sons of the soil- 第39部分

youth；　with　the　devotion　which　in　truly　virgin　souls　gives　birth　to

divinest　poesy。　Catherine　had　just　swept　her　coarse　hands　across　the

sensitive　strings　of　that　choice　harp；　strung　to　the　breaking…point。

To　dance　before　Michaud；　to　shine　at　the　Soulanges　ball　and　inscribe

herself　on　the　memory　of　that　adored　master！　What　glorious　thoughts！

To　fling　them　into　that　volcanic　head　was　like　casting　live　coals　upon

straw　dried　in　the　August　sun。



〃No；　Catherine；〃　replied　La　Pechina；　〃I　am　ugly　and　puny；　my　lot　is　to

sit　in　a　corner　and　never　to　be　married；　but　live　alone　in　the　world。〃



〃Men　like　weaklings；〃　said　Catherine。　〃You　see　me；　don't　you？〃　she

added；　showing　her　handsome；　strong　arms。　〃I　please　Godain；　who　is　a

poor　stick；　I　please　that　little　Charles；　the　count's　groom；　but

Lupin's　son　is　afraid　of　me。　I　tell　you　it　is　the　small　kind　of　men

who　love　me；　and　who　say　when　they　see　me　go　by　at　Ville…aux…Fayes　and

at　Soulanges；　'Ha！　what　a　fine　girl！'　Now　YOU；　that's　another　thing；

you'll　please　the　fine　men。〃



〃Ah！　Catherine；　if　it　were　truethat！〃　cried　the　bewitched　child。



〃It　is　true；　it　is　so　true　that　Nicolas；　the　handsomest　man　in　the

canton；　is　mad　about　you；　he　dreams　of　you；　he　is　losing　his　mind；　and

yet　all　the　other　girls　are　in　love　with　him。　He　is　a　fine　lad！　If

you'll　put　on　a　white　dress　and　yellow　ribbons；　and　come　to　Socquard's

for　the　midsummer　ball；　you'll　be　the　handsomest　girl　there；　and　all

the　fine　people　from　Ville…aux…Fayes　will　see　you。　Come；　won't　you？

See　here；　I've　been　cutting　grass　for　the　cows；　and　I　brought　some

boiled　wine　in　my　gourd；　Socquard　gave　it　me　this　morning；〃　she　added

quickly；　seeing　the　half…delirious　expression　in　La　Pechina's　eyes

which　women　understand　so　well。　〃We'll　share　it　together；　and　you'll

fancy　the　men　are　in　love　with　you。〃



During　this　conversation　Nicolas；　choosing　the　grassy　spots　to　step

on；　had　noiselessly　slipped　behind　the　trunk　of　an　old　oak　near　which

his　sister　had　seated　La　Pechina。　Catherine；　who　had　now　and　then　cast

her　eyes　behind　her；　saw　her　brother　as　she　turned　to　get　the　boiled

wine。



〃Here；　take　some；〃　she　said；　offering　it。



〃It　burns　me！〃　cried　Genevieve；　giving　back　the　gourd；　after　taking

two　or　three　swallows　from　it。



〃Silly　child！〃　replied　Catherine；　〃see　here！〃　and　she　emptied　the

rustic　bottle　without　taking　breath。　〃See　how　it　slips　down；　it　goes

like　a　sunbeam　into　the　stomach。〃



〃But　I　ought　to　be　carrying　the　milk　to　Mademoiselle　Gaillard；〃　cried

Genevieve；　〃and　it　is　all　spilt！　Nicolas　frightened　me　so！〃



〃Don't　you　like　Nicolas？〃



〃No；〃　answered　Genevieve。　〃Why　does　he　persecute　me？　He　can　get　plenty

other　girls；　who　are　willing。〃



〃But　if　he　likes　you　better　than　all　the　other　girls　in　the　valley〃



〃So　much　the　worse　for　him。〃



〃I　see　you　don't　know　him；〃　answered　Catherine；　as　she　seized　the　girl

rapidly　by　the　waist　and　flung　her　on　the　grass；　holding　her　down　in

that　position　with　her　strong　arms。　At　this　moment　Nicolas　appeared。

Seeing　her　odious　persecutor；　the　child　screamed　with　all　her　might；

and　drove　him　five　feet　away　with　a　violent　kick　in　the　stomach；　then

she　twisted　herself　like　an　acrobat；　with　a　dexterity　for　which

