章

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being　other　than　the　instrument　of　deep　and　active　hatreds；　had　an

immense　influence　on　the　struggle　that　was　about　to　take　place；　being

the　friend　and　counsellor　of　all　the　complainants　of　the　lower

classes。　His　inn；　as　we　shall　presently　see；　was　the　rendezvous　for

the　aggressors；　in　fact；　he　became　their　chief；　partly　on　account　of

the　fear　he　inspired　throughout　the　valleyless；　however；　by　his

actual　deeds　than　by　those　that　were　constantly　expected　of　him。　The

threat　of　this　man　was　as　much　dreaded　as　the　thing　threatened；　so

that　he　never　had　occasion　to　execute　it。



Every　revolt；　open　or　concealed；　has　its　banner。　The　banner　of　the

marauders；　the　drunkards；　the　idlers；　the　sluggards　of　the　valley　des

Aigues　was　the　terrible　tavern　of　the　Grand…I…Vert。　Its　frequenters

found　amusement　there；as　rare　and　much…desired　a　thing　in　the

country　as　in　a　city。　Moreover；　there　was　no　other　inn　along　the

country…road　for　over　twelve　miles；　a　distance　which　conveyances　（even

when　laden）　could　easily　do　in　three　hours；　so　that　those　who　went

from　Conches　to　Ville…aux…Fayes　always　stopped　at　the　Grand…I…Vert；　if

only　to　refresh　themselves。　The　miller　of　Les　Aigues；　who　was　also

assistant…mayor；　and　his　men　came　there。　The　grooms　and　valets　of　the

general　were　not　averse　to　Tonsard's　wine；　rendered　attractive　by

Tonsard's　daughters；　so　the　Grand…I…Vert　held　subterraneous

communication　with　the　chateau　through　the　servants；　and　knew

immediately　everything　that　they　knew。　It　is　impossible　either　by

benefits　or　through　their　own　self…interests；　to　break　up　the

perpetual　understanding　that　exists　between　the　servants　of　a

household　and　the　people　from　whom　they　come。　Domestic　service　is　of

the　masses；　and　to　the　masses　it　will　ever　remain　attached。　This　fatal

comradeship　explains　the　reticence　of　the　last　words　of　Charles　the

groom；　as　he　and　Blondet　reached　the　portico　of　the　chateau。







CHAPTER　IV



ANOTHER　IDYLL



〃Ha！　by　my　pipe；　papa！〃　exclaimed　Tonsard；　seeing　his　father…in…law　as

the　old　man　entered　and　supposing　him　in　quest　of　food；　〃your　stomach

is　lively　this　morning！　We　haven't　anything　to　give　you。　How　about

that　rope；the　rope；　you　know；　you　were　to　make　for　us？　It　is　amazing

how　much　you　make　over　night　and　how　little　there　is　made　in　the

morning！　You　ought　long　ago　to　have　twisted　the　one　that　is　to　twist

you　out　of　existence；　you　are　getting　too　costly　for　us。〃



The　wit　of　a　peasant　or　laborer　is　very　Attic；　it　consists　in　speaking

out　his　mind　and　giving　it　a　grotesque　expression。　We　find　the　same

thing　in　a　drawing…room。　Delicacy　of　wit　takes　the　place　of

picturesque　vulgarity；　and　that　is　really　all　the　difference　there　is。



〃That's　enough　for　the　father…in…law！〃　said　the　old　man。　〃Talk

business；　I　want　a　bottle　of　the　best。〃



So　saying；　Fourchon　rapped　a　five…franc　piece　that　gleamed　in　his　hand

on　the　old　table　at　which　he　was　seated；which；　with　its　coating　of

grease；　its　scorched　black　marks；　its　wine　stains；　and　its　gashes；　was

singular　to　behold。　At　the　sound　of　coin　Marie　Tonsard；　as　trig　as　a

sloop　about　to　start　on　a　cruise；　glanced　at　her　grandfather　with　a

covetous　look　that　shot　from　her　eyes　like　a　spark。　La　Tonsard　came

out　of　her　bedroom；　attracted　by　the　music　of　metal。



〃You　are　always　rough　to　my　poor　father；〃　she　said　to　her　husband；

〃and　yet　he　has　earned　a　deal　of　money　this　year；　God　grant　he　came　by

it　honestly。　Let　me　see　that；〃　she　added；　springing　at　the　coin　and

snatching　it　from　Fourchon's　fingers。



〃Marie；〃　said　Tonsard；　gravely；　〃above　the　board　you'll　find　some

bottled　wine。　Go　and　get　a　bottle。〃



Wine　is　of　only　one　quality　in　the　country；　but　it　is　sold　as　of　two

kinds；cask　wine　and　bottled　wine。



〃Where　did　you　get　this；　papa〃　demanded　La　Tonsard；　slipping　the　coin

into　her　pocket。



〃Philippine！　you'll　come　to　a　bad　end；〃　said　the　old　man；　shaking　his

head　but　not　attempting　to　recover　his　money。　Doubtless　he　had　long

