s born in the second half of the
nineteenth century, at Saint-Omer. He would have been better off if he
had been born some centuries before in the forest of Arden or in the
forest of Broceliande. He would then have been a remarkably clever evil
spirit."--"A cup of tea, Monsieur Goubin," said Pauline.--"Was Putois,
then, an evil spirit?" said Jean Marteau.--"He was evil," replied
Monsieur Bergeret; "he was, in a way, but not absolutely. It was true
of him as with those devils that are called wicked, but in whom one
discovers good qualities when one associates with them. And I
am disposed to think that injustice has been done Putois. Madame
Cornouiller, who, warned against him, had at once suspected him of being
a loafer, a drunkard, and a robber, reflected that since my mother, who
was not rich, employed him, it was because he was satisfied with little,
and asked herself if she would not do well to have him work instead of
her gardener, who had a better reputation, but expected more. The
time had come for trimming the yews. She thought that if Madame Eloi
Bergeret, who was poor, did not pay Putois much, she herself, who was
rich, would give him still less, for it is customary for the rich to
pay less than the poor. And she already saw her yews trimmed in straight
hedges, in balls and in pyramids, without her having to pay much. 'I
will keep an eye open,' she said, 'to see that Putois does not loaf
or rob me. I risk nothing, and it will be all profit. These vagabonds
sometimes do better work than honest laborers. She resolved to make a
trial, and said to my mother: 'Dearest, send me Putois. I will set him
to work at Mont-plaisir.' My mother would have done so willingly.
But really it was impossible. Madame Cornouiller waited for Putois at
Montplaisir, and waited in vain. She followed up her ideas and did not
abandon her plans. When she saw my mother again, she complained of not
having any news of Putois. 'Dearest, didn't you tell him that I was
expecting him?'--'Yes! but he is strange, odd.'--'Oh, I know that kind.
I know your Putois by heart. But there is no workman so crazy as to
refuse to come to work at Montplaisir. My house is known, I think.
Putois must obey my orders, and quickly, dearest. It will be sufficient
to tell me where he lives; I will go and find him myself.' My mother
answered that she did not know where Putois lived, that no one knew his
house, that he was without hearth or home. 'I have not seen him agai