sons of the soil-第68章

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The　fair　of　Soulanges；　which　takes　place　on　the　15th　of　August；　is　one

of　the　features　of　the　town；　and　carries　the　palm　over　all　other　fairs

in　a　circuit　of　sixty　miles；　even　those　of　the　capital　of　the

department。　Ville…aux…Fayes　has　no　fair；　for　its　fete…day；　the　Saint…

Sylvestre；　happens　in　winter。



From　the　12th　to　the　15th　of　August　all　sorts　of　merchants　abounded　at

Soulanges；　and　set　up　their　booths　in　two　parallel　lines；　two　rows　of

the　well…known　gray　linen　huts；　which　gave　a　lively　appearance　to　the

usually　deserted　streets。　The　two　weeks　of　the　fair　brought　in　a　sort

of　harvest　to　the　little　town；　for　the　festival　has　the　authority　and

prestige　of　tradition。　The　peasants；　as　old　Fourchon　said；　flocked　in

from　the　districts　to　which　labor　bound　them　for　the　rest　of　the　year。

The　wonderful　show　on　the　counters　of　the　improvised　shops；　the

collection　of　all　sorts　of　merchandise；　the　coveted　objects　of　the

wants　or　the　vanities　of　these　sons　of　the　soil；　who　have　no　other

shows　or　exhibitions　to　enjoy　exercise　a　periodical　seduction　over　the

minds　of　all；　especially　the　women　and　children。　So；　after　the　first

of　August　the　authorities　posted　advertisements　signed　by　Soudry；

throughout　the　whole　arrondissement；　offering　protection　to　merchants；

jugglers；　mountebanks；　prodigies　of　all　kinds；　and　stating　how　long

the　fair　would　last；　and　what　would　be　its　principal　attractions。



On　these　posters；　about　which　it　will　be　remembered　Madame　Tonsard

inquired　of　Vermichel；　there　was　always；　on　the　last　line；　the

following　announcement：



〃Tivoli　will　be　illuminated　with　colored…glass　lamps。〃



The　town　had　adopted　as　the　place　for　public　a　dance…ground　created　by

Socquard　out　of　a　stony　garden　（stony；　like　the　rest　of　the　hill　on

which　Soulanges　is　built；　where　the　gardens　are　of　made　land）；　and

called　by　him　a　Tivoli。　This　character　of　the　soil　explains　the

peculiar　flavor　of　the　Soulanges　wine；a　white　wine；　dry　and

spirituous；　very　like　Madeira　or　the　Vouvray　wine；　or　Johannisberger；

three　vintages　which　resemble　one　another。



The　powerful　effect　produced　by　the　Socquard　ball　upon　the

imaginations　of　the　whole　country…side　made　the　inhabitants　thereof

very　proud　of　their　Tivoli。　Such　as　had　ventured　as　far　as　Paris

declared　that　the　Parisian　Tivoli　was　superior　to　that　of　Soulanges

only　in　size。　Gaubertin　boldly　declared　that；　for　his　part；　he

preferred　the　Socquard　ball　to　the　Parisian　ball。



〃Well；　we'll　think　it　all　over；〃　continued　Rigou。　〃That　Parisian

fellow；　the　editor　of　a　newspaper；　will　soon　get　tired　of　his　present

amusement　and　be　glad　of　a　change；　perhaps　we　could　through　the

servants　give　him　the　idea　of　coming　to　the　fair；　and　he'd　bring　the

others；　I'll　consider　it。　Sibilet　mightalthough；　to　be　sure；　his

influence　is　devilishly　decreased　of　latebut　he　might　get　the

general　to　think　he　could　curry　popularity　by　coming。〃



〃Find　out　if　the　beautiful　countess　keeps　the　general　at　arm's

length；〃　said　Lupin；　〃that's　the　point　if　you　want　him　to　fall　into

the　farce　at　Tivoli。〃



〃That　little　woman；〃　cried　Madame　Soudry；　〃is　too　much　of　a　Parisian

not　to　know　how　to　run　with　the　hare　and　hold　with　the　hounds。〃



〃Fourchon　has　got　his　granddaughter　Catherine　on　good　terms；　he　tells

me；　with　Charles；　the　Shopman's　groom。　That　gives　us　one　ear　more　in

Les　AiguesAre　you　sure　of　the　Abbe　Taupin；〃　he　added；　as　the　priest

entered　the　room　from　the　terrace。



〃We　hold　him　and　the　Abbe　Mouchon；　too；　just　as　I　hold　Soudry；〃　said

the　queen；　stroking　her　husband's　chin；　〃you　are　not　unhappy；　dearest；

are　you？〃　she　said　to　Soudry。



〃If　I　can　plan　a　scandal　against　that　Tartufe　of　a　Brossette　we　can

win；〃　said　Rigou；　in　a　low　voice。　〃But　I　am　not　sure　if　the　local

spirit　can　succeed　against　the　Church　spirit。　You　don't　realize　what

that　is。　I；　myself；　who　am　no　fool；　I　can't　say　what　I'll　do　when　I

fall　ill。　I　believe　I　shall　try　to　be　reconciled　with　the　Church。〃



〃Suffer　me　to　hope　it；〃　said　the　Abbe　Taupin；　for　whose　benefit　Rigou

had　raised　his　voice　on　the　last　words。



〃Alas！　the　wrong　I　did　in　marrying　prevents　it；〃　replied　Rigou。　〃I

cannot　kill　off　Madame　Rigou。〃



〃Meantime；　let　us　think　of　Les　Aigues；〃　said　Madame　Soudry。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　ex…monk。　〃Do　you　know；　I　begin　to　think　that　our

