按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
first supposed。 The all…powerful Councillor of State was the most
important personage in Arcis。 He had obtained for one of his political
friends the prefecture of Troyes； and for a farmer at Gondreville the
exemption of his son from the draft； in fact； he had done services to
many。 Consequently； the sale met with no opposition in the
neighborhood where Malin then reigned； and where he still reigns
supreme。
The Empire was just dawning。 Those who in these days read the
histories of the French Revolution can form no conception of the vast
spaces which public thought traversed between events which now seem to
have been so near together。 The strong need of peace and tranquillity
which every one felt after the violent tumults of the Revolution
brought about a complete forgetfulness of important anterior facts。
History matured rapidly under the advance of new and eager interests。
No one； therefore； except Michu； looked into the past of this affair；
which the community accepted as a simple matter。 Marion； who had
bought Gondreville for six hundred thousand francs in assignats； sold
it for the value of a couple of million in coin； but the only payments
actually made by Malin were for the costs of registration。 Grevin； a
seminary comrade of Malin； assisted the transaction； and the
Councillor rewarded his help with the office of notary at Arcis。 When
the news of the sale reached the pavilion； brought there by a farmer
whose farm； at Grouage； was situated between the forest and the park
on the left of the noble avenue； Michu turned pale and left the house。
He lay in wait for Marion； and finally met him alone in one of the
shrubberies of the park。
〃Is monsieur about to sell Gondreville？〃 asked the bailiff。
〃Yes； Michu； yes。 You will have a man of powerful influence for your
master。 He is the friend of the First Consul； and very intimate with
all the ministers； he will protect you。〃
〃Then you were holding the estate for him？〃
〃I don't say that；〃 replied Marion。 〃At the time I bought it I was
looking for a place to put my money； and I invested in national
property as the best security。 But it doesn't suit me to keep an
estate once belonging to a family in which my father was〃
〃a servant；〃 said Michu； violently。 〃But you shall not sell it！ I
want it； and I can pay for it。〃
〃You？〃
〃Yes； I； seriously； in good gold；eight hundred thousand francs。〃
〃Eight hundred thousand francs！〃 exclaimed Marion。 〃Where did you get
them？〃
〃That's none of your business；〃 replied Michu； then； softening his
tone； he added in a low voice： 〃My father…in…law saved the lives of
many persons。〃
〃You are too late； Michu； the sale is made。〃
〃You must put it off； monsieur！〃 cried the bailiff； seizing his master
by the hand which he held as in a vice。 〃I am hated； but I choose to
be rich and powerful； and I must have Gondreville。 Listen to me； I
don't cling to life； sell me that place or I'll blow your brains
out！〃
〃But do give me time to get off my bargain with Malin； he's
troublesome to deal with。〃
〃I'll give you twenty…four hours。 If you say a word about this matter
I'll chop your head off as I would chop a turnip。〃
Marion and Malin left the chateau in the course of the night。 Marion
was frightened； he told Malin of the meeting and begged him to keep an
eye on the bailiff。 It was impossible for Marion to avoid delivering
the property to the man who had been the real purchaser； and Michu did
not seem likely to admit any such reason。 Moreover； this service done
by Marion to Malin was to be； and in fact ended by being； the origin
of the former's political fortune； and also that of his brother。 In
1806 Malin had him appointed chief justice of an imperial court； and
after the creation of tax…collectors his brother obtained the post of
receiver…general for the department of the Aube。 The State Councillor
told Marion to stay in Paris； and he warned the minister of police；
who gave orders that Michu should be secretly watched。 Not wishing to
push the man to extremes； Malin kept him on as bailiff； under the iron
rule of Grevin the notary of Arcis。
From that moment Michu became more absorbed and taciturn than ever；
and obtained the reputation of a man who was capable of committing a
crime。 Malin； the Councillor of State （a function which the First
Consul raised to the level of a ministry）； and a maker of the Code；
played a great part in Paris； where he bought one of the finest
mansions in the Faubuorg Saint…Germain after marrying the only
daughter of a rich contractor named Sibuelle。 He never came to
