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the　mill…races　and　the　sluices　of　a　few　manufactories；　presented　an

animated　scene；　all　the　more　charming　because　inclosed　in　the　greenery

of　forests；　while　the　long　valley　of　Les　Aigues　offered　a　glorious

contrast　to　the　dark　foil　of　the　heights　above　the　town　itself。



Gaubertin　had　built　himself　a　house　on　the　level　of　the　delta；

intending　to　make　a　place　which　should　improve　the　locality　and　render

the　lower　town　as　desirable　as　the　upper。　It　was　a　modern　house　built

of　stone；　with　a　balcony　of　iron　railings；　outside　blinds；　painted

windows；　and　no　ornament　but　a　line　of　fret…work　under　the　eaves；　a

slate　roof；　one　story　in　height　with　a　garret；　a　fine　courtyard；　and

behind　it　an　English　garden　bathed　by　the　waters　of　the　Avonne。　The

elegance　of　the　place　compelled　the　department　to　build　a　fine　edifice

nearly　opposite　to　it　for　the　sub…prefecture；　provisionally　lodged　in

a　mere　kennel。　The　town　itself　also　built　a　town…hall。　The　law…courts

had　lately　been　installed　in　a　new　edifice；　so　that　Ville…aux…Fayes

owed　to　the　active　influence　of　its　present　mayor　a　number　of　really

imposing　public　buildings。　The　gendarmerie　had　also　built　barracks

which　completed　the　square　formed　by　the　marketplace。



These　changes；　on　which　the　inhabitants　prided　themselves；　were　due　to

the　impetus　given　by　Gaubertin；　who　within　a　day　or　two　had　received

the　cross　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　in　anticipation　of　the　coming

