sons of the soil-第47章

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masses　of　hair　twisted　in　coils　around　her　head；　her　masculine

forehead　and　her　red　lips　curling　with　that　same　ferocious　smile　which

Eugene　Delacroix　and　David　（of　Angers）　caught　and　represented　so

admirably。　True　image　of　the　People；　this　fiery　and　swarthy　creature

seemed　to　emit　revolt　through　her　piercing　yellow　eyes；　blazing　with

the　insolence　of　a　soldier。　She　inherited　from　her　father　so　violent　a

nature　that　the　whole　family；　except　Tonsard；　and　all　who　frequented

the　tavern　feared　her。



〃Well；　how　are　you　now？〃　she　said　to　La　Pechina　as　the　latter

recovered　consciousness。



Catherine　had　placed　her　victim　on　a　little　mound　beside　the　brook　and

was　bringing　her　to　her　senses　with　dashes　of　cold　water。　〃Where　am

I？〃　said　the　child；　opening　her　beautiful　black　eyes　through　which　a

sun…ray　seemed　to　glide。



〃Ah！〃　said　Catherine；　〃if　it　hadn't　been　for　me　you'd　have　been

killed。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　girl；　still　bewildered；　〃what　happened　to　me？〃



〃You　stumbled　over　a　root　and　fell　flat　in　the　road　over　there；　as　if

shot。　Ha！　how　you　did　run！〃



〃It　was　your　brother　who　made　me；〃　said　La　Pechina；　remembering

Nicolas。



〃My　brother？　I　did　not　see　him；〃　said　Catherine。　〃What　did　he　do　to

you；　poor　fellow；　that　should　make　you　fly　as　if　he　were　a　wolf？　Isn't

he　handsomer　than　your　Monsieur　Michaud？〃



〃Oh！〃　said　the　girl；　contemptuously。



〃See　here；　little　one；　you　are　laying　up　a　crop　of　evils　for　yourself

by　loving　those　who　persecute　us。　Why　don't　you　keep　to　our　side？〃



〃Why　don't　you　come　to　church；　and　why　do　you　steal　things　night　and

day？〃　asked　the　child。



〃So　you　let　those　people　talk　you　over！〃　sneered　Catherine。　〃They　love

us；　don't　they？just　as　they　love　their　food　which　they　get　out　of

us；　and　they　want　new　dishes　every　day。　Did　you　ever　know　one　of　them

to　marry　a　peasant…girl？　Not　they！　Does　Sarcus　the　rich　let　his　son

marry　that　handsome　Gatienne　Giboulard？　Not　he；　though　she　is　the

daughter　of　a　rich　upholsterer。　You　have　never　been　at　the　Tivoli　ball

at　Soulanges　in　Socquard's　tavern；　you　had　better　come。　You'll　see　'em

all　there；　these　bourgeois　fellows；　and　you'll　find　they　are　not　worth

the　money　we　shall　get　out　of　them　when　we've　pulled　them　down。　Come

to　the　fair　this　year！〃



〃They　say　it's　fine；　that　Soulanges　fair！〃　cried　La　Pechina；

artlessly。



〃I'll　tell　you　what　it　is　in　two　words；〃　said　Catherine。　〃If　you　are

handsome；　you　are　well　ogled。　What　is　the　good　of　being　as　pretty　as

you　are　if　you　are　not　admired　by　the　men？　Ha！　when　I　heard　one　of

them　say　for　the　first　time；　'What　a　fine　sprig　of　a　girl！'　all　my

blood　was　on　fire。　It　was　at　Socquard's；　in　the　middle　of　a　dance；　my

grandfather；　Fourchon；　who　was　playing　the　clarionet；　heard　it　and

laughed。　Tivoli　seemed　to　me　as　grand　and　fine　as　heaven　itself。　It's

lighted　up；　my　dear；　with　glass　lamps；　and　you'll　think　you　are　in

paradise。　All　the　gentlemen　of　Soulanges　and　Auxerre　and　Ville…aux…

Fayes　will　be　there。　Ever　since　that　first　night　I've　loved　the　place

where　those　words　rang　in　my　ears　like　military　music。　It's　worthy

giving　your　eternity　to　hear　such　words　said　of　you　by　a　man　you

love。〃



〃Yes；　perhaps；〃　replied　La　Pechina；　thoughtfully。



〃Then　come；　and　get　the　praise　of　men；　you're　sure　of　it！〃　cried

Catherine。　〃Ha！　you'll　have　a　fine　chance；　handsome　as　you　are；　to

pick　up　good　luck。　There's　the　son　of　Monsieur　Lupin；　Amaury；　he　might

marry　you。　But　that's　not　all；　if　you　only　knew　what　comforts　you　can

find　there　against　vexation　and　worry。　Why；　Socquard's　boiled　wine

will　make　you　forget　every　trouble　you　ever　had。　Fancy！　it　can　make

you　dream；　and　feel　as　light　as　a　bird。　Didn't　you　ever　drink　boiled

wine？　Then　you　don't　know　what　life　is。〃



The　privilege　enjoyed　by　older　persons　to　wet　their　throats　with

boiled　wine　excites　the　curiosity　of　the　children　of　the　peasantry

