sons of the soil-第47节

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on　stamped　paper。　By　trade　a　journeyman　tool…maker；　this　gnome　worked

for　the　wheelwrights　when　work　was　plentiful；　but　he　also　hired

himself　out　for　any　extra　labor　which　was　well　paid。　Though　he

possessed；　unknown　to　the　whole　neighborhood；　eighteen　hundred　francs

now　in　Gaubertin's　hands；　he　lived　like　a　beggar；　slept　in　a　barn；　and

gleaned　at　the　harvests。　He　wore　Gaubertin's　receipt　for　his　money

sewn　into　the　waist…belt　of　his　trousers；having　it　renewed　every

year　with　its　own　added　interest　and　the　amount　of　his　savings。



〃Hey！　what　do　I　care；〃　cried　Nicolas；　replying　to　Godain's　prudent

advice　not　to　talk　before　Niseron。　〃If　I'm　doomed　to　be　a　soldier　I'd

rather　the　sawdust　of　the　basket　sucked　up　my　blood　than　have　it

dribbled　out　drop　by　drop　in　the　battles。　I'll　deliver　this　country　of

at　least　one　of　those　Arminacs　that　the　devil　has　launched　upon　us。〃



And　he　related　what　he　called　Michaud's　plot　against　him；　which　Marie

and　Bonnebault　had　overheard。



〃Where　do　you　expect　France　to　find　soldiers？〃　said　the　white…haired

old　man；　rising　and　standing　before　Nicolas　during　the　silence　which

followed　the　utterance　of　this　threat。



〃We　serve　our　time　and　come　home　again；〃　remarked　Bonnebault；　twirling

his　moustache。



Observing　that　all　the　worst　characters　of　the　neighborhood　were

collecting；　Pere　Niseron　shook　his　head　and　left　the　tavern；　after

offering　a　farthing　to　Madame　Tonsard　in　payment　for　his　glass　of

wine。　When　the　worthy　man　had　gone　down　the　steps　a　movement　of　relief

and　satisfaction　passed　through　the　assembled　drinkers　which　would

have　told　whoever　watched　them　that　each　man　in　that　company　felt　he

was　rid　of　the　living　image　of　his　own　conscience。



〃Well；　what　do　you　say　to　all　that；　hey；　Courtecuisse？〃　asked

Vaudoyer；　who　had　just　come　in；　and　to　whom　Tonsard　had　related

Vatel's　attempt。



Courtecuisse　clacked　his　tongue　against　the　roof　of　his　mouth；　and　set

his　glass　on　the　table。



〃Vatel　put　himself　in　the　wrong；〃　he　said。　〃If　I　were　Mother　Tonsard；

I'd　give　myself　a　few　wounds　and　go　to　bed　and　say　I　was　ill；　and　have

that　Shopman　and　his　keeper　up　before　the　assizes　and　get　twenty

crowns　damages。　Monsieur　Sarcus　would　give　them。〃



〃In　any　case　the　Shopman　would　give　them　to　stop　the　talk　it　would

make；〃　said　Godain。



Vaudoyer；　the　former　field…keeper；　a　man　five　feet　six　inches　tall；

with　a　face　pitted　with　the　small…pox　and　furrowed　like　a　nut…cracker；

kept　silence　with　a　hesitating　air。



〃Well；　you　old　ninny；　does　that　ruffle　you？〃　asked　Tonsard；　attracted

by　the　idea　of　damages。　〃If　they　had　broken　twenty　crowns'　worth　of　my

mother's　bones　we　could　turn　it　into　good　account；　we　might　make　a

fine　fuss　for　three　hundred　francs；　Monsieur　Gourdon　would　go　to　Les

Aigues　and　tell　them　that　the　mother　had　got　a　broken　hip〃



〃And　break　it；　too；〃　interrupted　Madame　Tonsard；　〃they　do　that　in

