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time it took the general to learn the strength and weakness of Les
Aigues； to master the details of its revenues and the manner of
collecting them； and to ascertain how and where the robberies
occurred； together with the betterments and economies which ought to
be undertaken。 Then； one fine morning； having caught Gaubertin with
his hand in the bag； as the saying is； the general flew into one of
those rages peculiar to the imperial conquerors of many lands。 In
doing so he committed a capital blunder；one that would have ruined
the whole life of a man of less wealth and less consistency than
himself； and from which came the evils； both small and great； with
which the present history teems。 Brought up in the imperial school；
accustomed to deal with men as a dictator； and full of contempt for
〃civilians；〃 Montcornet did not trouble himself to wear gloves when it
came to putting a rascal of a land…steward out of doors。 Civil life
and its precautions were things unknown to the soldier already
embittered by his loss of rank。 He humiliated Gaubertin ruthlessly；
though the latter drew the harsh treatment upon himself by a cynical
reply which roused Montcornet's anger。
〃You are living off my land；〃 said the general； with jesting severity。
〃Do you think I can live off the sky？〃 returned Gaubertin； with a
sneer。
〃Out of my sight； blackguard！ I dismiss you！〃 cried the general；
striking him with his whip；blows which the steward always denied
having received； for they were given behind closed doors。
〃I shall not go without my release in full；〃 said Gaubertin； coldly；
keeping at a distance from the enraged soldier。
〃We will see what is thought of you in a police court；〃 replied
Montcornet； shrugging his shoulders。
Hearing the threat； Gaubertin looked at the general and smiled。 The
smile had the effect of relaxing Montcornet's arms as though the
sinews had been cut。 We must explain that smile。
For the last two years； Gaubertin's brother…in…law； a man named
Gendrin； long a justice of the municipal court of Ville…aux…Fayes； had
become the president of that court through the influence of the Comte
de Soulanges。 The latter was made peer of France in 1814； and remained
faithful to the Bourbons during the Hundred…Days； therefore the Keeper
of the Seals readily granted an appointment at his request。 This
relationship gave Gaubertin a certain importance in the country。 The
president of the court of a little town is； relatively； a greater
personage than the president of one of the royal courts of a great
city； who has various equals； such as generals； bishops； and prefects；
whereas the judge of the court of a small town has none；the
attorney…general and the sub…prefect being removable at will。 Young
Soudry； a companion of Gaubertin's son in Paris as well as at Les
Aigues； had just been appointed assistant attorney in the capital of
the department。 Before the elder Soudry； a quartermaster in the
artillery； became a brigadier of gendarmes； he had been wounded in a
skirmish while defending Monsieur de Soulanges； then adjutant…general。
At the time of the creation of the gendarmerie； the Comte de
Soulanges； who by that time had become a colonel； asked for a brigade
for his former protector； and later still he solicited the post we
have named for the younger Soudry。 Besides all these influences； the
marriage of Mademoiselle Gaubertin with a wealthy banker of the quai
Bethume made the unjust steward feel that he was far stronger in the
community than a lieutenant…general driven into retirement。
If this history provided no other instruction that that offered by the
quarrel between the general and his steward； it would still be useful
to many persons as a lesson for their conduct in life。 He who reads
Machiavelli profitably； knows that human prudence consists in never
threatening； in doing but not saying； in promoting the retreat of an
enemy and never stepping； as the saying is； on the tail of the
serpent； and in avoiding； as one would murder； the infliction of a
blow to the self…love of any one lower than one's self。 An injury done
to a person's interest； no matter how great it may be at the time； is
forgiven or explained in the long run； but self…love； vanity； never
ceases to bleed from a wound given； and never forgives it。 The moral
being is actually more sensitive； more living as it were； than the
physical being。 The heart and the blood are less impressible than the
nerves。 In short； our inward being rules us； no matter what we do。 You
may reconcile two families who have half…killed each other； as in
Brittany and in La Vendee during the civil wars； but you can no more
reconcile the calumniators and the calumniated than you can the
spoilers and the despoiled。 It is only in epic poems that men curse
each other before they kill。 The savage； and the peasant who is much
like a savage； seldom speak unless to deceive an enemy。 Ever since
1789 France has been trying to make man believe； against all evidence；
that they are equal。 To say to a man； 〃You are a swindler；〃 may be
taken as a joke； but to catch him in the act and prove it to him with
a cane on his back； to threaten him with a police…court and not follow
up the threat； is to remind him of the inequality of conditions。 If
the masses will not brook any species of superiority； is it likely
that a swindler will forgive that of an honest man？
Montcornet might have dismissed his steward under pretext of paying
off a military obligation by putting some old soldier in his place；
Gaubertin and the general would have understood the matter； and the
latter； by sparing the steward's self…love would have given him a
chance to withdraw quietly。 Gaubertin； in that case； would have left
his late employer in peace； and possibly he might have taken himself
and his savings to Paris for investment。 But being； as he was；
ignominiously dismissed； the man conceived against his late master one
of those bitter hatreds which are literally a part of existence in
provincial life； the persistency； duration； and plots of which would
astonish diplomatists who are trained to let nothing astonish them。 A
burning desire for vengeance led him to settle at Ville…aux…Fayes； and
to take a position where he could injure Montcornet and stir up
sufficient enmity against to force him to sell Les Aigues。
The general was deceived by appearances； for Gaubertin's external
behavior was not of a nature to warn or to alarm him。 The late steward
followed his old custom of pretending； not exactly poverty； but
limited means。 For years he had talked of his wife and three children；
and the heavy expenses of a large family。 Mademoiselle Laguerre； to
whom he had declared himself too poor to educate his son in Paris；
paid the costs herself； and allowed her dear godson （for she was
Claude Gaubertin's sponsor） two thousand francs a year。
The day after the quarrel； Gaubertin came； with a keeper named
Courtecuisse； and