sons of the soil-第42章

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Bourlac；　the　attorney…general；　whether　the　secret　advice　he　gave　to

Montcornet　was　wise；　and　whether　in　conforming　to　it　the　count　and　Les

Aigues　were　enabled　to　escape　the　〃Evil　grudge。〃



Some　minds；　eager　for　mere　amusement；　will　complain　that　these　various

explanations　are　far　too　long；　but　we　once　more　call　attention　to　the

fact　that　the　historian　of　the　manners；　customs；　and　morals　of　his

time　must　obey　a　law　far　more　stringent　than　that　imposed　on　the

historian　of　mere　facts。　He　must　show　the　probability　of　everything；

even　the　truth；　whereas；　in　the　domain　of　history；　properly　so…called；

the　impossible　must　be　accepted　for　the　sole　reason　that　it　did

happen。　The　vicissitudes　of　social　or　private　life　are　brought　about

by　a　crowd　of　little　causes　derived　from　a　thousand　conditions。　The

man　of　science　is　forced　to　clear　away　the　avalanche　under　which　whole

villages　lie　buried；　to　show　you　the　pebbles　brought　down　from　the

summit　which　alone　can　determine　the　formation　of　the　mountain。　If　the

historian　of　human　life　were　simply　telling　you　of　a　suicide；　five

hundred　of　which　occur　yearly　in　Paris；　the　melodrama　is　so

commonplace　that　brief　reasons　and　explanations　are　all　that　need　be

given；　but　how　shall　he　make　you　see　that　the　self…destruction　of　an

estate　could　happen　in　these　days　when　property　is　reckoned　of　more

value　than　life？　〃De　re　vestra　agitur；〃　said　a　maker　of　fables；　this

tale　concerns　the　affairs　and　interests　of　all　those；　no　matter　who

they　be；　who　possess　anything。



Remember　that　this　coalition　of　a　whole　canton　and　of　a　little　town

against　a　general；　who；　in　spite　of　his　rash　courage；　had　escaped　the

dangers　of　actual　war；　is　going　on　in　other　districts　against　other

men　who　seek　only　to　do　what　is　right　by　those　districts。　It　is　a

coalition　which　to…day　threatens　every　man；　the　man　of　genius；　the

statesman；　the　modern　agriculturalist；in　short；　all　innovators。



This　last　explanation　not　only　gives　a　true　presentation　of　the

personages　of　this　drama；　and　a　serious　meaning　even　to　its　petty

details；　but　it　also　throws　a　vivid　light　upon　the　scene　where　so　many

social　interests　are　now　marshalling。







CHAPTER　X



THE　SADNESS　OF　A　HAPPY　WOMAN



At　the　moment　when　the　general　was　getting　into　his　caleche　to　go　to

the　Prefecture；　the　countess　and　the　two　gentlemen　reached　the　gate　of

the　Avonne；　where；　for　the　last　eighteen　months；　Michaud　and　his　wife

Olympe　had　made　their　home。



Whose　remembered　the　pavilion　in　the　state　in　which　we　lately

described　it　would　have　supposed　it　had　been　rebuilt。　The　bricks

fallen　or　broken　by　time；　and　the　cement　lacking　to　their　edges；　were

replaced；　the　slate　roof　had　been　cleaned；　and　the　effect　of　the　white

balustrade　against　its　bluish　background　restored　the　gay　character　of

the　architecture。　The　approaches　to　the　building；　formerly　choked　up

and　sandy；　were　now　cared　for　by　the　man　whose　duty　it　was　to　keep　the

park　roadways　in　order。　The　poultry…yard；　stables；　and　cow…shed；

relegated　to　the　buildings　near　the　pheasantry　and　hidden　by　clumps　of

trees；　instead　of　afflicting　the　eye　with　their　foul　details；　now

blended　those　soft　murmurs　and　cooings　and　the　sound　of　flapping

wings；　which　are　among　the　most　delightful　accompaniments　of　Nature's

eternal　harmony；　with　the　peculiar　rustling　sounds　of　the　forest。　The

whole　scene　possessed　the　double　charm　of　a　natural；　untouched　forest

and　the　elegance　of　an　English　park。　The　surroundings　of　the　pavilion；

in　keeping　with　its　own　exterior；　presented　a　certain　noble；

dignified；　and　cordial　effect；　while　the　hand　of　a　young　and　happy

woman　gave　to　its　interior　a　very　different　look　from　what　it　wore

under　the　coarse　neglect　of　Courtecuisse。



Just　now　the　rich　season　of　the　year　was　putting　forth　its　natural

splendors。　The　perfume　of　the　flowerbeds　blended　with　the　wild　odor　of

the　woods；　and　the　meadows　near　by；　where　the　grass　had　been　lately

