d his nominal
father as clipper of hedges and shrubberies and other Tonsardial
occupations. Going about among the well-to-do houses, he talked with
masters and servants and picked up ideas which made him the man of the
world of the family, the shrewd head. We shall presently see that in
making love to Rigou's servant-girl, Jean-Louis deserved his reputation
for shrewdness.

"Well, what have you to say, prophet?" said the innkeeper to his son.

"I say that you are playing into the hands of the rich folk," replied
Jean-Louis. "Frighten the Aigues people to maintain your rights if you
choose; but if you drive them out of the place and make them sell the
estate, you are doing just what the bourgeois of the valley want, and
it's against your own interest. If you help the bourgeois to divide the
great estates among them, where's the national domain to be bought for
nothing at the next Revolution? Wait till then, and you'll get your land
without paying for it, as Rigou got his; whereas if you go and thrust
this estate into the jaws of the rich folk of the valley, the rich folk
will dribble it back to you impoverished and at twice the price they
paid for it. You are working for their interests, I tell you; so does
everybody who works for Rigou,--look at Courtecuisse."

The policy contained in this allocution was too deep for the drunken
heads of those present, who were all, except Courtecuisse, laying by
their money to buy a slice of the Aigues cake. So they let Jean-Louis
harangue, and continued, as in the Chamber of Deputies, their private
confabs with one another.

"Yes, that's so; you'll be Rigou's cats-paw!" cried Fourchon, who alone
understood his grandson.

Just then Langlume, the miller of Les Aigues, passed the tavern. Madame
Tonsard hailed him.

"Is it true," she said, "that gleaning is to be forbidden?"

Langlume, a jovial white man, white with flour and dressed in
grayish-white clothes, came up the steps and looked in. Instantly all
the peasants became as sober as judges.

"Well, my children, I am forced to answer yes, and no. None but the poor
are to glean; but the measures they are going to take will turn out to
your advantage."

"How so?" asked Godain.

"Why, they can prevent any but paupers from gleaning here," said the
miller, winking in true Norman fashion; "but that doesn't prevent you
from gleaning elsewhere,--unless all the mayors do as the Blangy mayor
is doing."

"Then it is true," said Ton