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the woman who had killed his dog； hoping to catch her with the bloody
bill…hook in her hand and the tool used to make the incisions in the
bark of the tree。
〃Let us go and tell the general at once； before he breakfasts；〃 cried
the countess； 〃he might die of anger。〃
〃I'll prepare him；〃 said Blondet。
〃They have killed the dog；〃 said Olympe； in tears。
〃You loved the poor greyhound； dear； enough to weep for him？〃 said the
countess。
〃I think of Prince as a warning； I fear some danger to my husband。〃
〃How they have ruined this beautiful morning for us；〃 said the
countess； with an adorable little pout。
〃How they have ruined the country；〃 said Olympe； gravely。
They met the general near the chateau。
〃Where have you been？〃 he asked。
〃You shall know in a minute；〃 said Blondet； mysteriously； as he helped
the countess and Madame Michaud to alight。 A moment more and the two
gentlemen were alone on the terrace of the apartments。
〃You have plenty of moral strength； general； you won't put yourself in
a passion； will you？〃
〃No；〃 said the general； 〃but come to the point or I shall think you
are making fun of me。〃
〃Do you see those trees with dead leaves？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Do you see those others that are wilting？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； every one of them has been killed by the peasants you think you
have won over by your benefits。〃
And Blondet related the events of the morning。
The general was so pale that Blondet was frightened。
〃Come； curse； swear； be furious！ your self…control may hurt you more
than anger！〃
〃I'll go and smoke；〃 said the general； turning toward the kiosk。
During breakfast Michaud came in； he had found no one。 Sibilet； whom
the count had sent for； came also。
〃Monsieur Sibilet； and you； Monsieur Michaud； are to make it known；
cautiously； that I will pay a thousand francs to whoever will arrest
IN THE ACT the person or persons who are killing my trees； they must
also discover the instrument with which the work is done； and where it
was bought。 I have settled upon a plan。〃
〃Those people never betray one another；〃 said Sibilet； 〃if the crime
done is for their benefit and premeditated。 There is no denying that
this diabolical business has been planned； carefully planned and
contrived。〃
〃Yes； but a thousand francs means a couple of acres of land。〃
〃We can try；〃 said Sibilet； 〃fifteen hundred francs might buy you a
traitor； especially if you promise secrecy。〃
〃Very good； but let us act as if we suspected nothing； I especially；
if not； we shall be the victims of some collusion； one has to be as
wary with these brigands as with the enemy in war。〃
〃But the enemy is here；〃 said Blondet。
Sibilet threw him the furtive glance of a man who understood the
meaning of the words； and then he withdrew。
〃I don't like your Sibilet；〃 said Blondet； when he had seen the
steward leave the house。 〃That man is playing false。〃
〃Up to this time he has done nothing I could complain of；〃 said the
general。
Blondet went off to write letters。 He had lost the careless gayety of
his first arrival； and was now uneasy and preoccupied； but he had no
vague presentiments like those of Madame Michaud； he was； rather； in
full expectation of certain foreseen misfortunes。 He said to himself；
〃This affair will come to some bad end； and if the general does not
take decisive action and will not abandon a battle…field where he is
overwhelmed by numbers there must be a catastrophe； and who knows who
will come out safe and sound；perhaps neither he nor his wife。 Good
God！ that adorable little creature！ so devoted； so perfect！ how can he
expose her thus！ He thinks he loves her！ Well； I'll share their
danger； and if I can't save them I'll suffer with them。〃
CHAPTER VIII
RURAL VIRTUE
That night Marie Tonsard was stationed on the road to Soulanges；
sitting on the rail of a culvert waiting for Bonnebault； who had spent
the day； as usual； at the Cafe de la Paix。 She heard him coming at
some distance； and his step told her that he was drunk； and she knew
also that he had lost money； for he always sang if he won。
〃Is that you； Bonnebault？〃
〃Yes； my girl。〃
〃What's the matter？〃
〃I owe twenty…five francs； and they may wring my neck twenty…five
times before I can pay them。〃
〃Well； I know how you can get five hundred；〃 she said in his ear。
〃Oh！ by killing a man； but I prefer to live。〃
〃Hold your tongue。 Vaudoyer will give us five hundred francs if you
will let him catch your mother at a tree。〃
〃I'd rather kill a man than sell my mother。 There's your old
grandmother； why don't you sell her？〃
〃If I tried to； my father would get angry and stop the trick。〃
〃That's true。 Well； anyhow； my mother sha'n't go to prison； poor old
thing！ She cooks my food and keeps me in clothes； I'm sure I don't
know how。 Go to prison；and through me！ I shouldn't have any bowels
within me； no； no！ And for fear any one else should sell her； I'll
tell her this very night not to kill any more trees。〃
〃Well； my father may say and do what he likes； but I shall tell him
there are five hundred francs to be had； and perhaps he'll ask my
grandmother if she'll earn them。 They'll never put an old woman
seventy…eight years of age in prison；though； to be sure； she'd be
better off there than in her garret。〃
〃Five hundred francs！ well； yes； I'll speak to my mother；〃 said
Bonnebault； 〃and if it suits her to give 'em to me； I'll let her have
part to take to prison。 She could knit； and amuse herself； and she'd
be well fed and lodged； and have less trouble than she has at Conches。
Well； to…morrow； my girl； I'll see you about it； I haven't time to
stop now。〃
The next morning at daybreak Bonnebault and his old mother knocked at
the door of the Grand…I…Vert。 Mother Tonsard was the only person up。
〃Marie！〃 called Bonnebault； 〃that matter is settled。〃
〃You mean about the trees？〃 said Mother Tonsard； 〃yes； it is all
settled； I've taken it。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 cried Mother Bonnebault； 〃my son has got the promise of an
acre of land from Monsieur Rigou〃
The two old women squabbled as to which of them should be sold by her
children。 The noise of the quarrel woke up the household。 Tonsard and
Bonnebault took sides for their respective mothers。
〃Pull straws；〃 suggested Tonsard's wife。
The short straw gave it in favor of the tavern。
Three days later； in the forest of Ville…aux…Fayes at daybreak； the
gendarmes arrested old Mother Tonsard caught 〃in flagrante delicto〃 by
the bailiff； his assistants； and the field…keeper； with a rusty file
which served to tear the tree； and a chisel； used by the delinquent to
scoop round the bark just as the insect bores its way。 The indictment
stated that sixty trees thus destroyed were found within a radius of
five hundred feet。 The old woman was sent to Auxerre； th