贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > sons of the soil >

第40章

sons of the soil-第40章

小说: sons of the soil 字数: 每页4000字

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!




sister; was two hundred thousand francs; not to speak of

〃expectations。〃 This functionary showed much sense; though not aware

of it; in falling in love with Mademoiselle Elise when he first

arrived at Ville…aux…Fayes; in 1819。 If it had not been for his social

position; which made him 〃eligible;〃 he would long ago have been

forced to ask for his exchange。 But Gaubertin in marrying him to his

daughter thought much more of the uncle; the general…secretary; than

of the nephew; and in return; the uncle; for the sake of his nephew;

gave all his influence to Gaubertin。



Thus the Church; the magistracy both removable and irremovable; the

municipality; and the prefecture; the four feet of power; walked as

the mayor pleased。 Let us now see how that functionary strengthened

himself in the spheres above and below that in which he worked。



The department to which Ville…aux…Fayes belongs is one the number of

whose population gives it the right to elect six deputies。 Ever since

the creation of the Left Centre of the Chamber; the arrondissement of

Ville…aux…Fayes had sent a deputy named Leclercq; formerly banking

agent of the wine department of the custom…house; a son…in…law of

Gaubertin; and now a governor of the Bank of France。 The number of

electors which this rich valley sent to the electoral college was

sufficient to insure; if only through private dealing; the constant

appointment of Monsieur de Ronquerolles; the patron of the Mouchon

family。 The voters of Ville…aux…Fayes lent their support to the

prefect; on condition that the Marquis de Ronquerolles was maintained

in the college。 Thus Gaubertin; who was the first to broach the idea

of this arrangement; was favorably received at the Prefecture; which

he often; in return; saved from petty annoyances。 The prefect always

selected three firm ministerialists; and two deputies of the Left

Centre。 The latter; one of them being the Marquis de Ronquerolles;

brother…in…law of the Comte de Serisy; and the other a governor of the

Bank of France; gave little or no alarm to the cabinet; and the

elections in this department were rated excellent at the ministry of

the interior。



The Comte de Soulanges; peer of France; selected to be the next

marshal; and faithful to the Bourbons; knew that his forests and other

property were all well…managed by the notary Lupin; and well…watched

by Soudry。 He was a patron of Gendrin's; having obtained his

appointment as judge partly by the help of Monsieur de Ronquerolles。



Messieurs Leclercq and de Ronquerolles sat in the Left Centre; but

nearer to the left than to the centre;a political position which

offers great advantages to those who regard their political conscience

as a garment。



The brother of Monsieur Leclercq had obtained the situation of

collector at Ville…aux…Fayes; and Leclercq himself; Gaubertin's son…

in…law; had lately bought a fine estate beyond the valley of the

Avonne; which brought him in a rental of thirty thousand francs; with

park and chateau and a controlling influence in its own canton。



Thus; in the upper regions of the State; in both Chambers; and in the

chief ministerial department; Gaubertin could rely on an influence

that was powerful and also active; and which he was careful not to

weary with unimportant requests。



The counsellor Gendrin; appointed judge by the Chamber; was the

leading spirit of the Supreme Court; for the chief justice; one of the

three ministerial deputies; left the management of it to Gendrin

during half the year。 The counsel for the Prefecture; a cousin of

Sarcus; called 〃Sarcus the rich;〃 was the right…hand man of the

prefect; himself a deputy。 Even without the family reasons which

allied Gaubertin and young des Lupeaulx; a brother of Madame Sarcus

would still have been desirable as sub…prefect to the arrondissement

of Ville…aux…Fayes。 Madame Sarcus; the counsellor's wife; was a Vallat

of Soulanges; a family connected with the Gaubertins; and she was said

to have 〃distinguished〃 the notary Lupin in her youth。 Though she was

now forty…five years old; with a son in the school of engineers; Lupin

never went to the Prefecture without paying his respects and dining

with her。



The nephew of Guerbet; the postmaster; whose father was; as we have

seen; collector of Soulanges; held the important situation of

examining judge in the municipal court of Ville…aux…Fayes。 The third

judge; son of Corbinet; the notary; belonged body and soul to the all…

powerful mayor; and; finally; young Vigor; son of the lieutenant of

the gendarmerie; was the substitute judge。



Sibilet's father; sheriff of the court; had married his sister to

Monsieur Vigor the lieutenant; and that individual; father of six

children; was cousin of the father of Gaubertin through his wife; a

Gaubertin…Vallat。 Eighteen months previously the united efforts of the

two deputies; Monsieur de Soulanges and Gaubertin; had created the

place of commissary of police for the sheriff's second son。



Sibilet's eldest daughter married Monsieur Herve; a school…master;

whose school was transformed into a college as a result of this

marriage; so that for the past year Soulanges had rejoiced in the

presence of a professor。



The sheriff's youngest son was employed on the government domains;

with the promise of succeeding the clerk of registrations so soon as

that officer had completed the term of service which enabled him to

retire on a pension。



The youngest Sibilet girl; now sixteen years old; was betrothed to

Corbinet; brother of the notary。 And an old maid; Mademoiselle

Gaubertin…Vallat; sister of Madame Sibilet; the sheriff's wife; held

the office for the sale of stamped paper。



Thus; wherever we turn in Ville…aux…Fayes we meet some member of the

invisible coalition; whose avowed chief; recognized as such by every

one; great and small; was the mayor of the town; the general agent for

the entire timber business; Gaubertin!



If we turn to the other end of the valley of the Avonne we shall see

that Gaubertin ruled at Soulanges through the Soudrys; through Lupin

the assistant mayor and steward of the Soulanges estate; who was

necessarily in constant communication with the Comte de Soulanges;

through Sarcus; justice of the peace; through Guerbet; the collector;

through Gourdon; the doctor; who had married a Gendrin…Vatebled。 He

governed Blangy through Rigou; Conches through the post…master; the

despotic ruler of his own district。



Gaubertin's influence was so great and powerful that even the

investments and the savings of Rigou; Soudry; Gendrin; Guerbet; Lupin;

even Sarcus the rich himself; were managed by his advice。 The town of

Ville…aux…Fayes believed implicitly in its mayor。 Gaubertin's ability

was not less extolled than his honesty and his kindness; he was the

servant of his relatives and constituents (always with an eye to a

return of benefits); and the whole municipality adored him。 The town

never ceased to blame Monsieur Mariotte; of Auxerre; for having

opposed and thwarted that worthy Monsieur Gaubertin。



Not aware of their strength; no occasion for displaying it having

arisen; the bourgeoisie of Ville…aux…Fayes contented themselves with

boasting that no strangers intermeddled in their affairs and they

believed themselves excellent citizens and faithful public servants。

Nothing; however; escaped their despotic rule; which in itself was not

perceived; the result being considered a triumph of the locality。



The only stranger in this family community was the government engineer

in the highway department; and his dismissal in favor of the son of

Sarcus the rich was now being pressed; with a fair chance that this

one weak thread in the net would soon be strengthened。 And yet this

powerful league; which monopolized all duties both public and private;

sucked the resources of the region; and fastened on power like limpets

to a ship; escaped all notice so completely that General Mo

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的