sons of the soil-第9节

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the　arrangements　of　this　cottage。　In　the　first　place；　the　door　and　the

window　looked　to　the　north。　The　house；　placed　on　a　little　rise　in　the

stoniest　angle　of　a　vineyard；　was　certainly　healthful。　It　was　reached

by　three　steps；　carefully　made　with　stakes　and　planks　filled　in　with

broken　stone　and　gravel；　so　that　the　water　ran　off　rapidly；　and　as　the

rain　seldom　comes　from　the　northward　in　Burgundy；　no　dampness　could

rot　the　foundations；　slight　as　they　were。　Below　the　steps　and　along

the　path　ran　a　rustic　paling；　hidden　beneath　a　hedge　of　hawthorn　and

sweet…brier。　An　arbor；　with　a　few　clumsy　tables　and　wooden　benches；

filled　the　space　between　the　cottage　and　the　road；　and　invited　the

passers…by　to　rest　themselves。　At　the　upper　end　of　the　bank　by　the

house　roses　grew；　and　wall…flowers；　violets；　and　other　flowers　that

cost　nothing。　Jessamine　and　honey…suckle　had　fastened　their　tendrils

on　the　roof；　mossy　already；　though　the　building　was　far　from　old。



To　the　right　of　the　house；　the　owner　had　built　a　stable　for　two　cows。

In　front　of　this　erection　of　old　boards；　a　sunken　piece　of　ground

served　as　a　yard　where；　in　a　corner；　was　a　huge　manure…heap。　On　the

other　side　of　the　house　and　the　arbor　stood　a　thatched　shed；　supported

on　trunks　of　trees；　under　which　the　various　outdoor　properties　of　the

peasantry　were　put　away；the　utensils　of　the　vine…dressers；　their

empty　casks；　logs　of　wood　piled　about　a　mound　which　contained　the

oven；　the　mouth　of　which　opened；　as　was　usual　in　the　houses　of　the

peasantry；　under　the　mantle…piece　of　the　chimney　in　the　kitchen。



About　an　acre　of　land　adjoined　the　house；　inclosed　by　an　evergreen

hedge　and　planted　with　grape…vines；　tended　as　peasants　tend　them；

that　is　to　say；　well…manured；　and　dug　round；　and　layered　so　that　they

usually　set　their　fruit　before　the　vines　of　the　large　proprietors　in　a

circuit　of　ten　miles　round。　A　few　trees；　almond；　plum；　and　apricot；

showed　their　slim　heads　here　and　there　in　this　enclosure。　Between　the

rows　of　vines　potatoes　and　beans　were　planted。　In　addition　to　all

this；　on　the　side　towards　the　village　and　beyond　the　yard　was　a　bit　of

damp　low　ground；　favorable　for　the　growth　of　cabbages　and　onions

（favorite　vegetables　of　the　working…classes）；　which　was　closed　by　a

wooden　gate；　through　which　the　cows　were　driven；　trampling　the　path

into　mud　and　covering　it　with　dung。



The　house；　which　had　two　rooms　on　the　ground…floor；　opened　upon　the

vineyard。　On　this　side　an　outer　stairway；　roofed　with　thatch　and

resting　against　the　wall　of　the　house；　led　up　to　the　garret；　which　was

lighted　by　one　round　window。　Under　this　rustic　stairway　opened　a

cellar　built　of　Burgundy　brick；　containing　several　casks　of　wine。



Though　the　kitchen　utensils　of　the　peasantry　are　usually　only　two；

namely；　a　frying…pan　and　an　iron　pot；　with　which　they　manage　to　do　all

their　cooking；　exceptions　to　this　rule；　in　the　shape　of　two　enormous

saucepans　hanging　beneath　the　mantle…shelf　and　above　a　small　portable

stove；　were　to　be　seen　in　this　cottage。　In　spite；　however；　of　this

indication　of　luxury；　the　furniture　was　in　keeping　with　the　external

appearance　of　the　place。　A　jar　held　water；　the　spoons　were　of　wood　or

pewter；　the　dishes；　of　red　clay　without　and　white　within；　were　scaling

off　and　had　been　mended　with　pewter　rivets；　the　heavy　table　and　chairs

were　of　pine　wood；　and　for　flooring　there　was　nothing　better　than　the

hardened　earth。　Every　fifth　year　the　walls　received　a　coat　of　white…

wash　and　so　did　the　narrow　beams　of　the　ceiling；　from　which　hung

bacon；　strings　of　onions；　bundles　of　tallow　candles；　and　the　bags　in

which　a　peasant　keeps　his　seeds；　near　the　bread…box　stood　an　old…

fashioned　wardrobe　in　walnut；　where　the　scanty　household　linen；　and

the　one　change　of　garments　together　with　the　holiday　attire　of　the

entire　family　were　kept。



Above　the　mantel　of　the　chimney　gleamed　a　poacher's　old　gun；　not　worth

five　francs；the　wood　scorched；　the　barrel　to　all　appearances　never

cleaned。　An　observer　might　reflect　that　the　protection　of　a　hovel　with

only　a　latch；　and　an　outer　gate　that　was　only　a　paling　and　never

closed；　needed　no　better　weapon；　but　still　the　wonder　was　to　what　use

it　was　put。　In　the　first　place；　though　the　wood　was　of　the　commonest

kind；　the　barrel　was　carefully　selected；　and　came　from　a　valuable　gun；

given　in　all　probability　to　a　game…keeper。　Moreover；　the　owner　of　this