cut；　sent　up　the　fragrance　of　new…mown　hay。



When　the　countess　and　her　guests　reached　the　end　of　one　of　the　winding

paths　which　led　to　the　pavilion；　they　saw　Madame　Michaud；　sitting　in

the　open　air　before　the　door；　employed　in　making　a　baby's　garment。　The

young　woman　thus　placed；　thus　employed；　added　the　human　charm　that　was

needed　to　complete　the　scene；a　charm　so　touching　in　its　actuality

that　painters　have　committed　the　error　of　endeavoring　to　convey　it　in

their　pictures。　Such　artists　forget　that　the　SOUL　of　a　landscape；　if

they　represent　it　truly；　is　so　grand　that　the　human　element　is　crushed

by　it；　whereas　such　a　scene　added　to　Nature　limits　her　to　the

proportions　of　the　personality；　like　a　frame　to　which　the　mind　of　the

spectator　confines　it。　When　Poussin；　the　Raffaelle　of　France；　made　a

landscape　accessory　to　his　Shepherds　of　Arcadia　he　perceived　plainly

enough　that　man　becomes　diminutive　and　abject　when　Nature　is　made　the

principal　feature　on　a　canvas。　In　that　picture　August　is　in　its　glory；

the　harvest　is　ready；　all　simple　and　strong　human　interests　are

represented。　There　we　find　realized　in　nature　the　dream　of　many　men

whose　uncertain　life　of　mingled　good　and　evil　harshly　mixed　makes　them

long　for　peace　and　rest。



Let　us　now　relate；　in　few　words；　the　romance　of　this　home。　Justin

Michaud　did　not　reply　very　cordially　to　the　advances　made　to　him　by

the　illustrious　colonel　of　cuirassiers　when　first　offered　the

situation　of　bailiff　at　Les　Aigues。　He　was　then　thinking　of　re…

entering　the　service。　But　while　the　negotiations；　which　naturally　took

him　to　the　Hotel　Montcornet；　were　going　on；　he　met　the　countess's　head

waiting…maid。　This　young　girl；　who　was　entrusted　to　Madame　de

Montcornet　by　her　parents；　worthy　farmers　in　the　neighborhood　of

Alencon；　had　hopes　of　a　little　fortune；　some　twenty　or　thirty　thousand

francs；　when　the　heirs　were　all　of　age。　Like　other　farmers　who　marry

young；　and　whose　own　parents　are　still　living；　the　father　and　mother

of　the　girl；　being　pinched　for　immediate　means；　placed　her　with　the

young　countess。　Madame　de　Montcornet　had　her　taught　to　sew　and　to　make

dresses；　arranged　that　she　should　take　her　meals　alone；　and　was

rewarded　for　the　care　she　bestowed　on　Olympe　Charel　by　one　of　those

unconditional　attachments　which　are　so　precious　to　Parisians。



Olympe　Charel；　a　pretty　Norman　girl；　rather　stout；　with　fair　hair　of　a

golden　tint；　an　animated　face　lighted　by　intelligent　eyes；　and

distinguished　by　a　finely　curved　thoroughbred　nose；　with　a　maidenly

air　in　spite　of　a　certain　swaying　Spanish　manner　of　carrying　herself；

possessed　all　the　points　that　a　young　girl　born　just　above　the　level

of　the　masses　is　likely　to　acquire　from　whatever　close　companionship　a

mistress　is　willing　to　allow　her。　Always　suitably　dressed；　with　modest

bearing　and　manner；　and　able　to　express　herself　well；　Michaud　was　soon

in　love　with　her；all　the　more　when　he　found　that　his　sweetheart's

dowry　would　one　day　be　considerable。　The　obstacles　came　from　the

countess；　who　could　not　bear　to　part　with　so　invaluable　a　maid；　but

when　Montcornet　explained　to　her　the　affairs　at　Les　Aigues；　she　gave

way；　and　the　marriage　was　no　longer　delayed；　except　to　obtain　the

consent　of　the　parents；　which；　of　course；　was　quickly　given。



Michaud；　like　his　general；　looked　upon　his　wife　as　a　superior　being；

to　whom　he　owed　military　obedience　without　a　single　reservation。　He

found　in　the　peace　of　his　home　and　his　busy　life　out…of…doors　the

elements　of　a　happiness　soldiers　long　for　when　they　give　up　their

profession；enough　work　to　keep　his　body　healthy；　enough　fatigue　to

let　him　know　the　charms　of　rest。　In　spite　of　his　well…known

intrepidity；　Michaud　had　never　been　seriously　wounded；　and　he　had　none

of　those　physical　pains　which　often　sour　the　temper　of　veterans。　Like

all　really　strong　men；　his　temper　was　even；　his　wife；　therefore；　loved

him　utterly。　From　the　time　they　took　up　their　abode　in　the　pavilion；

this　happy　home　was　the　scene　of　a