sons of the soil-第44章

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value　to　the　relics　of　past　ages。　The　carved　settee；　the　high…backed

chairs　covered　with　tapestry；　the　consoles；　the　clocks；　the　tall

embroidery　frames；　the　tables；　the　lustres；　hidden　away　in　the　second…

hand　shops　of　Auxerre　and　Ville…aux…Fayes　were　fifty　per…cent　cheaper

than　the　modern；　ready…made　furniture　of　the　faubourg　Saint　Antoine。

The　architect　had　therefore　bought　two　or　three　cartloads　of　well…

chosen　old　things；　which；　added　to　a　few　others　discarded　at　the

chateau；　made　the　little　salon　of　the　gate　of　the　Avonne　an　artistic

creation。　As　to　the　dining…room；　he　painted　it　in　browns　and　hung　it

with　what　was　called　a　Scotch　paper；　and　Madame　Michaud　added　white

cambric　curtains　with　green　borders　at　the　windows；　mahogany　chairs

covered　with　green　cloth；　two　large　buffets　and　a　table；　also　in

mahogany。　This　room；　ornamented　with　engravings　of　military　scenes；

was　heated　by　a　porcelain　stove；　on　each　side　of　which　were　sporting…

guns　suspended　on　the　walls。　These　adornments；　which　cost　but　little；

were　talked　of　throughout　the　whole　valley　as　the　last　extreme　of

oriental　luxury。　Singular　to　say；　they；　more　than　anything　else；

excited　the　envy　of　Gaubertin；　and　whenever　he　thought　of　his　fixed

determination　to　bring　Les　Aigues　to　the　hammer　and　cut　it　in　pieces；

he　reserved　for　himself；　〃in　petto；〃　this　beautiful　pavilion。



On　the　next　floor　three　chambers　sufficed　for　the　household。　At　the

windows　were　muslin　curtains　which　reminded　a　Parisian　of　the

particular　taste　and　fancy　of　bourgeois　requirements。　Left　to　herself

in　the　decoration　of　these　rooms；　Madame　Michaud　had　chosen　satin

papers；　on　the　mantel…shelf　of　her　bedroomwhich　was　furnished　in

that　vulgar　style　of　mahogany　and　Utrecht　velvet　which　is　seen

everywhere；　with　its　high…backed　bed　and　canopy　to　which　embroidered

muslin　curtains　are　fastenedstood　an　alabaster　clock　between　two

candelabra　covered　with　gauze　and　flanked　by　two　vases　filled　with

artificial　flowers　protected　by　glass　shades；　a　conjugal　gift　of　the

former　cavalry　sergeant。　Above；　under　the　roof；　the　bedrooms　of　the

cook；　the　man…of…all…work；　and　La　Pechina　had　benefited　by　the　recent

restoration。



〃Olympe；　my　dear；　you　did　not　tell　me　all；〃　said　the　countess；

entering　Madame　Michaud's　bedroom；　and　leaving　Emile　and　the　abbe　on

the　stairway；　whence　they　descended　when　they　heard　her　shut　the　door。



Madame　Michaud；　to　whom　the　abbe　had　contrived　to　whisper　a　word；　was

now　anxious　to　say　no　more　about　her　fears；　which　were　really　greater

than　she　had　intimated；　and　she　therefore　began　to　talk　of　a　matter

which　reminded　the　countess　of　the　object　of　her　visit。



〃I　love　Michaud；　madame；　as　you　know。　Well；　how　would　you　like　to

have；　in　your　own　house；　a　rival　always　beside　you？〃



〃A　rival？〃



〃Yes；　madame；　that　swarthy　girl　you　gave　me　to　take　care　of　loves

Michaud　without　knowing　it；　poor　thing！　The　child's　conduct；　long　a

mystery　to　me；　has　been　cleared　up　in　my　mind　for　some　days。〃



〃Why；　she　is　only　thirteen　years　old！〃



〃I　know　that；　madame。　But　you　will　admit　that　a　woman　who　is　three

months　pregnant　and　means　to　nurse　her　child　herself　may　have　some

fears；　but　as　I　did　not　want　to　speak　of　this　before　those　gentlemen；

I　talked　a　great　deal　of　nonsense　when　you　questioned　me；〃　said　the

generous　creature；　adroitly。



Madame　Michaud　was　not　really　afraid　of　Genevieve　Niseron；　but　for　the

last　three　days　she　was　in　mortal　terror　of　some　disaster　from　the

peasantry。



〃How　did　you　discover　this？〃　said　the　countess。



〃From　everything　and　from　nothing；〃　replied　Olympe。　〃The　poor　little

thing　moves　with　the　slowness　of　a　tortoise　when　she　is　obliged　to

obey　me；　but　she　runs　like　a　lizard　when　Justin　asks　for　anything；　she

trembles　like　a　leaf　at　the　sound　of　his　voice；　and　her　face　is　that

of　a　saint　ascending　to　heaven　when　she　looks　at　him。　But　she　knows

