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by Corry Shores
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[Dumas. The Wolf-Leader (Le meneur de loups), entry directory]
[The following is summary. Boldface, underlining, bracketed commentary, and section subdivisions are my own. Proofreading is incomplete, so please forgive my mistakes. Text is copied from online sources (see bibliography below).]
Summary of
Alexandre Dumas
Le meneur de loups
The Wolf-Leader
9
“Le meneur de loups”
“The Wolf-Leader”
Brief summary:
__(9.1)__ (Recall from section 8 that Thibault the sabot-maker is fleeing from Madame Polet’s mill, because he used his pact with the devil to kill her pig, and she realizes his sorcery.) Thibault runs “instinctively towards the forest.” He does not fear those who may chase him, because “he was armed with the diabolical power [armé du pouvoir diabolique] which he had received from the wolf.” But he knows that while killing a pig with this power is acceptable, killing a human is a much graver thing. Thibault arms himself with a stick he made from a chestnut branch, which he can use adeptly as a quarterstaff. “So he entered the forest with all boldness of heart, at the spot which is known to this day as the Wolf’s Heath.” He hears something walking behind him. “He turned and the first thing he could distinguish in the darkness was the glowing light in a pair of eyes which shone like live coals.” He sees it is a wolf, not the black Wolf-Devil he made his pact with, but a reddish-brown one. Thibault tries to scare it off with his quarterstaff, “But to his great surprise the wolf went on trotting quietly behind him, without evincing any hostile intention, pausing when he paused, and going on again when he did, only now and then giving a howl as if to summon re-inforcements.” More wolves appear in front of him. He attacks one, but the wolf sees no threat: “Not pausing to reflect whether it might not be unwise now to attack the first wolf, Thibault brought down his staff, giving the fellow a violent blow on the head. The animal uttered a howl of pain, then shaking his ears like a dog that has been beaten by its master, began walking on in front of the shoe-maker.” As Thibault continues walking, wolves gather and walk with him; “Before he had gone a mile, a dozen of the animals had formed a circle round him.” He tries singing to scare them off with the human sound of his voice, “but the expedient was vain. Not a single animal swerved from its place in the circle, which was as exactly formed as if drawn with compasses.” Thibault eventually arrives home, with the wolves still following docilely. Yet, “he did not at first recognise his own house. But a still greater surprise awaited him, for the wolves who were in front now respectfully drew back into two lines, sitting up on their hind legs and making a lane for him to pass along.” Thibault is unsettled by all this, and he runs headlong into his house, slamming and bolting the door behind him. After resting and regaining his calm, “he went and peeped through the little window that looked out on the forest. A row of gleaming eyes assured him that far from having retired, the wolves had arranged themselves symmetrically in file in front of his dwelling.” Thibault builds a hearty fire to frighten the wolves, “But Thibault’s wolves were evidently wolves of a special sort, accustomed to fire, for they did not budge an inch from the post they had taken up.” He was distressed and could not sleep. The next morning he looked out and saw that “They seemed, just as on the night before, to be waiting, some seated, some lying down, others sleeping or walking up and down like sentinels.” But as dawn breaks, all the wolves depart. __(9.2)__ Thibault takes a moment to wonder why despite his handsomeness, Madame Polet preferred his cousin over him. He looks in the mirror and sees just how much of his hair has changed color: “he had hardly given the first glance at himself in the mirror, before he uttered a cry, half of astonishment, half of horror. True, he was still the handsome Thibault, but the one red hair, thanks to the hasty wishes which had so imprudently escaped him, had now grown to a regular lock of hair, of a colour and brilliancy that vied with the brightest flames upon his hearth.” Thibault then “made up his mind to make the best of the matter as it stood, and in future to forbear as far as possible from framing any wishes. The best thing was to put out of his mind all the ambitious desires that had worked so fatally for him, and go back to his humble trade.” But he is not able to resign himself to his humble life: “Formerly, even the preparation of his frugal meal had been an agreeable distraction, but it was so no longer; when hunger seized him and he was forced to eat his piece of black bread, he did it with a feeling of repugnance, and the envy, which had hitherto been nothing more than a vague aspiration after ease and comfort, was now developed into a blind and violent hatred towards his fellow creatures.” __(9.3)__ That night, the wolves return to his house: “Scarcely had the shadows begun to darken, before a wolf emerged from the underwood, and, as on the previous evening, went and lay down at a short distance from the house. As on the evening before, this wolf was followed by a second, by a third, in short by the whole pack [toute la bande], and once more they all took up their respective posts preparatory to the night’s watch.” Thibault barricades himself inside and sleeps. When he awakes the next morning, he sees that the wolves have disappeared, “leaving behind only the mark of where their bodies had lain on the dew-covered grass.” They return again the next evening. Thibault thinks that his alliance with the Wolf-Devil somehow “awakened sympathetic feelings towards him in all other individuals of the same species.” He wants to know the wolves’ real intention, so he arms himself with a bill-hook and boar-spear, and goes out to face them. “Having half expected that they would spring upon him, he was greatly surprised to see them begin to wag their tails like so many dogs on seeing their master approach. Their greetings were so expressive of friendliness, that Thibault even ventured to stroke one or two of them on the back, which they not only allowed him to do, but actually gave signs of the greatest pleasure at being thus noticed.” Thibault realizes that now as the leader of the wolves, he has a hunting pack that can catch game for him: “ ‘if these queer friends of mine are as obedient as they are gentle, why, here I am, the owner of a pack [une meute] unequalled by any my Lord Baron has ever possessed, and I shall have no difficulty whatever now in dining on venison whenever the fancy so takes me’. He had hardly said the words, when four of the strongest and most alert of the four-footed beasts separated themselves from the others and galloped off into the forest. A few minutes later a howl was heard, sounding from the depths of the underwood, and half an hour afterwards one of the wolves reappeared dragging with it a fine kid which left behind it a long trail of blood on the grass. The wolf laid the animal at Thibault’s feet, who delighted beyond measure at seeing his wishes, not only accomplished, but forestalled, broke up the kid, giving each of the wolves an equal share, and keeping the back and haunches for himself. Then with the gesture of an Emperor, which showed that he now at last understood the position he held, he ordered the wolves away until the morrow.” __(9.4)__ Thibault sells the meat to an Innkeeper in town, the next day he brings half a boar, and soon Thibault is the Innkeeper’s main meat supplier. Now instead of making shoes, Thibault spends time in the taverns. “One or two of his acquaintances began to make fun of his red lock, for however assiduously he covered it with the rest of his hair, it always found a way of getting through the curls that hid it, and making itself visible. But Thibault soon gave it plainly to be understood that he would take no joking about the unfortunate disfigurement.” __(9.5)__ Then “Duke of Orleans and Madame de Montesson came to spend a few days at Villers-Cotterets.” All the nobles dressed in their most impressive clothing, and their nobility was put on magnificent display, as the aristocrats feasted, danced, and “drove out in beautiful gilt carriages bedizened with coats of arms of every colour.” Thibault eagerly looked on at their displays, and he “would ask himself why he was not one of those young lords in their embroidered coats; why he had not one of these beautiful women in their rustling satins for his mistress. Then his thoughts would turn to Agnelette and Madame Polet, and he saw them just as they were, the one a poor little peasant girl, the other nothing more than the owner of a rustic mill.” __(9.6)__ As Thibault walks home with his wolf pack, he notes his great ambitions in life, and resolves to attain to the greatness of the nobility. “At last one day he said to himself definitely that it would be the veriest folly to go on living his poor life when a power so tremendous as he now possessed, was at his disposal. From that moment he made up his mind that, no matter if his hair should grow as red as the crown of fire which is seen at night hanging over the great chimney at the glass works of Saint Gobain, he would exercise this power of his to the accomplishing of the most high-flown of his ambitions.”
