hreats are lost; nothing comes to the surface or is perceived but
facts; meantime the malcontents work underground like moles.

The fair of Soulanges took place as usual quite peacefully, except
for certain jarrings between the leading society and the second-class
society of Soulanges, brought about by the despotism of the queen, who
could not tolerate the empire founded and established over the heart of
the brilliant Lupin by the beautiful Euphemie Plissoud, for she herself
laid permanent claim to his fickle fervors.

The count and countess did not appear at the fair nor at the Tivoli
fete; and that, again, was counted a wrong by the Soudrys, the
Gaubertins, and their adherents; it was pride, it was disdain, said the
Soudry salon. During this time the countess was filling the void caused
by Emile's return to Paris with the immense interest and pleasure all
fine souls take in the good they are doing, or think they do; and the
count, for his part, applied himself no less zealously to changes and
ameliorations in the management of his estate, which he expected and
believed would modify and benefit the condition of the people and hence
their characters. Madame de Montcornet, assisted by the advice and
experience of the Abbe Brossette, came, little by little, to have a
thorough and statistical knowledge of all the poor families of the
district, their respective condition, their wants, their means of
subsistence, and the sort of help she must give to each to obtain work
so as not to make them lazy or idle.

The countess had placed Genevieve Niseron, La Pechina, in a convent at
Auxerre, under pretext of having her taught to sew that she might employ
her in her own house, but really to save her from the shameful
attempts of Nicolas Tonsard, whom Rigou had managed to save from the
conscription. The countess also believed that a religious education, the
cloister, and monastic supervision, would subdue the ardent passions of
the precocious little girl, whose Montenegrin blood seemed to her like a
threatening flame which might one day set fire to the domestic happiness
of her faithful Olympe.

So all was at peace at the chateau des Aigues. The count, misled by
Sibilet, reassured by Michaud, congratulated himself on his firmness,
and thanked his wife for having contributed by her benevolence to the
immense comfort of their tranquillity. The question of the sale of his
timber was laid aside till he should go to Paris and arrange