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him into the secrets of the coalition against Les Aigues。 Before
accepting any part in the affair； Rigou determined； as he said； to put
the general between two stools。
One day； after the countess was fairly installed； a little wicker
carriage painted green entered the grand courtyard of the chateau。 The
mayor； who was flanked by his mayoress； got out and came round to the
portico on the garden side。 As he did so Rigou saw Madame le comtesse
at a window。 She； however； devoted to the bishop and to religion and
to the Abbe Brossette； sent word by Francois that 〃Madame was out。〃
This act of incivility； worthy of a woman born in Russia； turned the
face of the ex…Benedictine yellow。 If the countess had seen the man
whom the abbe told her was 〃a soul in hell who plunged into iniquity
as into a bath in his efforts to cool himself；〃 if she had seen his
face then she might have refrained from exciting the cold； deliberate
hatred felt by the liberals against the royalists； increased as it was
in country…places by the jealousies of neighborhood； where the
recollections of wounded vanity are kept constantly alive。
A few details about this man and his morals will not only throw light
on his share of the plot； called 〃the great affair〃 by his two
associates； but it will have the merit of picturing an extremely
curious type of man；one of those rural existences which are peculiar
to France； and which no writer has hitherto sought to depict。 Nothing
about this man is without significance；neither his house； nor his
manner of blowing the fire； nor his ways of eating； his habits；
morals； and opinions will vividly illustrate the history of the
valley。 This renegade serves to show the utility of democracy； he is
at once its theory and its practice； its alpha and its omega； in
short； its 〃summum。〃
Perhaps you will remember certain masters of avarice pictured in
former scenes of this comedy of human life： in the first place the
provincial minister； Pere Grandet of Saumur； miserly as a tiger is
cruel； next Gobseck； the usurer； that Jesuit of gold； delighting only
in its power； and relishing the tears of the unfortunate because gold
produced them； then Baron Nucingen； lifting base and fraudulent money
transactions to the level of State policy。 Then； too； you may remember
that portrait of domestic parsimony； old Hochon of Issoudun； and that
other miser in behalf of family interests； little la Baudraye of
Sancerre。 Well； human emotionsabove all； those of avaricetake on
so many and diverse shades in the diverse centres of social existence
that there still remains upon the stage of our comedy another miser to
be studied； namely； Rigou；Rigou； the miser…egoist； full of
tenderness for his own gratifications； cold and hard to others； the
ecclesiastical miser； the monk still a monk so far as he can squeeze
the juice of the fruit called good…living； and becoming secular only
to put a paw upon the public money。 In the first place； let us explain
the continual pleasure that he took in sleeping under his own roof。
Blangyby that we mean the sixty houses described by Blondet in his
letter to Nathanstands on a rise of land to the left of the Thune。
As all the houses are surrounded by gardens； the village is a very
pretty one。 Some houses are built on the banks of the stream。 At the
upper end of the long rise stands the church； formerly flanked by a
parsonage； its apse surrounded； as in many other villages； by a
graveyard。 The sacrilegious old Rigou had bought the parsonage； which
was originally built by an excellent Catholic； Mademoiselle Choin； on
land which she had bought for the purpose。 A terraced garden； from
which the eye looked down upon Blangy； Cerneux； and Soulanges standing
between the two great seignorial parks； separated the late parsonage
from the church。 On its opposite side lay a meadow； bought by the last
curate of the parish not long before his death； which the distrustful
Rigou had since surrounded with a wall。
The ex…monk and mayor having refused to sell back the parsonage for
its original purpose； the parish was obliged to buy a house belonging
to a peasant； which adjoined the church。 It was necessary to spend
five thousand francs to repair and enlarge it and to enclose it in a
little garden； one wall of which was that of the sacristy； so that
communication between the parsonage and the church was still as close
as it ever was。
These two houses； built on a line with the church； and seeming to
belong to it by their gardens； faced a piece of open ground planted by
trees； which might be called the square of Blangy；all the more
because the count had lately built； directly opposite to the new
parsonage； a communal building intended for the mayor's office； the
home of the field…keeper； and the quarters of that school of the
Brothers of the Christian Doctrine； for which the Abbe Brossette had
hitherto begged in vain。 Thus； not only were the houses of the ex…monk
and the young priest connected and yet separated by the church； but
they were in a position to watch each other。 Indeed； the whole village
spied upon the abbe。 The main street； which began at the Thune； crept
tortuously up the hill to the church。 Vineyards； the cottages of the
peasantry； and a small grove crowned the heights。
Rigou's house； the handsomest in the village； was built of the large
rubble…stone peculiar to Burgundy； imbedded in yellow mortar smoothed
by the trowel； which produced an uneven surface； still further broken
here and there by projecting points of the stone； which was mostly
black。 A band of cement； in which no stones were allowed to show；
surrounded each window with a sort of frame； where time had made some
slight； capricious cracks； such as appear on plastered ceilings。 The
outer blinds； of a clumsy pattern； were noticeable for their color；
which was dragon…green。 A few mosses grew among the slates of the
roof。 The type is that of Burgundian homesteads； the traveller will
see thousands like it when visiting this part of France。
A double door opened upon a passage； half…way down which was the well
of the staircase。 By the entrance was the door of a large room with
three windows looking out upon the square。 The kitchen； built behind
and beneath the staircase； was lighted from the courtyard； which was
neatly paved with cobble…stones and entered by a porte…cochere。 Such
was the ground…floor。 The first floor contained three bedrooms； above
them a small attic chamber。
A wood…shed； a coach…house； and a stable adjoined the kitchen； and
formed two sides of a square around the courtyard。 Above these rather
flimsy buildings were lofts containing hay and grain； a fruit…room；
and one servant's…chamber。
A poultry…yard； the stable； and a pigsty faced the house across the
courtyard。
The garden； about an acre in size and enclosed by walls； was a true
priest's garden； that is； it was full of wall…fruit and fruit…trees；
grape…arbors； gr