associate　at　Ville…aux…Fayes　may　be　cleverer　than　the　rest　of　us。　I

fancy　that　Gaubertin　wants　Les　Aigues　for　himself；　and　that　he　means

to　trick　us　in　the　end。〃



〃But　Les　Aigues　will　not　belong　to　any　one　of　us；　it　will　have　to　come

down；　from　roof　to　cellar；〃　said　Soudry。



〃I　shouldn't　be　surprised　if　there　were　treasure　buried　in　those

cellars；〃　observed　Rigou；　cleverly。



〃Nonsense！〃



〃Well；　in　the　wars　of　the　olden　time　the　great　lords；　who　were　often

besieged　and　surprised；　did　bury　their　gold　until　they　should　be　able

to　recover　it；　and　you　know　that　the　Marquis　de　Soulanges…Hautemer　（in

whom　the　younger　branch　came　to　an　end）　was　one　of　the　victims　of　the

Biron　conspiracy。　The　Comtesse　de　Moret　received　the　property　from

Henri　IV。　when　it　was　confiscated。〃



〃See　what　it　is　to　know　the　history　of　France！〃　said　Soudry。　〃You　are

right。　It　is　time　to　come　to　an　understanding　with　Gaubertin。〃



〃If　he　shirks；〃　said　Rigou；　〃we　must　smoke　him　out。〃



〃He　is　rich　enough　now；〃　said　Lupin；　〃to　be　an　honest　man。〃



〃I'll　answer　for　him　as　I　would　for　myself；〃　said　Madame　Soudry；　〃he's

the　most　loyal　man　in　the　kingdom。〃



〃We　all　believe　in　his　loyalty；〃　said　Rigou；　〃but　nevertheless　nothing

should　be　neglected；　even　among　friends　By　the　bye；　I　think　there　is

some　one　in　Soulanges　who　is　hindering　matters。〃



〃Who's　that？〃　asked　Soudry。



〃Plissoud；〃　replied　Rigou。



〃Plissoud！〃　exclaimed　Soudry。　〃Poor　fool！　Brunet　holds　him　by　the

halter；　and　his　wife　by　the　gullet；　ask　Lupin。〃



〃What　can　he　do？〃　said　Lupin。



〃He　means　to　warn　Montcornet；〃　replied　Rigou；　〃and　get　his　influence

and　a　place〃



〃It　wouldn't　bring　him　more　than　his　wife　earns　for　him　at　Soulanges；〃

said　Madame　Soudry。



〃He　tells　everything　to　his　wife　when　he　is　drunk；〃　remarked　Lupin。

〃We　shall　know　it　all　in　good　time。〃



〃The　beautiful　Madame　Plissoud　has　no　secrets　from　you；〃　said　Rigou；

〃we　may　be　easy　about　that。〃



〃Besides；　she's　as　stupid　as　she　is　beautiful；〃　said　Madame　Soudry。　〃I

wouldn't　change　with　her；　for　if　I　were　a　man　I'd　prefer　an　ugly　woman

who　has　some　mind；　to　a　beauty　who　can't　say　two　words。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　notary；　biting　his　lips；　〃but　she　can　make　others　say

three。〃



〃Puppy！〃　cried　Rigou；　as　he　made　for　the　door。



〃Well；　then；〃　said　Soudry；　following　him　to　the　portico；　〃to…morrow；

early。〃



〃I'll　come　and　fetch　you　Ha！　Lupin；〃　he　said　to　the　notary；　who　came

out　with　him　to　order　his　horse；　〃try　to　make　sure　that　Madame　Sarcus

hears　all　the　Shopman　says　and　does　against　us　at　the　Prefecture。〃



〃If　she　doesn't　hear　it；　who　will？〃　replied　Lupin。



〃Excuse　me；〃　said　Rigou；　smiling　blandly；　〃but　there　are　such　a　lot　of

ninnies　in　there　that　I　forgot　there　was　one　clever　man。〃



〃The　wonder　is　that　I　don't　grow　rusty　among　them；〃　replied　Lupin；

naively。



〃Is　it　true　that　Soudry　has　hired　a　pretty　servant？〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Lupin；　〃for　the　last　week　our　worthy　mayor　has　set　the

charms　of　his　wife　in　full　relief　by　comparing　her　with　a　little

peasant…girl　about　the　age　of　an　old　ox；　and　we　can't　yet　imagine　how

he　settles　it　with　Madame　Soudry；　for；　would　you　believe　it；　he　has

the　audacity　to　go　to　bed　early。〃



〃I'll　find　out　to…morrow；〃　said　the　village　Sardanapalus；　trying　to

smile。



The　two　plotters　shook　hands　as　they　parted。



Rigou；　who　did　not　like　to　be　on　the　road　after　dark　for；

notwithstanding　his　present　popularity；　he　was　cautious；　called　to　his

horse；　〃Get　up；　Citizen；〃a　joke　this　son　of　1793　was　fond　of　letting

fly　at　the　Revolution。　Popular　rev