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第54章

sons of the soil-第54章

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〃You are all blind moles;〃 shouted Tonsard; 〃let 'em pick a quarrel

with their law and their troops; they can't put the whole country in

irons; and we've plenty of friends at Ville…aux…Fayes and among the

old lords who'll sustain us。〃



〃That's true;〃 said Courtecuisse; 〃none of the other land…owners

complain; it is only the Shopman; Monsieur de Soulanges and Monsieur

de Ronquerolles and others; they are satisfied。 When I think that if

that cuirassier had only had the courage to let himself be killed like

the rest I should still be happy at the gate of the Avonne; and that

it was he that turned my life topsy…turvy; it just puts me beside

myself。〃



〃They won't call out the troops for a Shopman who has set every one in

the district against him;〃 said Godain。 〃The fault's his own; he tried

to ride over everybody here; and upset everything; and the government

will just say to him; 'Hush up。'〃



〃The government never says anything else; it can't; poor government!〃

said Fourchon; seized with a sudden tenderness for the government。

〃Yes; I pity it; that good government; it is very unlucky;it hasn't

a penny; like us; but that's very stupid of a government that makes

the money itself; very stupid! Ah! if I were the government〃



〃But;〃 cried Courtecuisse; 〃they tell me in Ville…aux…Fayes that

Monsieur de Ronquerolles talked about our rights in the Assembly。〃



〃That's in Monsieur Rigou's newspaper;〃 said Vaudoyer; who in his

capacity of ex…field…keeper knew how to read and write; 〃I read it〃



In spite of his vinous tenderness; old Fourchon; like many of the

lower classes whose faculties are stimulated by drunkenness; was

following; with an intelligent eye and a keen ear; this curious

discussion which a variety of asides rendered still more curious。

Suddenly; he stood up in the middle of the room。



〃Listen to the old one; he's drunk!〃 said Tonsard; 〃and when he is; he

is twice as full of deviltry; he has his own and that of the wine〃



〃Spanish wine; and that trebles it!〃 cried Fourchon; laughing like a

satyr。 〃My sons; don't butt your head straight at the thing;you're

too weak; go at it sideways。 Lay low; play dead; the little woman is

scared。 I tell you; the thing'll come to an end before long; she'll

leave the place; and if she does the Shopman will follow her; for

she's his passion。 That's your plan。 Only; to make 'em go faster; my

advice is to get rid of their counsellor; their support; our spy; our

ape〃



〃Who's that?〃



〃The damned abbe; of course;〃 said Tonsard; 〃that hunter after sins;

who thinks the host is food enough for us。〃



〃That's true;〃 cried Vaudoyer; 〃we were happy enough till he came。 We

ought to get rid of that eater of the good God;he's the real enemy。〃



〃Finikin;〃 added Fourchon; using a nickname which the abbe owed to his

prim and rather puny appearance; 〃might be led into temptation and

fall into the power of some sly girl; for he fasts so much。 Then if we

could catch him in the act and drum him up with a good charivari; the

bishop would be obliged to send him elsewhere。 It would please old

Rigou devilish well。 Now if your daughter; Courtecuisse; would leave

Auxerreshe's a pretty girl; and if she'd take to piety; she might

save us all。 Hey! ran tan plan!〃



〃Why don't YOU do it?〃 said Godain to Catherine; in a low voice;