Catherine　was　not　prepared；　and　rose　to　run　away。　Catherine；　still　on

the　ground；　caught　her　by　one　foot　and　threw　her　headlong　on　her　face。

This　frightful　fall　stopped　the　brave　child's　cries　for　a　moment。

Nicolas　attempted；　furiously；　to　seize　his　victim；　but　she；　though

giddy　from　the　wine　and　the　fall；　caught　him　by　the　throat　in　a　grip

of　iron。



〃Help！　she's　strangling　me；　Catherine；〃　cried　Nicolas；　in　a　stifled

voice。



La　Pechina　uttered　piercing　screams；　which　Catherine　tried　to　choke　by

putting　her　hands　over　the　girl's　mouth；　but　she　bit　them　and　drew

blood。　It　was　at　this　moment　that　Blondet；　the　countess；　and　the　abbe

appeared　at　the　edge　of　the　wood。



〃Here　are　those　Aigues　people！〃　exclaimed　Catherine；　helping　Genevieve

to　rise。



〃Do　you　want　to　live？〃　hissed　Nicolas　in　the　child's　ear。



〃What　then？〃　she　asked。



〃Tell　them　we　were　all　playing；　and　I'll　forgive　you；〃　said　Nicolas；

in　a　threatening　voice。



〃Little　wretch；　mind　you　say　it！〃　repeated　Catherine；　whose　glance　was

more　terrifying　than　her　brother's　murderous　threat。



〃Yes；　I　will；　if　you　let　me　alone；〃　replied　the　child。　〃But　anyhow　I

will　never　go　out　again　without　my　scissors。〃



〃You　are　to　hold　your　tongue；　or　I'll　drown　you　in　the　Avonne；〃　said

Catherine；　ferociously。



〃You　are　monsters；〃　cried　the　abbe；　coming　up；　〃you　ought　to　be

arrested　and　taken　to　the　assizes。〃



〃Ha！　and　pray　what　do　you　do　in　your　drawing…rooms？〃　said　Nicolas；

looking　full　at　the　countess　and　Blondet。　〃You　play　and　amuse

yourselves；　don't　you？　Well；　so　do　we；　in　the　fields　which　are　ours。

We　can't　always　work；　we　must　play　sometimes；ask　my　sister　and　La

Pechina。〃



〃How　do　you　fight　if　you　call　that　playing？〃　cried　Blondet。



Nicolas　gave　him　a　murderous　look。



〃Speak！〃　said　Catherine；　gripping　La　Pechina　by　the　forearm　and

leaving　a　blue　bracelet　on　the　flesh。　〃Were　not　we　amusing　ourselves？〃



〃Yes；　madame；　we　were　amusing　ourselves；〃　said　the　child；　exhausted　by

her　display　of　strength；　and　now　breaking　down　as　though　she　were

about　to　faint。



〃You　hear　what　she　says；　madame；〃　said　Catherine；　boldly；　giving　the

countess　one　of　those　looks　which　women　give　each　other　like　dagger

thrusts。



She　took　her　brother's　arm；　and　the　pair　walked　off；　not　mistaking　the

opinion　they　left　behind　them　in　the　minds　of　the　three　persons　who

had　interrupted　the　scene。　Nicolas　twice　looked　back；　and　twice

encountered　Blondet's　gaze。　The　journalist　continued　to　watch　the　tall

scoundrel；　who　was　broad　in　the　shoulders；　healthy　and　vigorous　in

complexion；　with　black　hair　curling　tightly；　and　whose　rather　soft

face　showed　upon　its　lips　and　around　the　mouth　certain　lines　which

reveal　the　peculiar　cruelty　that　characterizes　sluggards　and

voluptaries。　Catherine　swung　her　petticoat；　striped　blue　and　white；

with　an　air　of　insolent　coquetry。



〃Cain　and　his　wife！〃　said　Blondet　to　the　abbe。



〃You　are　nearer　the　truth　than　you　know；〃　replied　the　priest。



〃Ah！　Monsieur　le　cure；　what　will　they　do　to　me？〃　said　La　Pechina；　when

the　brother　and　sister　were　out　of　sight。



The　countess；　as　white　as　her　handkerchief；　was　so　overcome　that　she

heard　neither　Blondet　nor　the　abbe　nor　La　Pechina。



〃It　is　enough　to　drive　one　from　this　terrestrial　paradise；〃　she　said

