Taking the Bastile (7 page)

‘I ask you,’ said Billot, ‘if you are so lazy as to be afraid of fatigue.’

44 TAKING THE BASTILLE

‘Oh 1 with regard to fatigue, that is quite another thing, 1 replied Pi to u; ‘no, no, no; I could go ten leagues without being fatigued.’

‘Listen to me,’ said the farmer; ‘I ask you whether you are lazy in respect to work?’

‘I do not know, not I; for I have never worked.’

Catherine began to laugh, but Pere Billot took the matter in a serious point of view.

‘Those rascally pnests !’ said he, holding his clenched fists towards the town; ‘and this is the way they bring up lads, in idleness and uselessness. In what way, I ask you, can this great stripling here be of service to his brethren ? ‘

‘Ah 1 not of much use, certainly; that I know full well,’ replied Pitou; ‘fortunately I have no brothers.’

‘By brethren, I mean all men in general,’ observed Billot ‘Would you, perchance, insist that all men axe not brothers.’

‘Oh 1 that I acknowledge; moreover, it is so said in the gospel.’

‘And equals,’ continued the farmer.

‘Ah 1 as to that,’ said Pitou, ‘that is quite another affair. If I had been the equal of Monsieur Fortier, he would not so often have thrashed me with his cat-o’-nine-tails and his cane; and if I had been the equal of my aunt, she would not have turned me out of doors.’

‘I tell you that all men are equal,’ rejoined the farmer, ‘and we will very soon prove it to the tyrants. And the proof of this is, that I will take you into my house.’

‘You will take me into your house, my dear Monsieur Billot?’ cried Pitou, amazed. ‘Is it not to make game of me that you say this?’

‘No; come now, tell me, what would you require to live?’

‘Bread.’

‘And with your bread?’

‘A little butter or cheese.’

‘Well, well,’ said the farmer; ‘I see it will not be very expensive to keep you in food. My lad, you shall be fed.’

‘Monsieur Pitou,’ said Catherine, ‘had you not something to ask my father?’

‘Who 1 I, mademoiselle 1 Oh, good Lord, no 1*

‘And why was it that yon came here, then?’

‘Because you were coming here.’

A PHILOSOPHICAL FARMER 45

‘Ah I’ cried Catherine, ‘that is really very gallant; but I accept compliments only at their true value. You came, Monsieur Pitou, to ask my father if he had any news of your protector.’

‘Ah, that is true I’ replied Pitou. ‘Well now, how very droll 1 I had forgotten that altogether.’

‘You are speaking of our worthy Monsieur Gilbert ?’ said the farmer, m a tone which evinced the very high consideration he felt for his landlord.

‘Precisely,’ said Pitou. ‘But I have no longer any need of him; and since Monsieur Billot takes me into his house, I can tranquilly wait till we hear from him.’

‘In that case, my friend, you will not have to wait long, for he has returned.’

‘Really 1’ cried Pitou; ‘and when did he arrive?’

‘I do not know exactly; but what I know is, that he was at Havre a week ago; for I have in my holsters a packet which comes from him, and which he sent to me as soon as he arrived; and which was delivered to me this very morning, at Villers-Cotterfits.’

‘Who was it told you that it was from him, father?’ said Catherine.

‘Why, zounds I since there is a letter in the packet ‘

‘Excuse me, father,’ said Catherine, smiling, ‘but I thought that you could not read. I only say this, father, because you make a boast of not knowing how to read.’

‘Yes, I do boast of it. I wish that people should say, ” Father Billot owes nothing to any man not even a schoolmaster. Father Billot made his fortune himself.” That is what I wish people to say. It was not, therefore, I who read the letter. It was the quartermaster of the gendarmerie, whom I happened to meet.’

‘And what did this letter tell you, father? He is always well satisfied with us, is he not?’

‘Judge for yourself.’

And the farmer drew from his pocket a letter, which he handed to his daughter. Catherine read as follows :

*Mv DEAR MONSIEUR BILLOT, I arrived from America, where I found a people richer, greater, and happier than the people of our country. This arises from their being free, which we are not. But we are also advanced towards a new era. Every one should labour to hasten the day when the light shall shine. I know your principles.

