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！
urated so many things； proposed so many toasts； listened to so many harangues； consumed so much Talano wine and white cheese； that I have not found time to send even a greeting to the little family circle round the big table； from which I have been missing these two months。 Happily my absence will not be for much longer； as we expect to leave the day after to…morrow； and are coming straight back to Paris。 From the electioneering point of view； I think our journey has been a success。 Corsica is an admirable country； indolent and poor； a mixture of poverty and pride； which makes both the nobles and the middle classes strive to keep up an appearance of easy circumstances at the price of the most painful privations。 They speak quite seriously of Popolasca's fortunethat needy deputy whom death robbed of the four thousand pounds his resignation in favour of the Nabob would have brought him。 All these people have； as well； an administrative mania； a thirst for places which give them any sort of uniform； and a cap to wear with the words 〃Government official〃 written on it。 If you gave a Corsican peasant the choice between the richest farm in France and the shabbiest sword…belt of a village policeman； he would not hesitate and would take the belt。 In that conditions of things； you may imagine what chances of election a candidate has who can dispose of a personal fortune and the Government favours。 Thus； M。 Jansoulet will be elected； and especially if he succeeds in his present undertaking； which has brought us here to the only inn of a little place called Pozzonegro （black well）。 It is a regular well； black with foliage； consisting of fifty small red…stone houses clustered round a long Italian church； at the bottom of a ravine between rigid hills and coloured sandstone rocks； over which stretch immense forests of larch and juniper trees。 From my open window； at which I am writing； I see up above there a bit of blue sky； the orifice of the well； down below on the little squarewhich a huge nut…tree shades as though the shadows were not already thick enough two shepherds clothed in sheep…skins are playing at cards； with their elbows on the stone of a fountain。 Gambling is the bane of this land of idleness； where they get men from Lucca to do their harvesting。 The two poor wretches I see probably haven't a farthing between them； but one bets his knife against a cheese wrapped up in vine leaves； and the stakes lie between them on the bench。 A little priest smokes his cigar as he watches them； and seems to take the liveliest interest in their game。
And that is not all。 Not a sound anywhere except the drops of water on the stone； the oaths of one of the players who swears by the /sango del seminaro/； and from underneath my room in the inn parlour the eager voice of our friend mingling with the sputterings of the illustrious Paganetti； who is interpreter； in his conversation with the not less illustrious Piedigriggio。
M。 Piedigriggio （gray feet） is a local celebrity。 He is a tall； old man of seventy…five； with a flowing beard and a straight back。 He wears a little pilot coat； a brown wool Catalonian cap on his white locks。 At his belt he carries a pair of scissors to cut the long leaves of the green tobacco he smokes into the hollow of his hand。 A venerable…looking person in fact； and when he crossed the square； shaking hands with the priest； smiling protectingly at the gamblers； I would never have believed that I was looking at the famous brigand Piedigriggio； who held the woods in Monte…Rotondo from 1840 to 1860； outwitted the police and the military； and who to…day； thanks to the proscription by which he benefits； after seven or eight cold…blooded murders； moves peaceably about the country which witnessed his crimes； and enjoys a considerable importance。 This is why： Piedigriggio has two sons who； nobly following in his footsteps； have taken to the carbine and the woods； in their turn not to be found； not to be caught； as their father was； for twenty years； warned by the shepherds of the movements of the police； when the latter leave a village； they make their appearance in it。 The eldest； Scipio； came to mass last Sunday at Pozzonegro。 To say they love them； and that the bloody hand… shake of those wretches is a pleasure to all who harbour them； would be to calumniate the peaceful inhabitants of this parish。 But they fear them； and their will is law。
Now； these Piedigriggios have taken it into their heads to favour our opponent in the election。 And their influence is a formidable power； for they can make two whole cantons vote against us。 They have long legs； the rascals； as long in proportion as the reach of their guns。 Naturally； we have the police on our side； but the brigands are far more powerful。 As our innkeeper said this morning： 〃The police； they go away； /ma/ the /banditti/ they stay。〃 In the face of this logical reasoning we understood that the only thing to be done was to treat with the Gray…feet； to try a 〃job；〃 in fact。 The mayor said something of this to the old man； who consulted his sons； and it is the conditions of this treaty they are discussing downstairs。 I hear the voice of our general director； 〃Come； my dear fellow； you know I am an old Corsican myself；〃 and then the other's quiet replies； broken； like his tobacco； by the irritating noise of his scissors。 The 〃dear fellow〃 does not seem to have much confidence； and until the coin is ringing upon the table I fancy there will not be any advance。
You see； Paganetti is known in his native country。 The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte； still waiting for the monument to Paoli； on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca； in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen； village priests； and petty nobility； whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical /combinazioni/。 Truly； for him to dare to come back here； it needed all his phenomenal audacity； as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims。
And； indeed； what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank？
None。
Mines； which produce nothing and never will produce anything； for they exist only on paper； quarries； which are still innocent of pick or dynamite； tracts of uncultivated sandy land that they survey with a gesture； telling you； 〃We begin here； and we go right over there； as far as you like。〃 It is the same with the forests。 The whole of a wooded hill in Monte…Rotondo belongs to us； it seems； but the felling of the trees is impossible unless aeronauts undertake the woodman's work。 It is the same with the watering…places； among which this miserable hamlet of Pozzonegro is one of the most important； with its fountain whose astonishing ferruginous properties Paganetti advertises。 Of the streamers； not a shadow。 Stayan old； half…ruined Genoese tower on the shore of the Gulf of Ajaccio bears on a tarnished escutcheon； above its hermetically sealed doors； this inscription： 〃Paganetti's Agency。 Maritime Company。 Inquiry Office。〃 Fat； gray lizards tend the office in company with an owl。 As for the railways； all these honest Corsicans to whom I spoke of it