at　last。　〃But　the　first　thing　of　all　is　to　save　that　child　from　their

claws。〃



〃You　are　right；〃　said　Blondet　in　a　low　voice。　〃That　child　is　a　poem；　a

living　poem。〃



Just　then　the　Montenegrin　girl　was　in　a　state　where　soul　and　body

smoke；　as　it　were；　after　the　conflagration　of　an　anger　which　has

driven　all　forces；　physical　and　intellectual；　to　their　utmost　tension。

It　is　an　unspeakable　and　supreme　splendor；　which　reveals　itself　only

under　the　pressure　of　some　frenzy；　be　it　resistance　or　victory；　love

or　martyrdom。　She　had　left　home　in　a　dress　with　alternate　lines　of

brown　and　yellow；　and　a　collarette　which　she　pleated　herself　by　rising

before　daylight；　and　she　had　not　yet　noticed　the　condition　of　her　gown

soiled　by　her　struggle　on　the　grass；　and　her　collar　torn　in

Catherine's　grasp。　Feeling　her　hair　hanging　loose；　she　looked　about

her　for　a　comb。　At　this　moment　Michaud；　also　attracted　by　the　screams；

came　upon　the　scene。　Seeing　her　god；　La　Pechina　recovered　her　full

strength。　〃Monsieur　Michaud；〃　she　cried；　〃he　did　not　even　touch　me！〃



The　cry；　the　look；　the　action　of　the　girl　were　an　eloquent　commentary；

and　told　more　to　Blondet　and　the　abbe　than　Madame　Michaud　had　told　the

countess　about　the　passion　of　that　strange　nature　for　the　bailiff；　who

was　utterly　unconscious　of　it。



〃The　scoundrel！〃　cried　Michaud。



Then；　with　an　involuntary　and　impotent　gesture；　such　as　mad　men　and

wise　men　can　both　be　forced　into　giving；　he　shook　his　fist　in　the

direction　in　which　he　had　caught　sight　of　Nicolas　disappearing　with

his　sister。



〃Then　you　were　not　playing？〃　said　the　abbe　with　a　searching　look　at　La

Pechina。



〃Don't　fret　her；〃　interposed　the　countess；　〃let　us　return　to　the

pavilion。〃



Genevieve；　though　quite　exhausted；　found　strength　under　Michaud's　eyes

to　walk。　The　countess　followed　the　bailiff　through　one　of　the　by…paths

known　to　keepers　and　poachers　where　only　two　can　go　abreast；　and　which

led　to　the　gate　of　the　Avonne。



〃Michaud；〃　said　the　countess　when　they　reached　the　depth　of　the　wood；

〃We　must　find　some　way　of　ridding　the　neighborhood　of　such　vile

people；　that　child　is　actually　in　danger　of　death。〃



〃In　the　first　place；〃　replied　Michaud；　〃Genevieve　shall　not　leave　the

pavilion。　My　wife　will　be　glad　to　take　the　nephew　of　Vatel；　who　has

the　care　of　the　park　roads；　into　the　house。　With　Gounod　（that　is　his

name）　and　old　Cornevin；　my　wife's　foster…father；　always　at　hand；　La

Pechina　need　never　go　out　without　a　protector。〃



〃I　will　tell　Monsieur　to　make　up　this　extra　expense　to　you；〃　said　the

countess。　〃But　this　does　not　rid　us　of　that　Nicolas。　How　can　we　manage

that？〃



〃The　means　are　easy　and　right　at　hand；〃　answered　Michaud。　〃Nicolas　is

to　appear　very　soon　before　the　court　of　appeals　on　the　draft。　The

general；　instead　of　asking　for　his　release；　as　the　Tonsards　expect；

has　only　to　advise　his　being　sent　to　the　army〃



〃If　necessary；　I　will　go　myself；〃　said　the　countess；　〃and　see　my

cousin；　de　Casteran；　the　prefect。　But　until　then；　I　tremble　for　that

child〃



The　words　were　said　at　the　end　of　the　path　close　to　the　open　space　by

the　bridge。　As　they　reached　the　edge　of　the　bank　the　countess　gave　a

cry；　Michaud　advanced　to　help　her；　thinking　she　had　struck　her　foot

against　a　stone；　but　he　shuddered　at　the　sight　that　met　his　eyes。