sons of the soil-第6章
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〃What？〃
〃An otter； my good gentleman。 If it hears us it'll go quick under
water。 I'm certain it jumped there； see！ see！ there； where the water
bubbles！ Ha！ it sees a fish； it is after that！ But my boy will grab it
as it comes back。 The otter； don't you know； is very rare； it is
scientific game； and good eating； too。 I get ten francs for every one
I carry to Les Aigues； for the lady fasts Fridays； and to…morrow is
Friday。 Years agone the deceased madame used to pay me twenty francs；
and gave me the skin to boot！ Mouche；〃 he called； in a low voice；
〃watch it！〃
Blondet now perceived on the other side of the river two bright eyes；
like those of a cat； beneath a tuft of alders； then he saw the tanned
forehead and tangled hair of a boy about ten years of age； who was
lying on his stomach and making signs towards the otter to let his
master know he kept it well in sight。 Blondet； completely mastered by
the eagerness of the old man and boy； allowed the demon of the chase
to get the better of him；that demon with the double claws of hope
and curiosity； who carries you whithersoever he will。
〃The hat…makers buy the skin；〃 continued the old man； 〃it's so soft；
so handsome！ They cover caps with it。〃
〃Do you really think so； my old man？〃 said Blondet； smiling。
〃Well truly； my good gentleman； you ought to know more than I； though
I am seventy years old；〃 replied the old fellow； very humbly and
respectfully； falling into the attitude of a giver of holy water；
〃perhaps you can tell me why conductors and wine…merchants are so fond
of it？〃
Blondet； a master of irony； already on his guard from the word
〃scientific；〃 recollected the Marechal de Richelieu and began to
suspect some jest on the part of the old man； but he was reassured by
his artless attitude and the perfectly stupid expression of his face。
〃In my young days we had lots of otters；〃 whispered the old fellow；
〃but they've hunted 'em so that if we see the tail of one in seven
years it is as much as ever we do。 And the sub…prefect at Ville…aux…
Fayes；doesn't monsieur know him？ though he be a Parisian； he's a
fine young man like you； and he loves curiosities；so； as I was
saying； hearing of my talent for catching otters； for I know 'em as
you know your alphabet； he says to me like this： 'Pere Fourchon；' says
he； 〃when you find an otter bring it to me； and I'll pay you well； and
if it's spotted white on the back；' says he； 'I'll give you thirty
francs。' That's just what he did say to me as true as I believe in God
the Father； Son； and Holy Ghost。 And there's a learned man at
Soulanges； Monsieur Gourdon； our doctor； who is making； so they tell
me； a collection of natural history which hasn't its mate at Dijon
even； indeed he is first among the learned men in these parts； and
he'll pay me a fine price； too； he stuffs men and beasts。 Now my boy
there stands me out that that otter has got the white spots。 'If
that's so；' says I to him； 'then the good God wishes well to us this
morning！' Ha！ didn't you see the water bubble？ yes； there it is！ there
it is！ Though it lives in a kind of a burrow； it sometimes stays whole
days under water。 Ha； there！ it heard you； my good gentleman； it's on
its guard now； for there's not a more suspicious animal on earth； it's
worse than a woman。〃
〃So you call women suspicious； do you？〃 said Blondet。
〃Faith； monsieur； if you come from Paris you ought to know about that
better than I。 But you'd have done better for me if you had stayed in
your bed and slept all the morning； don't you see that wake there？
that's where she's gone under。 Get up； Mouche！ the otter heard
monsieur talking； and now she's scary enough to keep us at her heels
till midnight。 Come； let's be off！ and good…bye to our thirty francs！〃
Mouche got up reluctantly； he looked at the spot where the water
bubbled； pointed to it with his finger and seemed unable to give up
all hope。 The child； with curly hair and a brown face； like the angels
in a fifteenth…century picture； seemed to be in breeches； for his
trousers ended at the knee in a ragged fringe of brambles and dead
leaves。 This necessary garment was fastened upon him by cords of
tarred oakum in guise of braces。 A shirt of the same burlap which made
the old man's trousers； thickened； however； by many darns； open in
front showed a sun…burnt little breast。 In short； the attire of the
being called Mouche was even more startlingly simple than that of Pere
Fourchon。
〃What a good…natured set of people they are here；〃 thought Blondet；
〃if a man frightened away the game of the people of the suburbs of
Paris； how their tongues would maul him！〃
As he had never seen an otter； even in a museum； he was delighted with
this episode of his early walk。 〃Come；〃 said he； quite touched when
the old man walked away without asking him for a compensation； 〃you
say you are a famous otter catcher。 If you are sure there is an otter
down there〃
From the other side of the water Mouche pointed his finger to certain
air…bubbles coming up from the bottom of the Avonne and bursting on
its surface。
〃It has come back！〃 said Pere Fourchon； 〃don't you see it breathe； the
beggar？ How do you suppose they manage to breathe at the bottom of the
water？ Ah； the creature's so clever it laughs at science。〃
〃Well；〃 said Blondet； who supposed the last word was a jest of the
