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in the district； brought him curses and hatred； which were showered
upon him simply because he was rich。 How could such facts be
understood unless we had previously taken that rapid glance at the
Mediocracy。 Fourchon was right； the middle classes now held the
position of the former lords。 The small land…owners； of whom
Courtecuisse is a type； were tenants in mortmain of a Tiberius in the
valley of the Avonne； just as； in Paris； traders without money are the
peasantry of the banking system。
Soudry followed Rigou's example from Soulanges to a distance of
fifteen miles beyond Ville…aux…Fayes。 These two usurers shared the
district between them。
Gaubertin； whose rapacity was in a higher sphere； not only did not
compete against that of his associates； but he prevented all other
capital in Ville…aux…Fayes from being employed in the same fruitful
manner。 It is easy to imagine what immense influence this triumvirate
Rigou； Soudry； and Gaubertinwielded in election periods over
electors whose fortunes depended on their good…will。
Hate； intelligence； and means at command； such were the three sides of
the terrible triangle which describes the general's closest enemy； the
spy ever watching Les Aigues；a shark having constant dealings with
sixty to eighty small land…owners； relations or connections of the
peasantry； who feared him as such men always fear their creditor。
Rigou was in his way another Tonsard。 The one throve on thefts from
nature； the other waxed fat on legal plunder。 Both liked to live well。
It was the same nature in two species；the one natural； the other
whetted by his training in a cloister。
It was about four o'clock when Vaudoyer left the tavern of the Grand…
I…Vert to consult the former mayor。 Rigou was at dinner。 Finding the
front door locked； Vaudoyer looked above the window blinds and called
out：
〃Monsieur Rigou； it is I；Vaudoyer。〃
Jean came round from the porte…cochere and said to Vaudoyer：
〃Come into the garden； Monsieur has company。〃
The company was Sibilet； who； under pretext of discussing the verdict
Brunet had just handed in； was talking to Rigou of quite other
matters。 He had found the usurer finishing his dessert。 On a square
dinner…table covered with a dazzling white clothfor； regardless of
his wife and Annette who did the washing； Rigou exacted clean table…
linen every daythe steward noted strawberries； apricots； peaches；
figs； and almonds； all the fruits of the season in profusion； served
in white porcelain dishes on vine…leaves as daintily as at Les Aigues。
Seeing Sibilet； Rigou told him to run the bolts of the inside double…
doors； which were added to the other doors as much to stifle sounds as
to keep out the cold air； and asked him what pressing business brought
him there in broad daylight when it was so much safer to confer
together at night。
〃The Shopman talks of going to Paris to see the Keeper of the Seals；
he is capable of doing you a great deal of harm； he may ask for the
dismissal of your son…in…law； and the removal of the judges at Ville…
aux…Fayes； especially after reading the verdict just rendered in your
favor。 He has turned at bay； he is shrewd； and he has an adviser in
that abbe； who is quite able to tilt with you and Gaubertin。 Priests
are powerful。 Monseigneur the bishop thinks a great deal of the Abbe
Brossette。 Madame la comtesse talks of going herself to her cousin the
prefect； the Comte de Casteran； about Nicolas。 Michaud begins to see
into our game。〃
〃You are frightened；〃 said Rigou； softly； casting a look on Sibilet
which suspicion made less impassive than usual； and which was
therefore terrific。 〃You are debating whether it would not be better
on the whole to side with the Comte de Montcornet。〃
〃I don't see where I am to get the four thousand francs I save
honestly and invest every year； after you have cut up and sold Les
Aigues；〃 said Sibilet； shortly。 〃Monsieur Gaubertin has made me many
fine promises； but the crisis is coming on； there will be fighting；
surely。 Promising before victory and keeping a promise after it are
two very different things。〃
〃I will talk to him about it；〃 replied Rigou； imperturbably。 〃Meantime
this is what I should say to you if I were in his place： 'For the last
five years you have taken Monsieur Rigou four thousand francs a year；
and that worthy man gives you seven and a half per cent； which makes
your property in his hands at this moment over twenty…seven thousand
francs； as you have not drawn the interest。 But there exists a private
signed agreement between you and Rigou； and the Shopman will dismiss
his steward whenever the Abbe Brossette lays that document before his
eyes； the abbe will be able to do so after receiving an anonymous
letter which will inform him of your double…dealing。 You would
therefore do better for yourself by keeping well with us instead of
clamoring for your pay in advance；all the more because Monsieur
Rigou； who is not legally bound to give you seven and a half per cent
and the interest on your interest； will make you in court a legal
tender of your twenty thousand francs； and you will not be able to
touch that money until your suit； prolonged by legal trickery； shall
be decided by the court at Ville…aux…Fayes。 But if you act wisely you
will find that when Monsieur Rigou gets possession of your pavilion at
Les Aigues； you will have very nearly thirty thousand francs in his
hands and thirty thousand more which the said Rigou may entrust to
you；which will be all the more advantageous to you then because the
peasantry will have flung them themselves upon the estate of Les
Aigues； divided into small lots like the poverty of the world。' That's
what Monsieur Gaubertin might say to you。 As for me； I have nothing to
say； for it is none of my business。 Gaubertin and I have our own
quarrel with that son of the people who is ashamed of his own father；
and we follow our own course。 If my friend Gaubertin feels the need of
using you； I don't； I need no one； for everybody is at my command。 As
to the Keeper of the Seals； that functionary is often changed； whereas
weWE are always here； and can bide our time。〃
〃Well； I've warned you；〃 returned Sibilet； feeling like a donkey under
a pack…saddle。
〃Warned me of what？〃 said Rigou； artfully。
〃Of what the Shopman is going to do；〃 answered the steward； humbly。
〃He started for the Prefecture in a rage。〃
〃Let him go！ If the Montcornets and their kind didn't use wheels； what
would become of the carriage…makers？〃
〃I shall bring you three thousand francs to…night；〃 said Sibilet； 〃but
you ought to make over some of your maturing mortgages to me；say；
one or two that would secure to me good lots of land。〃
〃Well； there's that of Courtecuisse。 I myself want to be easy on him
because he is the best shot in the canton； but if I make over his
mortgage to you； you will seem to be harassing him on the Shopman's
account； a