第48章

"You ask me what can be done, Monsieur le comte? Why, only one thing, compromise; but of course you can't negotiate that yourself.I must be thought to cheat you! We, poor devils, whose only fortune and comfort is in our good name, it is hard on us to even seem to do a questionable thing.We are always judged by appearances.Gaubertin himself saved Mademoiselle Laguerre's life during the Revolution, but it seemed to others that he was robbing her.She rewarded him in her will with a diamond worth ten thousand francs, which Madame Gaubertin now wears on her head."

The general gave Sibilet another glance still more diplomatic than the first; but the steward seemed to take no notice of the challenge it expressed.

"If I were to appear dishonest, Monsieur Gaubertin would be so overjoyed that I could instantly obtain his help," continued Sibilet.

"He would listen with all his ears if I said to him: 'Suppose I were to extort twenty thousand francs from Monsieur le comte for Messrs.

Gravelot, on condition that they shared them with me?' If your adversaries consented to that, Monsieur le comte, I should return you ten thousand francs; you lose only the other ten, you save appearances, and the suit is quashed."

"You are a fine fellow, Sibilet," said the general, taking his hand and shaking it."If you can manage the future as well as you do the present, I'll call you the prince of stewards."

"As to the future," said Sibilet, "you won't die of hunger if no timber is cut for two or three years.Let us begin by putting proper keepers in the woods.Between now and then things will flow as the water does in the Avonne.Gaubertin may die, or get rich enough to retire from business; at any rate, you will have sufficient time to find him a competitor.The cake is too rich not to be shared.Look for another Gaubertin to oppose the original."

"Sibilet," said the old soldier, delighted with this variety of solutions."I'll give you three thousand francs if you'll settle the matter as you propose.For the rest, we'll think about it."

"Monsieur le comte," said Sibilet, "first and foremost have the forest properly watched.See for yourself the condition in which the peasantry have put it during your two years' absence.What could I do?

I am steward; I am not a bailiff.To guard Les Aigues properly you need a mounted patrol and three keepers."

"I certainly shall have the estate properly guarded.So it is to be war, is it? Very good, then we shall make war.That doesn't frighten me," said Montcornet, rubbing his hands.

"A war of francs," said Sibilet; "and you may find that more difficult than the other kind; men can be killed but you can't kill self-

interest.You will fight your enemy on the battle-field where all landlords are compelled to fight,--I mean cash results.It is not enough to produce, you must sell; and in order to sell, you must be on good terms with everybody."

"I shall have the country people on my side."

"By what means?"

"By doing good among them."

"Doing good to the valley peasants! to the petty shopkeepers of Soulanges!" exclaimed Sibilet, squinting horribly, by reason of the irony which flamed brighter in one eye than in the other."Monsieur le comte doesn't know what he undertakes.Our Lord Jesus Christ would die again upon the cross in this valley! If you wish an easy life, follow the example of the late Mademoiselle Laguerre; let yourself be robbed, or else make people afraid of you.Women, children, and the masses are all governed by fear.That was the great secret of the Convention, and of the Emperor, too."

"Good heavens! is this the forest of Bondy?" cried the general.

"My dear," said Sibilet's wife, appearing at this moment, "your breakfast is ready.Pray excuse him, Monsieur le comte; he has eaten nothing since morning for he was obliged to go to Ronquerolles to deliver some barley."

"Go, go, Sibilet," said the general.

The next morning the count rose early, before daylight, and went to the gate of the Avonne, intending to talk with the one forester whom he employed and find out what the man's sentiments really were.

Some seven or eight hundred acres of the forest of Les Aigues lie along the banks of the Avonne; and to preserve the majestic beauty of the river the large trees that border it have been left untouched for a distance of three leagues on both sides in an almost straight line.

The mistress of Henri IV., to whom Les Aigues formerly belonged, was as fond of hunting as the king himself.In 1593 she ordered a bridge to be built of a single arch with shelving roadway by which to ride from the lower side of the forest to a much larger portion of it, purchased by her, which lay upon the slopes of the hills.The gate of the Avonne was built as a place of meeting for the huntsmen; and we know the magnificence bestowed by the architects of that day upon all buildings intended for the delight of the crown and the nobility.Six avenues branched away from it, their place of meeting forming a half-

moon.In the centre of the semi-circular space stood an obelisk surmounted by a round shield, formerly gilded, bearing on one side the arms of Navarre and on the other those of the Countess de Moret.