[Thibault Leads the Wolf Pack]
[Thibault’s Reflection on His New Situation]
[Thibault’s Command Over His Wolf Pack]
[Thibault the Meat Seller]
[Thibault’s Spectatorship of Noble Displays]
[Thibault’s Determination to Use His Power to Gain Nobility]
Summary
[Thibault Leads the Wolf Pack]
[(Recall from section 8 that Thibault the sabot-maker is fleeing from Madame Polet’s mill, because he used his pact with the devil to kill her pig, and she realizes his sorcery.) Thibault runs “instinctively towards the forest.” He does not fear those who may chase him, because “he was armed with the diabolical power [armé du pouvoir diabolique] which he had received from the wolf.” But he knows that while killing a pig with this power is acceptable, killing a human is a much graver thing. Thibault arms himself with a stick he made from a chestnut branch, which he can use adeptly as a quarterstaff. “So he entered the forest with all boldness of heart, at the spot which is known to this day as the Wolf’s Heath.” He hears something walking behind him. “He turned and the first thing he could distinguish in the darkness was the glowing light in a pair of eyes which shone like live coals.” He sees it is a wolf, not the black Wolf-Devil he made his pact with, but a reddish-brown one. Thibault tries to scare it off with his quarterstaff, “But to his great surprise the wolf went on trotting quietly behind him, without evincing any hostile intention, pausing when he paused, and going on again when he did, only now and then giving a howl as if to summon re-inforcements.” More wolves appear in front of him. He attacks one, but the wolf sees no threat: “Not pausing to reflect whether it might not be unwise now to attack the first wolf, Thibault brought down his staff, giving the fellow a violent blow on the head. The animal uttered a howl of pain, then shaking his ears like a dog that has been beaten by its master, began walking on in front of the shoe-maker.” As Thibault continues walking, wolves gather and walk with him; “Before he had gone a mile, a dozen of the animals had formed a circle round him.” He tries singing to scare them off with the human sound of his voice, “but the expedient was vain. Not a single animal swerved from its place in the circle, which was as exactly formed as if drawn with compasses.” Thibault eventually arrives home, with the wolves still following docilely. Yet, “he did not at first recognise his own house. But a still greater surprise awaited him, for the wolves who were in front now respectfully drew back into two lines, sitting up on their hind legs and making a lane for him to pass along.” Thibault is unsettled by all this, and he runs headlong into his house, slamming and bolting the door behind him. After resting and regaining his calm, “he went and peeped through the little window that looked out on the forest. A row of gleaming eyes assured him that far from having retired, the wolves had arranged themselves symmetrically in file in front of his dwelling.” Thibault builds a hearty fire to frighten the wolves, “But Thibault’s wolves were evidently wolves of a special sort, accustomed to fire, for they did not budge an inch from the post they had taken up.” He was distressed and could not sleep. The next morning he looked out and saw that “They seemed, just as on the night before, to be waiting, some seated, some lying down, others sleeping or walking up and down like sentinels.” But as dawn breaks, all the wolves depart.]
[ditto]
En fuyant les menaces de la meunière et les armes de ses gens, Thibault s’était instinctivement dirigé vers la lisière de la forêt.
Son intention était, au premier ennemi qui paraîtrait, d’entrer dans le bois, où à cette heure nul n’oserait le poursuivre de peur d’embuscade.
D’ailleurs, armé du pouvoir diabolique qu’il avait reçu du loup noir, Thibault n’avait pas grand-chose à craindre de ses ennemis, quels qu’ils fussent.
Il n’avait qu’à les envoyer où il avait envoyé le pourceau de la belle meunière.
Il était bien sûr d’en être débarrassé.
Mais, par le serrement de cœur qu’il éprouvait de temps en temps au souvenir de Marcotte, il se disait à lui-même que, si déterminé que l’on soit, on n’envoie pas les hommes au diable comme on y envoie les cochons.
Tout en réfléchissant à ce pouvoir terrible, et tout en regardant derrière lui pour savoir s’il aurait besoin d’en faire usage, Thibault avait gagné les derrières de Pisseleu, et la nuit était venue.
Nuit d’automne sombre et orageuse, pendant laquelle le vent, qui arrache aux arbres leurs feuilles jaunissantes, promène dans la forêt des bruits lamentables et des plaintes lugubres.