〃there'd be scuttles full of money to hush up the talk; and for the

time being you'd be mistress here〃



〃Shall we glean; or shall we not glean? that's the point;〃 said

Bonnebault。 〃I don't care two straws for your abbe; not I; I belong to

Conches; where we haven't a black…coat to poke up our consciences。〃



〃Look here;〃 said Vaudoyer; 〃we had better go and ask Rigou; who knows

the law; whether the Shopman can forbid gleaning; and he'll tell us if

we've got the right of it。 If the Shopman has the law on his side;

well; then we must do as the old one says;see about taking things

sideways。〃



〃Blood will be spilt;〃 said Nicolas; darkly; as he rose after drinking

a whole bottle of wine; which Catherine drew for him in order to keep

him silent。 〃If you'd only listen to me you'd down Michaud; but you

are miserable weaklings;nothing but poor trash!〃



〃I'm not;〃 said Bonnebault。 〃If you are all safe friends who'll keep

your tongues between your teeth; I'll aim at the Shopman Hey! how

I'd like to put a plum through his bottle; wouldn't it avenge me on

those cursed officers?〃



〃Tut! tut!〃 cried Jean…Louis Tonsard; who was supposed to be; more or

less; Gaubertin's son; and who had just entered the tavern。 This

fellow; who was courting Rigou's pretty servant…girl; had succeeded

his nominal father as clipper of hedges and shrubberies and other

Tonsardial occupations。 Going about among the well…to…do houses; he

talked with masters and servants and picked up ideas which made him

the man of the world of the family; the shrewd head。 We shall

presently see that in making love to Rigou's servant…girl; Jean…Louis

deserved his reputation for shrewdness。



〃Well; what have you to say; prophet?〃 said the innkeeper to his son。



〃I say that you are playing into the hands of the rich folk;〃 replied

Jean…Louis。 〃Frighten the Aigues people to maintain your rights if you

choose; but if you drive them out of the place and make them sell the

estate; you are doing just what the bourgeois of the valley want; and

it's against your own interest。 If you help the bourgeois to divide

the great estates among them; where's the national domain to be bought

for nothing at the next Revolution? Wait till then; and you'll get

your land without paying for it; as Rigou got his; whereas if you go

and thrust this estate into the jaws of the rich folk of the valley;

the rich folk will dribble it back to you impoverished and at twice

the price they paid for it。 You are working for their interests; I

tell you; so does everybody who works for Rigou;look at

Courtecuisse。〃



The policy contained in this allocution was too deep for the drunken

heads of those present; who were all; except Courtecuisse; laying by

their money to buy a slice of the Aigues cake。 So they let Jean…Louis

harangue; and continued; as in the Chamber of Deputies; their private

confabs with one another。



〃Yes; that's so; you'll be Rigou's cats…paw!〃 cried Fourchon; who

alone understood his grandson。



Just then Langlume; the miller of Les Aigues; passed the tavern。

Madame Tonsard hailed him。



〃Is it true;〃 she said; 〃that gleaning is to be forbidden?〃



Langlume; a jovial white man; white with flour and dressed in grayish…

white clothes; came up the steps and looked in。 Instantly all the

peasants became as sober as judges。



〃Well; my children; I am forced to answer yes; and no。 None but the

poor are to glean; but the measures they are going to take will turn

out to your advantage。〃



〃How so?〃 asked Godain。



〃Why; they can prevent any but paupers from gleaning here;〃 said the

miller; winking in true Norman fashion; 〃but that doesn't prevent you

from gleaning elsewhere;unless all the mayors do as the Blangy mayor

is doing。〃



〃Then it is true;〃 said Tonsard; in a threatening voice。



〃As for me;〃 said Bonnebault; putting his foraging…cap over one ear

and making his hazel stick whiz in the air; 〃I'm off to Conches to

warn the friends。〃



And the Lovelace of the valley departed; whistling the tune of the

martial song;



  〃You who know the hussars of the Guard;

  Don't you know the trombone of the regiment?〃



〃I say; Marie! he's going a queer way to get to Conches; that friend

of yours;〃 cried old Mother Tonsard to her granddaughter。



〃He's after Aglae!〃 said Marie; who made one bound to the door。 〃I'll

have to thrash her once for all; that baggage!〃 she cried; viciously。



〃Come; Vaudoyer;〃 said Tonsard; 〃go and see Rigou; and then we shall

know what to do; he's our oracle; and his spittle doesn't cost

anything。〃




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