46 TAKING THE BASTILLE

Monsieur Billot. I know your influence over your brother farmers, and over the whole of that worthy population of workmen and labourers whom you order, not as a king, but as a father. Inculcate in them principles of self-devoted- ness and fraternity, which I have observed that you possess. Philosophy is universal : all men ought to read their duties by the light of its torch. I send you a small book, in which ail these duties and all these rights are set forth. This little book was written by me, although my name does not appear upon the title page. Propagate the principles it contains, which are those of universal equality. Let it be read aloud in the long winter evenings. Reading is the pasture of the mind, as bread is the food of the body. ‘One of these days I shall go to see you, and propose to you a new system of farm-letting, which is much in use in America. It consists in dividing the produce of the land between the farmer and landlord. This appears to me more in conformity with the laws of primitive society; and, above all, more in accordance with the goodness of God.

‘Health and fraternity.

‘HONORS GILBERT,

‘Citizen of Philadelphia.’

‘Oh I oh P cried Pitou, ‘this is a well-written letter.’

‘Is it not?’ said Billot, delighted.

‘Yes, my dear father,’ observed Catherine; ‘but I doubt whether the quartermaster of the gendarmerie is of your opinion.’

‘And why do you think so?’

‘Because it appears to me that this letter may not only bring the doctor into trouble, but you also, my dear lather.’

‘Pshaw 1’ said Billot; ‘you are always afraid. But that matters not. Here is the pamphlet; and here is employment ready found for you, Pitou. In the evenings you shall read it.’

‘And in the day-time?’

‘In the day-time you will take care of the sheep and cows. In the meantime, there is your pamphlet. Pitou.’

Pitou read on the first page these words, which habit has since rendered very vague and very insignificant, but which at that period struck to the very fibres of all hearts ;

A PHILOSOPHICAL FARMER 47

‘Of tke Independence of Man, and the Liberty of Nation$. 1

‘What do you say to that, Pitou?’ inquired the farmer.

‘I say, that it appears to me, Monsieur Billot, that independence and liberty are the same thing. My protector would be turned out of Monsieur Fortier a class, for being guilty of a pleonasm.’

‘Pleonasm or not,’ cried the farmer, ‘that book is the book of a man.’

‘That matters not, father,’ said Catherine, with woman’s admirable instinct. ‘Hide it, I entreat you I It will bring you into trouble. As to myself, I know that I am trembling even at the sight of it.’

‘And why would yon have it injure mo, since it has not injured its author? 1

‘And how can yon tell that, father? It is eight days since that letter was written; and it could not have taken eight days for the parcel to have come from Havre, I also have received a letter this morning.’

‘And from whom?’

‘Prom Sebastian Gilbert, who has written to make inquiries. He desires me, even, to remember him to his foster-brother, Pitou. I had forgotten to deliver his message. He says that hia father had been expected to arrive in Paris, and that he had not arrived.’

‘Mademoiselle ia right,’ said Pitou. ‘It seems to me that this non-arrival ia disquieting.’

‘Hold your tongue, yon timid fellow, and read the doctor’s treatise,’ said the farmer : ‘then you will become not only learned, but a man

Pitou put the book under his arm with so solemn a gesture, that he completely gained the farmer’s heart.

‘And now,’ said Billot, have you dined?’

‘No, sir,’ replied Pitou, maintaining the same religious, semi-heroic attitude he had assumed since the book had been entrusted to his care.

‘He was just going to get his dinner, when he was driven out ol doors,’ said the young girl.’

‘Well, then,’ said Billot, go in and ask my wife for the usual farm fare, and to-morrow you shall enter on your functions.’

Pitou, with an eloquent look, thanked M. Billot, and, led by Catherine, entered the farm kitchen, a domain placed under the absolute direction of Madame Billot.