Gondreville； leaving all matters concerning the property to the
management of Grevin； the Arcis notary。 After all； what had he to
fear？he； a former representative of the Aube； and president of a
club of Jacobins。 And yet； the unfavorable opinion of Michu held by
the lower classes was shared by the bourgeoisie； and Marion； Grevin；
and Malin； without giving any reason or compromising themselves on the
subject； showed that they regarded him as an extremely dangerous man。
The authorities； who were under instructions from the minister of
police to watch the bailiff； did not of course lessen this belief。 The
neighborhood wondered that he kept his place； but supposed it was in
consequence of the terror he inspired。 It is easy now； after these
explanations； to understand the anxiety and sadness expressed in the
face of Michu's wife。
In the first place； Marthe had been piously brought up by her mother。
Both； being good Catholics； had suffered much from the opinions and
behavior of the tanner。 Marthe could never think without a blush of
having marched through the street of Troyes in the garb of a goddess。
Her father had forced her to marry Michu； whose bad reputation was
then increasing； and she feared him too much to be able to judge him。
Nevertheless； she knew that he loved her； and at the bottom of her
heart lay the truest affection for this awe…inspiring man； she had
never known him to do anything that was not just； never did he say a
brutal word； to her at least； in fact； he endeavored to forestall her
every wish。 The poor pariah； believing himself disagreeable to his
wife； spent most of his time out of doors。 Marthe and Michu；
distrustful of each other； lived in what is called in these days an
〃armed peace。〃 Marthe； who saw no one； suffered keenly from the
ostracism which for the last seven years had surrounded her as the
daughter of a revolutionary butcher； and the wife of a so…called
traitor。 More than once she had overheard the laborers of the
adjoining farm （held by a man named Beauvisage； greatly attached to
the Simeuse family） say as they passed the pavilion； 〃That's where
Judas lives！〃 The singular resemblance between the bailiff's head and
that of the thirteenth apostle； which his conduct appeared to carry
out； won him that odious nickname throughout the neighborhood。 It was
this distress of mind； added to vague but constant fears for the
future； which gave Marthe her thoughtful and subdued air。 Nothing
saddens so deeply as unmerited degradation from which there seems no
escape。 A painter could have made a fine picture of this family of
pariahs in the bosom of their pretty nook in Champagne； where the
landscape is generally sad。
〃Francois！〃 called the bailiff； to hasten his son。
Francois Michu； a child of ten； played in the park and forest； and
levied his little tithes like a master； he ate the fruits； he chased
the game； he at least had neither cares nor troubles。 Of all the
family； Francois alone was happy in a home thus isolated from the
neighborhood by its position between the park and the forest； and by
the still greater moral solitude of universal repulsion。
〃Pick up these things；〃 said his father； pointing to the parapet； 〃and
put them away。 Look at me！ You love your father and your mother； don't
you？〃 The child flung himself on his father as if to kiss him； but
Michu made a movement to shift the gun and pushed him back。 〃Very
good。 You have sometimes chattered about things that are done here；〃
continued the father； fixing his eyes； dangerous as those of a wild…
cat； on the boy。 〃Now remember this； if you tell the least little
thing that happens here to Gaucher； or to the Grouage and Bellache
people； or even to Marianne who loves us； you will kill your father。
Never tattle again； and I will forgive what you said yesterday。〃 The
child began to cry。 〃Don't cry； but when any one questions you； say；
as the peasants do； 'I don't know。' There are persons roaming about
whom I distrust。 Run along！ As for you two；〃 he added； turning to the
women； 〃you have heard what I said。 Keep a close mouth； both of you。〃
〃Husband； what are you going to do？〃
Michu； who was carefully measuring a charge of powder； poured it into
the barrel of his gun； rested the weapon against the parapet and said
to Marthe：
〃No one knows I own that gun。 Stand in front of it。〃
Couraut； who had sprung to his feet； was barking furiously。
〃Good； intelligent fellow！〃 cried Michu。 〃I am certain there are spies
about〃
Man and beast feel a spy。 Couraut and Michu； who seemed to have one
and the same soul； lived together as the Arab and his h