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Updated: July 23, 2025
Bonnebault would have fought like a brave soldier, but he was weak in presence of his vices and his desires. Lazy as a lizard, that is to say, active only when it suited him, without the slightest decency, arrogant and base, able for much but neglectful of all, the sole pleasure of this "breaker of hearts and plates," to use a barrack term, was to do evil or inflict damage.
Accustomed to get a good proportion of wheat in their gleaning, the false as well as the true poor, forgetting the count's pardon at Conches, now felt a deep but silent anger against him, which was aggravated by the Tonsards, Courtecuisse, Bonnebault, Laroche, Vaudoyer, Godain, and their adherents.
"You are only making an excuse to be after that big goose of a girl, Socquard's daughter," said Marie Tonsard, giving Bonnebault a slap on the shoulder that made his lungs hum. Just then a verse of an old Burgundian Christmas carol was heard: "One fine moment of his life Was at the wedding feast; He changed the water into wine, Madeira of the best."
"You sold your last clothes to drink boiled wine at the Cafe de la Paix, papa," said his daughter, "though Vermichel tried to prevent it." "Vermichel! the man I treated! Vermichel is incapable of betraying my friendship. It must have been that lump of old lard on two legs that he is not ashamed to call his wife!" "He or she," replied Tonsard, "or Bonnebault."
Amaury never came to Madame Soudry's; he said she bored him; for, with a recollection of her early days, she attempted to "educate" him, as she called it, whereas he much preferred the pleasures and billiards of the Cafe de la Paix. He frequented the worst company of Soulanges, even down to Bonnebault.
The next morning at daybreak Bonnebault and his old mother knocked at the door of the Grand-I-Vert. Mother Tonsard was the only person up. "Marie!" called Bonnebault, "that matter is settled." "You mean about the trees?" said Mother Tonsard; "yes, it is all settled; I've taken it." "Nonsense!" cried Mother Bonnebault, "my son has got the promise of an acre of land from Monsieur Rigou "
As they reached the edge of the bank the countess gave a cry; Michaud advanced to help her, thinking she had struck her foot against a stone; but he shuddered at the sight that met his eyes. Marie Tonsard and Bonnebault, seated below the bank, seemed to be conversing, but were no doubt hiding there to hear what passed. Evidently they had left the wood as the party advanced towards them.
He thinks he loves her! Well, I'll share their danger, and if I can't save them I'll suffer with them." That night Marie Tonsard was stationed on the road to Soulanges, sitting on the rail of a culvert waiting for Bonnebault, who had spent the day, as usual, at the Cafe de la Paix.
"Come and see me to-morrow," said the general. "Enough," replied Bonnebault; "and if they begin to say I'm too dilatory, I'll let you know in time." A week after that singular conversation the whole arrondissement, indeed the whole department, was covered with posters, advertising the sale of Les Aigues at the office of Maitre Corbineau, the notary of Soulanges.
She heard him coming at some distance, and his step told her that he was drunk, and she knew also that he had lost money, for he always sang if he won. "Is that you, Bonnebault?" "Yes, my girl." "What's the matter?" "I owe twenty-five francs, and they may wring my neck twenty-five times before I can pay them." "Well, I know how you can get five hundred," she said in his ear.
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