nothing　about　love；　she　has　no　idea　that　she　loves　him。〃



〃Poor　child！〃　said　the　countess　with　a　smile　and　tone　that　were　full

of　naivete。



〃And　so；〃　continued　Madame　Michaud；　answering　with　a　smile　the　smile

of　her　late　mistress；　〃Genevieve　is　gloomy　when　Justin　is　out　of　the

house；　if　I　ask　her　what　she　is　thinking　of　she　replies　that　she　is

afraid　of　Monsieur　Rigou；　or　some　such　nonsense。　She　thinks　people

envy　her；　though　she　is　as　black　as　the　inside　of　a　chimney。　When

Justin　is　patrolling　the　woods　at　night　the　child　is　as　anxious　as　I

am。　If　I　open　my　window　to　listen　for　the　trot　of　his　horse；　I　see　a

light　in　her　room；　which　shows　me　that　La　Pechina　（as　they　call　here）

is　watching　and　waiting　too。　She　never　goes　to　bed；　any　more　than　I

do；　till　he　comes　in。〃



〃Thirteen！〃　exclaimed　the　countess；　〃unfortunate　child！〃



〃Unfortunate？　no。　This　passion　will　save　her。〃



〃From　what？〃　asked　Madame　de　Montcornet。



〃From　the　fate　which　overtakes　nearly　all　the　girls　of　her　age　in

these　parts。　Since　I　have　taught　her　cleanliness　she　is　much　less　ugly

than　she　was；　in　fact；　there　is　something　odd　and　wild　about　her　which

attracts　men。　She　is　so　changed　that　you　would　hardly　recognize　her。

The　son　of　that　infamous　innkeeper　of　the　Grand…I…Vert；　Nicolas；　the

worst　fellow　in　the　whole　district；　wants　her；　he　hunts　her　like　game。

Though　I　can't　believe　that　Monsieur　Rigou；　who　changes　his　servant…

girls　every　year　or　two　is　persecuting　such　a　little　fright；　it　is

quite　certain　that　Nicolas　Tonsard　is。　Justin　told　me　so。　It　would　be

a　dreadful　fate；　for　the　people　of　this　valley　actually　live　like

beasts；　but　Justin　and　our　two　servants　and　I　watch　her　carefully。

Therefore　don't　be　uneasy；　madame；　she　never　goes　out　alone　except　in

broad　daylight；　and　then　only　as　far　as　the　gate　of　Conches。　If　by

chance　she　fell　into　an　ambush；　her　feeling　for　Justin　would　give　her

strength　and　wit　to　escape；　for　all　women　who　have　a　preference　in

their　hearts　can　resist　a　man　they　hate。〃



〃It　was　about　her　that　I　came；〃　said　the　countess；　〃and　I　little

thought　my　visit　could　be　so　useful　to　you。　That　child；　you　know；

can't　remain　thirteen；　and　she　will　probably　grow　better…looking。〃



〃Oh；　madame；〃　replied　Olympe；　smiling；　〃I　am　quite　sure　of　Justin。

What　a　man！　what　a　heart！　If　you　only　knew　what　a　depth　of　gratitude

he　feels　for　his　general；　to　whom；　he　says；　he　owes　his　happiness。　He

is　only　too　devoted；　he　would　risk　his　life　for　him　here；　as　he　would

on　the　field　of　battle；　and　he　forgets　sometimes　that　he　will　one　day

be　father　of　a　family。〃



〃Ah！　I　once　regretted　losing　you；〃　said　the　countess；　with　a　glance

that　made　Olympe　blush；　〃but　I　regret　it　no　longer；　for　I　see　you

happy。　What　a　sublime　and　noble　thing　is　married　love！〃　she　added；

speaking　out　the　thought　she　had　not　dared　express　before　the　abbe。



Virginie　de　Troisville　dropped　into　a　revery；　and　Madame　Michaud　kept

silence。



〃Well；　at　least　the　girl　is　honest；　is　she　not？〃　said　the　countess；　as

if　waking　from　a　dream。



〃As　honest　as　I　am　myself；　madame。〃



〃Discreet？〃



〃As　the　grave。〃



〃Grateful？〃



〃Ah！　madame；　she　has　moments　of　humility　and　gentleness　towards　me

which　seem　to　show　an　angelic　nature。　She　will　kiss　my　hands　and　say

the　most　upsetting　things。　'Can　we　die　of　love？'　she　asked　me

yesterday。　'Why　do　you　ask　me　that？'　I　said。　'I　want　to　know　if　love

is　a　disease。'〃



〃Did　she　really　say　that？〃



〃If　I　could　remember　her　exact　words　I　would　tell　you　a　great　deal

more；〃　replied　Olympe；　〃she　appears　to　know　much　more　than　I　do。〃



〃Do　you　think；　my　dear；　that　she　could　take　your　place　in　my　service。

I　can't　do　without　an　Olympe；〃　said　the　countess；　smiling　in　a　rather

sad　way。



〃Not　yet；　madame；she　is　too　young；　but　in　two　years'　time；　yes。　If

it　becomes　necessary　that　she　should　go　away　from　here　I　will　let　you

know。　She　ought　to　be　educated；　and　she　knows　nothing　of　the　world。

Her　grandfather；　Pere　Niseron；　is　a　man　who　would　let　his　thro