Ces clameurs funèbres du vent étaient de temps en temps coupées par le houhoulement des hiboux, dont le cri semble celui des voyageurs égarés qui s’appellent et se répondent.
Tous ces bruits étaient familiers à Thibault et ne l’impressionnaient que médiocrement.
D’ailleurs, il avait eu le soin, en arrivant à la lisière de la forêt, d’y couper un bâton de châtaignier de quatre pieds de long, et, familier comme il l’était avec l’exercice du bâton à deux bouts, Thibault, armé de sa canne, n’eût pas craint l’attaque de quatre hommes.
Il entra donc hardiment dans la forêt, à l’endroit que l’on appelle encore aujourd’hui la Bruyère-aux-Loups.
Il cheminait depuis quelques minutes dans une laie étroite et obscure, tout en maudissant la bizarrerie des femmes qui préfèrent, sans raison aucune, un enfant débile et timide à un vigoureux et hardi compère, lorsqu’il entendit, à une vingtaine de pas derrière lui, le bruit des feuilles qui craquaient.
Il se retourna.
Dans l’obscurité, il vit d’abord, et avant tout, deux yeux qui luisaient comme des charbons ardents.
Puis, en y regardant plus attentivement, et en forçant, pour ainsi dire, ses yeux à distinguer dans les ténèbres, il vit un grand loup qui le suivait pas à pas.
Ce n’était pas celui qu’il avait reçu dans sa cabane.
Le loup de la cabane était noir, et celui-ci était roux.
On ne pouvait les confondre ni d’après la couleur de leur pelage, ni d’après leur taille.
Thibault n’avait aucune raison de croire que tous les loups fussent animés vis-à-vis de lui d’intentions aussi bienveillantes que le premier auquel il avait eu affaire.
Il commença donc à serrer entre ses deux mains son bâton et à lui faire faire le moulinet, pour voir s’il n’avait pas désappris la manœuvre.
Mais, à son grand étonnement, l’animal se contentait de trotter derrière lui sans manifester aucune intention hostile, s’arrêtant quand Thibault s’arrêtait, reprenant sa course quand Thibault se remettait en chemin, et hurlant seulement de temps en temps comme pour appeler du renfort.
Ces hurlements ne laissaient pas Thibault sans inquiétude.
Tout à coup, le voyageur nocturne vit devant lui deux autres lumières ardentes et qui brillaient par intervalles dans l’obscurité, devenue de plus en plus épaisse.
Tenant son bâton haut et prêt à frapper, il s’avança sur ces deux lumières, qui restaient immobiles, et il pensa trébucher sur un corps couché en travers du chemin.
C’était le corps d’un second loup.
Sans réfléchir qu’il était peut-être imprudent d’attaquer le premier de ces animaux, le sabotier commença par porter à celui-ci un vigoureux coup de son gourdin.
Le loup le reçut en plein sur la tête.
Il poussa un hurlement douloureux.
Puis, se secouant comme un chien que son maître a battu, il se mit à marcher devant le sabotier.
Thibault alors se retourna pour voir ce que devenait son premier loup.
Le premier suivait toujours, et toujours à égale distance.
Mais, en ramenant les yeux d’arrière en avant, il s’aperçut qu’un troisième loup côtoyait sa droite.
Son regard, instinctivement, se porta vers la gauche.
Un quatrième le flanquait de ce côté-là.
Il n’avait pas fait un quart de lieue, qu’une douzaine de ces animaux formaient un cercle autour de lui.
La situation était critique.
Thibault en sentait toute la gravité.
Il essaya d’abord de chanter, espérant que le bruit de la voix humaine effrayerait ces animaux.
Ce fut inutilement.
Pas un d’eux ne quitta la place qu’il occupait dans le cercle formé autour de lui comme avec un compas.
Alors il pensa à s’arrêter au premier arbre touffu, à se jeter dans ses branches et à y attendre le jour.
Mais, après avoir bien réfléchi, il lui sembla plus sage d’essayer d’atteindre sa demeure, dont il approchait de plus en plus, les loups, malgré leur nombre, ne manifestant pas d’intentions plus hostiles que lorsqu’il n’y en avait qu’un seul.
Il serait temps de grimper sur un arbre si les loups changeaient de manière d’agir à son égard.
Nous devons dire que Thibault était si troublé, qu’il touchait à sa porte et ne l’apercevait pas.
Il reconnut enfin sa maison.
Mais, à sa grande stupéfaction, arrivés là, les loups qui marchaient en avant se rangèrent respectueusement pour le laisser passer, s’asseyant sur leur derrière comme pour faire la haie.
Thibault ne perdit pas de temps à les remercier de leur courtoisie.
Il se précipita dans l’intérieur de sa cabane, en tirant vivement la porte derrière lui.
Puis, la porte tirée et verrouillée, il poussa contre elle le bahut, afin de la consolider et de la mettre en état de résister à un assaut.
Puis il tomba sur une chaise et commença seulement de respirer à pleine haleine.
Lorsqu’il fut un peu remis de son trouble, il s’en alla regarder au carreau qui donnait sur la forêt.
Une ligne de regards flamboyants lui démontra que, loin de faire retraite, les loups s’étaient symétriquement rangés en file devant sa demeure.
Ce voisinage eût été encore très effrayant pour tout autre ; mais Thibault, qui, il y avait quelques instants, marchait escorté de toute la terrible bande, se sentait réconforté en songeant qu’une muraille, si mince qu’elle fût, le séparait de ses maussades compagnons de route.
Thibault alluma sa petite lampe de fer et la posa sur la table.
Il rassembla les tisons épars dans le foyer, jeta sur ces tisons un tas de copeaux et fit un grand feu, dont la réverbération, il l’espérait ainsi, devait faire fuir les loups.
Mais les loups de Thibault étaient sans doute des loups particuliers, familiarisés avec la flamme.
Ils ne bougèrent pas du poste qu’ils s’étaient choisi.
Aux premières lueurs de l’aube, Thibault, que l’inquiétude avait tenu éveillé, put les revoir et les compter.
Comme la veille, ils paraissaient attendre, les uns assis, les autres couchés, ceux-ci sommeillant, ceux-là se promenant comme des sentinelles.
