sons of the soil-第17章

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After　a　moment's　hesitation　the　keeper　said；　looking　at　Brunet　and

Vermichel；　〃Here　are　witnesses。〃



〃Witnesses　of　what？〃　said　Tonsard。



〃That　woman　has　a　ten…year…old　oak；　cut　into　logs；　inside　those

fagots；　it　is　a　regular　crime！〃



The　moment　the　word　〃witness〃　was　uttered　Vermichel　thought　best　to

breathe　the　fresh　air　of　the　vineyard。



〃Of　what？　witnesses　of　what？〃　cried　Tonsard；　standing　in　front　of　the

keeper　while　his　wife　helped　up　the　old　woman。　〃Do　you　mean　to　show

your　claws；　Vatel？　Accuse　persons　and　arrest　them　on　the　highway；

brigand；that's　your　domain；　but　get　out　of　here！　A　man's　house　is

his　castle。〃



〃I　caught　her　in　the　act；　and　your　mother　must　come　with　me。〃



〃Arrest　my　mother　in　my　house？　You　have　no　right　to　do　it。　My　house　is

inviolable；all　the　world　knows　that；　at　least。　Have　you　got　a

warrant　from　Monsieur　Guerbet；　the　magistrate？　Ha！　you　must　have　the

law　behind　you　before　you　come　in　here。　You　are　not　the　law；　though

you　have　sworn　an　oath　to　starve　us　to　death；　you　miserable　forest…

gauger；　you！〃



The　fury　of　the　keeper　waxed　so　hot　that　he　was　on　the　point　of

seizing　hold　of　the　wood；　when　the　old　woman；　a　frightful　bit　of　black

parchment　endowed　with　motion；　the　like　of　which　can　be　seen　only　in

David's　picture　of　〃The　Sabines；〃　screamed　at　him；　〃Don't　touch　it；　or

I'll　fly　at　your　eyes！〃



〃Well；　then；　undo　that　pile　in　presence　of　Monsieur　Brunet；〃　said　the

keeper。



Though　the　sheriff's　officer　had　assumed　the　indifference　that　the

routine　of　business　does　really　give　to　officials　of　his　class；　he

threw　a　glance　at　Tonsard　and　his　wife　which　said　plainly；　〃A　bad

business！〃　Old　Fourchon　looked　at　his　daughter；　and　slyly　pointed　at　a

pile　of　ashes　in　the　chimney。　Mam　Tonsard；　who　understood　in　a　moment

from　that　significant　gesture　both　the　danger　of　her　mother…in…law　and

the　advice　of　her　father；　seized　a　handful　of　ashes　and　flung　them　in

the　keeper's　eyes。　Vatel　roared　with　pain；　Tonsard　pushed　him　roughly

upon　the　broken　door…steps　where　the　blinded　man　stumbled　and　fell；

and　then　rolled　nearly　down　to　the　gate；　dropping　his　gun　on　the　way。

In　an　instant　the　load　of　sticks　was　unfastened；　and　the　oak　logs

pulled　out　and　hidden　with　a　rapidity　no　words　can　describe。　Brunet；

anxious　not　to　witness　this　manoeuvre；　which　he　readily　foresaw；

rushed　after　the　keeper　to　help　him　up；　then　he　placed　him　on　the　bank

and　wet　his　handkerchief　in　water　to　wash　the　eyes　of　the　poor　fellow；

who；　in　spite　of　his　agony；　was　trying　to　reach　the　brook。



〃You　are　in　the　wrong；　Vatel；〃　said　Brunet；　〃you　have　no　right　to

enter　houses；　don't　you　see？〃



The　old　woman；　a　little　hump…backed　creature；　stood　on　the　sill　of　the

door；　with　her　hands　on　her　hips；　darting　flashes　from　her　eyes　and

curses　from　her　foaming　lips　shrill　enough　to　be　heard　at　Blangy。



〃Ha！　the　villain；　'twas　well　done！　May　hell　get　you！　To　suspect　me　of

cutting　trees！ME；　the　most　honest　woman　in　the　village。　To　hunt　me

like　vermin！　I'd　like　to　see　you　lose　your　cursed　eyes；　for　then　we'd

have　peace。　You　are　birds　of　ill…omen；　the　whole　of　you；　you　invent

shameful　stories　to　stir　up　strife　between　your　master　and　us。〃



The　keeper　allowed　the　sheriff　to　bathe　his　eyes　and　all　the　while　the

latter　kept　telling　him　that　he　was　legally　wrong。



〃The　old　thief！　she　has　tired　us　out；〃　said　Vatel　at　last。　〃She　has

been　at　work　in　the　woods　all　night。〃



As　the　whole　family　had　taken　an　active　hand　in　hiding　the　live　wood

and　putting　things　straight　in　the　cottage；　Tonsard　presently　appeared

at　the　door　with　an　insolent　air。　〃Vatel；　my　man；　if　you　ever　again

dare　to　force　your　way　into　my　domain；　my　gun　shall　answer　you；〃　he

said。　〃To…day　you　have　had　the　ashes；　the　next　time　you　shall　have　the

fire。　You　don't　know　your　own　business。　That's　enough。　Now　if　you　feel

hot　after　this　affair　take　some　wine；　I　offer　it　to　you；　and　you　may

