sons of the soil- 第15部分

footman。



〃Bring　him　inthat　is；　if　Madame　will　allow　it？〃　said　the　general；

〃he　may　amuse　you。〃



Mouche　presently　appeared；　in　his　usual　state　of　comparative　nudity。

Beholding　this　personification　of　poverty　in　the　middle　of　this

luxurious　dining…room；　the　cost　of　one　panel　of　which　would　have　been

a　fortune　to　the　bare…legged；　bare…breasted；　and　bare…headed　child；　it

was　impossible　not　to　be　moved　by　an　impulse　of　charity。　The　boy's

eyes；　like　blazing　coals；　gazed　first　at　the　luxuries　of　the　room；　and

then　at　those　on　the　table。



〃Have　you　no　mother？〃　asked　Madame　de　Montcornet；　unable　otherwise　to

explain　the　child's　nakedness。



〃No；　ma'am；　m'ma　died　of　grief　for　losing　p'pa；　who　went　to　the　army

in　1812　without　marrying　her　with　papers；　and　got　frozen；　saving　your

presence。　But　I've　my　Grandpa　Fourchon；　who　is　a　good　man；though　he

does　beat　me　bad　sometimes。〃



〃How　is　it；　my　dear；　that　such　wretched　people　can　be　found　on　your

estate？〃　said　the　countess；　looking　at　the　general。



〃Madame　la　comtesse；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃in　this　district　we　have　none

