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Updated: June 16, 2025
The abbe stood on the high-road one night within a stone's throw of Perucca, and, looking down into the great valley, watched the flickering flames consume all that remained of the old Chateau de Vasselot. Colonel Gilbert, in his little rooms in the bastion at Bastia, knew almost as soon that the chateau was burning, and only evinced his usual easy-going surprise.
"But he has had his revenge that Mattel Perucca," said the count at length, in a tone of careless reminiscence "by living in that house all these years, and, so they tell me, by making a small fortune out of the vines. The house is not his, the land is not his. They are mine. Only he and I knew it, and to prove it I should have to come to life.
In order to gain time he presently left the path, and made a short cut across the open land, glancing up at the Casa Perucca as he did so. For he was trespassing.
I knew Mattei Perucca, and the property you inherit is not unknown to one who has had official dealings with landowners in Corsica. I tell you frankly that it would be impossible, in the present disturbed state of the island, for you to live at Olmeta, and I ask you as frankly whether you are disposed to sell me your small estate.
Yes, I will admit that the French are great soldiers, but you do not know how to rule Corsica. A tight hand, colonel. Holy name of thunder!" And he stamped his foot with a decisiveness that made the verandah tremble. The colonel laughed pleasantly. "They want some men of your type," he said. "Ah!" cried Perucca, "I would rule them, for they are cowards; they are afraid of me.
In the Casa Perucca she had learnt what life means, and no man or woman ever forgets the place where that lesson has been acquired. "I shall come back," she whispered, looking up at the great rock with its giant pines and the two square chimneys half hidden in the foliage. And the Abbe Susini, seeing a movement of her lips, glanced curiously at her. He was still wondering what she wanted.
No; but I have dropped no letter. Where was it? On the road?" "Down there," answered the colonel, pointing back with his whip, and handing over the letter with a final air as if it were no affair of his. "Perucca," read the man, slowly, in the manner of one having small dealings with pens and paper, "Mattei Perucca at Olmeta." "Ah," said the colonel, lighting a cigarette.
He went to Perucca, where all seemed quiet, though he did not actually ring the great bell and speak to the widow Andrei. A few hours later, after nightfall, he set off on foot by the road that leads to the Lancone Defile. But he did not turn to the left at the cross-roads.
"Yes; I am the ogre chosen by Fate to watch over Denise Lange," she answered, holding out her withered hand. "But this is indeed a pleasure," said the colonel, with his ready smile. "I came by a mere accident to offer my services, as any Frenchman would, to ladies arriving at such a place as Bastia, as a friend, moreover, of Mattel Perucca, and never expected to see a face I knew.
I have long cherished the scheme of buying a small parcel of land in Corsica for the purpose of showing the natives that agriculture may be made profitable in so fertile an island, by dint of industry and a firm and unswerving honesty. The Perucca property would suit my purpose. You may be doing a good action in handing over your tenants to one who understands the Corsican nature.
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