Part 40 (1/2)
”Some one knelt there, and it must have been a woman, for a man would not have left such a quant.i.ty of flattened gra.s.s around the impression of his two knees; yes, see! that is the outline of a petticoat.”
The bailiff, after examining the base of the tree, found the beginning of a hole beneath the bark; but he did not find the worm with the tough skin, s.h.i.+ny and squamous, covered with brown specks, ending in a tail not unlike that of a c.o.c.kchafer, and having also the latter's head, antennae, and the two vigorous hooks or shears with which the creature cuts into the wood.
”My dear fellow,” said Blondet, ”now I understand the enormous number of _dead_ trees that I noticed this morning from the terrace of the chateau, and which brought me here to find out the cause of the phenomenon. Worms are at work; but they are no other than your peasants.”
The bailiff gave vent to an oath and rushed off, followed by Blondet, to rejoin the countess, whom he requested to take his wife home with her.
Then he jumped on Joseph's horse, leaving the man to return on foot, and disappeared with great rapidity to cut off the retreat of the woman who had killed his dog, hoping to catch her with the b.l.o.o.d.y 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 pa.s.sion, 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!”