but　voluntary　paupers。　Monsieur　le　comte　does　all　he　can；　but　we　have

to　do　with　a　class　of　persons　who　are　without　religion　and　who　have

but　one　idea；　that　of　living　at　your　expense。〃



〃But；　my　dear　abbe；〃　said　Blondet；　〃you　are　here　to　improve　their

morals。〃



〃Monsieur；〃　replied　the　abbe；　〃my　bishop　sent　me　here　as　if　on　a

mission　to　savages；　but；　as　I　had　the　honor　of　telling　him；　the

savages　of　France　cannot　be　reached。　They　make　it　a　law　unto

themselves　not　to　listen　to　us；　whereas　the　church　does　get　some　hold

on　the　savages　of　America。〃



〃M'sieur　le　cure；　they　do　help　me　a　bit　now；〃　remarked　Mouche；　〃but　if

I　went　to　your　church　they　WOULDN'T；　and　the　other　folks　would　make

game　of　my　breeches。〃



〃Religion　ought　to　begin　by　giving　him　trousers；　my　dear　abbe；〃　said

Blondet。　〃In　your　foreign　missions　don't　you　begin　by　coaxing　the

savages？〃



〃He　would　soon　sell　them；〃　answered　the　abbe；　in　a　low　tone；　〃besides；

my　salary　does　not　enable　me　to　begin　on　that　line。〃



〃Monsieur　le　cure　is　right；〃　said　the　general；　looking　at　Mouche。



The　policy　of　the　little　scamp　was　to　appear　not　to　hear　what　they

were　saying　when　it　was　against　himself。



〃The　boy　is　intelligent　enough　to　know　good　from　evil；〃　continued　the

count；　〃and　he　is　old　enough　to　work；　yet　he　thinks　of　nothing　but　how

to　commit　evil　without　being　found　out。　All　the　keepers　know　him。　He

is　very　well　aware　that　the　master　of　an　estate　may　witness　a　trespass

on　his　property　and　yet　have　no　right　to　arrest　the　trespasser。　I　have

known　him　keep　his　cows　boldly　in　my　meadows；　though　he　knew　I　saw

him；　but　now；　ever　since　I　have　been　mayor；　he　runs　away　fast　enough。〃



〃Oh；　that　is　very　wrong；〃　said　the　countess；　〃you　should　not　take

other　people's　things；　my　little　man。〃



〃Madame；　we　must　eat。　My　grandpa　gives　me　more　slaps　than　food；　and

they　don't　fill　my　stomach；　slaps　don't。　When　the　cows　come　in　I　milk

'em　just　a　little　and　I　live　on　that。　Monseigneur　isn't　so　poor　but

what　he'll　let　me　drink　a　drop　o'　milk　the　cows　get　from　his　grass？〃



〃Perhaps　he　hasn't　eaten　anything　to…day；〃　said　the　countess；　touched

by　his　misery。　〃Give　him　some　bread　and　the　rest　of　that　chicken；　let

him　have　his　breakfast；〃　she　added；　looking　at　the　footman。　〃Where　do

you　sleep；　my　child？〃



〃Anywhere；　madame；　under　the　stars　in　summer；　and　wherever　they'll　let

us　in　winter。〃



〃How　old　are　you？〃



〃Twelve。〃



〃There　is　still　time　to　bring　him　up　to　better　ways；〃　said　the

countess　to　her　husband。



〃He　will　make　a　good　soldier；〃　said　the　general；　gruffly；　〃he　is　well

toughened。　I　went　through　that　kind　of　thing　myself；　and　here　I　am。〃



〃Excuse　me；　general；　I　don't　belong　to　nobody；〃　said　the　boy。　〃I　can't

be　drafted。　My　poor　mother　wasn't　married；　and　I　was　born　in　a　field。

I'm　a　son　of　the　'airth；'　as　grandpa　says。　M'ma　saved　me　from　the

army；　that　she　did！　My　name　ain't　no　more　Mouche　than　nothing　at　all。

Grandpa　keeps　telling　me　all　my　advantages。　I'm　not　on　the　register；

and　when　I'm　old　enough　to　be　drafted　I　can　go　all　over　France　and

they　can't　take　me。〃



〃Are　you　fond　of　your　grandfather？〃　said　the　countess；　trying　to　look

into　the　child's　heart。



〃My！　doesn't　he　box　my　ears　when　he　feels　like　it！　but　then；　after

all；　he's　such　fun；　he's　such　good　company！　He　says　he　pays　himself

that　way　for　having　taught　me　to　read　and　write。〃



〃Can　you　read？〃　asked　the　count。



〃Yah；　I　should　think　so；　Monsieur　le　comte；　and　fine　writing　toojust

as　true　as　we've　got　that　otter。〃



〃Read　that；〃　said　the　count；　giving　him　a　newspaper。



〃The　Qu…o…ti…dienne；〃　read　Mouche；　hesitating　only　three　times。



Every　one；　even　the　abbe；　laughed。



〃Why　do　you　make　me　read　that　newspaper？〃　cried　Mouche；　angrily。　〃My

grandpa　says　it　is　made　up　to　please　the　rich；　and　everybody　knows

later　just　what's　in　it。〃



〃The　child　is　right；　general；〃　said　Blondet；　〃and　he　makes　me　long　to

see　my　hoaxing　friend　again。〃



Mouche　understood　perfectly　that　he　was　posing　for　the　amusement　of

the　company；　the　pupil　of　Pere　Fourchon　was　worthy　of　his　master；　and

he　forthwith　began　to　cry。



〃How　can　you　tease　a　child　with　bare　feet？〃　said　the　countess。



〃And　who　thinks　it　quite　natural　that　his　grandfather　should　recoup

himself　for　his　education　by　boxing　his　ears；〃　said　Blondet。



〃Tell　me；　my　poor　little　fellow；　have　you　really　caught　an　otter？〃



