enough to take his place； and till Vatel is fit to succeed you。 And
yet； I have no ground of complaint against Sibilet。 He is honest and
punctual in all his dealings； he hasn't kept back a hundred francs in
all these five years。 He has a perfectly detestable nature； and that's
all one can say against him。 If it were otherwise； what would be his
plan in acting as he does？〃
〃General；〃 said Michaud； gravely； 〃I will find out； for undoubtedly he
has one； and if you would only allow it； a good bribe to that old
scoundrel Fourchon will enable me to get at the truth； though after
what he said just now I suspect the old fellow of having more secrets
than one in his pouch。 That swindling old cordwainer told me himself
they want to drive you from Les Aigues。 And let me tell you； for you
ought to know it； that from Conches to Ville…aux…Fayes there is not a
peasant； a petty tradesman； a farmer； a tavern…keeper who isn't laying
by his money to buy a bit of the estate。 Fourchon confided to me that
Tonsard has already put in his claim。 The idea that you can be forced
to sell Les Aigues has gone from end to end of the valley like an
infection in the air。 It may be that the steward's present house； with
some adjoining land； will be the price paid for Sibilet's spying。
Nothing is ever said among us that is not immediately known at Ville…
aux…Fayes。 Sibilet is a relative of your enemy Gaubertin。 What you
have just said about the attorney…general and the others will probably
be reported before you have reached the Prefecture。 You don't know
what the inhabitants of this district are。〃
〃Don't I know them？ I know they are the scum of the earth！ Do you
suppose I am going to yield to such blackguards？〃 cried the general。
〃Good heavens； I'd rather burn Les Aigues myself！〃
〃No need to burn it； let us adopt a line of conduct which will baffle
the schemes of these Lilliputians。 Judging by threats； general； they
are resolved on war to the knife against you； and therefore since you
mention incendiarism； let me beg of you to insure all your buildings；
and all your farmhouses。〃
〃Michaud； do you know whom they mean by 'Shopman'？ Yesterday； as I was
riding along by the Thune； I heard some little rascals cry out； 'The
Shopman！ here's the Shopman！' and then they ran away。〃
〃Ask Sibilet； the answer is in his line； he likes to make you angry；〃
said Michaud； with a pained look。 〃Butif you will have an answer
well； that's a nickname these brigands have given you； general。〃
〃What does it mean？〃
〃It means； generalwell； it refers to your father。〃
〃Ha！ the curs！〃 cried the count； turning livid。 〃Yes； Michaud； my
father was a shopkeeper； an upholsterer； the countess doesn't know it。
Oh！ that I should everwell！ after all； I have waltzed with queens
and empresses。 I'll tell her this very night；〃 he cried； after a
pause。
〃They also call you a coward；〃 continued Michaud。
〃Ha！〃
〃They ask how you managed to save yourself at Essling when nearly all
your comrades perished。〃
The accusation brought a smile to the general's lips。 〃Michaud； I
shall go at once to the Prefecture！〃 he cried； with a sort of fury；
〃if it is only to get the policies of insurance you ask for。 Let
Madame la comtesse know that I have gone。 Ha； ha！ they want war； do
they？ Well； they shall have it； I'll take my pleasure in thwarting
them；every one of them； those bourgeois of Soulanges； and their
peasantry！ We are in the enemy's country； therefore prudence！ Tell the
foresters to keep within the limits of the law。 Poor Vatel； take care
of him。 The countess is inclined to be timid； she must know nothing of
all this； otherwise I could never get her to come back here。〃
Neither the general nor Michaud understood their real peril。 Michaud
had been too short a time in this Burgundian valley to realize the
enemy's power； though he saw its action。 The general； for his part；
believed in the supremacy of the law。
The law； such as the legislature of these days manufactures it； has
not the virtue we attribute to it。 It strikes unequally； it is so
modified in many of its modes of application that it virtually refutes
its own principles。 This fact may be noted more or less distinctly
throughout all ages。 Is there any historian ignorant enough to assert
that the decrees of the most vigilant of powers were ever enforced
throughout France？for instance； that the requisitions of the
Convention for men； commodities； and money were obeyed in Provence； in
the depths of Normandy； on the borders of Brittany； as they were at
the great centres of social life？ What philosopher dares deny that a
head falls to…day in such or such department； while in a neighboring
department another head stays on its shoulders though guilty of a
crime identically the same； and often more horrible？ We ask for
equality in life； and inequality reigns in law and in the death
penalty！
When the population of a town falls below a certain figure the