Paris。〃



〃It　would　cost　too　much；〃　remarked　Godain。



〃I　have　been　too　long　among　the　people　who　rule　us　to　believe　that

matters　will　go　as　you　want　them；〃　said　Vaudoyer　at　last；　remembering

his　past　official　intercourse　with　the　courts　and　the　gendarmerie。　〃If

it　were　at　Soulanges；　now；　it　might　be　done；　Monsieur　Soudry

represents　the　government　there；　and　he　doesn't　wish　well　to　the

Shopman；　but　if　you　attack　the　Shopman　and　Vatel　they'll　defend

themselves　viciously；　they'll　say；　'The　woman　was　to　blame；　she　had　a

tree；　otherwise　she　would　have　let　her　bundle　be　examined　on　the

highroad；　she　wouldn't　have　run　away；　if　an　accident　happened　to　her

it　was　through　her　own　fault。'　No；　you　can't　trust　to　that　plan。〃



〃The　Shopman　didn't　resist　when　I　sued　him；〃　said　Courtecuisse；　〃he

paid　me　at　once。〃



〃I'll　go　to　Soulanges；　if　you　like；〃　said　Bonnebault；　〃and　consult

Monsieur　Gourdon；　the　clerk　of　the　court；　and　you　shall　know　to…night

if　THERE'S　MONEY　IN　IT。〃



〃You　are　only　making　an　excuse　to　be　after　that　big　goose　of　a　girl；

Socquard's　daughter；〃　said　Marie　Tonsard；　giving　Bonnebault　a　slap　on

the　shoulder　that　made　his　lungs　hum。



Just　then　a　verse　of　an　old　Burgundian　Christmas　carol　was　heard：



　　〃One　fine　moment　of　his　life

　　Was　at　the　wedding　feast；

　　He　changed　the　water　into　wine；

　　Madeira　of　the　best。〃



Every　one　recognized　the　vinous　voice　of　old　Fourchon；　to　whom　the

verse　must　have　been　peculiarly　agreeable；　Mouche　accompanied　in　his

treble　tones。



〃Ha！　they're　full！〃　cried　old　Mother　Tonsard　to　her　daughter…in…law；

〃your　father　is　as　red　as　a　grid…iron；　and　that　chip　o'　the　block　as

pink　as　vine…shoot。〃



〃Your　healths！〃　cried　the　old　man；　〃and　a　fine　lot　of　scoundrels　you

are！　All　hail！〃　he　said　to　his　granddaughter；　whom　he　spied　kissing

Bonnebault；　〃hail；　Marie；　full　of　vice！　Satan　is　with　three；　cursed

art　thou　among　women；　etcetera。　All　hail；　the　company　present！　you　are

done　for；　every　one　of　you！　you　may　just　say　good…bye　to　your　sheaves。

I　being　news。　I　always　told　you　the　rich　would　crush　us；　well　now；　the

Shopman　is　going　to　have　the　law　of　you！　Ha！　see　what　it　is　to

struggle　against　those　bourgeois　fellows；　who　have　made　so　many　laws

since　they　got　into　power　that　they've　a　law　to　enforce　every　trick

they　play〃



A　violent　hiccough　gave　a　sudden　turn　to　the　ideas　of　the

distinguished　orator。



〃If　Vermichel　were　only　here　I'd　blow　in　his　gullet；　and　he'd　get　an

idea　of　sherry　wine。　Hey！　what　a　wine　it　is！　If　I　wasn't　a　Burgundian

I'd　be　a　Spaniard！　It's　God's　own　wine！　the　pope　says　mass　with　it

Hey！　I'm　young　again！　Say；　Courtecuisse！　if　your　wife　were　only　here

we'd　be　young　together。　Don't　tell　me！　Spanish　wine　is　worth　a　dozen

of　boiled　wine。　Let's　have　a　revolution　if　it's　only　to　empty　the

cellars！〃



〃But　what's　your　news；　papa？〃　said　Tonsard。



〃There'll　be　no　harvest　for　you；　the　Shopman　has　given　orders　to　stop

the　gleaning。〃