over　twelve　years　of　age　to　such　a　degree　that　Genevieve　had　once　put

her　lips　to　a　glass　of　boiled　wine　ordered　by　the　doctor　for　her

grandfather　when　ill。　The　taste　had　left　a　sort　of　magic　influence　in

the　memory　of　the　poor　child；　which　may　explain　the　interest　with

which　she　listened；　and　on　which　the　evil…minded　Catherine　counted　to

carry　out　a　plan　already　half…successful。　No　doubt　she　was　trying　to

bring　her　victim；　giddy　from　the　fall；　to　the　moral　intoxication　so

dangerous　to　young　women　living　in　the　wilds　of　nature；　whose

imagination；　deprived　of　other　nourishment；　is　all　the　more　ardent

when　the　occasion　comes　to　exercise　it。　Boiled　wine；　which　Catherine

had　held　in　reserve；　was　to　end　the　matter　by　intoxicating　the　victim。



〃What　do　they　put　into　it？〃　asked　La　Pechina。



〃All　sorts　of　things；〃　replied　Catherine；　glancing　back　to　see　if　her

brother　were　coming；　〃in　the　first　place；　those　what　d'　ye　call　'ems

that　come　from　India；　cinnamon；　and　herbs　that　change　you　by　magic；

you　fancy　you　have　everything　you　wish　for；　boiled　wine　makes　you

happy！　you　can　snap　your　fingers　at　all　your　troubles！〃



〃I　should　be　afraid　to　drink　boiled　wine　at　a　dance；〃　said　La　Pechina。



〃Afraid　of　what？〃　asked　Catherine。　〃There's　not　the　slightest　danger。

Think　what　lots　of　people　there　will　be。　All　the　bourgeois　will　be

looking　at　us！　Ah！　it　is　one　of　those　days　that　make　up　for　all　our

misery。　See　it　and　die；for　it's　enough　to　satisfy　any　one。〃



〃If　Monsieur　and　Madame　Michaud　would　only　take　me！〃　cried　La　Pechina；

her　eyes　blazing。



〃Ask　your　grandfather　Niseron；　you　have　not　given　him　up；　poor　dear

man；　and　he'd　be　pleased　to　see　you　admired　like　a　little　queen。　Why

do　you　like　those　Arminacs　the　Michauds　better　than　your　grandfather

and　the　Burgundians。　It's　bad　to　neglect　your　own　people。　Besides；　why

should　the　Michauds　object　if　your　grandfather　takes　you　to　the　fair？

Oh！　if　you　knew　what　it　is　to　reign　over　a　man　and　put　him　beside

himself；　and　say　to　him；　as　I　say　to　Godain；　'Go　there！'　and　he　goes；

'Do　that！'　and　he　does　it！　You've　got　it　in　you；　little　one；　to　turn

the　head　of　a　bourgeois　like　that　son　of　Monsieur　Lupin。　Monsieur

Amaury　took　a　fancy　to　my　sister　Marie　because　she　is　fair　and　because

he　is　half…afraid　of　me；　but　he'd　adore　you；　for　ever　since　those

people　at　the　pavilion　have　spruced　you　up　a　bit　you've　got　the　airs

of　an　empress。〃



Adroitly　leading　the　innocent　heart　to　forget　Nicolas　and　so　put　it

off　its　guard；　Catherine　distilled　into　the　girl　the　insidious　nectar

of　compliments。　Unawares；　she　touched　a　secret　wound。　La　Pechina；

without　being　other　than　a　poor　peasant　girl；　was　a　specimen　of

alarming　precocity；　like　many　another　creature　doomed　to　die　as

prematurely　as　it　blooms。　Strange　product　of　Burgundian　and

Montenegrin　blood；　conceived　and　born　amid　the　toils　of　war；　the　girl

was　doubtless　in　many　ways　the　result　of　her　congenital　circumstances。

Thin；　slender；　brown　as　a　tobacco　leaf；　and　short　in　stature；　she

nevertheless　possessed　extraordinary　strength；a　strength　unseen　by

the　eyes　of　peasants；　to　whom　the　mysteries　of　the　nervous　system　are

unknown。　Nerves　are　not　admitted　into　the　medical　rural　mind。



At　thirteen　years　of　age　Genevieve　had　completed　her　growth；　though

she　was　hardly　as　tall　as　an　ordinary　girl　of　her　age。　Did　her　face

owe　its　topaz　skin；　so　dark　and　yet　so　brilliant；　dark　in　tone　and

brilliant　in　the　quality　of　its　tissue；　giving　a　look　of　age　to　the

childish　face；　to　her　Montenegrin　origin；　or　to　the　ardent　sun　of

Burgundy？　Medical　science　may　dismiss　the　inquiry。　The　premature　old

age　on　the　surface　of　the　face　was　counterbalanced　by　the　glow；　the

fire；　the　wealth　of　light　which　made　the　eyes　two　stars。　Like　all　eyes

which　fill　with　sunlight　and　need；　perhaps；　some　sheltering　screen；

the　eyelids　were　fringed　with　lashes　of　extraordinary　length。　The

hair；　of　a　bluish　black；　long　and　fine　and　abundant；　crowned　a　brow

moulded　like　that　of　the　Farnese　Juno。　That　magnificent　diadem　of