Mais enfin, lorsque la dernière étoile se noya et se fondit dans les flots de lumière empourprée qui montaient de l’orient, tous les loups se levèrent à la fois, et, poussant cette espèce de hurlement lugubre avec lequel les animaux des ténèbres saluent le jour, ils se dispersèrent de côté et d’autre et disparurent.
(124-128)
THIBAULT, fleeing from before Madame Polet’s threats and her farm servants’ weapons, turned instinctively towards the forest, thinking to take shelter within it, should he chance to come across one of the enemy, for he knew that no one would venture to follow him there, for fear of any lurking dangers. Not that Thibault had much to fear, whatever kind of enemy he met, now that he was armed with the diabolical power [armé du pouvoir diabolique] which he had received from the wolf. He had only to send them where he had sent the widow’s pig, and he was sure of being rid of them. Nevertheless, conscious of a certain tightening of the heart when from time to time the thought of Marcotte came back to him, he acknowledged to himself that, however anxious to be rid of them, one could not send men to the devil quite as readily as one sent pigs.
While thus reflecting on the terrible power he possessed, and looking back at intervals to see if there were any immediate need to put it into use, Thibault, by the time night fell, had reached the rear of Pisseleu. It was an autumn night, dark and stormy, with a wind that tore the yellowing leaves from the trees, and wandered through the forest ways with melancholy sighs and moanings. These funereal voices of the wind were interrupted from time to time by the hooting of the owls, which sounded like the cries of lost travellers, hailing one another. But all these sounds were familiar to Thibault and made very little impression upon him. Moreover he had taken the precaution, on first entering the forest, of cutting a stick, four feet long, from a chestnut tree, and adept as he was with the quarterstaff, he was ready, armed thus, to withstand the attack of any four men. So he entered the forest with all boldness of heart, at the spot which is known to this day as the Wolf’s Heath. He had been walking for some minutes along a dark and narrow glade, cursing as he went the foolish whims of women, who, for no reason whatever, preferred a weak and timid child to a brave, strong, full grown man, when all of a sudden, at some few paces behind him, he heard a crackling among the leaves. He turned and the first thing he could distinguish in the darkness was the glowing light in a pair of eyes which shone like live coals. Then, looking more closely, and forcing his eyes, so to speak, to penetrate the gloom, he saw that a great wolf was following him, step by step. But it was not the wolf that he had entertained in his hut; that was black, while this was a reddish-brown. There was no mistaking one for the other, either as to colour or size. As Thibault had no reason to suppose that all the wolves he came across would be animated with such benevolent feelings towards him as the first with which he had had dealings, he grasped his quarterstaff in both hands, and began twirling it about to make sure he had not forgotten the knack of using it. But to his great surprise the wolf went on trotting quietly behind him, without evincing any hostile intention, pausing when he paused, and going on again when he did, only now and then giving a howl as if to summon re-inforcements. Thibault was not altogether without uneasiness as regards these occasional howls, and presently he became aware of two other bright spots of light in front of him, shining at intervals through the darkness which was growing thicker and thicker. Holding his stick up in readiness to hit, he went forward towards these two lights, which remained stationary, and as he did so, his foot seemed to stumble against something lying across the path ... it was another wolf. Not pausing to reflect whether it might not be unwise now to attack the first wolf, Thibault brought down his staff, giving the fellow a violent blow on the head. The animal uttered a howl of pain, then shaking his ears like a dog that has been beaten by its master, began walking on in front of the shoe-maker. Thibault then turned to see what had become of the first wolf: it was still following him, still keeping step with him. Bringing his eyes back again to the front, he now perceived that a third wolf was walking alongside to the right, and turning instinctively to the left, saw a fourth flanking him on that side too. Before he had gone a mile, a dozen of the animals had formed a circle round him. The situation was critical, and Thibault was fully conscious of its gravity. At first he tried to sing, hoping that the sound of the human voice might frighten away the animals; but the expedient was vain. Not a single animal swerved from its place in the circle, which was as exactly formed as if drawn with compasses [Pas un d’eux ne quitta la place qu’il occupait dans le cercle formé autour de lui comme avec un compas]. Then he thought he would climb up into the first thick-leaved tree he came to, and there wait for daylight; but on further deliberation, he decided that the wisest course was to try to get home, as the wolves, in spite of their number, still appeared as well intentioned as when there was only one. It would be time enough to climb up into a tree when they began to show signs of any change of behaviour towards him.
At the same time we are bound to add that Thibault was so disquieted in mind and that he had reached his own door before he knew where he was, he did not at first recognise his own house. But a still greater surprise awaited him, for the wolves who were in front now respectfully drew back into two lines, sitting up on their hind legs and making a lane for him to pass along. Thibault did not waste time in stopping to thank them for this act of courtesy, but dashed into the house, banging the door to after him. Having firmly shut and bolted the door, he pushed the great chest against it, that it might be better able to resist any assault that might be made upon it. Then he flung himself into a chair, and began at length to find himself able to breathe more freely.
As soon as he was somewhat recovered, he went and peeped through the little window that looked out on the forest. A row of gleaming eyes assured him that far from having retired, the wolves had arranged themselves symmetrically in file in front of his dwelling.
To anyone else the mere proximity of the animals would have been most alarming, but, Thibault who shortly before, had been obliged to walk escorted by this terrible troop, found comfort in the thought that a wall, however thin, now separated him from his formidable companions.
Thibault lit his little iron lamp and put it on the table; drew the scattered wood-ashes of his hearth together and threw on them a bundle of chips, and then made a good fire, hoping that the reflection of the blaze would frighten away the wolves. But Thibault’s wolves were evidently wolves of a special sort, accustomed to fire, for they did not budge an inch from the post they had taken up. The state of uneasiness he was in prevented Thibault from sleeping, and directly dawn broke, he was able to look out and count them. They seemed, just as on the night before, to be waiting, some seated, some lying down, others sleeping or walking up and down like sentinels. But at length, as the last star melted away, drowned in the waves of purple light ebbing up from the east, all the wolves with one accord rose, and uttering the mournful howl with which animals of darkness are wont to salute the day, they dispersed in various directions and disappeared.
