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I…Vert assembled there to hear the tale。
The first to come was Courtecuisse； in whom you would scarcely have
recognized the once jovial forester； the rubicund do…nothing； whose
wife made his morning coffee as we have before seen。 Aged； and thin；
and haggard； he presented to all eyes a lesson that no one learned。
〃He tried to climb higher than the ladder；〃 was what his neighbors
said when others pitied him and blamed Rigou。 〃He wanted to be a
bourgeois himself。〃
In fact； Courtecuisse did intend to pass for a bourgeois in buying the
Bachelerie； and he even boasted of it； though his wife went about the
roads gathering up the horse…droppings。 She and Courtecuisse got up
before daylight； dug their garden； which was richly manured； and
obtained several yearly crops from it； without being able to do more
than pay the interest due to Rigou for the rest of the purchase…money。
Their daughter； who was living at service in Auxerre； sent them her
wages； but in spite of all their efforts； in spite of this help； the
last day for the final payment was approaching； and not a penny in
hand with which to meet it。 Madame Courtecuisse； who in former times
occasionally allowed herself a bottle of boiled wine or a bit of roast
meat； now drank nothing but water。 Courtecuisse was afraid to go to
the Grand…I…Vert lest he should have to leave three sous behind him。
Deprived of power； he had lost his privilege of free drinks； and he
bitterly complained； like all other fools； of man's ingratitude。 In
short； he found； according to the experience of all peasants bitten
with the demon of proprietorship； that toil had increased and food
decreased。
〃Courtecuisse has done too much to the property；〃 the people said；
secretly envying his position。 〃He ought to have waited till he had
paid the money down and was master before he put up those fruit
palings。〃
With the help of his wife he had managed to manure and cultivate the
three acres of land sold to him by Rigou； together with the garden
adjoining the house； which was beginning to be productive； and he was
in danger of being turned out of it all。 Clothed in rags like
Fourchon； poor Courtecuisse； who lately wore the boots and gaiters of
a huntsman； now thrust his feet into sabots and accused 〃the rich〃 of
Les Aigues of having caused his destitution。 These wearing anxieties
had given to the fat little man and his once smiling and rosy face a
gloomy and dazed expression； as though he were ill from the effects of
poison or with some chronic malady。
〃What's the matter with you； Monsieur Courtecuisse； is your tongue
tied？〃 asked Tonsard； as the man continued silent after he had told
him about the battle which had just taken place。
〃No； no！〃 cried Madame Tonsard； 〃he needn't complain of the midwife
who cut his string；she made a good job of it。〃
〃It is enough to make a man dumb； thinking from morning till night of
some way to escape Rigou；〃 said the premature old man； gloomily。
〃Bah！〃 said old Mother Tonsard； 〃you've got a pretty daughter；
seventeen years old。 If she's a good girl you can easily manage
matters with that old jail bird〃
〃We sent her to Auxerre two years ago to Madame Mariotte the elder； to
keep her out of harm's way； I'd rather die than〃
〃What a fool you are！〃 said Tonsard； 〃look at my girls；are they any
the worse？ He who dares to say they are not as virtuous as marble
images will have to do with my gun。〃
〃It'll be hard to have to come to that；〃 said Courtecuisse； shaking
his head。 〃I'd rather earn the money by shooting one of those
Arminacs。〃
〃Well； I call it better for a girl to save a father than to wrap up
her virtue and let it mildew；〃 retorted the innkeeper。
Tonsard felt a sharp tap on his shoulder； delivered by Pere Niseron。
〃That is not a right thing to say！〃 cried the old man。 〃A father is
the guardian of the honor of his family。 It is by behaving as you do
that scorn and contempt are brought upon us； it is because of such
conduct that the People are accused of being unfit for liberty。 The
People should set an example of civic virtue and honor to the rich。
You all sell yourselves to Rigou for gold； and if you don't sell him
your daughters； at any rate you sell him your honor；and it's wrong。〃
〃Just see what a position Courtecuisse is in；〃 said Tonsard。
〃See what a position I am in；〃 replied Pere Niseron； 〃but I sleep in
peace； there are no thorns in my pillow。〃
〃Let him talk； Tonsard；〃 whispered his wife； 〃you know they're just
HIS NOTIONS； poor dear man。〃
Bonnebault and Marie； Catherine and her brother came in at this moment
in a state of exasperation； which had begun with Nicolas's failure；
and was raised to the highest pitch by Michaud's advice to the
countess about Bonnebault。 As Nicolas entered the tavern he was
uttering frightful threats against the Michaud family and Les Aigues。
〃The harvest's coming； well； I vow I'll not go before I've lighted my
pipe at their wheat…stacks；〃 he cried； striking his fist on the table
as he sat down。
〃Mustn't yelp like that before people；〃 said Godain； showing him Pere
Niseron。
〃If the old fellow tells； I'll wring his neck；〃 said Catherine。 〃He's
had his day； that old peddler of foolish reasons！ They call him
virtuous； it's his temperament that keeps him so； that's all。〃
Strange and noteworthy sight！that of those lifted heads； that group
of persons gathered in the reeking hovel； while old Mother Tonsard
stood sentinel at the door as security for the secret words of the
drinkers。
Of all those faces； that of Godain； Catherine's suitor； was perhaps
the most alarming； though the least pronounced。 Godain；a miser
without money；the cruelest of misers； for he who seeks money surely
takes precedence of him who hoards it； one turning his eagerness
within himself； the other looking outside with terrible intentness；
Godain represented the type of the majority of peasant faces。
He was a journeyman； small in frame； and saved from the draft by not
attaining the required military height； naturally lean and made more
so by hard work and the enforced sobriety under which reluctant
workers like Courtecuisse succumb。 His face was no bigger than a man's
fist； and was lighted by a pair of yellow eyes with greenish strips
and brown spots； in which a thirst for the possession of property was
mingled with a concupiscence which had no heat；for desire； once at
the boiling…point； had now stiffened like lava。 His skin； brown as
that of a mummy； was glued to his temples。 His scanty beard bristled
among his wrinkles like stubble in the furrows。 Godain never
perspired； he reabsorbed his substance。 His hairy hands； formed like
claws； nervous； never still； seemed to be made of old wood。 Though
scarcely twenty…seven years of age； white lines were beginning to show
in his rusty black hair。 He wore a blouse； through the breast opening
of which could be seen a shirt of coarse lin