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！
quite ready to forget it。 He was eaten up with the desire to be a peer
of France； and dreamed of his grand cordon of the Legion of honor； his
Saint…Louis cross； and his income of one hundred and forty thousand
francs。 Bitten by the demon of aristocracy； the sight of the blue
ribbon put him beside himself。 The gallant cuirassier of Essling would
have licked up the mud on the Pont…Royal to be invited to the house of
a Navarreins； a Lenoncourt； a Grandlieu； a Maufrigneuse； a d'Espard； a
Vandenesse； a Verneuil； a Herouville； or a Chaulieu。
From 1818； when the impossibility of a change in favor of the
Bonaparte family was made clear to him； Montcornet had himself
trumpeted in the faubourg Saint…Germain by the wives of some of his
friends； who offered his hand and heart； his mansion and his fortune
in return for an alliance with some great family。
After several attempts； the Duchesse de Carigliano found a match for
the general in one of the three branches of the Troisville family；
that of the viscount in the service of Russia ever since 1789； who had
returned to France in 1815。 The viscount； poor as a younger son； had
married a Princess Scherbellof； worth about a million； but the arrival
of two sons and three daughters kept him poor。 His family； ancient and
formerly powerful； now consisted of the Marquis de Troisville； peer of
France； head of the house and scutcheon； and two deputies； with
numerous offspring； who were busy； for their part； with the budget and
the ministries and the court； like fishes round bits of bread。
Therefore； when Montcornet was presented by Madame de Carigliano；the
Napoleonic duchess； who was now a most devoted adherent of the
Bourbons； he was favorably received。 The general asked； in return for
his fortune and tender indulgence to his wife； to be appointed to the
Royal Guard； with the rank of marquis and peer of France； but the
branches of the Troisville family would do no more than promise him
their support。
〃You know what that means；〃 said the duchess to her old friend； who
complained of the vagueness of the promise。 〃They cannot oblige the
king to do as they wish； they can only influence him。〃
Montcornet made Virginie de Troisville his heir in the marriage
settlements。 Completely under the control of his wife； as Blondet's
letter has already shown； he was still without children； but Louis
XVIII。 had received him； and given him the cordon of Saint…Louis；
allowing him to quarter his ridiculous arms with those of the
Troisvilles； and promising him the title of marquis as soon as he had
deserved the peerage by his services。
A few days after the audience at which this promise had been given；
the Duc de Barry was assassinated； the Marsan clique carried the day；
the Villele ministry came into power； and all the wires laid by the
Troisvilles were snapped； it became necessary to find new ways of
fastening them upon the ministry。
〃We must bide our time；〃 said the Troisvilles to Montcornet； who was
always overwhelmed with politeness in the faubourg Saint…Germain。
This will explain how it was that the general did not return to Les
Aigues until May； 1820。
The ineffable happiness of the son of a shop…keeper of the faubourg
Saint…Antoine in possessing a young； elegant； intelligent； and gentle
wife； a Troisville； who had given him an entrance into all the salons
of the faubourg Saint…Germain； and the delight of making her enjoy the
pleasures of Paris； had kept him from Les Aigues and made him forget
about Gaubertin； even to his very name。 In 1820 he took the countess
to Burgundy to show her the estate； and he accepted Sibilet's accounts
and leases without looking closely into them； happiness never cavils。
The countess； well pleased to find the steward's wife a charming young
woman； made presents to her and to the children； with whom she
occasionally amused herself。 She ordered a few changes at Les Aigues；
having sent to Paris for an architect； proposing； to the general's
great delight； to spend six months of every year on this magnificent
estate。 Montcornet's savings were soon spent on the architectural work
and the exquisite new furniture sent from Paris。 Les Aigues thus
received the last touch which made it a choice example of all the
diverse elegancies of four centuries。
In 1821 the general was almost peremptorily urged by Sibilet to be at
Les Aigues before the month of May。 Important matters had to be
decided。 A lease of nine years； to the amount of thirty thousand
francs； granted by Gaubertin in 1812 to a wood…merchant； fell in on
the 15th of May of the current year。 Sibilet； anxious to prove his
rectitude； was unwilling to be responsible for the renewal of the
lease。 〃You know； Monsieur le comte；〃 he wrote； 〃that I do not choose
to profit by such matters。〃 The wood…merchant claimed an indemnity；
extorted from Madame Laguerre； through her hatred of litigation； and
shared by him with Gaubertin。 This indemnity was based on the injury
done to the woods by the peasants； who treated the forest of Les
Aigues as if they had a right to cut the timber。 Messrs。 Gravelot
Brothers； wood…merchants in Paris； refused to pay their last quarter
dues； offering to prove by an expert that the woods were reduced one…
fifth in value； through； they said； the injurious precedent
established by Madame Laguerre。
〃I have already；〃 wrote Sibilet； 〃sued these men in the courts at
Ville…aux…Fayes； for they have taken legal residence there； on account
of this lease； with my old employer； Maitre Corbinet。 I fear we shall
lose the suit。〃
〃It is a question of income； my dear；〃 said the general； showing the
letter to his wife。 〃Will you go down to Les Aigues a little earlier
this year than last？〃
〃Go yourself； and I will follow you when the weather is warmer；〃 said
the countess； not sorry to remain in Paris alone。
The general； who knew very well the canker that was eating into his
revenues； departed without his wife； resolved to take vigorous
measures。 In so doing he reckoned； as we shall see； without his
Gaubertin。
CHAPTER VIII
THE GREAT REVOLUTIONS OF A LITTLE VALLEY
〃Well； Maitre Sibilet；〃 said the general to his steward； the morning
after his arrival； giving him a familiar title which showed how much
he appreciated his services； 〃so we are； to use a ministerial phrase；
at a crisis？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur le comte；〃 said Sibilet； following the general。
The fortunate possessor of Les Aigues was walking up and down in front
of the steward's house； along a little terrace where Madame Sibilet
grew flowers； at the end of which was a wide stretch of meadow…land
watered by the canal which Blondet has described。 From this point the
chateau of Les Aigues was seen in the distance； and in like manner the
profile； as it were； of the steward's lodge was seen from Les Aigues。
〃But；〃 resumed the general； 〃what's the difficulty？ If I do lose the
suit against the Gravel