administrative system is no longer the same。 There are perhaps a
hundred cities in France where the laws are vigorously enforced； and
there the intelligence of the citizens rises to the conception of the
problem of public welfare and future security which the law seeks to
solve； but throughout the rest of France nothing is comprehended
beyond immediate gratification； people rebel against all that lessens
it。 Therefore in nearly one half of France we find a power of inertia
which defeats all legal action； both municipal and governmental。 This
resistance； be it understood； does not affect the essential things of
public polity。 The collection of taxes； recruiting； punishment of
great crimes； as a general thing do systematically go on； but outside
of such recognized necessities； all legislative decrees which affect
customs； morals； private interests； and certain abuses； are a dead
letter； owing to the sullen opposition of the people。 At the very
moment when this book is going to press； this dumb resistance； which
opposed Louis XIV。 in Brittany； may still be seen and felt。 See the
unfortunate results of the game…laws； to which we are now sacrificing
yearly the lives of some twenty or thirty men for the sake of
preserving a few animals。
In France the law is； to at least twenty million of inhabitants；
nothing more than a bit of white paper posted on the doors of the
church and the town…hall。 That gives rise to the term 〃papers；〃 which
Mouche used to express legality。 Many mayors of cantons （not to speak
of the district mayors） put up their bundles of seeds and herbs with
the printed statutes。 As for the district mayors； the number of those
who do not know how to read and write is really alarming； and the
manner in which the civil records are kept is even more so。 The danger
of this state of things； well…known to the governing powers； is
doubtless diminishing； but what centralization （against which every
one declaims； as it is the fashion in France to declaim against all
things good and useful and strong）；what centralization cannot touch；
the Power against which it will forever fling itself in vain； is that
which the general was now about to attack； and which we shall take
leave to call the Mediocracy。
A great outcry was made against the tyranny of the nobles； in these
days the cry is against that of capitalists； against abuses of power；
which may be merely the inevitable galling of the social yoke； called
Compact by Rousseau； Constitution by some； Charter by others； Czar
here； King there； Parliament in Great Britain； while in France the
general levelling begun in 1789 and continued in 1830 has paved the
way for the juggling dominion of the middle classes； and delivered the
nation into their hands without escape。 The portrayal of one fact
alone； unfortunately only too common in these days； namely； the
subjection of a canton； a little town； a sub…prefecture； to the will
of a family clique；in short； the power acquired by Gaubertin；will
show this social danger better than all dogmatic statements put
together。 Many oppressed communities will recognize the truth of this
picture； many persons secretly and silently crushed by this tyranny
will find in these words an obituary； as it were； which may half
console them for their hidden woes。
At the very moment when the general imagined himself to be renewing a
warfare in which there had really been no truce； his former steward
had just completed the last meshes of the net…work in which he now
held the whole arrondissement of Ville…aux…Fayes。 To avoid too many
explanations it is necessary to state； once for all； succinctly； the
genealogical ramifications by means of which Gaubertin wound himself
about the country； as a boa…constrictor winds around a tree；with
such art that a passing traveller thinks he beholds some natural
effect of the tropical vegetation。
In 1793 there were three brothers of the name of Mouchon in the valley
of the Avonne。 After 1793 they changed the name of the valley to that
of the Valley des Aigues； out of hatred to the old nobility。
The eldest brother； steward of the property of the Ronquerolles
family； was elected deputy of the department to the Convention。 Like
his friend； Gaubertin's father； the prosecutor of those days； who
saved the Soulanges family； he saved the property and the lives of the
Ronquerolles。 He had two daughters； one married to Gendrin； the
lawyer； the other to Gaubertin。 He died in 1804。
The second； through the influence of his elder brother； was made
postmaster at Conches。 His only child was a daughter； married to a
rich farmer named Guerbet。 He died in 1817。
The last of the Mouchons； who was a priest； and the curate of Ville…
aux…Fayes before the Revolution； was again a priest after the re…
establishment of Catholic worship； and again the curate of the same
little town。 He was not willing to take the oath； and was hidden for