peasantry in general rather than of this peasant in particular； 〃wait
and catch the otter。〃
〃And what are we to do about our day's work； Mouche and I？〃
〃What is your day worth？〃
〃For the pair of us； my apprentice and me？Five francs；〃 said the old
man； looking Blondet in the eye with a hesitation which betrayed an
enormous overcharge。
The journalist took ten francs from his pocket； saying； 〃There's ten；
and I'll give you ten more for the otter。〃
〃And it won't cost you dear if there's white on its back； for the sub…
prefect told me there wasn't one o' them museums that had the like；
but he knows everything； our sub…prefect；no fool he！ If I hunt the
otter； he； M'sieur des Lupeaulx； hunts Mademoiselle Gaubertin； who has
a fine white 〃dot〃 on her back。 Come now； my good gentleman； if I may
make so bold； plunge into the middle of the Avonne and get to that
stone down there。 If we head the otter off； it will come down stream；
for just see their slyness； the beggars！ they always go above their
burrow to feed； for； once full of fish； they know they can easily
drift down； the sly things！ Ha！ if I'd been trained in their school I
should be living now on an income； but I was a long time finding out
that you must go up stream very early in the morning if you want to
bag the game before others。 Well； somebody threw a spell over me when
I was born。 However； we three together ought to be slyer than the
otter。〃
〃How so； my old necromancer？〃
〃Why； bless you！ we are as stupid as the beasts； and so we come to
understand the beasts。 Now； see； this is what we'll do。 When the otter
wants to get home Mouche and I'll frighten it here； and you'll
frighten it over there； frightened by us and frightened by you it will
jump on the bank； and when it takes to earth； it is lost！ It can't
run； it has web feet for swimming。 Ho； ho！ it will make you laugh；
such floundering！ you don't know whether you are fishing or hunting！
The general up at Les Aigues； I have known him to stay here three days
running； he was so bent on getting an otter。〃
Blondet； armed with a branch cut for him by the old man； who requested
him to whip the water with it when he called to him； planted himself
in the middle of the river by jumping from stone to stone。
〃There； that will do； my good gentleman。〃
Blondet stood where he was told without remarking the lapse of time；
for every now and then the old fellow made him a sign as much as to
say that all was going well； and besides； nothing makes time go so
fast as the expectation that quick action is to succeed the perfect
stillness of watching。
〃Pere Fourchon；〃 whispered the boy； finding himself alone with the old
man； 〃there's REALLY an otter！〃
〃Do you see it？〃
〃There； see there！〃
The old fellow was dumb…founded at beholding under water the reddish…
brown fur of an actual otter。
〃It's coming my way！〃 said the child。
〃Hit him a sharp blow on the head and jump into the water and hold him
fast down； but don't let him go！〃
Mouche dove into the water like a frightened frog。
〃Come； come； my good gentleman；〃 cried Pere Fourchon to Blondet；
jumping into the water and leaving his sabots on the bank； 〃frighten
him！ frighten him！ Don't you see him？ he is swimming fast your way！〃
The old man dashed toward Blondet through the water； calling out with
the gravity that country people retain in the midst of their greatest
excitements：
〃Don't you see him； there； along the rocks？〃
Blondet； placed by direction of the old fellow in such a way that the
sun was in his eyes； thrashed the water with much satisfaction to
himself。
〃Go on； go on！〃 cried Pere Fourchon； 〃on the rock side； the burrow is
there； to your left！〃
Carried away by excitement and by his long waiting； Blondet slipped
from the stones into the water。
〃Ha！ brave you are； my good gentleman！ Twenty good Gods！ I see him
between your legs！ you'll have him！ Ah！ there！ he's gonehe's
gone！〃 cried the old man； in despair。
Then； in the fury of the chase； the old fellow plunged into the
deepest part of the stream in front of Blondet。
〃It's your fault we've lost him！〃 he cried； as Blondet gave him a hand
to pull him out； dripping like a triton； and a vanquished triton。 〃The
rascal； I see him； under those rocks！ He has let go his fish；〃
continued Fourchon； pointing to something that floated on the surface。
〃We'll have that at any rate； it's a tench； a real tench。〃
Just then a groom in livery on horseback and leading another horse by
the bridle galloped up the road toward Conches。
〃See！ there's the chateau people sending after you；〃 said the old man。
〃If you want to cross back again I'll give you a hand。 I don't mind
about getting wet； it saves washing！〃
〃How about rheumatism？〃
〃Rheumatism！ don't you see the sun has browned our legs； Mouche and
me； like tobacco…pipes。 Here； lean on me； my good gentlemanyou're
from Paris； you don't know； though you DO know so much； how to walk on
our rocks。 If you stay here long enough； you'll learn a deal that's
written in the book o' nature；you who write； so they tell me； in the
newspapers。〃
Blondet had reached the bank before Charles； the groom； perceived him。
〃Ah； monsieur！〃 he cried； 〃you don't know how anxious Madame has been
since she heard you had gone through the gate of Conches； she was
afraid you were drowned。 They have rung the great bell three times；
and Monsieur le cure