(47-49)
[Thibault’s Reflection on His New Situation]
[Thibault takes a moment to wonder why despite his handsomeness, Madame Polet preferred his cousin over him. He looks in the mirror and sees just how much of his hair has changed color: “he had hardly given the first glance at himself in the mirror, before he uttered a cry, half of astonishment, half of horror. True, he was still the handsome Thibault, but the one red hair, thanks to the hasty wishes which had so imprudently escaped him, had now grown to a regular lock of hair, of a colour and brilliancy that vied with the brightest flames upon his hearth.” Thibault then “made up his mind to make the best of the matter as it stood, and in future to forbear as far as possible from framing any wishes. The best thing was to put out of his mind all the ambitious desires that had worked so fatally for him, and go back to his humble trade.” But he is not able to resign himself to his humble life: “Formerly, even the preparation of his frugal meal had been an agreeable distraction, but it was so no longer; when hunger seized him and he was forced to eat his piece of black bread, he did it with a feeling of repugnance, and the envy, which had hitherto been nothing more than a vague aspiration after ease and comfort, was now developed into a blind and violent hatred towards his fellow creatures.”]
[ditto]
Les loups disparus, Thibault en revint à réfléchir à sa mésaventure de la veille.
Comment se faisait-il que la meunière ne l’eût point préféré à son cousin Landry ?
N’était-il plus le beau Thibault, et s’était-il fait dans sa personne quelque changement à son désavantage ?
Thibault n’avait qu’un moyen de s’en assurer : c’était de consulter son miroir.
Il prit le fragment de glace pendu à la cheminée et l’approcha de la lumière en se souriant coquettement.
Mais à peine eut-il vu son visage, réfléchi par le miroir, qu’il poussa un cri, moitié d’étonnement, moitié de stupeur.
Il était bien toujours le beau Thibault.
Mais son cheveu rouge, grâce aux souhaits imprudents qui lui étaient échappés, s’était converti en une véritable mèche, dont les reflets pouvaient lutter avec les lueurs les plus ardentes de son foyer.
Une sueur froide lui passa sur le front.
Sachant qu’il était parfaitement inutile d’essayer d’arracher ou même de couper les cheveux maudits, il résolut de s’en tenir à ce qu’il en avait, et de faire à l’avenir le moins de souhaits possible.
Il s’agissait de chasser toutes les idées ambitieuses qui l’avaient si fatalement agité et de se remettre à la besogne.
Thibault essaya.
Mais il n’avait plus cœur à l’ouvrage.
Il avait beau chercher dans sa mémoire les Noëls qu’il chantait aux bons jours, alors que le hêtre et le bouleau se façonnaient si prestement entre ses mains, son outil restait inactif pendant des heures entières.
Il rêvait et se demandait s’il n’était pas triste, alors qu’en dirigeant bien ses désirs, on pouvait si facilement arriver au bonheur, de suer sang et eau pour n’arriver en somme qu’à poursuivre une existence souffreteuse et misérable.
Apprêter son petit repas n’était plus pour lui, comme jadis, une distraction ; lorsque la faim se faisait sentir, il mangeait avec répugnance un morceau de pain noir, et l’envie, qui n’avait été jusque-là chez lui qu’une sorte d’aspiration vague vers le bien-être, prenait peu à peu dans le fond de son cœur le caractère d’une rage sourde et violente qui lui faisait haïr son prochain.
(129-130)
Thibault was now able to sit down and think over the misadventure of the previous day, and he began by asking himself how it was that the mistress of the Mill had not preferred him to his cousin Landry. Was he no longer the handsome Thibault, or had some disadvantageous change come over his personal appearance? There was only one way of ascertaining whether this was so or not, namely, by consulting his mirror. So he took down the fragment of looking-glass hanging over the chimney-piece, and carried it towards the light, smiling to himself the while like a vain woman. But he had hardly given the first glance at himself in the mirror, before he uttered a cry, half of astonishment, half of horror. True, he was still the handsome Thibault, but the one red hair, thanks to the hasty wishes which had so imprudently escaped him, had now grown to a regular lock of hair, of a colour and brilliancy that vied with the brightest flames upon his hearth.
His forehead grew cold with sweat. Knowing, however, that all attempts to pluck it out or cut it off would be futile, he made up his mind to make the best of the matter as it stood, and in future to forbear as far as possible from framing any wishes. The best thing was to put out of his mind all the ambitious desires that had worked so fatally for him, and go back to his humble trade. So Thibault sat down and tried to work, but he had no heart for the job. In vain he tried to remember the carols he had been in the habit of singing in the happier days when the beech and the birch shaped themselves so quickly beneath his fingers; his tools lay untouched for hours together. He pondered over matters, asking himself whether it was not a miserable thing to be sweating one’s heart out merely for the privilege of leading a painful and wretched existence, when, by judiciously directing one’s wishes one might so easily attain to happiness. Formerly, even the preparation of his frugal meal had been an agreeable distraction, but it was so no longer; when hunger seized him and he was forced to eat his piece of black bread, he did it with a feeling of repugnance, and the envy, which had hitherto been nothing more than a vague aspiration after ease and comfort, was now developed into a blind and violent hatred towards his fellow creatures.
