Bute
A talkative farmhand who introduces Michel to the estate’s secrets, helps him enter the poaching scheme, and exposes it after being dismissed.
To stay useful to Michel, earn money from the poaching scheme, and protect himself when the arrangement begins to fail.
The book
At a glance
- Farmhand at La Morinière
- Carries meals from the farm to the timber workers
- Michel’s source of gossip and later his poaching accomplice
- Not stated; described only as young
Who they are in the book
Spoiler-freeBute is a young farmhand at La Morinière, Michel’s estate in Normandy. He has recently returned from military service, and Michel describes him as physically strong but changed for the worse by his time in the army. His exact age and appearance are not given. When timber workers arrive to clear the woods, Bute carries their meals from the farm.
Bute likes to talk, and Michel encourages him to share every rumor he knows. He tells Michel about Alcide’s poaching and repeats disturbing stories about the Heurtevent family. These stories reveal how eager Michel is to hear about hidden or forbidden behavior, but the novel never confirms Bute’s most serious allegations.
Bute helps Michel catch Alcide by placing a hidden wire across the boy’s usual path. He later joins Michel and Alcide on their nighttime poaching trips and receives money from Michel to buy wire for new traps. The arrangement ends after Bute returns to the farm drunk, insults and strikes Bocage, and is dismissed.
How the book draws them
- Young and physically strongMichel gives no exact age or facial description, but says Bute has recently completed military service and is in excellent physical condition.
- Always ready to talkUnlike the silent Heurtevents, Bute enjoys conversation. Once Michel shows that he will not object, Bute freely shares local gossip, criminal secrets, and accusations.
- Careful about Michel’s reactionsBefore revealing Alcide’s poaching, Bute lowers his voice and watches Michel’s face. He continues only after Michel smiles and shows that he will not report him.
- Reckless when drunkBute eventually stays out all night, returns drunk, insults Bocage, and hits him. The incident gives Bocage a clear reason to ask for his dismissal.
Bute helps Michel trap Alcide and later joins their poaching trips. When other workers remove their traps, Michel repeatedly pays Bute for more copper wire. Michel is therefore secretly financing the damage that Bocage and Charles are trying to prevent.
After Bute attacks Bocage, Michel agrees to dismiss him. Bute then reveals that Michel gave him money. Bocage cannot believe that the owner would knowingly support poachers, so he assumes Bute stole the money and lied about Michel. Bute exposes the truth, but Bocage’s trust in Michel prevents him from understanding it.
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