〃Yes；　madame；　as　true　as　that　you　are　the　prettiest　lady　I　have　seen；

or　ever　shall　see；〃　said　the　child；　wiping　his　eyes。



〃Then　show　me　the　otter；〃　said　the　general。



〃Oh　M'sieur　le　comte；　my　grandpa　has　hidden　it；　but　it　was　kicking

still　when　we　were　at　work　at　the　rope…walk。　Send　for　my　grandpa；

please；　he　wants　to　sell　it　to　you　himself。〃



〃Take　him　into　the　kitchen；〃　said　the　countess　to　Francois；　〃and　give

him　his　breakfast；　and　send　Charles　to　fetch　Pere　Fourchon。　Find　some

shoes；　and　a　pair　of　trousers　and　a　waistcoat　for　the　poor　child；

those　who　come　here　naked　must　go　away　clothed。〃



〃May　God　bless　you；　my　beautiful　lady；〃　said　Mouche；　departing。

〃M'sieur　le　cure　may　feel　quite　sure　that　I'll　keep　the　things　and

wear　'em　fete…days；　because　you　give　'em　to　me。〃



Emile　and　Madame　Montcornet　looked　at　each　other　with　some　surprise；

and　seemed　to　say　to　the　abbe；　〃The　boy　is　not　a　fool！〃



〃It　is　quite　true；　madame；〃　said　the　abbe　after　the　child　had　gone；

〃that　we　cannot　reckon　with　Poverty。　I　believe　it　has　hidden　excuses

of　which　God　alone　can　judge；physical　excuses；　often　congenital；

moral　excuses；　born　in　the　character；　produced　by　an　order　of　things

that　are　often　the　result　of　qualities　which；　unhappily　for　society；

have　no　vent。　Deeds　of　heroism　performed　upon　the　battle…field　ought

to　teach　us　that　the　worst　scoundrels　may　become　heroes。　But　here　in

this　place　you　are　living　under　exceptional　circumstances；　and　if　your

benevolence　is　not　controlled　by　reflection　and　judgment　you　run　the

risk　of　supporting　your　enemies。〃



〃Our　enemies？〃　exclaimed　the　countess。



〃Cruel　enemies；〃　said　the　general；　gravely。



〃Pere　Fourchon　and　his　son…in…law　Tonsard；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃are　the

strength　and　the　intelligence　of　the　lower　classes　of　this　valley；　who

consult　them　on　all　occasions。　The　Machiavelism　of　these　people　is

beyond　belief。　Ten　peasants　meeting　in　a　tavern　are　the　small　change

of　great　political　questions。〃



Just　then　Francois　announced　Monsieur　Sibilet。



〃He　is　my　minister　of　finance；〃　said　the　general；　smiling；　〃ask　him

in。　He　will　explain　to　you　the　gravity　of　the　situation；〃　he　added；

looking　at　his　wife　and　Blondet。



〃Because　he　has　reasons　of　his　own　for　not　concealing　it；〃　said　the

cure；　in　a　low　tone。



Blondet　then　beheld　a　personage　of　whom　he　had　heard　much　ever　since

his　arrival；　and　whom　he　desired　to　know；　the　land…steward　of　Les

Aigues。　He　saw　a　man　of　medium　height；　about　thirty　years　of　age；　with

a　sulky　look　and　a　discontented　face；　on　which　a　smile　sat　ill。

Beneath　an　anxious　brow　a　pair　of　greenish　eyes　evaded　the　eyes　of

others；　and　so　disguised　their　thought。　Sibilet　was　dressed　in　a　brown

surtout　coat；　black　trousers　and　waistcoat；　and　wore　his　hair　long　and

flat　to　the　head；　which　gave　him　a　clerical　look。　His　trousers　barely

concealed　that　he　was　knock…kneed。　Though　his　pallid　complexion　and

flabby　flesh　gave　the　impression　of　an　unhealthy　constitution；　Sibilet

was　really　robust。　The　tones　of　his　voice；　which　were　a　little　thick；

harmonized　with　this　unflattering　exterior。



Blondet　gave　a　hasty　look　at　the　abbe；　and　the　glance　with　which　the

young　priest　answered　it　showed　the　journalist　that　his　own　suspicions

about　the　steward　were　certainties　to　the　curate。



〃Did　you　not　tell　me；　my　dear　Sibilet；〃　said　the　general；　〃that　you

estimate　the　value　of　what　the　peasants　steal　from　us　at　a　quarter　of

the　whole　revenue？〃



〃Much　more　than　that；　Monsieur　le　comte；〃　replied　the　steward。　〃The

poor　about　here　get　more　from　your　property　than　the　State　exacts　in

taxes。　A　little　scamp　like　Mouche　can　glean　his　two　bushels　a　day。　Old

women；　whom　you　would　really　think　at　their　last　gasp；　become　at　the

harvest　and　vintage　times　as　active　and　healthy　as　girls。　You　can

witness　that　phenomenon　very　soon；〃　said　Sibilet；　addressing　Blondet；

〃for　the　harvest；　which　was　put　back　by　the　rains　in　July　will　begin

next　week；　when　they　cut　the　rye。　The　gleaners　must　have　a　certificate

of　pauperism　from　the　mayor　of　the　district；　and　no　district　should

allow　any　one　to　glean　except　the　paupers；　but　the　districts　of　one

canton　do　glean　in　those　of　another　without　certificate。　If　we　have

sixty　real　paupers　in　our　district；　there　are　at　least　forty　others

who　could　support　themselves　if　they　were　not　so　idle。　Even　persons