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of which could be seen a shirt of coarse linen； so black that he must
have worn it a month and washed it himself in the Thune。 His sabots
were mended with old iron。 The original stuff of his trousers was
unrecognizable from the darns and the infinite number of patches。 On
his head was a horrible cap； evidently cast off and picked up in the
doorway of some bourgeois house in Ville…aux…Fayes。
Clear…sighted enough to estimate the elements of good fortune that
centred in Catherine Tonsard； his ambition was to succeed her father
at the Grand…I…Vert。 He made use of all his craftiness and all his
actual powers to capture her； he promised her wealth； he also promised
her the license her mother had enjoyed； besides this； he offered his
prospective father…in…law an enormous rental； five hundred francs a
year； for his inn； until he could buy him out； trusting to an
agreement he had made with Monsieur Brunet to pay these costs by notes
on stamped paper。 By trade a journeyman tool…maker； this gnome worked
for the wheelwrights when work was plentiful； but he also hired
himself out for any extra labor which was well paid。 Though he
possessed； unknown to the whole neighborhood； eighteen hundred francs
now in Gaubertin's hands； he lived like a beggar； slept in a barn； and
gleaned at the harvests。 He wore Gaubertin's receipt for his money
sewn into the waist…belt of his trousers；having it renewed every
year with its own added interest and the amount of his savings。
〃Hey！ what do I care；〃 cried Nicolas； replying to Godain's prudent
advice not to talk before Niseron。 〃If I'm doomed to be a soldier I'd
rather the sawdust of the basket sucked up my blood than have it
dribbled out drop by drop in the battles。 I'll deliver this country of
at least one of those Arminacs that the devil has launched upon us。〃
And he related what he called Michaud's plot against him； which Marie
and Bonnebault had overheard。
〃Where do you expect France to find soldiers？〃 said the white…haired
old man； rising and standing before Nicolas during the silence which
followed the utterance of this threat。
〃We serve our time and come home again；〃 remarked Bonnebault； twirling
his moustache。
Observing that all the worst characters of the neighborhood were
collecting； Pere Niseron shook his head and left the tavern； after
offering a farthing to Madame Tonsard in payment for his glass of
wine。 When the worthy man had gone down the steps a movement of relief
and satisfaction passed through the assembled drinkers which would
have told whoever watched them that each man in that company felt he
was rid of the living image of his own conscience。
〃Well； what do you say to all that； hey； Courtecuisse？〃 asked
Vaudoyer； who had just come in； and to whom Tonsard had related
Vatel's attempt。
Courtecuisse clacked his tongue against the roof of his mouth； and set
his glass on the table。
〃Vatel put himself in the wrong；〃 he said。 〃If I were Mother Tonsard；
I'd give myself a few wounds and go to bed and say I was ill； and have
that Shopman and his keeper up before the assizes and get twenty
crowns damages。 Monsieur Sarcus would give them。〃
〃In any case the Shopman would give them to stop the talk it would
make；〃 said Godain。
Vaudoyer； the former field…keeper； a man five feet six inches tall；
with a face pitted with the small…pox and furrowed like a nut…cracker；
kept silence with a hesitating air。
〃Well； you old ninny； does that ruffle you？〃 asked Tonsard； attracted
by the idea of damages。 〃If they had broken twenty crowns' worth of my
mother's bones we could turn it into good account； we might make a
fine fuss for three hundred francs； Monsieur Gourdon would go to Les
Aigues and tell them that the mother had got a broken hip〃
〃And break it； too；〃 interrupted Madame Tonsard； 〃they do that in
Paris。〃
〃It would cost too much；〃 remarked Godain。
〃I have been too long among the people who rule us to believe that
matters will go as you want them；〃 said Vaudoyer at last； remembering
his past official intercourse with the courts and the gendarmerie。 〃If
it were at Soulanges； now； it might be done； Monsieur Soudry
represents the government there； and he doesn't wish well to the
Shopman； but if you attack the Shopman and Vatel they'll defend
themselves viciously； they'll say； 'The woman was to blame； she had a
tree； otherwise she would have let her bundle be examined on the
highroad； she wouldn't have run away； if an accident happened to her
it was through her own fault。' No； you can't trust to that plan。〃
〃The Shopman didn't resist when I sued him；〃 said Courtecuisse； 〃he
paid me at once。〃
〃I'll go to Soulanges； if you like；〃 said Bonnebault； 〃and consult
Monsieur Gourdon； the clerk of the court； and you shall know to…night
if THERE'S MONEY IN IT。〃
〃You are only making an excuse to be after that big goose of a girl；
Socquard's daughter；〃 said Marie Tonsard； giving Bonnebault a slap on
the shoulder that made his lungs hum。
Just then a verse of an old Burgundian Christmas carol was heard：
〃One fine moment of his life
Was at the wedding feast；
He changed the water into wine；
Madeira of the best。〃
Every one recognized the vinous voice of old Fourchon； to whom the
verse must have been peculiarly agreeable； Mouche accompanied in his
treble tones。
〃Ha！ they're full！〃 cried old Mother Tonsard to her daughter…in…law；
〃your father is as red as a grid…iron； and that chip o' the block as
pink as vine…shoot。〃
〃Your healths！〃 cried the old man； 〃and a fine lot of scoundrels you
are！ All hail！〃 he said to his granddaughter； whom he spied kissing
Bonnebault； 〃hail； Marie； full of vice！ Satan is with three； cursed
art thou among women； etcetera。 All hail； the company present！ you are
done for； every one of you！ you may just say good…bye to your sheaves。
I being news。 I always told you the rich would crush us； well now； the
Shopman is going to have the law of you！ Ha！ see what it is to
struggle against those bourgeois fellows； who have made so many laws
since they got into power that they've a law to enforce every trick
they play〃
A violent hiccough gave a sudden turn to the ideas of the
distinguished orator。
〃If Vermichel were only here I'd blow in his gullet； and he'd get an
idea of sherry wine。 Hey！ what a wine it is！ If I wasn't a Burgundian
I'd be a Spaniard！ It's God's own wine！ the pope says mass with it
Hey！ I'm young again！ Say； Courtecuisse！ if your wife were only here
we'd be young together。 Don't tell me！ Spanish wine is worth a dozen
of boiled wine。 Let's have a revolution if it's only to empty the
cellars！〃
〃But what's your news； papa？〃 said Tonsard。
〃There'll be no harvest for you； the Shopman has given orders to stop
the gleaning。〃
〃Stop the gleaning！〃 cried the whole tavern； with one voice； in which
the shrill tones of the four women predominated。