(49)
[Thibault’s Command Over His Wolf Pack]
[That night, the wolves return to his house: “Scarcely had the shadows begun to darken, before a wolf emerged from the underwood, and, as on the previous evening, went and lay down at a short distance from the house. As on the evening before, this wolf was followed by a second, by a third, in short by the whole pack [toute la bande], and once more they all took up their respective posts preparatory to the night’s watch.” Thibault barricades himself inside and sleeps. When he awakes the next morning, he sees that the wolves have disappeared, “leaving behind only the mark of where their bodies had lain on the dew-covered grass.” They return again the next evening. Thibault thinks that his alliance with the Wolf-Devil somehow “awakened sympathetic feelings towards him in all other individuals of the same species.” He wants to know the wolves’ real intention, so he arms himself with a bill-hook and boar-spear, and goes out to face them. “Having half expected that they would spring upon him, he was greatly surprised to see them begin to wag their tails like so many dogs on seeing their master approach. Their greetings were so expressive of friendliness, that Thibault even ventured to stroke one or two of them on the back, which they not only allowed him to do, but actually gave signs of the greatest pleasure at being thus noticed.” Thibault realizes that now as the leader of the wolves, he has a hunting pack that can catch game for him: “ ‘if these queer friends of mine are as obedient as they are gentle, why, here I am, the owner of a pack [une meute] unequalled by any my Lord Baron has ever possessed, and I shall have no difficulty whatever now in dining on venison whenever the fancy so takes me’. He had hardly said the words, when four of the strongest and most alert of the four-footed beasts separated themselves from the others and galloped off into the forest. A few minutes later a howl was heard, sounding from the depths of the underwood, and half an hour afterwards one of the wolves reappeared dragging with it a fine kid which left behind it a long trail of blood on the grass. The wolf laid the animal at Thibault’s feet, who delighted beyond measure at seeing his wishes, not only accomplished, but forestalled, broke up the kid, giving each of the wolves an equal share, and keeping the back and haunches for himself. Then with the gesture of an Emperor, which showed that he now at last understood the position he held, he ordered the wolves away until the morrow.”]
[ditto]
Cependant, si longue que cette journée semblait à Thibault, elle passa comme les autres.
Lorsque vint le crépuscule, il quitta son établi et alla s’asseoir sur le banc de bois qu’il avait dressé de ses mains devant sa porte.
Là, il resta abîmé dans de sombres réflexions.
Mais à peine les ténèbres commencèrent-elles à épaissir, qu’un loup sortit du taillis et vint, comme la veille, se coucher à quelque distance de la maisonnette.
Comme la veille aussi, ce loup fut suivi d’un second, puis d’un troisième, enfin de toute la bande, laquelle reprit le poste qu’elle avait occupé la nuit précédente.
Au troisième loup, Thibault était rentré.
Il s’était barricadé aussi soigneusement qu’il avait fait la veille. Mais, plus que la veille encore, il était triste et découragé.
Aussi n’eut-il point la force de veiller.
Il alluma son feu, l’organisa de manière à ce qu’il durât toute la nuit, se coucha sur son lit et s’endormit.
Lorsque Thibault s’éveilla, il faisait grand jour.
Le soleil était aux deux tiers de sa hauteur.
Ses rayons chatoyaient sur les feuilles tremblotantes et jaunissantes du taillis, et les teignaient de mille nuances d’or et de pourpre.
Il courut à la fenêtre.
Les loups avaient disparu.
Seulement, on pouvait compter sur l’herbe humide de rosée les places que leurs corps avaient occupées pendant la nuit.
Le soir, les loups se réunirent encore devant la demeure de Thibault, qui, petit à petit, commençait à se familiariser avec leur présence.
Il en arriva à supposer que ses relations avec le grand loup noir lui avaient concilié quelques sympathies chez la gent de cette espèce, et il résolut de savoir, une fois pour toutes, à quoi s’en tenir sur leurs desseins.
Ayant donc passé à sa ceinture une serpe fraîchement émoulue, ayant pris à la main un bon épieu, le sabotier ouvrit la porte et s’avança résolument vers la troupe.
Mais, à sa grande surprise, au lieu de chercher à s’élancer sur lui, les loups commencèrent à remuer leurs queues comme des chiens qui voient venir leur maître.
Leurs façons amicales furent si expressives, que Thibault en vint à passer la main sur l’échine de l’un d’eux, qui non seulement se laissa faire, mais qui, en outre, donna les marques d’une satisfaction très profonde.
– Oh ! oh ! murmura Thibault, dont l’imagination vagabonde allait toujours au grand galop, si la docilité de ces drôles-là correspond à leur gentillesse, me voilà propriétaire d’une meute comme jamais le seigneur Jean n’en a possédé une, et je suis certain maintenant d’avoir de la venaison chaque fois qu’il m’en prendra fantaisie.
Thibault n’avait pas fini de parler, que quatre des plus vigoureux et des plus alertes parmi les quadrupèdes se détachèrent du reste de la bande et s’enfoncèrent dans la forêt.
Quelques instants après, un hurlement retentissait sous la voûte des taillis, et, au bout d’une demi-heure, un des loups reparaissait traînant une belle chevrette qui laissait sur le gazon une longue traînée de sang.
La chevrette fut déposée par le loup aux pieds du sabotier, qui, transporté d’aise en voyant ses désirs non seulement accomplis, mais prévenus, dépeça proprement l’animal et fit à chacun sa part, se réservant pour lui le râble et les deux cuissots de la bête.
Puis, d’un geste impérial et qui prouvait que seulement alors il entrait dans son rôle, il congédia les loups jusqu’au lendemain.
(130-132)
Still the day, long as it seemed to Thibault, passed away like all its fellows. When twilight fell, he went outside and sat down on the bench which he had made himself and placed in front of the door, and there he remained, lost in gloomy reflections. Scarcely had the shadows begun to darken, before a wolf emerged from the underwood, and, as on the previous evening, went and lay down at a short distance from the house. As on the evening before, this wolf was followed by a second, by a third, in short by the whole pack [toute la bande], and once more they all took up their respective posts preparatory to the night’s watch. As soon as Thibault saw the third wolf appear, he went indoors and barricaded himself in as carefully as the evening before; but this evening he was even more unhappy and low spirited, and felt that he had not the strength to keep awake all night. So he lighted his fire, and piled it up in such a way that it would last till the morning, and throwing himself on his bed, fell fast asleep. When he awoke, it was broad daylight, the sun having risen some hours before. Its rays fell in many colours on the quivering autumn leaves, dyeing them with a thousand shades of gold and purple.
Thibault ran to the window, the wolves had disappeared, leaving behind only the mark of where their bodies had lain on the dew-covered grass.