realized　the　futility　of　a　struggle　between　his　daughter；　his　terrible

son…in…law；　and　himself。



〃Another　bottle　of　wine　for　which　you　get　five　francs　out　of　me；〃　he

added；　in　a　peevish　tone。　〃But　it　shall　be　the　last。　I　shall　give　my

custom　to　the　Cafe　de　la　Paix。〃



〃Hold　your　tongue；　papa！〃　remarked　his　fair　and　fat　daughter；　who　bore

some　resemblance　to　a　Roman　matron。　〃You　need　a　shirt；　and　a　pair　of

clean　trousers；　and　a　hat；　and　I　want　to　see　you　with　a　waistcoat。

That's　what　I　take　the　money　for。〃



〃I　have　told　you　again　and　again　that　such　things　would　ruin　me；〃　said

the　old　man。　〃People　would　think　me　rich　and　stop　giving　me　anything。〃



The　bottle　brought　by　Marie　put　an　end　to　the　loquacity　of　the　old

man；　who　was　not　without　that　trait；　characteristic　of　those　whose

tongues　are　ready　to　tell　out　everything；　and　who　shrink　from　no

expression　of　their　thought；　no　matter　how　atrocious　it　may　be。



〃Then　you　don't　want　to　tell　where　you　filched　that　money？〃　said

Tonsard。　〃We　might　go　and　get　more　where　that　came　from；the　rest　of

us。〃



He　was　making　a　snare；　and　as　he　finished　it　the　ferocious　innkeeper

happened　to　glance　at　his　father…in…law's　trousers；　and　there　he　spied

a　raised　round　spot　which　clearly　defined　a　second　five…franc　piece。



〃Having　become　a　capitalist　I　drink　your　health；〃　said　Pere　Fourchon。



〃If　you　choose　to　be　a　capitalist　you　can　be；〃　said　Tonsard；　〃you　have

the　means；　you　have！　But　the　devil　has　bored　a　hole　in　the　back　of

your　head　through　which　everything　runs　out。〃



〃Hey！　I　only　played　the　otter　trick　on　that　young　fellow　they　have　got

at　Les　Aigues。　He's　from　Paris。　That's　all　there　is　to　it。〃



〃If　crowds　of　people　would　come　to　see　the　sources　of　the　Avonne；

you'd　be　rich；　Grandpa　Fourchon；〃　said　Marie。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　drinking　the　last　glassful　the　bottle　contained；　〃and

I've　played　the　sham　otter　so　long；　the　live　otters　have　got　angry；

and　one　of　them　came　right　between　my　legs　to…day；　Mouche　caught　it；

and　I　am　to　get　twenty　francs　for　it。〃



〃I'll　bet　your　otter　is　made　of　tow；〃　said　Tonsard；　looking　slyly　at

his　father…in…law。



〃If　you　will　give　me　a　pair　of　trousers；　a　waistcoat；　and　some　list

braces；　so　as　not　to　disgrace　Vermichel　on　the　music　stand　at　Tivoli

（for　old　Socquard　is　always　scolding　about　my　clothes）；　I'll　let　you

keep　that　money；　my　daughter；　your　idea　is　a　good　one。　I　can　squeeze

that　rich　young　fellow　at　Les　Aigues；　may　be　he'll　take　to　otters。〃



〃Go　and　get　another　bottle；〃　said　Tonsard　to　his　daughter。　〃If　your

father　really　had　an　otter；　he　would　show　it　to　us；〃　he　added；

speaking　to　his　wife　and　trying　to　touch　up　Fourchon。



〃I'm　too　afraid　it　would　get　into　your　frying…pan；〃　said　the　old　man；

winking　one　of　his　little　green　eyes　at　his　daughter。　〃Philippine　has

already　hooked　my　five…franc　piece；　and　how　many　more　haven't　you

bagged　under　pretence　of　clothing　me　and　feeding　me？　and　now　you　say

that　my　stomach　is　too　lively；　and　that　I　go　half…naked。〃



〃You　sold　your　last　clothes　to　drink　boiled　wine　at　the　Cafe　de　la

Paix；　papa；〃　said　his　daughter；　〃though　Vermichel　tried　to　prevent

it。〃



〃Vermichel！　the　man　I　treated！　Vermichel　is　incapable　of　betraying　my

friendship。　It　must　have　been　that　lump　of　old　lard　on　two　legs　that

he　is　not　ashamed　to　call　his　wife！〃



〃He　or　she；〃　replied　Tonsard；　〃or　Bonnebault。〃



〃If　it　was　Bonnebault；〃　cried　Fourchon；　〃he　who　is　one　of　the　pillars

of　the　place；　I'llI'llEnough！〃



〃You　old　sot；　what　has　all　that　got　to　do　with　having　sold　your

clothes？　You　sold　them　because　you　did　sell　them；　you're　of　age！〃　said

Tonsard；　slapping　the　old　man's　knee。　〃Come；　do　honor　to　my　drink　and

redden　up　your　throat！　The　father　of　Mam　Tonsard　has　a　right　to　do　so；

and　isn't　that　better　than　spending　your　silver　at　Socquard's？〃



〃What　a　shame　it　is　that　you　have　been　fifteen　years　playing　for

people　to　dance　at　Tivoli　and　you　have　n