weapon　never　missed　his　aim；　there　was　between　him　and　his　gun　the

same　intimate　acquaintance　that　there　is　between　a　workman　and　his

tool。　If　the　muzzle　must　be　raised　or　lowered　the　merest　fraction　in

its　aim；　because　it　carries　just　an　atom　above　or　below　the　range；　the

poacher　knows　it；　he　obeys　the　rule　and　never　misses。　An　officer　of

artillery　would　have　found　the　essential　parts　of　this　weapon　in　good

condition　notwithstanding　its　uncleanly　appearance。　In　all　that　the

peasant　appropriates　to　his　use；　in　all　that　serves　him；　he　displays

just　the　amount　of　force　that　is　needed；　neither　more　nor　less；　he

attends　to　the　essential　and　to　nothing　beyond。　External　perfection　he

has　no　conception　of。　An　unerring　judge　of　the　necessary　in　all

things；　he　thoroughly　understands　degrees　of　strength；　and　knows　very

well　when　working　for　an　employer　how　to　give　the　least　possible　for

the　most　he　can　get。　This　contemptible…looking　gun　will　be　found　to

play　a　serious　part　in　the　life　of　the　family　inhabiting　this　cottage；

and　you　will　presently　learn　how　and　why。



Have　you　now　taken　in　all　the　many　details　of　this　hovel；　planted

about　five　hundred　feet　away　from　the　pretty　gate　of　Les　Aigues？　Do

you　see　it　crouching　there；　like　a　beggar　beside　a　palace？　Well；　its

roof　covered　with　velvet　mosses；　its　clacking　hens；　its　grunting　pig；

its　straying　heifer；　all　its　rural　graces　have　a　horrible　meaning。



Fastened　to　a　pole；　which　was　stuck　in　the　ground　beside　the　entrance

through　the　fence；　was　a　withered　bunch　of　three　pine　branches　and

some　old　oak…leaves　tied　together　with　a　rag。　Above　the　door　of　the

house　a　roving　artist　had　painted；　probably　in　return　for　his

breakfast；　a　huge　capital　〃I〃　in　green　on　a　white　ground　two　feet

square；　and　for　the　benefit　of　those　who　could　read；　this　witty　joke

in　twelve　letters：　〃Au　Grand…I…Vert〃　（hiver）。　On　the　left　of　the　door

was　a　vulgar　sign　bearing；　in　colored　letters；　〃Good　March　beer；〃　and

the　picture　of　a　foaming　pot　of　the　same；　with　a　woman；　in　a　dress

excessively　low…necked；　on　one　side；　and　an　hussar　on　the　other；both

coarsely　colored。　Consequently；　in　spite　of　the　blooming　flowers　and

the　fresh　country　air；　this　cottage　exhaled　the　same　strong　and

nauseous　odor　of　wine　and　food　which　assails　you　in　Paris　as　you　pass

the　door　of　the　cheap　cook…shops　of　the　faubourg。



Now　you　know　the　surroundings。　Behold　the　inhabitants　and　hear　their

history；　which　contains　more　than　one　lesson　for　philanthropists。



The　proprietor　of　the　Grand…I…Vert；　named　Francois　Tonsard；　commends

himself　to　the　attention　of　philosophers　by　the　manner　in　which　he　had

solved　the　problem　of　an　idle　life　and　a　busy　life；　so　as　to　make　the

idleness　profitable；　and　occupation　nil。



A　jack…of…all…trades；　he　knew　how　to　cultivate　the　ground；　but　for

himself　only。　For　others；　he　dug　ditches；　gathered　fagots；　barked　the

trees；　or　cut　them　down。　In　all　such　work　the　employer　is　at　the　mercy

of　the　workman。　Tonsard　owned　his　plot　of　ground　to　the　generosity　of

Mademoiselle　Laguerre。　In　his　early　youth　he　had　worked　by　the　day　for

the　gardener　at　Les　Aigues；　and　he　really　had　not　his　equal　in

trimming　the　shrubbery…trees；　the　hedges；　the　horn…beams；　and　the

horse…chestnuts。　His　very　name　shows　hereditary　talent。　In　remote

country…places　privileges　exist　which　are　obtained　and　preserved　with

as　much　care　as　the　merchants　of　a　city　display　in　getting　theirs。

Mademoiselle　Laguerre　was　one　day　walking　in　the　garden；　when　she

overheard　Tonsard；　then　a　strapping　fellow；　say；　〃All　I　need　to　live

on；　and　live　happily；　is　an　acre　of　land。〃　The　kind　creature；

accustomed　to　make　others　happy；　gave　him　the　acre　of　vineyard　near

the　gate　of　Blangy；　in　return　for　one　hundred　days'　work　（a　delicate

regard　for　his　feelings　which　was　little　understood）；　and　allowed　him

to　stay　at　Les　Aigues；　where　he　lived　with　her　servants；　who　thought

him　one　of　the　best　fellows　in　Burgundy。



Poor　Tonsard　（that　is　what　everybody　called　him）　worked　about　thirty

days　out　of　the　hundred　that　he　owed；　the　rest　of　the　time　he　idled

about；　talking　and　laughing　with　Mademoiselle's　women；　particularly

with　Mademoiselle　Cochet；　the　lady's　maid；　though　she　was　ugly；　like

all　confidential　maids　of　handsome　actresses。　Laughing　with

Mademoiselle　Cochet　signified　so　many　things　that　Soudry；　the

fortunate　gendarme　mentioned　in　Blondet's　letter；　still　looked　askance

at　Tonsard　after　the　lapse　of　nearly　twenty…five　years。　The　walnut

wardrobe；　the　bedstead　with　the　tester　and　curta