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！
〃and then we shall have no more of them。〃
〃You shall gratify Gaubertin；〃 remarked Sibilet。
〃How so？〃
〃Suing the Gravelots is the same as a hand to hand fight with
Gaubertin； who is their agent；〃 answered Sibilet。 〃He asks nothing
better than such a suit。 He declares； so I hear； that he will bring
you if necessary before the Court of Appeals。〃
〃The rascal！ the〃
〃If you attempt to work your own woods；〃 continued Sibilet； turning
the knife in the wound； 〃you will find yourself at the mercy of
workmen who will force you to pay rich men's prices instead of market…
prices。 In short； they'll put you； as they did that poor Mariotte； in
a position where you must sell at a loss。 If you then try to lease the
woods you will get no tenants； for you cannot expect that any one
should take risks for himself which Mariotte only took for the crown
and the State。 Suppose a man talks of his losses to the government！
The government is a gentleman who is； like your obedient servant when
he was in its employ； a worthy man with a frayed overcoat； who reads
the newspapers at a desk。 Let his salary be twelve hundred or twelve
thousand francs； his disposition is the same； it is not a whit softer。
Talk of reductions and releases from the public treasury represented
by the said gentleman！ He'll only pooh…pooh you as he mends his pen。
No； the law is the wrong road for you； Monsieur le comte。〃
〃Then what's to be done？〃 cried the general； his blood boiling as he
tramped up and down before the bench。
〃Monsieur le comte；〃 said Sibilet； abruptly； 〃what I say to you is not
for my own interests； certainly； but I advise you to sell Les Aigues
and leave the neighborhood。〃
On hearing these words the general sprang back as if a cannon…ball had
struck him； then he looked at Sibilet with a shrewd； diplomatic eye。
〃A general of the Imperial Guard running away from the rascals； when
Madame la comtesse likes Les Aigues！〃 he said。 〃No； I'll sooner box
Gaubertin's ears on the market…place of Ville…aux…Fayes； and force him
to fight me that I may shoot him like a dog。〃
〃Monsieur le comte； Gaubertin is not such a fool as to let himself be
brought into collision with you。 Besides； you could not openly insult
the mayor of so important a place as Ville…aux…Fayes。〃
〃I'll have him turned out； the Troisvilles can do that for me； it is a
question of income。〃
〃You won't succeed； Monsieur le comte； Gaubertin's arms are long； you
will get yourself into difficulties from which you cannot escape。〃
〃Let us think of the present；〃 interrupted the general。 〃About that
suit？〃
〃That； Monsieur le comte； I can manage to win for you；〃 replied
Sibilet； with a knowing glance。
〃Bravo； Sibilet！〃 said the general； shaking his steward's hand； 〃how
are you going to do it？〃
〃You will win it on a writ of error；〃 replied Sibilet。 〃In my opinion
the Gravelots have the right of it。 But it is not enough to be in the
right； they must also be in order as to legal forms； and that they
have neglected。 The Gravelots ought to have summoned you to have the
woods better watched。 They can't ask for indemnity； at the close of a
lease； for damages which they know have been going on for nine years；
there is a clause in the lease as to this； on which we can file a bill
of exceptions。 You will lose the suit at Ville…aux…Fayes； possibly in
the upper court as well； but we will carry it to Paris and you will
win at the Court of Appeals。 The costs will be heavy and the expenses
ruinous。 You will have to spend from twelve to fifteen thousand francs
merely to win the suit；but you will win it； if you care to。 The suit
will only increase the enmity of the Gravelots； for the expenses will
be even heavier on them。 You will be their bugbear； you will be called
litigious and calumniated in every way； still； you can win〃
〃Then； what's to be done？〃 repeated the general； on whom Sibilet's
arguments were beginning to produce the effect of a violent poison。
Just then the remembrance of the blows he had given Gaubertin with his
cane crossed his mind； and made him wish he had bestowed them on
himself。 His flushed face was enough to show Sibilet the irritation
that he felt。
〃You ask me what can be done； Monsieur le comte？ Why； only one thing；
compromise； but of course you can't negotiate that yourself。 I must be
thought to cheat you！ We； poor devils； whose only fortune and comfort
is in our good name； it is hard on us to even seem to do a
questionable thing。 We are always judged by appearances。 Gaubertin
himself saved Mademoiselle Laguerre's life during the Revolution； but
it seemed to others that he was robbing her。 She rewarded him in her
will with a diamond worth ten thousand francs； which Madame Gaubertin
now wears on her head。〃
The general gave Sibilet another glance still more diplomatic than the
first； but the steward seemed to take no notice of the challenge it
expressed。
〃If I were to appear dishonest； Monsieur Gaubertin would be so
overjoyed that I could instantly obtain his help；〃 continued Sibilet。
〃He would listen with all his ears if I said to him： 'Suppose I were
to extort twenty thousand francs from Monsieur le comte for Messrs。
Gravelot； on condition that they shared them with me？' If your
adversaries consented to that； Monsieur le comte； I should return you
ten thousand francs； you lose only the other ten； you save
appearances； and the suit is quashed。〃
〃You are a fine fellow； Sibilet；〃 said the general； taking his hand
and shaking it。 〃If you can manage the future as well as you do the
present； I'll call you the prince of stewards。〃
〃As to the future；〃 said Sibilet； 〃you won't die of hunger if no
timber is cut for two or three years。 Let us begin by putting proper
keepers in the woods。 Between now and then things will flow as the
water does in the Avonne。 Gaubertin may die； or get rich enough to
retire from business； at any rate； you will have sufficient time to
find him a competitor。 The cake is too rich not to be shared。 Look for
another Gaubertin to oppose the original。〃
〃Sibilet；〃 said the old soldier； delighted with this variety of
solutions。 〃I'll give you three thousand francs if you'll settle the
matter as you propose。 For the rest； we'll think about it。〃
〃Monsieur le comte；〃 said Sibilet； 〃first and foremost have the forest
properly watched。 See for yourself the condition in which the
peasantry have put it during your two years' absence。 What could I do？
I am steward； I am not a bailiff。 To guard Les Aigues properly you
need a mounted patrol and three keepers。〃
〃I certainly shall have the estate properly guarded。 So it is to be
war； is it？ Very good； then we shall make war。 That doesn't frighten
me；〃 said Montcornet； rubbing his hands。
〃A war of francs；〃 said Sibilet； 〃and you may find that more difficult
than the other kind； men can be killed but you can't kill self…
interest。 You wil