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第66章

sons of the soil-第66章

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voice; her pinched mouth; and her juvenile ways; when the Abbe Taupin

had related one of the tales of his repertory; when Lupin had told of

some event at Ville…aux…Fayes; and Madame Soudry had been deluged with

compliments ad nauseum; the company would say: 〃We have had a charming

game of boston。〃



Too self…indulgent to be at the trouble of driving over to the

Soudrys' merely to hear the vapid talk of its visitors and to see a

Parisian monkey in the guise of an old woman; Rigou; far superior in

intelligence and education to this petty society; never made his

appearance unless business brought him over to meet the notary。 He

excused himself from visiting on the ground of his occupations; his

habits; and his health; which latter did not allow him; he said; to

return at night along a road which led by the foggy banks of the

Thune。



The tall; stiff usurer always had an imposing effect upon Madame

Soudry's company; who instinctively recognized in his nature the

cruelty of the tiger with steel claws; the craft of a savage; the

wisdom of one born in a cloister and ripened by the sun of gold;a

man to whom Gaubertin had never yet been willing to fully commit

himself。



The moment the little green carriole and the bay horse passed the Cafe

de la Paix; Urbain; Soudry's man…servant; who was seated on a bench

under the dining…room windows; and was gossipping with the tavern…

keeper; shades his eyes with his hand to see who was coming。



〃It's Pere Rigou;〃 he said。 〃I must go round and open the door。 Take

his horse; Socquard。〃 And Urbain; a former trooper; who could not get

into the gendarmerie and had therefore taken service with Soudry; went

round the house to open the gates of the courtyard。



Socquard; a famous personage throughout the valley; was treated; as

you see; with very little ceremony by the valet。 But so it is with

many illustrious people who are so kind as to walk and to sneeze and

to sleep and to eat precisely like common mortals。



Socquard; born a Hercules; could carry a weight of eleven hundred

pounds; a blow of his fist applied on a man's back would break the

vertebral column in two; he could bend an iron bar; or hold back a

carriage drawn by one horse。 A Milo of Crotona in the valley; his fame

had spread throughout the department; where all sorts of foolish

stories were current about him; as about all celebrities。 It was told

how he had once carried a poor woman and her donkey and her basket on

his back to market; how he had been known to eat a whole ox and drink

the fourth of a hogshead of wine in one day; etc。 Gentle as a

marriageable girl; Socquard; who was a stout; short man; with a placid

face; broad shoulders; and a deep chest; where his lungs played like

the bellows of a forge; possessed a flute…like voice; the limpid tones

of which surprised all those who heard them for the first time。



Like Tonsard; whose renown released him from the necessity of giving

proofs of his ferocity; in fact; like all other men who are backed by

public opinion of one kind or another; Socquard never displayed his

extraordinary muscular force unless asked to do so by friends。 He now

took the horse as the usurer drew up at the steps of the portico。



〃Are you all well at home; Monsieur Rigou?〃 said the illustrious

innkeeper。



〃Pretty well; my good friend;〃 replied Rigou。 〃Do Plissoud and

Bonnebault and Viollet and Amaury still continue good customers?〃



This question; uttered in a tone of good…natured interest; was by no

means one of those empty speeches which superiors are apt to bestow

upon inferiors。 In his leisure moments Rigou thought over the smallest

details of 〃the affair;〃 and Fourchon had already warned him that

there was something suspicious in the intimacy between Plissoud;

Bonnebault; and the brigadier; Viollet。



Bonnebault; in payment of a few francs lost at cards; might very

likely tell the secrets he heard at Tonsard's to Viollet; or he might

let them out over his punch without realizing the importance of such

gossip。 But as the information of the old otter man might be

instigated by thirst; Rigou paid no attention except so far as it

concerned Plissoud; whose situation was likely to inspire him with a

desire to counteract the coalition against Les Aigues; if only to get

his paws greased by one or the other of the two parties。



Plissoud combined with his duties of under…sheriff other occupations

which were poorly remunerated; that of agent of insurance (a new form

of enterprise just beginning to show itself in France); agent; also;

of a society providing against the chances of recruitment。 His

insufficient pay and a love of billiards and boiled wine made his

future doubtful。 Like Fourchon; he cultivated the art of doing

nothing; and expected his fortune through some lucky but problematic

chance。 He hated the leading society; but he had measured its power。

He alone knew the middle…class coalition organized by Gaubertin to its

depths; and he continued to sneer at the rich men of Soulanges and

Ville…aux…Fayes; as if he alone represented the opposition。 Without

money and not respected; he did not seem a person to be feared

professionally; and so Brunet; glad to have a despised competitor;

protected him and helped him along; to prevent him selling his

business to some eager young man; like Bonnac for instance; who might

force him; Brunet; to divide the patronage of the canton between them。



〃Thanks to those fellows; we keep the ball a…rolling;〃 said Socquard。

〃But folks are trying to imitate my boiled wine。〃



〃Sue them;〃 said Rigou; sententiously。



〃That would lead too far;〃 replied the innkeeper。



〃Do your clients get on well together?〃



〃Tolerably; yes; sometimes they'll have a row; but that's only natural

for players。〃



All heads were at the window of the Soudry salon which looked to the

square。 Recognizing the father of his daughter…in…law; Soudry came to

the portico to receive him。



〃Well; comrade;〃 said the mayor of Soulanges; 〃is Annette ill; that

you give us your company of an evening?〃



Through an old habit acquired in the gendarmerie Soudry always went

direct to the point。



〃No; There's trouble brewing;〃 replied Rigou; touching his right

fore…finger to the hand which Soudry held out to him。 〃I came to talk

about it; for it concerns our children in a way〃



Soudry; a handsome man dressed in blue; as though he were still a

gendarme; with a black collar; and spurs at his heels; took Rigou by

the arm and led him up to his imposing better…half。 The glass door to

the terrace was open; and the guests were walking about enjoying the

summer evening; which brought out the full beauty of the glorious

landscape which we have already described。



〃It is a long time since we have seen you; my dear Rigou;〃 said Madame

Soudry; taking the arm of the ex…Benedictine and leading him out upon

the terrace。



〃My digestion is so troublesome!〃 he replied; 〃see! my color is almost

as high as yours。〃



Rigou's appearance on the terrace was the sign for an explosion of

jovial greetings on the part of the assembled company。



〃And how may the lord of Blangy be?〃 said little Sarcus; justice of

the peace。



〃Lord!〃 replied Rigou; bitterly; 〃I am not even cock of my own village

now。〃



〃The hens don't say so; scamp!〃 exclaimed Madame Soudry; tapping her

fan on his arm。



〃All well; my dear master?〃 said the notary; bowing to his chief

client。



〃Pretty well;〃 replied Rigou; again putting his fore…finger into his

interlocutor's hand。



This gesture; by which Rigou kept down the process of hand…shaking to

the coldest and stiffest of demonstrations would have revealed the

whole man to any observer who did not already know him。



〃Let us find a corner where we can talk quietly;〃 said the ex…monk;

looking at Lupin and at Madame Soudry。



〃Let us return to the salon;〃 replied the queen。



〃What

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