Next evening they again congregated before his dwelling; but he was now growing gradually accustomed to their presence, and had come to the conclusion that his relations with the large black wolf had somehow awakened sympathetic feelings towards him in all other individuals of the same species, and he determined to find out, once for all, what their designs towards him really were. Accordingly, thrusting a freshly sharpened bill-hook into his belt, and taking his boar-spear in his hand, the shoe-maker opened his door and walked resolutely out to face them. Having half expected that they would spring upon him, he was greatly surprised to see them begin to wag their tails like so many dogs on seeing their master approach. Their greetings were so expressive of friendliness, that Thibault even ventured to stroke one or two of them on the back, which they not only allowed him to do, but actually gave signs of the greatest pleasure at being thus noticed.
“Oh! ho!” muttered Thibault, whose wandering imagination always went ahead at a gallop, “if these queer friends of mine are as obedient as they are gentle, why, here I am, the owner of a pack [une meute] unequalled by any my Lord Baron has ever possessed, and I shall have no difficulty whatever now in dining on venison whenever the fancy so takes me.”
He had hardly said the words, when four of the strongest and most alert of the four-footed beasts separated themselves from the others and galloped off into the forest. A few minutes later a howl was heard, sounding from the depths of the underwood, and half an hour afterwards one of the wolves reappeared dragging with it a fine kid which left behind it a long trail of blood on the grass. The wolf laid the animal at Thibault’s feet, who delighted beyond measure at seeing his wishes, not only accomplished, but forestalled, broke up the kid, giving each of the wolves an equal share, and keeping the back and haunches for himself. Then with the gesture of an Emperor, which showed that he now at last understood the position he held, he ordered the wolves away until the morrow.
(49-50)
[Thibault the Meat Seller]
[Thibault sells the meat to an Innkeeper in town, the next day he brings half a boar, and soon Thibault is the Innkeeper’s main meat supplier. Now instead of making shoes, Thibault spends time in the taverns. “One or two of his acquaintances began to make fun of his red lock, for however assiduously he covered it with the rest of his hair, it always found a way of getting through the curls that hid it, and making itself visible. But Thibault soon gave it plainly to be understood that he would take no joking about the unfortunate disfigurement.”]
[ditto]
Le lendemain, avant le jour, il partait pour Villers-Cotterêts, et, moyennant deux gros écus, l’aubergiste de la Boule-d’or le débarrassait de ses deux cuissots de chevrette.
Le lendemain, ce fut une moitié de sanglier que Thibault porta au même aubergiste, dont il devint un des pourvoyeurs les plus assidus.
Thibault, prenant goût à ce trafic, passait la journée entière dans la ville, hantant les cabarets et ne faisant plus de sabots.
Quelques-uns avaient bien voulu plaisanter sur cette mèche de cheveux rouges qui, si bien qu’il l’ensevelît sous les autres cheveux, trouvait toujours moyen de soulever la couche supérieure et d’apparaître au jour ; mais Thibault avait nettement dit qu’il n’entendait pas raillerie touchant cette malheureuse difformité.
(132)
Early next morning, before the day broke, he went off to Villers-Cotterets, and at the price of a couple of crowns, the Innkeeper of the Boule-d’Or, took the two haunches off his hands.
The following day, it was half of a boar that Thibault conveyed to the Innkeeper, and it was not long before he became the latter’s chief purveyor.
Thibault, taking a taste for this sort of business, now passed his whole day hanging about the taverns, and gave no more thought to the making of shoes. One or two of his acquaintances began to make fun of his red lock, for however assiduously he covered it with the rest of his hair, it always found a way of getting through the curls that hid it, and making itself visible. But Thibault soon gave it plainly to be understood that he would take no joking about the unfortunate disfigurement.
(50)
[Thibault’s Spectatorship of Noble Displays]
[Then “Duke of Orleans and Madame de Montesson came to spend a few days at Villers-Cotterets.” All the nobles dressed in their most impressive clothing, and their nobility was put on magnificent display, as the aristocrats feasted, danced, and “drove out in beautiful gilt carriages bedizened with coats of arms of every colour.” Thibault eagerly looked on at their displays, and he “would ask himself why he was not one of those young lords in their embroidered coats; why he had not one of these beautiful women in their rustling satins for his mistress. Then his thoughts would turn to Agnelette and Madame Polet, and he saw them just as they were, the one a poor little peasant girl, the other nothing more than the owner of a rustic mill.”]
[ditto]
Sur ces entrefaites, le malheur voulut que le duc d’Orléans et madame de Montesson vinssent passer quelques jours à Villers-Cotterêts. Ce fut une nouvelle excitation pour la folle ambition de Thibault.
Toutes les belles dames et tous les jeunes seigneurs des châteaux voisins, les Montbreton, les Montesquiou, les Courval, accoururent à Villers-Cotterêts.
Les dames dans leurs plus riches atours, les jeunes seigneurs dans leurs plus élégants costumes.
La trompe du seigneur Jean retentit plus bruyante que jamais dans la forêt.
On voyait passer, comme de ravissantes visions, emportés par la course de magnifiques chevaux anglais, de sveltes amazones et de rapides cavaliers avec leurs beaux habits de chasse rouges, galonnés d’or.
On eût dit des éclairs de flamme qui sillonnaient les sombres et épaisses futaies.
Le soir, c’était bien autre chose.
Toute cette aristocratique compagnie se réunissait pour les festins et les bals.
Mais, entre les festins et les bals, on montait dans de belles calèches dorées avec des armoiries de toutes couleurs.
Thibault était toujours là au premier rang des curieux. Il dévorait des yeux ces nuages de satin et de dentelles, qui, en se relevant, laissaient voir de fines chevilles chaussées de bas de soie et de petites mules à talons rouges.
Puis tout cela passait devant le peuple ébahi, laissant derrière soi une vapeur de poudre à la maréchale et d’essence parfumée aux plus douces senteurs.
Thibault se demandait pourquoi il n’était pas, lui, un de ces jeunes seigneurs aux habits brodés.
Pourquoi il n’avait pas pour maîtresse une de ces belles dames à froufrou de satin.
