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interests； we shall thus be enabled to show the dangers which
surrounded the General comte de Montcornet at the moment when this
history opens。
CHAPTER VI
A TALE OF THIEVES
When Mademoiselle Laguerre first visited her estate； in 1791； she took
as steward the son of the ex…bailiff of Soulanges； named Gaubertin。
The little town of Soulanges； at present nothing more than the chief
town of a canton； was once the capital of a considerable county； in
the days when the House of Burgundy made war upon France。 Ville…aux…
Fayes； now the seat of the sub…prefecture； then a mere fief； was a
dependency of Soulanges； like Les Aigues； Ronquerolles； Cerneux；
Conches； and a score of other parishes。 The Soulanges have remained
counts； whereas the Ronquerolles are now marquises by the will of that
power； called the Court； which made the son of Captain du Plessis duke
over the heads of the first families of the Conquest。 All of which
serves to prove that towns； like families； are variable in their
destiny。
Gaubertin； a young man without property of any kind； succeeded a
steward enriched by a management of thirty years； who preferred to
become a partner in the famous firm of Minoret rather than continue to
administer Les Aigues。 In his own interests he introduced into his
place as land…steward Francois Gaubertin； his accountant for five
years； whom he now relied on to cover his retreat； and who； out of
gratitude for his instructions； promised to obtain for him a release
in full of all claims from Madame Laguerre； who by this time was
terrified at the Revolution。 Gaubertin's father； the attorney…general
of the department； henceforth protected the timid woman。 This
provincial Fouquier…Tinville raised a false alarm of danger in the
mind of the opera…divinity on the ground of her former relations to
the aristocracy； so as to give his son the equally false credit of
saving her life； on the strength of which Gaubertin the younger
obtained very easily the release of his predecessor。 Mademoiselle
Laguerre then made Francois Gaubertin her prime minister； as much
through policy as from gratitude。 The late steward had not spoiled
her。 He sent her； every year； about thirty thousand francs； though Les
Aigues brought in at that time at least forty thousand。 The
unsuspecting opera…singer was therefore much delighted when the new
steward Gaubertin promised her thirty…six thousand。
To explain the present fortune of the land…steward of Les Aigues
before the judgment…seat of probability； it is necessary to state its
beginnings。 Pushed by his father's influence； he became mayor of
Blangy。 Thus he was able； contrary to law； to make the debtors pay in
coin； by 〃terrorizing〃 （a phrase of the day） such of them as might； in
his opinion； be subjected to the crushing demands of the Republic。 He
himself paid the citizens in assignats as long as the system of paper
money lasted；a system which； if it did not make the nation
prosperous； at least made the fortunes of private individuals。 From
1793 to 1795； that is； for three years； Francois Gaubertin wrung one
hundred and fifty thousand francs out of Les Aigues； with which he
speculated on the stock…market in Paris。 With her purse full of
assignats Mademoiselle was actually obliged to obtain ready money from
her diamonds； now useless to her。 She gave them to Gaubertin； who sold
them； and faithfully returned to her their full price。 This proof of
honesty touched her heart； henceforth she believed in Gaubertin as she
did in Piccini。
In 1796； at the time of his marriage with the citoyenne Isaure
Mouchon； daughter of an old 〃conventional；〃 a friend of his father；
Gaubertin possessed about three hundred and fifty thousand francs in
money。 As the Directory seemed to him likely to last； he determined；
before marrying； to have the accounts of his five years' stewardship
ratified by Mademoiselle； under pretext of a new departure。
〃I am to be the head of a family；〃 he said to her； 〃you know the
reputation of land…stewards； my father…in…law is a republican of Roman
austerity； and a man of influence as well； I want to prove to him that
I am as upright as he。〃
Mademoiselle Laguerre accepted his accounts at once in very flattering
terms。
In those earlier days the steward had endeavored； in order to win the
confidence of Madame des Aigues （as Mademoiselle was then called） to
repress the depredations of the peasantry； fearing； and not without
reason； that the revenues would suffer too severely； and that his
private bonus from the buyers of the timber would sensibly diminish。
But in those days the sovereign people felt the soil was their own
everywhere； Madame was afraid of the surrounding kings and told her
Richelieu that the first desire of her soul was to die in peace。 The
revenues of the late singer were so far in excess of her expenses that
she allowed all the worst； and； as it proved； fatal precedents to be
established。 To avoid a lawsuit； she allowed the neighbors to encroach
upon her land。 Knowing that the park walls were sufficient protection；
she did not fear any interruption of her personal comfort； and cared
for nothing but her peaceful existence； true philosopher that she was！
A few thousand a year more or less； the indemnities exacted by the
wood…merchants for the damages committed by the peasants；what were
they to a careless and extravagant Opera…girl； who had gained her
hundred thousand francs a year at the cost of pleasure only； and who
had just submitted； without a word of remonstrance； to a reduction of
two thirds of an income of sixty thousand francs？
〃Dear me！〃 she said； in the easy tone of the wantons of the old time；
〃people must live； even if they are republicans。〃
The terrible Mademoiselle Cochet； her maid and female vizier； had
tried to enlighten her mistress when she saw the ascendency Gaubertin
was obtaining over one whom he began by calling 〃Madame〃 in defiance
of the revolutionary laws about equality； but Gaubertin； in his turn；
enlightened Mademoiselle Cochet by showing her a so…called
denunciation sent to his father； the prosecuting attorney； in which
she was vehemently accused of corresponding with Pitt and Coburg。 From
that time forward the two powers went on sharesshares a la
Montgomery。 Cochet praised Gaubertin to Madame； and Gaubertin praised
Cochet。 The waiting…maid had already made her own bed； and knew she
was down for sixty thousand francs in the will。 Madame could not do
without Cochet； to whom she was accustomed。 The woman knew the secrets
of dear mistress's toilet； she alone could put dear mistress to sleep
at night with her gossip； and get her up in the morning with her
flattery； to the day of dear mistress's death the maid never could see
the slightest change in her； and when dear mistress lay in her coffin；
she doubtless thought she had never seen her looking so well。
The annual pickings of Gaubertin and Mademoiselle Cochet； their w