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fall into the power of some sly girl； for he fasts so much。 Then if we
could catch him in the act and drum him up with a good charivari； the
bishop would be obliged to send him elsewhere。 It would please old
Rigou devilish well。 Now if your daughter； Courtecuisse； would leave
Auxerreshe's a pretty girl； and if she'd take to piety； she might
save us all。 Hey！ ran tan plan！〃
〃Why don't YOU do it？〃 said Godain to Catherine； in a low voice；
〃there'd be scuttles full of money to hush up the talk； and for the
time being you'd be mistress here〃
〃Shall we glean； or shall we not glean？ that's the point；〃 said
Bonnebault。 〃I don't care two straws for your abbe； not I； I belong to
Conches； where we haven't a black…coat to poke up our consciences。〃
〃Look here；〃 said Vaudoyer； 〃we had better go and ask Rigou； who knows
the law； whether the Shopman can forbid gleaning； and he'll tell us if
we've got the right of it。 If the Shopman has the law on his side；
well； then we must do as the old one says；see about taking things
sideways。〃
〃Blood will be spilt；〃 said Nicolas； darkly； as he rose after drinking
a whole bottle of wine； which Catherine drew for him in order to keep
him silent。 〃If you'd only listen to me you'd down Michaud； but you
are miserable weaklings；nothing but poor trash！〃
〃I'm not；〃 said Bonnebault。 〃If you are all safe friends who'll keep
your tongues between your teeth； I'll aim at the Shopman Hey！ how
I'd like to put a plum through his bottle； wouldn't it avenge me on
those cursed officers？〃
〃Tut！ tut！〃 cried Jean…Louis Tonsard； who was supposed to be； more or
less； Gaubertin's son； and who had just entered the tavern。 This
fellow； who was courting Rigou's pretty servant…girl； had succeeded
his nominal father as clipper of hedges and shrubberies and other
Tonsardial occupations。 Going about among the well…to…do houses； he
talked with masters and servants and picked up ideas which made him
the man of the world of the family； the shrewd head。 We shall
presently see that in making love to Rigou's servant…girl； Jean…Louis
deserved his reputation for shrewdness。
〃Well； what have you to say； prophet？〃 said the innkeeper to his son。
〃I say that you are playing into the hands of the rich folk；〃 replied
Jean…Louis。 〃Frighten the Aigues people to maintain your rights if you
choose； but if you drive them out of the place and make them sell the
estate； you are doing just what the bourgeois of the valley want； and
it's against your own interest。 If you help the bourgeois to divide
the great estates among them； where's the national domain to be bought
for nothing at the next Revolution？ Wait till then； and you'll get
your land without paying for it； as Rigou got his； whereas if you go
and thrust this estate into the jaws of the rich folk of the valley；
the rich folk will dribble it back to you impoverished and at twice
the price they paid for it。 You are working for their interests； I
tell you； so does everybody who works for Rigou；look at
Courtecuisse。〃
The policy contained in this allocution was too deep for the drunken
heads of those present； who were all； except Courtecuisse； laying by
their money to buy a slice of the Aigues cake。 So they let Jean…Louis
harangue； and continued； as in the Chamber of Deputies； their private
confabs with one another。
〃Yes； that's so； you'll be Rigou's cats…paw！〃 cried Fourchon； who
alone understood his grandson。
Just then Langlume； the miller of Les Aigues； passed the tavern。
Madame Tonsard hailed him。
〃Is it true；〃 she said； 〃that gleaning is to be forbidden？〃
Langlume； a jovial white man； white with flour and dressed in grayish…
white clothes； came up the steps and looked in。 Instantly all the
peasants became as sober as judges。
〃Well； my children； I am forced to answer yes； and no。 None but the
poor are to glean； but the measures they are going to take will turn
out to your advantage。〃
〃How so？〃 asked Godain。
〃Why； they can prevent any but paupers from gleaning here；〃 said the
miller； winking in true Norman fashion； 〃but that doesn't prevent you
from gleaning elsewhere；unless all the mayors do as the Blangy mayor
is doing。〃
〃Then it is true；〃 said Tonsard； in a threatening voice。
〃As for me；〃 said Bonnebault； putting his foraging…cap over one ear
and making his hazel stick whiz in the air； 〃I'm off to Conches to
warn the friends。〃
And the Lovelace of the valley departed； whistling the tune of the
martial song；
〃You who know the hussars of the Guard；
Don't you know the trombone of the regiment？〃
〃I say； Marie！ he's going a queer way to get to Conches； that friend
of yours；〃 cried old Mother Tonsard to her granddaughter。
〃He's after Aglae！〃 said Marie； who made one bound to the door。 〃I'll
have to thrash her once for all； that baggage！〃 she cried； viciously。
〃Come； Vaudoyer；〃 said Tonsard； 〃go and see Rigou； and then we shall
know what to do； he's our oracle； and his spittle doesn't cost
anything。〃
〃Another folly！〃 said Jean…Louis； in a low voice； 〃Rigou betrays
everybody； Annette tells me so； she says he's more dangerous when he
listens to you than other folks are when they bluster。〃
〃I advise you to be cautious；〃 said Langlume。 〃The general has gone to
the prefecture about your misdeeds； and Sibilet tells me he has sworn
an oath to go to Paris and see the Chancellor of France and the King
himself； and the whole pack of them if necessary； to get the better of
his peasantry。〃
〃His peasantry！〃 shouted every one。
〃Ha； ha！ so we don't belong to ourselves any longer？〃
As Tonsard asked the question； Vaudoyer left the house to see Rigou。
Langlume； who had already gone out； turned on the door…step； and
answered：
〃Crowd of do…nothings！ are you so rich that you think you are your own
masters？〃
Though said with a laugh； the meaning contained in those words was
understood by all present； as horses understand the cut of a whip。
〃Ran tan plan！ masters indeed！〃 shouted old Fourchon。 〃I say； my lad；〃
he added to Nicolas； 〃after your performance this morning it's not my
clarionet that you'll get between your thumb and four fingers！〃
〃Don't plague him； or he'll make you throw up your wine by a punch in
the stomach；〃 said Catherine； roughly。
CHAPTER XIII
A TYPE OF THE COUNTRY USURER
Strategically； Rigou's position at Blangy was that of a picket
sentinel。 He watched Les Aigues； and watched it well。 The police have
no spies comparable to those that serve hatred。
When the general first came to Les Aigues Rigou apparently formed some
plans about him which Montcornet's marriage with a Troisville put an
end to； he seemed to have wished to patronize the new land…owner。 In
fact his intentions were so patent that Gaubertin thought best to let
him into the secrets of the coalition against Les Aigues。 Before
accepting any part in the a