"I share your suspicions, my dear friend," replied Montcornet, "but I
don't intend to commit the same fault twice over. I shall not part with
another steward till I'm sure of a better. I am waiting to get rid of
Sibilet, till you understand the business of steward well enough to
take his place, and till Vatel is fit to succeed you. And yet, I have
no ground of complaint against Sibilet. He is honest and punctual in
all his dealings; he hasn't kept back a hundred francs in all these five
years. He has a perfectly detestable nature, and that's all one can say
against him. If it were otherwise, what would be his plan in acting as
he does?"

"General," said Michaud, gravely, "I will find out, for undoubtedly
he has one; and if you would only allow it, a good bribe to that old
scoundrel Fourchon will enable me to get at the truth; though after what
he said just now I suspect the old fellow of having more secrets than
one in his pouch. That swindling old cordwainer told me himself they
want to drive you from Les Aigues. And let me tell you, for you ought to
know it, that from Conches to Ville-aux-Fayes there is not a peasant, a
petty tradesman, a farmer, a tavern-keeper who isn't laying by his money
to buy a bit of the estate. Fourchon confided to me that Tonsard has
already put in his claim. The idea that you can be forced to sell Les
Aigues has gone from end to end of the valley like an infection in the
air. It may be that the steward's present house, with some adjoining
land, will be the price paid for Sibilet's spying. Nothing is ever said
among us that is not immediately known at Ville-aux-Fayes. Sibilet is
a relative of your enemy Gaubertin. What you have just said about the
attorney-general and the others will probably be reported before you
have reached the Prefecture. You don't know what the inhabitants of this
district are."

"Don't I know them? I know they are the scum of the earth! Do you
suppose I am going to yield to such blackguards?" cried the general.
"Good heavens, I'd rather burn Les Aigues myself!"

"No need to burn it; let us adopt a line of conduct which will baffle
the schemes of these Lilliputians. Judging by threats, general, they
are resolved on war to the knife against you; and therefore since you
mention incendiarism, let me beg of you to insure all your buildings,
and all your farmhouses."

"Michaud, do you know whom they mean by 'Shopman'? Yesterday, as I was
riding along by the Thune, I h