sons of the soil- 第47部分

of　the　soil。　How　can　you　sue　a　peasant　for　the　value　of　one　row　of

vines　when　he　owns　only　five？　The　bird's…eye　view　of　self…interest　is

always　twenty…five　years　ahead　of　the　perceptions　of　a　legislative

body。　What　a　lesson　for　a　nation！　Law　will　ever　emanate　from　one

brain；　that　of　a　man　of　genius；　and　not　from　the　nine　hundred

legislative　heads；　which；　great　as　they　may　be　in　themselves；　are

belittled　and　lost　in　a　crowd。　Rigou's　law　contains　the　essential

element　which　has　yet　to　be　found　and　introduced　into　public　law　to

put　an　end　to　the　absurd　spectacle　of　landed　property　reduced　to

halves；　quarters；　tenths；　hundredths；as　in　the　district　of

Argenteuil；　where　there　are　thirty　thousand　plots　of　land。



Such　operations　as　those　Rigou　was　concerned　in　require　extensive

collusion；　like　those　we　have　seen　existing　in　this　arrondissement。

Lupin；　the　notary；　whom　Rigou　employed　to　draw　at　least　one　third　of

the　deeds　annually　entrusted　to　his　notarial　office；　was　devoted　to

him。　This　shark　could　thus　include　in　the　mortgage　note　（signed　always

in　presence　of　the　wife；　when　the　borrower　was　married）　the　amount　of

the　illegal　interest。　The　peasant；　delighted　to　feel　he　had　to　pay

only　his　five　per　cent　interest　annually；　always　imagined　he　should　be

able　to　meet　the　payment　by　working　doubly　hard　or　by　improving　the

land　and　getting　double　returns　upon　it。



Hence　the　deceitful　hopes　excited　by　what　imbecile　economists　call

〃small　farming；〃a　political　blunder　to　which　we　owe　such　mistakes　as

sending　French　money　to　Germany　to　buy　horses　which　our　own　land　had

ceased　to　breed；　a　blunder　which　before　long　will　reduce　the　raising

of　cattle　until　meat　will　be　unattainable　not　only　by　the　people；　but

by　the　lower　middle　classes　（see　〃Le　Cure　de　Village。〃）



So；　not　a　little　sweat　bedewed　men's　brows　between　Conches　and　Ville…

aux…Fayes　to　Rigou's　profit；　all　being　willing　to　give　it；　whereas　the

labor　dearly　paid　for　by　the　general；　the　only　man　who　did　spend　money

in　the　district；　brought　him　curses　and　hatred；　which　were　showered

upon　him　simply　because　he　was　rich。　How　could　such　facts　be

understood　unless　we　had　previously　taken　that　rapid　glance　at　the

Mediocracy。　Fourchon　was　right；　the　middle　classes　now　held　the

position　of　the　former　lords。　The　small　land…owners；　of　whom

Courtecuisse　is　a　type；　were　tenants　in　mortmain　of　a　Tiberius　in　the

valley　of　the　Avonne；　just　as；　in　Paris；　traders　without　money　are　the

peasantry　of　the　banking　system。



Soudry　followed　Rigou's　example　from　Soulanges　to　a　distance　of

fifteen　miles　beyond　Ville…aux…Fayes。　These　two　usurers　shared　the

district　between　them。



Gaubertin；　whose　rapacity　was　in　a　higher　sphere；　not　only　did　not

compete　against　that　of　his　associates；　but　he　prevented　all　other

capital　in　Ville…aux…Fayes　from　being　employed　in　the　same　fruitful

manner。　It　is　easy　to　imagine　what　immense　influence　this　triumvirate

Rigou；　Soudry；　and　Gaubertinwielded　in　election　periods　over

electors　whose　fortunes　depended　on　their　good…will。



Hate；　intelligence；　and　means　at　command；　such　were　the　three　sides　of

the　terrible　triangle　which　describes　the　general's　closest　enemy；　the

spy　ever　watching　Les　Aigues；a　shark　having　constant　dealings　with

sixty　to　eighty　small　land…owners；　relations　or　connections　of　the

peasantry；　who　feared　him　as　such　men　always　fear　their　creditor。



Rigou　was　in　his　way　another　Tonsard。　The　one　throve　on　thefts　from

nature；　the　other　waxed　fat　on　legal　plunder。　Both　liked　to　live　well。

It　was　the　same　nature　in　two　species；the　one　natural；　the　other

whetted　by　his　training　in　a　cloister。



It　was　about　four　o'clock　when　Vaudoyer　left　the　tavern　of　the　Grand…

I…Vert　to　consult　the　former　mayor。　Rigou　was　at　dinner。　Finding　the

front　door　locked；　Vaudoyer　looked　above　the　window　blinds　and　called

out：



〃Monsieur　Rigou；　it　is　I；Vaudoyer。〃



Jean　came　round　from　the　porte…cochere　and　said　to　Vaudoyer：



〃Come　into　the　garden；　Monsieur　has　company。〃



The　company　was　Sibilet；　who；　under　pretext　of　discussing　the　verdict

Brunet　had　just　handed　in；　was　talking　to　Rigou　of　quite　other

matters。　He　had　found　the　usurer　finishing　his　dessert。　On　a　square

dinner…table　covered　with　a　dazzling　white　clothfor；　regardless　of

his　wife　and　Annette　who　did　the　washing；　Rigou　exacted　clean　table…

linen　every　daythe　steward　noted　strawberries；　apricots；　peaches；

figs；　and　almonds；　all　the　fruits　of　the　season　in　profusion；　served

in　white　porcelain　dishes　on　vine…leaves　as　daintily　as　at　Les　Aigues。



Seeing　Sibilet；　Rigou　told　him　to　run　the　bolts　of　the　inside　double…

doors；　which　were　added　to　the　other　doors　as　much　to　stifle　sounds　as

to　keep　out　the　cold　air；　and　asked　him　what　pressing　business　brought

him　there　in　broad　daylight　when　it　was　so　much　safer　to　confer

together　at　night。



〃The　Shopman　talks　of　going　to　Paris　to　see　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；

