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。〃