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was the leading bore。 They said he talked like a book。 Gaubertin
prophesied he would receive the cross of the Legion of honor； but not
until the day when； as Leclercq's successor； he should take his seat
on the benches of the Left Centre。
Guerbet； the collector； a man of parts； a heavy； fat； individual with
a buttery face； a toupet on his bald spot； gold earrings； which were
always in difficulty with his shirt…collar； had the hobby of pomology。
Proud of possessing the finest fruit…garden in the arrondissement； he
gathered his first crops a month later than those of Paris； his hot…
beds supplied him with pine…apples； nectarines； and peas； out of
season。 He brought bunches of strawberries to Madame Soudry with pride
when the fruit could be bought for ten sous a basket in Paris。
Soulanges possessed a pharmaceutist named Vermut； a chemist； who was
more of a chemist than Sarcus was a statesman； or Lupin a singer； or
Gourdon the elder a scientist； or his brother a poet。 Nevertheless；
the leading society of Soulanges did not take much notice of Vermut；
and the second…class society took none at all。 The instinct of the
first may have led them to perceive the real superiority of this
thinker； who said little but smiled at their absurdities so
satirically that they first doubted his capacity and then whispered
tales against it； as for the other class they took no notice of him
one way or the other。
Vermut was the butt of Madame Soudry's salon。 No society is complete
without a victim；without an object to pity； ridicule； despise； and
protect。 Vermut； full of his scientific problems； often came with his
cravat untied； his waistcoat unbuttoned； and his little green surtout
spotted。
The little man； gifted with the patience of a chemist； could not enjoy
（that is the term employed in the provinces to express the abolition
of domestic rule） Madame Vermut；a charming woman； a lively woman；
capital company （for she could lose forty sous at cards and say
nothing）； a woman who railed at her husband； annoyed him with
epigrams； and declared him to be an imbecile unable to distil anything
but dulness。 Madame Vermut was one of those women who in the society
of a small town are the life and soul of amusement and who set things
going。 She supplied the salt of her little world； kitchen…salt； it is
true； her jokes were somewhat broad； but society forgave them； though
she was capable of saying to the cure Taupin； a man of seventy years
of age； with white hair； 〃Hold your tongue； my lad。〃
The miller of Soulanges； possessing an income of fifty thousand
francs； had an only daughter whom Lupin desired for his son Amaury；
since he had lost the hope of marrying him to Gaubertin's daughter。
This miller； a Sarcus…Taupin； was the Nucingen of the little town。 He
was supposed to be thrice a millionaire； but he never transacted
business with others； and thought only of grinding his wheat and
keeping a monopoly of it； his most noticeable point was a total
absence of politeness and good manners。
The elder Guerbet； brother of the post…master at Conches； possessed an
income of ten thousand francs； besides his salary as collector。 The
Gourdons were rich； the doctor had married the only daughter of old
Monsieur Gendrin…Vatebled； keeper of the forests and streams； whom the
family were now EXPECTING TO DIE； while the poet had married the niece
and sole heiress of the Abbe Taupin； the curate of Soulanges； a stout
priest who lived in his cure like a rat in his cheese。
This clever ecclesiastic； devoted to the leading society； kind and
obliging to the second； apostolic to the poor and unfortunate； made
himself beloved by the whole town。 He was cousin of the miller and
cousin of the Sarcuses； and belonged therefore to the neighborhood and
to its mediocracy。 He always dined out and saved expenses； he went to
weddings but came away before the ball； he paid the costs of public
worship； saying； 〃It is my business。〃 And the parish let him do it；
with the remark； 〃We have an excellent priest。〃 The bishop； who knew
the Soulanges people and was not at all misled as to the true value of
the abbe； was glad enough to keep in such a town a man who made
religion acceptable； and who knew how to fill his church and preach to
sleepy heads。
It is unnecessary to remark that not only each of these worthy
burghers possessed some one of the special qualifications which are
necessary to existence in the provinces； but also that each cultivated
his field in the domain of vanity without a rival。 Pere Guerbet
understood finance； Soudry might have been minister of war； if Cuvier
had passed that way incognito； the leading society of Soulanges would
have proved to him that he knew nothing in comparison with Monsieur
Gourdon the doctor。 〃Adolphe Nourrit with his thread of a voice；〃
remarked the notary with patronizing indulgence； 〃was scarcely worthy
to accompany the nightingale of Soulanges。〃 As to the author of the
〃Cup…and…Ball〃 （which was then being printed at Bournier's）； society
was satisfied that a poet of his force could not be met with in Paris；
for Delille was now dead。
This provincial bourgeoisie； so comfortably satisfied with itself；
took the lead through the various superiorities of its members。
Therefore the imagination of those who ever resided； even for a short
time； in a little town of this kind can conceive the air of profound
satisfaction upon the faces of these people； who believed themselves
the solar plexus of France； all of them armed with incredible
dexterity and shrewdness to do mischief；all； in their wisdom；
declaring that the hero of Essling was a coward； Madame de Montcornet
a manoeuvring Parisian； and the Abbe Brossette an ambitious little
priest。
If Rigou； Soudry； and Gaubertin had lived at Ville…aux…Fayes； they
would have quarrelled； their various pretensions would have clashed；
but fate ordained that the Lucullus of Blangy felt too strongly the
need of solitude； in which to wallow at his ease in usury and
sensuality； to live anywhere but at Blangy； that Madame Soudry had
sense enough to see that she could reign nowhere else except at
Soulanges； and that Ville…aux…Fayes was Gaubertin's place of business。
Those who enjoy studying social nature will admit that General
Montcornet was pursued by special ill…luck in this accidental
separation of his dangerous enemies； who thus accomplished the
evolutions of their individual power and vanity at such distances from
each other that neither star interfered with the orbit of the other；
a fact which doubled and trebled their powers of mischief。
Nevertheless； though all these worthy bourgeois； proud of their
accomplishments； considered their society as far superior in
attractions to that of Ville…aux…Fayes； and repeated with comic
pomposity the local dictum； 〃Soulanges is a town of society and social
pleasures；〃 it must not be supposed that Ville…aux…Fayes accepted this
supremacy。 The G