he　is　capable　of　doing　you　a　great　deal　of　harm；　he　may　ask　for　the

dismissal　of　your　son…in…law；　and　the　removal　of　the　judges　at　Ville…

aux…Fayes；　especially　after　reading　the　verdict　just　rendered　in　your

favor。　He　has　turned　at　bay；　he　is　shrewd；　and　he　has　an　adviser　in

that　abbe；　who　is　quite　able　to　tilt　with　you　and　Gaubertin。　Priests

are　powerful。　Monseigneur　the　bishop　thinks　a　great　deal　of　the　Abbe

Brossette。　Madame　la　comtesse　talks　of　going　herself　to　her　cousin　the

prefect；　the　Comte　de　Casteran；　about　Nicolas。　Michaud　begins　to　see

into　our　game。〃



〃You　are　frightened；〃　said　Rigou；　softly；　casting　a　look　on　Sibilet

which　suspicion　made　less　impassive　than　usual；　and　which　was

therefore　terrific。　〃You　are　debating　whether　it　would　not　be　better

on　the　whole　to　side　with　the　Comte　de　Montcornet。〃



〃I　don't　see　where　I　am　to　get　the　four　thousand　francs　I　save

honestly　and　invest　every　year；　after　you　have　cut　up　and　sold　Les

Aigues；〃　said　Sibilet；　shortly。　〃Monsieur　Gaubertin　has　made　me　many

fine　promises；　but　the　crisis　is　coming　on；　there　will　be　fighting；

surely。　Promising　before　victory　and　keeping　a　promise　after　it　are

two　very　different　things。〃



〃I　will　talk　to　him　about　it；〃　replied　Rigou；　imperturbably。　〃Meantime

this　is　what　I　should　say　to　you　if　I　were　in　his　place：　'For　the　last

five　years　you　have　taken　Monsieur　Rigou　four　thousand　francs　a　year；

and　that　worthy　man　gives　you　seven　and　a　half　per　cent；　which　makes

your　property　in　his　hands　at　this　moment　over　twenty…seven　thousand

francs；　as　you　have　not　drawn　the　interest。　But　there　exists　a　private

signed　agreement　between　you　and　Rigou；　and　the　Shopman　will　dismiss

his　steward　whenever　the　Abbe　Brossette　lays　that　document　before　his

eyes；　the　abbe　will　be　able　to　do　so　after　receiving　an　anonymous

letter　which　will　inform　him　of　your　double…dealing。　You　would

therefore　do　better　for　yourself　by　keeping　well　with　us　instead　of

clamoring　for　your　pay　in　advance；all　the　more　because　Monsieur

Rigou；　who　is　not　legally　bound　to　give　you　seven　and　a　half　per　cent

and　the　interest　on　your　interest；　will　make　you　in　court　a　legal

tender　of　your　twenty　thousand　francs；　and　you　will　not　be　able　to

touch　that　money　until　your　suit；　prolonged　by　legal　trickery；　shall

be　decided　by　the　court　at　Ville…aux…Fayes。　But　if　you　act　wisely　you

will　find　that　when　Monsieur　Rigou　gets　possession　of　your　pavilion　at

Les　Aigues；　you　will　have　very　nearly　thirty　thousand　francs　in　his