4 8 TAKING THE BASTILLE

MADAME BILLOT was a stout, buxom mamma, between thirty-five and thirty-six years old, round as a ball, fresh-coloured, smooth-skinned, and cordial in her manners. She trotted continually from the fowl-house to the dove-cote, from the sheep-pens to the cow-stable. She inspected the simmering of her soup, the stoves on which her fricassees and ragouts were cooking, and the spit on which the joint was roasting, as does a general when surveying his cantonments, judging by a mere glance whether everything was in its right place, and by their very odour, whether the thyme and laurel-leaves were distributed in due proportions in the stew-pans. She scolded from habit, but without the slightest intention that her scolding should be disagreeable; and her husband, whom she honoured as she would the greatest potentate of the earth, did not escape. Her daughter, also, got her share, though she loved her more than Madame de Sevign6 loved Madame de Grignan; and neither were her work-people overlooked, though she fed them better than any fanner in a circuit of ten leagues fed his. Therefore was it, that when a vacancy occurred in her household, there was great competition to obtain the place. We have seen that Pitou, without having been an applicant, had been elected. This was a happiness that he appreciated at its just value, especially when he saw the gold-coloured manchet which was placed at his left hand, the pot of cider which was on his right, and the piece of pickled pork on a plate before him. Since the moment that he lost his poor mother, Pitou had not, even on great festival days, partaken of such fare. Pitou felt a vast augmentation of respect for the farmer, of admiration for his wife, and of love for his daughter. There was only one thing which disquieted him, and that was the humiliating function he would have to fulfil during the day, of driving out the sheep and cows, a function so little in harmony with that which awaited him each evening.

It was on this subject that Pitou was meditating, immediately after his dinner. But even in this reverie.

PASTORAL SCENES 4 9

the influence of that excellent dinner was sensibly manifested. He began to consider things in a very different point of view to that which he had taken of them when fasting. Besides which, the sheepfolds were placed under the special direction of Mademoiselle Billot; and receiving orders from her lips was not receiving orders. But, on her part, Catherine watched over the dignity of Pitou. The same evening, when the young man approached her, and asked her at what hour he ought to go out to rejoin the shepherds, she said, smiling, ‘You will not go out at all.’

‘And why so?’ said Pitou, with amazement.

‘I have made my father comprehend that the education you have received places you above the functions which he had allotted to you. You will remain at the farm.’

‘Ahl so much the better,’ said Pitou. ‘In this way, I shall not leave you.’

The exclamation had escaped the ingenuous Pitou. But he had no sooner uttered it, than he blushed to his very ears; while Catherine, on her part, held down her head and smiled.

‘Ah 1 forgive me, mademoiselle. It came from my heart in spite of me. You must not be angry with me on that account,’ said Pitou.

‘Neither am I angry with you, Monsieur Pitou,’ said Catherine; ‘and it is no fault of yours if you feel pleasure in remaining with me.’

There was a silence of some moments. This was not at all astonishing, the poor children had said so much to each other in so few words.

‘But,’ said Pitou, ‘I cannot remain at the farm doing nothing. What am I to do at the farm ? ‘

‘You will do what I used to do. You will keep the books, the accounts with the work-people, and of our receipts and expenses. You know how to reckon, do you not?’

‘I know my four rules,’ proudly replied Pitou.

‘That is one more than ever I knew,’ said Catherine. ‘I never was able to get farther than the third. You see, therefore, that my father will be a gainer by having you for his accountant; and as I also shall gain, and you yourself will gain by it, everybody will be a gainer.’

‘And in what way will you gain by it, mademoiselle? inquired Pitou.

30 TAKING THH BASTILLE

‘I shall gain time by it; and in that time I will make myself caps, that I may look prettier.’

‘Ah I’ cried Pitou, ‘I think you quite pretty enough without caps,’

‘That is possible; but it is only your own individual taste.’ said the youns girl, laughing. ‘Moreover, I cannot go and dance on a Sunday at Villers-Cotterets, without having some sort of a cap upon my head. That is all very well for your great ladies, who have the right of wearing powder and going bareheaded.’

‘I think your hair more beautiful as it U, than if it were powdered.’ said Piton.

‘Come, come, now; I see you are bent on paying me compliments.’

‘No, mademoiselle, I do not know how to make them. We did not learn that at the Abb Pottier’s.’

‘And did you learn to dance there?’

‘To dance, and at the Abb* Fortier J 8? Good Lord, mademoiselle I oh I learn to dance, indeed 1’

“Then, you do not know how to dance?’

‘No,’ said Pitou.

‘Well, then, you shall go with me to the ball on Sunday, and you will look at Monsieur de Charny, while he is dancing. He is the best dancer of all the young men in the neighbourhood.’

‘And who is this Monsieur de Charny?’ demanded Pitou.

‘He is the proprietor of the Chateau de Boursonne.’

‘And he will dance on Sunday?’

‘Undoubtedly.’