"You have plenty of moral strength, general; you won't put yourself in a passion, will you?"
"No," said the general; "but come to the point or I shall think you are making fun of me."
"Do you see those trees with dead leaves?"
"Yes."
"Do you see those others that are wilting?"
"Yes."
"Well, every one of them has been killed by the peasants you think you have won over by your benefits."
And Blondet related the events of the morning.
The general was so pale that Blondet was frightened.
"Come, curse, swear, be furious! your self-control may hurt you more than anger!"
"I'll go and smoke," said the general, turning toward the kiosk.
During breakfast Michaud came in; he had found no one.Sibilet, whom the count had sent for, came also.
"Monsieur Sibilet, and you, Monsieur Michaud, are to make it known, cautiously, that I will pay a thousand francs to whoever will arrest IN THE ACT the person or persons who are killing my trees; they must also discover the instrument with which the work is done, and where it was bought.I have settled upon a plan."
"Those people never betray one another," said Sibilet, "if the crime done is for their benefit and premeditated.There is no denying that this diabolical business has been planned, carefully planned and contrived."
"Yes, but a thousand francs means a couple of acres of land."