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〃Is it possible that women paint？〃
〃Now； Lupin；〃 said Rigou； without replying to this naivete； 〃go over
to Gaubertin's to…morrow morning。 Tell him that my fellow…mayor and I〃
（striking Soudry on the thigh） 〃will break bread with him at breakfast
somewhere about midday。 Tell him everything； so that we may all have
thought it over before we meet； for now's the time to make an end of
that damned Shopman。 As I drove over here I came to the conclusion it
would be best to get up a quarrel between the courts and him； so that
the Keeper of the Seals would be wary of making the changes he may ask
in their members。〃
〃Bravo for the son of the Church！〃 cried Lupin； slapping Rigou on the
shoulder。
Madame Soudry was here struck by an idea which could come only to a
former waiting…maid of an Opera divinity。
〃If；〃 she said； 〃one could only get the Shopman to the fete at
Soulanges； and throw some fine girl in his way who would turn his
head； we could easily set his wife against him by letting her know
that the son of an upholsterer has gone back to the style of his early
loves。〃
〃Ah； my beauty！〃 said Soudry； 〃you have more sense in your head than
the Prefecture of police in Paris。〃
〃That's an idea which proves that Madame reigns by mind as well as by
beauty；〃 said Lupin； who was rewarded by a grimace which the leading
society of Soulanges were in the habit of accepting without protest
for a smile。
〃One might do better still；〃 said Rigou； after some thought； 〃if we
could only turn it into a downright scandal。〃
〃Complaint and indictment！ affair in the police court！〃 cried Lupin。
〃Oh！ that would be grand！〃
〃Glorious！〃 said Soudry； candidly。 〃What happiness to see the Comte de
Montcornet； grand cross of the Legion of honor； commander of the Order
of Saint Louis； and lieutenant…general； accused of having attempted；
in a public resort； the virtuejust think of it！〃
〃He loves his wife too well；〃 said Lupin； reflectively。 〃He couldn't
be got to that。〃
〃That's no obstacle；〃 remarked Rigou； 〃but I don't know a single girl
in the whole arrondissement who is capable of making a sinner of a
saint。 I have been looking out for one for the abbe。〃
〃What do you say to that handsome Gatienne Giboulard； of Auxerre； whom
Sarcus； junior； is mad after？〃 asked Lupin。
〃That's the only one；〃 answered Rigou； 〃but she is not suitable； she
thinks she has only to be seen to be admired； she's not complying
enough； we want a witch and a sly…boots； too。 Never mind； the right
one will turn up sooner or later。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lupin； 〃the more pretty girls he sees the greater the
chances are。〃
〃But perhaps you can't get the Shopman to the fair；〃 said the ex…
gendarme。 〃And if he does come； will he go to the Tivoli ball？〃
〃The reason that has always kept him away from the fair doesn't exist
this year； my love；〃 said Madame Soudry。
〃What reason； dearest？〃 asked Soudry。
〃The Shopman wanted to marry Mademoiselle de Soulanges；〃 said the
notary。 〃The family replied that she was too young； and that mortified
him。 That is why Monsieur de Soulanges and Monsieur de Montcornet； two
old friends who both served in the Imperial Guard； are so cool to each
other that they never speak。 The Shopman doesn't want to meet the
Soulanges at the fair； but this year the family are not coming。〃
Usually the Soulanges party stayed at the chateau from July to
October； but the general was then in command of the artillery in
Spain； under the Duc d'Angouleme； and the countess had accompanied
him。 At the siege of Cadiz the Comte de Soulanges obtained； as every
one knows； the marshal's baton； which he kept till 1826。
〃Very true；〃 cried Lupin。 〃Well； it is for you； papa；〃 he added；
addressing Rigou； 〃to manoeuvre the matter so that we can get him to
the fair； once there； we ought to be able to entrap him。〃
The fair of Soulanges； which takes place on the 15th of August； is one
of the features of the town； and carries the palm over all other fairs
in a circuit of sixty miles； even those of the capital of the
department。 Ville…aux…Fayes has no fair； for its fete…day； the Saint…
Sylvestre； happens in winter。
From the 12th to the 15th of August all sorts of merchants abounded at
Soulanges； and set up their booths in two parallel lines； two rows of
the well…known gray linen huts； which gave a lively appearance to the
usually deserted streets。 The two weeks of the fair brought in a sort
of harvest to the little town； for the festival has the authority and
prestige of tradition。 The peasants； as old Fourchon said； flocked in
from the districts to which labor bound them for the rest of the year。
The wonderful show on the counters of the improvised shops； the
collection of all sorts of merchandise； the coveted objects of the
wants or the vanities of these sons of the soil； who have no other
shows or exhibitions to enjoy exercise a periodical seduction over the
minds of all； especially the women and children。 So； after the first
of August the authorities posted advertisements signed by Soudry；
throughout the whole arrondissement； offering protection to merchants；
jugglers； mountebanks； prodigies of all kinds； and stating how long
the fair would last； and what would be its principal attractions。
On these posters； about which it will be remembered Madame Tonsard
inquired of Vermichel； there was always； on the last line； the
following announcement：
〃Tivoli will be illuminated with colored…glass lamps。〃
The town had adopted as the place for public a dance…ground created by
Socquard out of a stony garden （stony； like the rest of the hill on
which Soulanges is built； where the gardens are of made land）； and
called by him a Tivoli。 This character of the soil explains the
peculiar flavor of the Soulanges wine；a white wine； dry and
spirituous； very like Madeira or the Vouvray wine； or Johannisberger；
three vintages which resemble one another。
The powerful effect produced by the Socquard ball upon the
imaginations of the whole country…side made the inhabitants thereof
very proud of their Tivoli。 Such as had ventured as far as Paris
declared that the Parisian Tivoli was superior to that of Soulanges
only in size。 Gaubertin boldly declared that； for his part； he
preferred the Socquard ball to the Parisian ball。
〃Well； we'll think it all over；〃 continued Rigou。 〃That Parisian
fellow； the editor of a newspaper； will soon get tired of his present
amusement and be glad of a change； perhaps we could through the
servants give him the idea of coming to the fair； and he'd bring the
others； I'll consider it。 Sibilet mightalthough； to be sure； his
influence is devilishly decreased of latebut he might get the
general to think he could curry popularity by coming。〃
〃Find out if the beautiful countess keeps the general at arm's
length；〃 said Lupin； 〃that's the point if you want him to fall into
the farce at Tivo