come　in　and　see　that　my　old　mother's　bundle　of　fagots　hadn't　a　scrap

of　live　wood　in　it；　it　is　every　bit　brushwood。〃



〃Scoundrel！〃　said　the　keeper　to　the　sheriff；　in　a　low　voice；　more

enraged　by　this　speech　than　by　the　smart　of　his　eyes。



Just　then　Charles；　the　groom；　appeared　at　the　gate　of　the　Grand…I…

Vert。



〃What　is　the　matter；　Vatel？〃　he　said。



〃Ah！〃　said　the　keeper；　wiping　his　eyes；　which　he　had　plunged　wide　open

into　the　rivulet　to　give　them　a　final　cleansing。　〃I　have　some　debtors

in　there　that　I'll　cause　to　rue　the　day　they　saw　the　light。〃



〃If　you　take　it　that　way；　Monsieur　Vatel；〃　said　Tonsard；　coldly；　〃you

will　find　we　don't　want　for　courage　in　Burgundy。〃



Vatel　departed。　Not　feeling　much　curiosity　to　know　what　the　trouble

was；　Charles　went　up　the　steps　and　looked　into　the　house。



〃Come　to　the　chateau；　you　and　your　otter；if　you　really　have　one；〃　he

said　to　Pere　Fourchon。



The　old　man　rose　hurriedly　and　followed　him。



〃Well；　where　is　it；that　otter　of　yours？〃　said　Charles；　smiling

doubtfully。



〃This　way；〃　said　the　old　fellow；　going　toward　the　Thune。



The　name　is　that　of　a　brook　formed　by　the　overflow　of　the　mill…race

and　of　certain　springs　in　the　park　of　Les　Aigues。　It　runs　by　the　side

of　the　county　road　as　far　as　the　lakelet　of　Soulanges；　which　it

crosses；　and　then　falls　into　the　Avonne；　after　feeding　the　mills　and

ponds　on　the　Soulanges　estate。



〃Here　it　is；　I　hid　it　in　the　brook；　with　a　stone　around　its　neck。〃



As　he　stooped　and　rose　again　the　old　man　missed　the　coin　out　of　his

pocket；　where　metal　was　so　uncommon　that　he　was　likely　to　notice　its

presence　or　its　absence　immediately。



〃Ah；　the　sharks！〃　he　cried。　〃If　I　hunt　otters　they　hunt　fathers…in…

law！　They　get　out　of　me　all　I　earn；　and　tell　me　it　is　for　my　good！　If

it　were　not　for　my　poor　Mouche；　who　is　the　comfort　of　my　old　age；　I'd

drown　myself。　Children！　they　are　the　ruin　of　their　fathers。　You

haven't　married；　have　you；　Monsieur　Charles？　Then　don't；　never　get

married；　and　then　you　can't　reproach　yourself　for　spreading　bad　blood。

I；　who　expected　to　buy　my　tow　with　that　money；　and　there　it　is

filched；　stolen！　That　monsieur　up　at　Les　Aigues；　a　fine　young　fellow；

gave　me　ten　francs；　ha！　well！　it'll　put　up　the　price　of　my　otter　now。〃



Charles　distrusted　the　old　man　so　profoundly　that　he　took　his

grievances　（this　time　very　sincere）　for　the　preliminary　of　what　he

called；　in　servant's　slang；　〃varnish；〃　and　he　made　the　great　mistake

of　letting　his　opinion　appear　in　a　satirical　grin；　which　the　spiteful

old　fellow　detected。



〃Come；　come！　Pere　Fourchon；　now　behave　yourself；　you　are　going　to　see

Madame；〃　said　Charles；　noticing　how　the　rubies　flashed　on　the　nose　and

cheeks　of　the　old　drunkard。



〃I　know　how　to　attend　to　business；　Charles；　and　the　proof　is　that　if

you　will　get　me　out　of　the　kitchen　the　remains　of　the　breakfast　and　a

bottle　or　two　of　Spanish　wine；　I'll　tell　you　something　which　will　save

you　from　a　'foul。'〃



〃Tell　me；　and　Francois　shall　get　Monsieur's　own　order　to　give　you　a

glass　of　wine；〃　said　the　groom。



〃Promise？〃



〃I　promise。〃



〃Well　then；　I　know　you　meet　my　granddaughter　Catherine　under　the

bridge　of　the　Avonne。　Godain　is　in　love　with　her；　he　saw　you；　and　he

is　fool　enough　to　be　jealous；I　say　fool；　for　a　peasant　oughtn't　to

have　feelings　which　belong　only　to　rich　folks。　If　you　go　to　the　ball

of　Soulanges　at　Tivoli　and　dance　with　her；　you'll　dance　higher　than

you'll　like。　Godain　is　rich　and　dangerous；　he　is　capable　of　breaking

your　arm　without　your　getting　a　chance　to　arrest　him。〃



〃That　would　be　too　dear；　Catherine　is　a　fine　girl；　but　she　is　not

worth　all　that；〃　replied　Charles。　〃Why　should　Godain　be　so　angry？

others　are　not。〃



〃He　loves　her　enough　to　marry　her。〃



〃If　he　does；　he'll　beat　her；〃　said　Charles。



〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃She　takes　after　her

mother；　against　whom　Tonsard　never　raised　a　finger；he's　too　afraid

she'll　be　off；　ho