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They owed one bill to Beljambe for three hogsheads of wine, another to Langlois for two stone of sugar, a sum of one hundred francs to the tailor, and sixty to the shoemaker. Their expenditures were continuous, of course, and meantime Maître Gouy did not pay up.
When the days of June came, everyone was in favour of "flying to the relief of Paris"; but Foureau could not leave the mayoral premises, Marescot his office, the doctor his patients, or Girbal his firemen. M. de Faverges was at Cherbourg. Beljambe kept his bed. The captain grumbled: "They did not want me; so much the worse!" and Bouvard had the wisdom to put restraint on Pécuchet.
Beljambe, the innkeeper, formerly a chef at Lisieux, was to cook certain dishes; Germaine had engaged the services of the poultry-wench; and Marianne, Madame Bordin's servant-girl, would also come. Since four o'clock the range was wide open; and the two proprietors, full of impatience, awaited their guests. Hurel stopped under the beech row to adjust his frock-coat.
This was not sufficient as a public work. Or rather, dig a second pond! But in what place? Langlois' advice was to construct an embankment along the Mortins as a protection against an inundation. It would be better, Beljambe thought, to clear away the heather. It was impossible to arrive at any conclusion.
The people of Chavignolles contrived to get Beljambe nominated. This favouritism on the part of the public, so whimsical and unforeseen, dismayed Heurtaux. He had neglected his duties, confining himself to inspecting the military operations now and then, and giving utterance to a few remarks. No matter!
Through the garden gate they saw M. Girbal, superintendent of taxes, making his way in, together with Captain Heurtaux, a landowner; and Beljambe, the innkeeper, appeared, assisting with his arm Langlois, the grocer, who walked with difficulty on account of his catarrh. Pécuchet, without bestowing a thought on them, took up the argument: "Excuse me, M. Jeufroy.
On the opposite side could be seen the mayor and his two deputies, Beljambe and Marescot; then the principal personages of the district, M. de Faverges, Vaucorbeil, Coulon, the justice of the peace, an old fogy with a sleepy face. Heurtaux wore a foraging-cap, and Alexandre Petit, the new schoolmaster, had put on his frock-coat, a threadbare green garment his Sunday coat.
Beljambe knew nothing about the occurrences, and, furthermore, he laughed at them. In the market-place they stopped Vaucorbeil. The physician had got over all that. "You are very foolish to bother yourselves." Foureau passed them by, remarking with a sly air, "The democrats are swamped." And the captain, with Girbal's arm in his, exclaimed from a distance, "Long live the Emperor!"
They had visits from Girbal, Foureau, and Captain Heurtaux, and then from inferior persons Langlois, Beljambe, their husbandmen, and even the servant-girls of their neighbours; and, on each occasion, they went over the same explanations, showed the place where the chest would be, affected a tone of modesty, and claimed indulgence for the obstruction.
Bouvard and Pécuchet represented to Gorju that he would never be strong enough to overcome the coalition of the peasants and the village shop-keepers, filled him with uncertainty, and deprived him of all confidence. Petit, through pride, had allowed his ambition to be seen. Beljambe warned him that, if he failed, his dismissal was certain.
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