birthday　of　the　king。　In　a　town　so　situated　and　so　modern　there　was　of

course；　neither　aristocracy　nor　nobility。　Consequently；　the　rich

merchants　of　Ville…aux…Fayes；　proud　of　their　own　independence；

willingly　espoused　the　cause　of　the　peasantry　against　a　count　of　the

Empire　who　had　taken　sides　with　the　Restoration。　To　them　the

oppressors　were　the　oppressed。　The　spirit　of　this　commercial　town　was

so　well　known　to　the　government　that　they　send　there　as　sub…prefect　a

man　with　a　conciliatory　temper；　a　pupil　of　his　uncle；　the　well…known

des　Lupeaulx；　one　of　those　men；　accustomed　to　compromise；　who　are

familiar　with　the　difficulties　and　necessities　of　administration；　but

whom　puritan　politicians；　doing　infinitely　worse　things；　call　corrupt。



The　interior　of　Gaubertin's　house　was　decorated　with　the　unmeaning

commonplaces　of　modern　luxury。　Rich　papers　with　gold　borders；　bronze

chandeliers；　mahogany　furniture　of　a　new　pattern；　astral　lamps；　round

tables　with　marble　tops；　white　china　with　gilt　lines　for　dessert；　red

morocco　chairs　and　mezzo…tint　engravings　in　the　dining…room；　and　blue

cashmere　furniture　in　the　salon；all　details　of　a　chilling　and

perfectly　unmeaning　character；　but　which　to　the　eyes　of　Ville…aux…

Fayes　seemed　the　last　efforts　of　Sardanapalian　luxury。　Madame

Gaubertin　played　the　role　of　elegance　with　great　effect；　she　assumed

little　airs　and　was　lackadaisical　at　forty…five　years　of　age；　as

though　certain　of　the　homage　of　her　court。



We　ask　those　who　really　know　France；　if　these　housesthose　of　Rigou；

Soudry；　and　Gaubertinare　not　a　perfect　presentation　of　the　village；

the　little　town；　and　the　seat　of　a　sub…prefecture？



Without　being　a　man　of　mind；　or　a　man　of　talent；　Gaubertin　had　the

appearance　of　being　both。　He　owed　the　accuracy　of　his　perception　and

his　consummate　art　to　an　extreme　keenness　after　gain。　He　desired

wealth；　not　for　his　wife；　not　for　his　children；　not　for　himself；　not

for　his　family；　not　for　the　reputation　that　money　gives；　after　the

gratification　of　his　revenge　（the　hope　of　which　kept　him　alive）　he

loved　the　touch　of　money；　like　Nucingen；　who；　it　was　said；　kept

fingering　the　gold　in　his　pockets。　The　rush　of　business　was

Gaubertin's　wine；　and　though　he　had　his　belly　full　of　it；　he　had　all

the　eagerness　of　one　who　was　empty。　As　with　valets　of　the　drama；

intrigues；　tricks　to　play；　mischief　to　organize；　deceptions；

commercial　over…reachings；　accounts　to　render　and　receive；　disputes；

and　quarrels　of　self…interest；　exhilarated　him；　kept　his　blood　in

circulation；　and　his　bile　flowing。　He　went　and　came　on　foot；　on

horseback；　in　a　carriage；　by　water；　he　was　at　all　auctions　and　timber

sales　in　Paris；　thinking　of　everything；　keeping　hundreds　of　wires　in

his　hands　and　never　getting　them　tangled。



Quick；　decided　in　his　movements　as　in　his　ideas；　short　and　squat　in

figure；　with　a　thin　nose；　a　fiery　eye；　an　ear　on　the　〃qui　vive；〃　there

was　something　of　the　hunting…dog　about　him。　His　brown　face；　very　round

and　sunburned；　from　which　the　tanned　ears　stood　out　predominantly；

for　he　always　wore　a　cap；was　in　keeping　with　that　character。　His

nose　turned　up；　his　tightly…closed　lips　could　never　have　opened　to　say

a　kindly　thing。　His　bushy　whiskers　formed　a　pair　of　black　and　shiny

tufts　beneath　the　highly…colored　cheek…bones；　and　were　lost　in　his

cravat。　Hair　that　was　pepper…and…salt　in　color　and　frizzled　naturally

in　stages　like　those　of　a　judge's　wig；　seeming　scorched　by　the　fury　of

the　fire　which　heated　his　brown　skull　and　gleamed　in　his　gray　eyes

surrounded　by　circular　wrinkles　（no　doubt　from　a　habit　of　always

blinking　when　he　looked　across　the　country　in　full　sunlight）；

completed　the　characteristics　of　his　physiognomy。　His　lean　and

vigorous　hands　were　hairy；　knobbed；　and　claw…like；　like　those　of　men

who　do　their　share　of　labor。　His　personality　was　agreeable　to　those

with　whom　he　had　to　do；　for　he　wrapped　it　in　a　misleading　gayety；　he

knew　how　to　talk　a　great　deal　without　saying　a　word　of　what　he　meant

to　keep　unsaid。　He　wrote　little；　so　as　to　deny　anything　that　escaped

him　which　might　prove　unfavorable　in　its　after　effects　upon　his

interests。　His　books　and　papers　were　kept　by　a　cashier；an　honest

man；　whom　men　of　Gaubertin's　stamp　always　seek　to　get　hold　of；　and

whom　they　make；　in　their　own　selfish　interests；　their　first　dupe。



When　Rigou's　little　green　chaise　appeared；　towards　twelve　o'clock；　in

the　broad　avenue　which　skirts　the　river；　Gaubertin；　in　cap；　boots；　and

jacket；　was　returning　from　the　wharves。　He　hastened　his　steps；

feeling　very　sure　that　Rigou's　object　in　coming　over　could　only　be

〃the　great　affair。〃



〃Good　morning；　gendarme；　good　morning；　paunch　of　gall　and　wisdom；〃　he

said；　giving　a　little　slap　to　the　stomachs　of　his　two　visitors。　〃We

have　business　to　talk　over；　and；　faith！　we'll　do　it　glass　in　hand；

that's　the　true　way　to　take　things。〃



〃If　you　do　your　business　that　way；　you　ought　to　be　fatter　than　you

are；〃　said　Rigou。



〃I　work　too　hard；　I'm　not　like　you　two；　confined　to　the　house　and

bewitched　there；　like　old　dotards。　Well；　well；　after　all　that's　the

best　way；　you　can　do　your　business　comfortably　in　an　arm…chair；　with

your　back　to　the　fire　and　your　belly　at　table；　custom　goes　to　you；　I

have　to　go　after　it。　But　now；　come　in；　come　in！　the　house　is　yours　for

the　time　you　stay。〃



A　servant；　in　blue　livery　edged　with　scarlet；　took　the　horse　by　the

bridle　and　led　him　into　the　courtyard；　where　were　the　offices　and　the

stable。



Gaubertin　left　his　guests　to　walk　about　the　garden　for　a　moment；　while

he　went　to　give　his　orders　and　arrange　about　the　breakfast。



〃Well；　my　wolves；〃　he　said；　as　he　returned；　rubbing　his　hands；　〃the

gendarmerie　of　Soulanges　were　seen　this　morning　at　daybreak；　marching

towards　Conches；　no　doubt　they　mean　to　arrest　the　peasants　for

depredations；　ha；　ha！　things　are　getting　warm；　warm！　By　this　time；〃　he

added；　looking　at　his　watch；　〃those　fellows　may　have　been　arrested。〃



〃Probably；〃　said　Rigou。



〃Well；　what　do　you　all　say　over　there？　Has　anything　been　decided？〃



〃What　is　there　to　decide？〃　asked　Rigou。　〃We　have　no　part　in　it；〃　he

added；　looking　at　Soudry。



〃How　do　you　mean　nothing　to　decide？　If　Les　Aigues　is　sold　as　the

result　of　our　coalition；　who　is　to　gain　five　or　six　hundred　thousand

francs　out　of　it？　Do　you　expect　me　to；　all　alone？　No；　my　inside　is　not

strong　enough　to　split　up　two　millions；　with　three　children　to

establish；　and　a　wife　who　hasn't　the　first　idea　about　the　value　of

money；　no；　I　must　have　associates。　Here's　the　gendarme；　he　has　plenty

of　funds　all　ready。　I　know　he　doesn't　hold　a　single　mortgage　that

isn't　ready　to　mature；　he　only　lends　now　on　notes　at　sight　of　which　I

endorse。　I'll　go　into　this　thing　by　the　amount　of　eight　hundred

thousand　francs；　my　son；　the　judge；　two　hundred　thousand；　and　I　count

on　the　gendarme　for　two　hundred　thousand　more；　now；　how　much　will　you

put　in；　skull…cap？〃



〃All　the　rest；〃　replied　Rigou；　stiffly。



〃The　devil！　well；　I　wish　I　had　my　hand　where　your　heart　is！〃　exclaimed

Gaubertin。　〃Now　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃



〃Whatever　you　do；　tell　your　plan。〃



〃My　plan；〃　said　Gaubertin；　〃is　to　take　double；　and　sell　half　to　the

Conches；　and　Cerneux；　and　Blangy　folks　who　want　to　buy。　Soudry　has　his

clients；　and　you　yours；　and　I；　mine。　That's　not　the　difficulty。　The

thing　is；　how　are　we　going　to　arrange　among　ourselves？　How　shall　we

divide　up　the　great　lots？〃



〃Nothing　easier；〃　said　Rigou。　〃We'll　each　take　what