按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
length；〃 said Lupin； 〃that's the point if you want him to fall into
the farce at Tivoli。〃
〃That little woman；〃 cried Madame Soudry； 〃is too much of a Parisian
not to know how to run with the hare and hold with the hounds。〃
〃Fourchon has got his granddaughter Catherine on good terms； he tells
me； with Charles； the Shopman's groom。 That gives us one ear more in
Les AiguesAre you sure of the Abbe Taupin；〃 he added； as the priest
entered the room from the terrace。
〃We hold him and the Abbe Mouchon； too； just as I hold Soudry；〃 said
the queen； stroking her husband's chin； 〃you are not unhappy； dearest；
are you？〃 she said to Soudry。
〃If I can plan a scandal against that Tartufe of a Brossette we can
win；〃 said Rigou； in a low voice。 〃But I am not sure if the local
spirit can succeed against the Church spirit。 You don't realize what
that is。 I； myself； who am no fool； I can't say what I'll do when I
fall ill。 I believe I shall try to be reconciled with the Church。〃
〃Suffer me to hope it；〃 said the Abbe Taupin； for whose benefit Rigou
had raised his voice on the last words。
〃Alas！ the wrong I did in marrying prevents it；〃 replied Rigou。 〃I
cannot kill off Madame Rigou。〃
〃Meantime； let us think of Les Aigues；〃 said Madame Soudry。
〃Yes；〃 said the ex…monk。 〃Do you know； I begin to think that our
associate at Ville…aux…Fayes may be cleverer than the rest of us。 I
fancy that Gaubertin wants Les Aigues for himself； and that he means
to trick us in the end。〃
〃But Les Aigues will not belong to any one of us； it will have to come
down； from roof to cellar；〃 said Soudry。
〃I shouldn't be surprised if there were treasure buried in those
cellars；〃 observed Rigou； cleverly。
〃Nonsense！〃
〃Well； in the wars of the olden time the great lords； who were often
besieged and surprised； did bury their gold until they should be able
to recover it； and you know that the Marquis de Soulanges…Hautemer （in
whom the younger branch came to an end） was one of the victims of the
Biron conspiracy。 The Comtesse de Moret received the property from
Henri IV。 when it was confiscated。〃
〃See what it is to know the history of France！〃 said Soudry。 〃You are
right。 It is time to come to an understanding with Gaubertin。〃
〃If he shirks；〃 said Rigou； 〃we must smoke him out。〃
〃He is rich enough now；〃 said Lupin； 〃to be an honest man。〃
〃I'll answer for him as I would for myself；〃 said Madame Soudry； 〃he's
the most loyal man in the kingdom。〃
〃We all believe in his loyalty；〃 said Rigou； 〃but nevertheless nothing
should be neglected； even among friends By the bye； I think there is
some one in Soulanges who is hindering matters。〃
〃Who's that？〃 asked Soudry。
〃Plissoud；〃 replied Rigou。
〃Plissoud！〃 exclaimed Soudry。 〃Poor fool！ Brunet holds him by the
halter； and his wife by the gullet； ask Lupin。〃
〃What can he do？〃 said Lupin。
〃He means to warn Montcornet；〃 replied Rigou； 〃and get his influence
and a place〃
〃It wouldn't bring him more than his wife earns for him at Soulanges；〃
said Madame Soudry。
〃He tells everything to his wife when he is drunk；〃 remarked Lupin。
〃We shall know it all in good time。〃
〃The beautiful Madame Plissoud has no secrets from you；〃 said Rigou；
〃we may be easy about that。〃
〃Besides； she's as stupid as she is beautiful；〃 said Madame Soudry。 〃I
wouldn't change with her； for if I were a man I'd prefer an ugly woman
who has some mind； to a beauty who can't say two words。〃
〃Ah！〃 said the notary； biting his lips； 〃but she can make others say
three。〃
〃Puppy！〃 cried Rigou； as he made for the door。
〃Well； then；〃 said Soudry； following him to the portico； 〃to…morrow；
early。〃
〃I'll come and fetch you Ha！ Lupin；〃 he said to the notary； who came
out with him to order his horse； 〃try to make sure that Madame Sarcus
hears all the Shopman says and does against us at the Prefecture。〃
〃If she doesn't hear it； who will？〃 replied Lupin。
〃Excuse me；〃 said Rigou； smiling blandly； 〃but there are such a lot of
ninnies in there that I forgot there was one clever man。〃
〃The wonder is that I don't grow rusty among them；〃 replied Lupin；
naively。
〃Is it true that Soudry has hired a pretty servant？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Lupin； 〃for the last week our worthy mayor has set the
charms of his wife in full relief by comparing her with a little
peasant…girl about the age of an old ox； and we can't yet imagine how
he settles it with Madame Soudry； for； would you believe it； he has
the audacity to go to bed early。〃
〃I'll find out to…morrow；〃 said the village Sardanapalus； trying to
smile。
The two plotters shook hands as they parted。
Rigou； who did not like to be on the road after dark for；
notwithstanding his present popularity； he was cautious； called to his
horse； 〃Get up； Citizen；〃a joke this son of 1793 was fond of letting
fly at the Revolution。 Popular revolutions have no more bitter enemies
than those they have trained themselves。
〃Pere Rigou's visits are pretty short；〃 said Gourdon the poet to
Madame Soudry。
〃They are pleasant； if they are short；〃 she answered。
〃Like his own life；〃 said the doctor； 〃his abuse of pleasures will cut
that short。〃
〃So much the better；〃 remarked Soudry； 〃my son will step into the
property。〃
〃Did he bring you any news about Les Aigues？〃 asked the Abbe Taupin。
〃Yes； my dear abbe；〃 said Madame Soudry。 〃Those people are the scourge
of the neighborhood。 I can't comprehend how it is that Madame de
Montcornet； who is certainly a well…bred woman； doesn't understand
their interests better。〃
〃And yet she has a model before her eyes；〃 said the abbe。
〃Who is that？〃 asked Madame Soudry； smirking。
〃The Soulanges。〃
〃Ah； yes！〃 replied the queen after a pause。
〃Here I am！〃 cried Madame Vermut； coming into the room； 〃and without
my re…active；for Vermut is so inactive in all that concerns me that
I can't call him an active of any kind。〃
〃What the devil is that cursed old Rigou doing there？〃 said Soudry to
Guerbet； as they saw the green chaise stop before the gate of the
Tivoli。 〃He is one of those tiger…cats whose every step has an
object。〃
〃You may well say cursed；〃 replied the fat little collector。
〃He has gone into the Cafe de la Paix；〃 remarked Gourdon； the doctor。
〃And there's some trouble there；〃 added Gourdon the poet； 〃I can hear
them yelping from here。〃
〃That cafe；〃 said the abbe； 〃is like the temple of Janus； it was
called the Cafe de la Guerre under the Empire； and then it was peace
itself； the most respectable of the bourgeoisie met there for
conversation〃
〃Conversation！〃 interrupted the justice of the peace。 〃What kind of
conversation was it which produced all the little Bourniers？〃
〃but ever since it has been called； in honor of the Bourbons； the
Cafe de la Paix； fights take place there every day；〃 sai