登陆注册
5579800000103

第103章

The waiter was a jack at all trades; he cultivated Socquard's vines, swept out the cafe and the billiard-room, kept the garden in order, and watered the Tivoli, all for fifty francs a year.He was always without a jacket, except on grand occasions; usually his sole garments were a pair of blue linen trousers, heavy shoes, and a striped velvet waistcoat, over which he wore an apron of homespun linen when at work in the cafe or billiard-room.This apron, with strings, was the badge of his functions.The fellow had been hired by Socquard at the last annual fair; for in this valley, as throughout Burgundy, servants are hired in the market-place by the year, exactly as one buys horses.

"What's your name?" said Rigou.

"Michel, at your service," replied the waiter.

"Doesn't old Fourchon come here sometimes?"

"Two or three times a week, with Monsieur Vermichel, who gives me a couple of sous to warn him if his wife's after them."

"He's a fine old fellow, Pere Fourchon; knows a great deal and is full of good sense," said Rigou, paying for his lemonade and leaving the evil-smelling place when he saw Pere Socquard leading his horse round.

Just as he was about to get into the carriage, Rigou noticed the chemist crossing the square and hailed him with a "Ho, there, Monsieur Vermut!" Recognizing the rich man, Vermut hurried up.Rigou joined him, and said in a low voice:--

"Are there any drugs that can eat into the tissue of the skin so as to produce a real disease, like a whitlow on the finger, for instance?"

"If Monsieur Gourdon would help, yes," answered the little chemist.

"Vermut, not a word of all this, or you and I will quarrel; but speak of the matter to Monsieur Gourdon, and tell him to come and see me the day after to-morrow.I may be able to procure him the delicate operation of cutting off a forefinger."

Then, leaving the little man thoroughly bewildered, Rigou got into the carriole beside Marie Tonsard.

"Well, you little viper," he said, taking her by the arm when he had fastened the reins to a hook in front of the leathern apron which closed the carriole and the horse had started on a trot, "do you think you can keep Bonnebault by giving way to such violence? If you were a wise girl you would promote his marriage with that hogshead of stupidity and take your revenge afterwards."

Marie could not help smiling as she answered:--

"Ah, how bad you are! you are the master of us all in wickedness."

"Listen to me, Marie; I like the peasants, but it won't do for any one of you to come between my teeth and a mouthful of game.Your brother Nicolas, as Aglae said, is after La Pechina.That must not be; I protect her, that girl.She is to be my heiress for thirty thousand francs, and I intend to marry her well.I know that Nicolas, helped by your sister Catherine, came near killing the little thing this morning.You are to see your brother and sister at once, and say to them: 'If you let La Pechina alone, Pere Rigou will save Nicolas from the conscription.'"

"You are the devil incarnate!" cried Marie."They do say you've signed a compact with him.Is that true?"

"Yes," replied Rigou, gravely.

"I heard it, but I didn't believe it."

"He has guaranteed that no attacks aimed at me shall hurt me; that I shall never be robbed; that I shall live a hundred years and succeed in everything I undertake, and be as young to the day of my death as a two-year old cockerel--"

"Well, if that's so," said Marie, "it must be DEVILISHLY easy for you to save my brother from the conscription--"

"If he chooses, that's to say.He'll have to lose a finger," returned Rigou."I'll tell him how."

"Look out, you are taking the upper road!" exclaimed Marie.

"I never go by the lower at night," said the ex-monk.

"On account of the cross?" said Marie, naively.

"That's it, sly-boots," replied her diabolical companion.

They had reached a spot where the high-road cuts through a slight elevation of ground, making on each side of it a rather steep slope, such as we often see on the mail-roads of France.At the end of this little gorge, which is about a hundred feet long, the roads to Ronquerolles and to Cerneux meet and form an open space, in the centre of which stands a cross.From either slope a man could aim at a victim and kill him at close quarters, with all the more ease because the little hill is covered with vines, and the evil-doer could lie in ambush among the briers and brambles that overgrow them.We can readily imagine why the usurer did not take that road after dark.The Thune flows round the little hill; and the place is called the Close of the Cross.No spot was ever more adapted for revenge or murder, for the road to Ronquerolles continues to the bridge over the Avonne in front of the pavilion of the Rendezvous, while that to Cerneux leads off above the mail-road; so that between the four roads,--to Les Aigues, Ville-aux-Fayes, Ronquerolles, and Cerneux,--a murderer could choose his line of retreat and leave his pursuers in uncertainty.

