sons of the soil-第32章

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！



competition　that　he　has　absolute　control　of　the　auction　sales；　the

crown　and　the　State　are　both　dependent　on　him。　Their　timber　is　sold

under　the　hammer　and　falls　invariably　to　Gaubertin's　dealers；　in　fact；

no　others　attempt　now　to　bid　against　them。　Last　year　Monsieur

Mariotte；　of　Auxerre；　urged　by　the　commissioner　of　domains；　did

attempt　to　compete　with　Gaubertin。　At　first；　Gaubertin　let　him　buy　the

standing　wood　at　the　usual　prices；　but　when　it　came　to　cutting　it；　the

Avonnais　workmen　asked　such　enormous　prices　that　Monsieur　Mariotte　was

obliged　to　bring　laborers　from　Auxerre；　whom　the　Ville…aux…Fayes

workmen　attacked　and　drove　away。　The　head　of　the　coalition；　and　the

ringleader　of　the　brawl　were　brought　before　the　police　court；　and　the

suits　cost　Monsieur　Mariotte　a　great　deal　of　money；　for；　besides　the

odium　of　having　convicted　and　punished　poor　men；　he　was　forced　to　pay

all　costs；　because　the　losing　side　had　not　a　farthing　to　do　it　with。　A

suit　against　laboring　men　is　sure　to　result　in　hatred　to　those　who

live　among　them。　Let　me　warn　you　of　this；　for　if　you　follow　the　course

you　propose；　you　will　have　to　fight　against　the　poor　of　this　district

at　least。　But　that's　not　all。　Counting　it　over；　Monsieur　Mariotte；　a

worthy　man；　found　he　was　the　loser　by　his　original　lease。　Forced　to

pay　ready　money；　he　was　nevertheless　obliged　to　sell　on　time；

Gaubertin　delivered　his　timber　at　long　credits　for　the　purpose　of

ruining　his　competitor。　He　undersold　him　by　at　least　five　per　cent；

and　the　end　of　it　is　that　poor　Mariotte's　credit　is　badly　shaken。

Gaubertin　is　now　pressing　and　harassing　the　poor　man　so　that　he　is

driven；　they　tell　me；　to　leave　not　only　Auxerre；　but　even　Burgundy

itself；　and　he　is　right。　In　this　way　land…owners　have　long　been

sacrificed　to　dealers　who　now　set　the　market…prices；　just　as　the

furniture…dealers　in　Paris　dictate　values　to　appraisers。　But　Gaubertin

saves　the　owners　so　much　trouble　and　worry　that　they　are　really

gainers。〃



〃How　so？〃　asked　the　general。



〃In　the　first　place；　because　the　less　complicated　a　business　is；　the

greater　the　profits　to　the　owners；〃　answered　Sibilet。　〃Besides　which；

their　income　is　more　secure；　and　in　all　matters　of　rural　improvement

and　development　that　is　the　main　thing；　as　you　will　find　out。　Then；

too；　Monsieur　Gaubertin　is　the　friend　and　patron　of　working…men；　he

pays　them　well　and　keeps　them　always　at　work；　therefore；　though　their

families　live　on　the　estates；　the　woods　leased　to　dealers　and

belonging　to　the　land…owners　who　trust　the　care　of　their　property　to

Gaubertin　（such　as　MM。　de　Soulanges　and　de　Ronquerolles）　are　not

devastated。　The　dead　wood　is　gathered　up；　but　that　is　all〃



〃That　rascal　Gaubertin　has　lost　no　time！〃　cried　the　general。



〃He　is　a　bold　man；〃　said　Sibilet。　〃He　really　is；　as　he　calls　himself；

the　steward　of　the　best　half　of　the　department；　instead　of　being

merely　the　steward　of　Les　Aigues。　He　makes　a　little　out　of　everybody；

and　that　little　on　every　two　millions　brings　him　in　forty　to　fifty

thousand　francs　a　year。　He　says　himself；　'The　fires　on　the　Parisian

hearths　pay　it　all。'　He　is　your　enemy；　Monsieur　le　comte。　My　advice　to

you　is　to　capitulate　and　be　reconciled　with　him。　He　is　intimate；　as

you　know；　with　Soudry；　the　head　of　the　gendarmerie　at　Soulanges；　with

Monsieur　Rigou；　our　mayor　at　Blangy；　the　patrols　are　under　his

influence；　therefore　you　will　find　it　impossible　to　repress　the

pilferings　which　are　eating　into　your　estate。　During　the　last　two

years　your　woods　have　been　devastated。　Consequently　the　Gravelots　are

more　than　likely　to　win　their　suit。　They　say；　very　truly：　'According

to　the　terms　of　the　lease；　the　care　of　the　woods　is　left　to　the　owner；

he　does　not　protect　them；　and　we　are　injured；　the　owner　is　bound　to

pay　us　damages。'　That's　fair　enough；　but　it　doesn't　follow　that　they

should　win　their　case。〃



〃We　must　be　ready　to　defend　this　suit　at　all　costs；〃　said　the　general；