hands　and　thirty　thousand　more　which　the　said　Rigou　may　entrust　to

you；which　will　be　all　the　more　advantageous　to　you　then　because　the

peasantry　will　have　flung　them　themselves　upon　the　estate　of　Les

Aigues；　divided　into　small　lots　like　the　poverty　of　the　world。'　That's

what　Monsieur　Gaubertin　might　say　to　you。　As　for　me；　I　have　nothing　to

say；　for　it　is　none　of　my　business。　Gaubertin　and　I　have　our　own

quarrel　with　that　son　of　the　people　who　is　ashamed　of　his　own　father；

and　we　follow　our　own　course。　If　my　friend　Gaubertin　feels　the　need　of

using　you；　I　don't；　I　need　no　one；　for　everybody　is　at　my　command。　As

to　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　that　functionary　is　often　changed；　whereas

weWE　are　always　here；　and　can　bide　our　time。〃



〃Well；　I've　warned　you；〃　returned　Sibilet；　feeling　like　a　donkey　under

a　pack…saddle。



〃Warned　me　of　what？〃　said　Rigou；　artfully。



〃Of　what　the　Shopman　is　going　to　do；〃　answered　the　steward；　humbly。

〃He　started　for　the　Prefecture　in　a　rage。〃



〃Let　him　go！　If　the　Montcornets　and　their　kind　didn't　use　wheels；　what

would　become　of　the　carriage…makers？〃



〃I　shall　bring　you　three　thousand　francs　to…night；〃　said　Sibilet；　〃but

you　ought　to　make　over　some　of　your　maturing　mortgages　to　me；say；

one　or　two　that　would　secure　to　me　good　lots　of　land。〃



〃Well；　there's　that　of　Courtecuisse。　I　myself　want　to　be　easy　on　him

because　he　is　the　best　shot　in　the　canton；　but　if　I　make　over　his

mortgage　to　you；　you　will　seem　to　be　harassing　him　on　the　Shopman's

account；　and　that　will　be　killing　two　birds　with　one　stone；　when

Courtecuisse　finds　himself　a　beggar；　like　Fourchon；　he'll　be　capable

of　anything。　Courtecuisse　has　ruined　himself　on　the　Bachelerie；　he　has

cultivated　all　the　land；　and　trained　fruit　on　the　walls。　The　little

property　is　now　worth　four　thousand　francs；　and　the　count　will　gladly

pay　you　that　to　get　possession　of　the　three　acres　that　jut　right　into

his　land。　If　Courtecuisse　were　not　such　an　idle　hound　he　could　have

paid　his　interest　with　the　game　he　might　have　killed　there。〃



〃Well；　transfer　the　mortgage　to　me；　and　I'll　make　my　butter　out　of　it；

the　count　shall　buy　the　three　acres；　and　I　shall　get　the　house　and

garden　for　nothing。〃



〃What　are　you　going　to　give　me　out　of　it？〃



〃Good　heavens！　you'd　milk　an　ox！〃　exclaimed　Sibilet；〃when　I　have

just　done　you　such　a　service；　too。　I　have　at　last　got　the　Shopman　to

enforce　the　laws　about　gleaning〃



〃Have　you；　my　dear　fell