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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
who have a business leave it to glean in the fields and in the
vineyards。 All these people； taken together； gather in this
neighborhood something like three hundred bushels a day； the harvest
lasts two weeks； and that makes four thousand five hundred bushels in
this district alone。 The gleaning takes more from an estate than the
taxes。 As to the abuse of pasturage； it robs us of fully one…sixth the
produce of the meadows； and as to that of the woods； it is
incalculable；they have actually come to cutting down six…year…old
trees。 The loss to you； Monsieur le comte； amounts to fully twenty…odd
thousand francs a year。〃
〃Do you hear that； madame？〃 said the general to his wife。
〃Is it not exaggerated？〃 asked Madame de Montcornet。
〃No； madame； unfortunately not；〃 said the abbe。 〃Poor Niseron； that
old fellow with the white head； who combines the functions of bell…
ringer； beadle； grave…digger； sexton； and clerk； in defiance of his
republican opinions；I mean the grandfather of the little Genevieve
whom you placed with Madame Michaud〃
〃La Pechina；〃 said Sibilet； interrupting the abbe。
〃Pechina！〃 said the countess； 〃whom do you mean？〃
〃Madame la comtesse； when you met little Genevieve on the road in a
miserable condition； you cried out in Italian； 'Piccina！' The word
became a nickname； and is now corrupted all through the district into
Pechina；〃 said the abbe。 〃The poor girl comes to church with Madame
Michaud and Madame Sibilet。〃
〃And she is none the better for it；〃 said Sibilet； 〃for the others
ill…treat her on account of her religion。〃
〃Well； that poor old man of seventy gleans； honestly； about a bushel
and a half a day；〃 continued the priest； 〃but his natural uprightness
prevents him from selling his gleanings as others do；he keeps them
for his own consumption。 Monsieur Langlume； your miller； grinds his
flour gratis at my request； and my servant bakes his bread with mine。〃
〃I had quite forgotten my little protegee；〃 said the countess；
troubled at Sibilet's remark。 〃Your arrival；〃 she added to Blondet；
〃has quite turned my head。 But after breakfast I will take you to the
gate of the Avonne and show you the living image of those women whom
the painters of the fifteenth century delighted to perpetuate。〃
The sound of Pere Fourchon's broken sabots was now heard； after
depositing them in the antechamber； he was brought to the door of the
dining…room by Francois。 At a sign from the countess； Francois allowed
him to pass in； followed by Mouche with his mouth full and carrying
the otter； hanging by a string tied to its yellow paws； webbed like
those of a palmiped。 He cast upon his four superiors sitting at table；
and also upon Sibilet； that look of mingled distrust and servility
which serves as a veil to the thoughts of the peasantry； then he
brandished his amphibian with a triumphant air。
〃Here it is！〃 he cried； addressing Blondet。
〃My otter！〃 returned the Parisian； 〃and well paid for。〃
〃Oh； my dear gentleman；〃 replied Pere Fourchon； 〃yours got away； she
is now in her burrow； and she won't come out； for she's a female；
this is a male； Mouche saw him coming just as you went away。 As true
as you live； as true as that Monsieur le comte covered himself and his
cuirassiers with glory at Waterloo； the otter is mine； just as much as
Les Aigues belongs to Monseigneur the general。 But the otter is YOURS
for twenty francs； if not I'll take it to the sub…prefect。 If Monsieur
Gourdon thinks it too dear； then I'll give you the preference； that's
only fair； as we hunted together this morning！〃
〃Twenty francs！〃 said Blondet。 〃In good French you can't call that
GIVING the preference。〃
〃Hey； my dear gentleman；〃 cried the old fellow。 〃Perhaps I don't know
French； and I'll ask it in good Burgundian； as long as I get the
money； I don't care； I'll talk La