〃and　then　we　shall　have　no　more　of　them。〃



〃You　shall　gratify　Gaubertin；〃　remarked　Sibilet。



〃How　so？〃



〃Suing　the　Gravelots　is　the　same　as　a　hand　to　hand　fight　with

Gaubertin；　who　is　their　agent；〃　answered　Sibilet。　〃He　asks　nothing

better　than　such　a　suit。　He　declares；　so　I　hear；　that　he　will　bring

you　if　necessary　before　the　Court　of　Appeals。〃



〃The　rascal！　the〃



〃If　you　attempt　to　work　your　own　woods；〃　continued　Sibilet；　turning

the　knife　in　the　wound；　〃you　will　find　yourself　at　the　mercy　of

workmen　who　will　force　you　to　pay　rich　men's　prices　instead　of　market…

prices。　In　short；　they'll　put　you；　as　they　did　that　poor　Mariotte；　in

a　position　where　you　must　sell　at　a　loss。　If　you　then　try　to　lease　the

woods　you　will　get　no　tenants；　for　you　cannot　expect　that　any　one

should　take　risks　for　himself　which　Mariotte　only　took　for　the　crown

and　the　State。　Suppose　a　man　talks　of　his　losses　to　the　government！

The　government　is　a　gentleman　who　is；　like　your　obedient　servant　when

he　was　in　its　employ；　a　worthy　man　with　a　frayed　overcoat；　who　reads

the　newspapers　at　a　desk。　Let　his　salary　be　twelve　hundred　or　twelve

thousand　francs；　his　disposition　is　the　same；　it　is　not　a　whit　softer。

Talk　of　reductions　and　releases　from　the　public　treasury　represented

by　the　said　gentleman！　He'll　only　pooh…pooh　you　as　he　mends　his　pen。

No；　the　law　is　the　wrong　road　for　you；　Monsieur　le　comte。〃



〃Then　what's　to　be　done？〃　cried　the　general；　his　blood　boiling　as　he

tramped　up　and　down　before　the　bench。



〃Monsieur　le　comte；〃　said　Sibilet；　abruptly；　〃what　I　say　to　you　is　not

for　my　own　interests；　certainly；　but　I　advise　you　to　sell　Les　Aigues

and　leave　the　neighborhood。〃



On　hearing　these　words　the　general　sprang　back　as　if　a　cannon…ball　had

struck　him；　then　he　looked　at　Sibilet　with　a　shrewd；　diplomatic　eye。



〃A　general　of　the　Imperial　Guard　running　away　from　the　rascals；　when

Madame　la　comtesse　likes　Les　Aigues！〃　he　said。　〃No；　I'll　sooner　box

Gaubertin's　ears　on　the　market…place　of　Ville…aux…Fayes；　and　force　him

to　fight　me　that　I　may　shoot　him　like　a　dog。〃



〃Monsieur　le　comte；　Gaubertin　is　not　such　a　fool　as　to　let　himself　be

brought　into　collision　with　you。　Besides；　you　could　not　openly　insult

the　mayor　of　so　important　a　place　as　Ville…aux…Fayes。〃



〃I'll　have　him　turned　out；　the　Troisvilles　can　do　that　for　me；　it　is　a

question　of　income。〃



〃You　won't　succeed；　Monsieur　le　comte；　Gaubertin's　arms　are　long；　you

will　get　yourself　into　difficulties　from　which　you　cannot　escape。〃



〃Let　us　think　of　the　present；〃　interrupted　the　general。　〃About　that

suit？〃



〃That；　Monsieur　le　comte；　I　can　manage　to　win　for　you；〃　replied

Sibilet；　with　a　knowing　glance。



〃Bravo；　Sibilet！〃　said　the　general；　shaking　his　steward's　hand；　〃how

are　you　going　to　do　it？〃



〃You　will　win　it　on　a　writ　of　error；〃　replied　Sibilet。　〃In　my　opinion

the　Gravelots　have　the　right　of　it。　But　it　is　not　enough　to　be　in　the

right；　they　must　also　be　in　order　as　to　legal　forms；　and　that　they

have　neglected。　The　Gravelots　ought　to　have　summoned　you　to　have　the

woods　better　watched。　They　can't　ask　for　indemnity；　at　the　close　of　a

lease；　for　damages　which　they　know　have　been　going　on　for　nine　years；

there　is　a　clause　in　the　lease　as　to　this；　on　which　we　can　file　a　bill

of　exceptions。　You　will　lose　the　suit　at　Ville…aux…Fayes；　possibly　in

the　upper　court　as　well；　but　we　will　carry　it　to　Paris　and　you　will

win　at　the　Court　of　Appeals。　The　costs　will　be　heavy　and　the　expenses

ruinous。　You　will　have　to　spend　from　twelve　to　fifteen　thousand　francs

merely　to　win　the　suit；but　you　will　win　it；　if　you　care　to。　The　suit

will　only　increase　the　enmity　of　the　Gravelots；　for　the　expenses　will

be　even　heavier　on　them。　You　will　be　their　bugbear；　you　will　be　called

litigious　and　calumniated　in　every　way；　still；　you　can　win〃



〃Then；　what's　to　be　done？〃　repeated　the　general；　on　whom　Sibilet's

arguments　were　beginning　to　produce　the　effect　of　a　violent　poison。