ither. Whereas, if you
serve me faithfully and contrive to stop these depredations, I'll give
you an annuity of three hundred francs for life. You can think it over.
Here are six ways," continued the count, pointing to the branching
roads; "there's only one for you to take,--as for me also, who am not
afraid of balls; try and find the right one."

Courtecuisse, a small man about forty-six years of age, with a full-moon
face, found his greatest happiness in doing nothing. He expected to live
and die in that pavilion, now considered by him _his_ pavilion. His two
cows were pastured in the forest, from which he got his wood; and
he spent his time in looking after his garden instead of after the
delinquents. Such neglect of duty suited Gaubertin, and Courtecuisse
knew it did. The keeper chased only those depredators who were the
objects of his personal dislike,--young women who would not yield to his
wishes, or persons against whom he held a grudge; though for some time
past he had really felt no dislikes, for every one yielded to him on
account of his easy-going ways with them.

Courtecuisse had a place always kept for him at the table of the
Grand-I-Vert; the wood-pickers feared him no longer; indeed, his wife
and he received many gifts in kind from them; his wood was brought in;
his vineyard dug; in short, all delinquents at whom he blinked did him
service.

Counting on Gaubertin for the future, and feeling sure of two acres
whenever Les Aigues should be brought to the hammer, he was roughly
awakened by the curt speech of the general, who, after four quiescent
years, was now revealing his true character,--that of a bourgeois rich
man who was determined to be no longer deceived. Courtecuisse took his
cap, his game-bag, and his gun, put on his gaiters and his belt
(which bore the very recent arms of Montcornet), and started for
Ville-aux-Fayes, with the careless, indifferent air and manner under
which country-people often conceal very deep reflections, while he gazed
at the woods and whistled to the dogs to follow him.

"What! you complain of the Shopman when he proposes to make your
fortune?" said Gaubertin. "Doesn't the fool offer to give you three
francs for every arrest you make, and the fines to boot? Have an
understanding with your friends and you can bring as many indictments as
you please,--hundreds if you like! With one thousand francs you can
buy La Bachelerie from Rigou, become a property owner, live in your