sons of the soil-第77节

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Monsieur　Blondet；　appointed　prefect　in　one　of　the　departments；　was

celebrated　in　Paris。　On　their　way　to　take　possession　of　the

prefecture；　they　followed　the　road　which　led　past　what　had　formerly

been　Les　Aigues。　They　stopped　the　carriage　near　the　spot　where　the　two

pavilions　had　once　stood；　wishing　to　see　the　places　so　full　of　tender

memories　for　each。　The　country　was　no　longer　recognizable。　The

mysterious　woods；　the　park　avenues；　all　were　cleared　away；　the

landscape　looked　like　a　tailor's　pattern…card。　The　sons　of　the　soil

had　taken　possession　of　the　earth　as　victors　and　conquerors。　It　was

cut　up　into　a　thousand　little　lots；　and　the　population　had　tripled

between　Conches　and　Blangy。　The　levelling　and　cultivation　of　the　noble

park；　once　so　carefully　tended；　so　delightful　in　its　beauty；　threw

into　isolated　relief　the　pavilion　of　the　Rendezvous；　now　the　Villa

Buen…Retiro　of　Madame　Isaure　Gaubertin；　it　was　the　only　building　left

standing；　and　it　commanded　the　whole　landscape；　or　as　we　might　better

call　it；　the　stretch　of　cornfields　which　now　constituted　the

landscape。　The　building　seemed　magnified　into　a　chateau；　so　miserable

were　the　little　houses　which　the　peasants　had　built　around　it。



〃This　is　progress！〃　cried　Emile。　〃It　is　a　page　out　of　Jean…Jacques'

'Social　Compact'！　and　II　am　harnessed　to　the　social　machine　that

works　it！　Good　God！　what　will　the　kings　be　soon？　More　than　that；　what

will　the　nations　themselves　be　fifty　years　hence　under　this　state　of

things？〃



〃But　you　love　me；　you　are　beside　me。　I　think　the　present　delightful。

What　do　I　care　for　such　a　distant　future？〃　said　his　wife。



〃Oh　yes！　by　your　side；　hurrah　for　the　present！〃　cried　the　lover；

gayly；　〃and　the　devil　take　the　future。〃



Then　he　signed　to　the　coachman；　and　as　the　horses　sprang　forward　along

the　road；　the　wedded　pair　returned　to　the　enjoyment　of　their

honeymoon。



1845。











End