〃Stop　the　gleaning！〃　cried　the　whole　tavern；　with　one　voice；　in　which

the　shrill　tones　of　the　four　women　predominated。



〃Yes；〃　said　Mouche；　〃he　is　going　to　issue　an　order；　and　Groison　is　to

take　it　round；　and　post　it　up　all　over　the　canton。　No　one　is　to　glean

except　those　who　have　pauper　certificates。〃



〃And　what's　more；〃　said　Fourchon；　〃the　folks　from　the　other　districts

won't　be　allowed　here　at　all。〃



〃What's　that？〃　cried　Bonnebault；　〃do　you　mean　to　tell　me　that　neither

my　grandmother　nor　I；　nor　your　mother；　Godain；　can　come　here　and

glean？　Here's　tomfoolery　for　you；　a　pretty　show　of　authority！　Why；　the

fellow　is　a　devil　let　loose　from　hell；that　scoundrel　of　a　mayor！〃



〃Shall　you　glean　whether　or　no；　Godain？〃　said　Tonsard　to　the

journeyman　wheelwright；　who　was　saying　a　few　words　to　Catherine。



〃I？　I've　no　property；　I'm　a　pauper；〃　he　replied；　〃I　shall　ask　for　a

certificate。〃



〃What　did　they　give　my　father　for　his　otter；　bibi？〃　said　Madame

Tonsard　to　Mouche。



Though　nearly　at　his　last　gasp　from　an　over…taxed　digestion　and　two

bottles　of　wine；　Mouche；　sitting　on　Madame　Tonsard's　lap；　laid　his

head　on　his　aunt's　neck　and　whispered　slyly　in　her　ear：



〃I　don't　know；　but　he　has　got　gold。　If　you'll　feed　me　high　for　a

month；　perhaps　I　can　find　out　his　hiding…place；　he　has　one；　I　know

that。〃



〃Father's　got　gold！〃　whispered　La　Tonsard　to　her　husband；　whose　voice

was　loudest　in　the　uproar　of　the　excited　discussion；　in　which　all

present　took　part。



〃Hush！　here's　Groison；〃　cried　the　old　sentinel。



Perfect　silence　reigned　in　the　tavern。　When　Groison　had　got　to　a　safe

distance；　Mother　Tonsard　made　a　sign；　and　the　discussion　began　again

on　the　question　as　to　whether　they　should　persist　in　gleaning；　as

before；　without　a　certificate。



〃You'll　have　to　give　in；〃　said　Pere　Fourchon；　〃for　the　Shopman　has

gone　to　see　the　prefect　and　get　troops　to　enforce　the　order。　They'll

shoot　you　like　dogs；and　that's　what　we　are！〃　cried　the　old　man；

trying　to　conquer　the　thickening　of　his　speech　produced　by　his

potations　of　sherry。



This　fresh　announcement；　absurd　as　it　was；　made　all　the　drinkers

thoughtful；　they　really　believed　the　government　capable　of

slaughtering　them　without　pity。



〃I　remember　just　such　troubles　near　Toulouse；　when　I　was　stationed

there；〃　said　Bonnebault。　〃We　were　marched　out；　and　the　peasants　were

cut　and　slashed　and　arrested。　Everybody　laughed　to　see　them　try　to

resist　cavalry。　Ten　were　sent　to　the　galleys；　and　eleven　put　in

prison；　the　whole　thing　was　crushed。　Hey！　what？　why；　soldiers　are

soldiers；　and　you　are　nothing　but　civilian　beggars；　they've　a　right；

they　think；　to　sabre　peasants；　the　devil　take　you！〃



〃Well；　well；〃　said　Tonsard；　〃what　is　there　in　all　that　to　frighten　you

like　kids？　What　can　they　get　out　of　my　mother　and　daughters？　Put　'em

in　prison？　well；　then　they　must　feed　them；　and　the　Shopman　can't

imprison　the　whole　country。　Besides；　prisoners　are　better　fed　at　the

king's　expense　than　they　are　at　their　own；　an