"I shall drop you at the entrance of the village," said Rigou when they neared the first houses of Blangy.

"Because you are afraid of Annette, old coward!" cried Marie."When are you going to send her away? you have had her now three years.What amuses me is that your old woman still lives; the good God knows how to revenge himself."

同类推荐
  • 壬午功臣爵赏录

    壬午功臣爵赏录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 正谏

    正谏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明伦汇编人事典八岁部

    明伦汇编人事典八岁部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 投元郎中

    投元郎中

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 物不迁论

    物不迁论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 万世皇神

    万世皇神

    春秋战国,群雄割据。乱世英雄,秦皇一统,万古归一。长生之道,异世寻径,重辟霸业,永驻长春。大家一起领略秦皇的风采吧。
  • 丹宫之主

    丹宫之主

    她是唐婧也是云婧,她真的重生回来了,回到了小辰界破碎前夕,回到了仙魔俩族终末之战的开端,回到了这个风云激荡的混乱大时代的转折点……重生这一世,她要好好保住自己的一对小包子!
  • 我师傅是九尾狐仙

    我师傅是九尾狐仙

    当红影后洛小漓在参加《我师傅是九尾狐仙》开机仪式的路上莫名穿越到了要开拍的仙侠剧中,而她,既不是女主,也不是女二,而是一个莫名其妙的第二人格,谁来告诉她,为什么她这么悲催?别人穿越就算不是女主,好歹还是个女二…………
  • 与梦想有关的岁月

    与梦想有关的岁月

    五十四岁的陈默是一个没落的摇滚歌手,他有辉煌的曾经,还有颓废的现在。在摇滚路上的坎坷,令他患上了难以摆脱的抑郁症。在一次酒吧演唱后,他结识了刚刚辞职的明星经纪人王烨,之后又找到了过去一起玩音乐的三个兄弟,重新开始了他们的摇滚梦想之旅……
  • 神仙养生秘术

    神仙养生秘术

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 让我替他来爱你

    让我替他来爱你

    郝帅和夏小末一起来到伊真的墓碑前,看到墓碑上那张照片上,男孩单薄的微笑,他拉起夏小末的手,“伊真,让我来继续爱她,好吗?”照片上伊真笑的安静,如同三月的春光。
  • 万界大帝尊

    万界大帝尊

    叶昊曾经身份显赫,却意外沦为卑微奴才。因为善心救人,获得了《补天图》拥有至高传承。从此如彗星崛起,一路横扫各路天才,建立自己的帝国,横推一切宗门,家族!在叶昊面前,无人比他天才。因为无人拥有他这般无限的潜力!天才之路,无人能敌!帝国之路,顺我者生,逆我者亡!新书9月15,中秋节发布!!
  • 魔自天外来

    魔自天外来

    九州历307年春,东域明州的犁昌国,发生了一件小事。白石学院大比在即,一名弟子却遭陷害,险被卖身为奴。同是这一年春天,南域海州发生了一件大事。大名鼎鼎的血衣军,驻军基地碧波港被魔族血洗,上万将士尸骨无存。也是在这一年,叶知凡明白了一个道理,做人,最重要的是强大。
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 冷夜弦光

    冷夜弦光

    第一世,她是凡尘孤女,他是神界神君,他将她逼至绝路,她祝他永世孤寂;第二世,她是无情道修,他是魔道修士,她将他亲手杀死,他说来世依旧爱;第三世,她潇洒放纵,他冷心冷清,再次相遇,他说定护她一生安好恩怨纠葛,天意宿命,终抵不过他们的执着不悔