Et l’Agnelette lui paraissait alors ce qu’elle était en effet, une pauvre petite paysanne ; et la veuve Polet, ce qu’en effet elle était aussi, une simple meunière.
(132-134)
Meanwhile, as ill luck would have it, the Duke of Orleans and Madame de Montesson came to spend a few days at Villers-Cotterets. This was a fresh incentive to Thibault’s madly ambitious spirit. All the fine and beautiful ladies and all the gay young lords from the neighbouring estates, the Montbretons, the Montesquious, the Courvals, hastened to Villers-Cotterets. The ladies brought their richest attire, the young lords their most elegant costumes. The Baron’s hunting-horn resounded through the forest louder and gayer than ever. Graceful amazons and dashing cavaliers, in red coats laced with gold, passed like radiant visions, as they were borne along on their magnificent English horses, illuminating the sombre depths of the wood like brilliant flashes of light.
In the evening it was different; then all this aristocratic company assembled for feasting and dancing, or at other times drove out in beautiful gilt carriages bedizened with coats of arms of every colour.
Thibault always took his stand in the front rank of the lookers-on, gazing with avidity on these clouds of satin and lace, which lifted now and then to disclose the delicate ankles encased in their fine silk stockings, and the little shoes with their red heels. Thus the whole cavalcade swept past in front of the astonished peasantry, leaving a faint exhalation of scent and powder and delicate perfumes. And then Thibault would ask himself why he was not one of those young lords in their embroidered coats; why he had not one of these beautiful women in their rustling satins for his mistress. Then his thoughts would turn to Agnelette and Madame Polet, and he saw them just as they were, the one a poor little peasant girl, the other nothing more than the owner of a rustic mill.
(50-51)
[Thibault’s Determination to Use His Power to Gain Nobility]
[As Thibault walks home with his wolf pack, he notes his great ambitions in life, and resolves to attain to the greatness of the nobility. “At last one day he said to himself definitely that it would be the veriest folly to go on living his poor life when a power so tremendous as he now possessed, was at his disposal. From that moment he made up his mind that, no matter if his hair should grow as red as the crown of fire which is seen at night hanging over the great chimney at the glass works of Saint Gobain, he would exercise this power of his to the accomplishing of the most high-flown of his ambitions.”]
[ditto]
Et c’était quand il s’en revenait à travers la forêt, la nuit, escorté de cette meute de loups qui, du moment où la nuit était venue et où il avait mis le pied dans la forêt, ne le quittaient pas plus que des gardes du corps ne quittent un roi, c’était alors qu’il faisait les plus fatales réflexions.
Entouré de tentations semblables, il était impossible que Thibault, qui avait déjà marché dans la voie du mal, s’arrêtât et ne rompît pas avec ce qui lui restait encore, c’est-à-dire avec le souvenir de sa vie honnête.
Qu’étaient les quelques écus que lui donnait l’aubergiste de la Boule-d’or pour prix du gibier que lui procuraient ses bons amis les loups !
Amassés pendant des mois, des années, ils eussent été insuffisants à satisfaire le plus humble des désirs qui grondaient dans son cœur.
Je n’oserais pas dire que Thibault, qui avait commencé par souhaiter un cuissot du chevreuil du seigneur Jean, puis le cœur d’Agnelette, puis le moulin de la veuve Polet, se fût contenté maintenant du château d’Oigny ou de Longpont, tant ces pieds mignons, ces jambes fines et rondes, tant ces douces senteurs qu’exhalaient ces vêtements de velours et de satin avaient exalté son ambitieuse imagination.
Aussi se dit-il un jour qu’il serait décidément bien sot de demeurer toujours pauvre, lorsqu’une puissance aussi formidable que la sienne était mise à sa disposition.
Dès ce moment, il résolut d’exploiter cette puissance par les souhaits les plus exagérés, dût sa chevelure ressembler un jour à la couronne flamboyante que l’on aperçoit la nuit voltigeant au-dessus de la haute cheminée des manufactures de glaces de Saint-Gobain.
(134)
But it was when he was walking home at night through the forest, accompanied by his pack of wolves [meute de loups ], which, from the moment the night fell and he set foot inside the forest, no more thought of leaving him than the King’s bodyguard would dream of leaving their Royal master, that his broodings took their most disastrous turn. Surrounded by the temptations which now assailed him, it was only what was to be expected that Thibault who had already gone so far in the direction of evil [la voie du mal], should break away from what little good was still left in him, losing even the very remembrance of having once led an honest life. What were the few paltry crowns that the Landlord of the Boule-d’Or gave him in payment for the game which his good friends the wolves procured for him? Saved up for months, even for years, they would still be insufficient to satisfy a single one of the humblest of the desires which kept tormenting his brain. It would be scarcely safe to say that Thibault, who had first wished for a haunch of the Baron’s buck, then for Agnelette’s heart, and then for the widow Polet’s mill, would now be satisfied even with the Castle at Oigny or Longpont, to such extravagant issues had his ambition been excited by those dainty feet, those trim ankles, those exquisite scents exhaled from all those velvet and satin gowns.
At last one day he said to himself definitely that it would be the veriest folly to go on living his poor life when a power so tremendous as he now possessed, was at his disposal. From that moment he made up his mind that, no matter if his hair should grow as red as the crown of fire which is seen at night hanging over the great chimney at the glass works of Saint Gobain, he would exercise this power of his to the accomplishing of the most high-flown of his ambitions.
(51)
Dumas, Alexandre. 1868. Le meneur de loups. (Nouvelle édition). Paris: Lévy.
PDF at:
https://archive.org/det ails/bub_gb_BhlMAAAAMAAJ/page/n5
and:
https://beq.ebooksgratuits.com/vents/Dumas-meneur.pdf
Online text at:
https://fr.wikisource.org/wik i/Le_Meneur_de_loups
and
https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Livre:Dumas_- _Le_Meneur_de_loups_(1868).djvu
Dumas, Alexandre. 1921. The Wolf-Leader. Translated by Alfred Allinson. London: Methuen.
PDF at:
https://archive.org/details/wolfle ader00duma
or:
https://archive.org/details/wo lfleader00dumauoft
Online text at:
.
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