the village rector-第28节

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not　let　him　go　up　to　his　wife's　apartment　until　he　had　talked　to　him
in　his　office　for　over　an　hour　and　obtained　such　information　as　fully
satisfied　him；　and　made　him　resolve　to　buy　the　forest　and　domains　of
Montegnac　at　once　for　the　sum　of　five　hundred　thousand　francs。　He
acquiesced　readily　in　his　wife's　wish　that　this　purchase　and　all
others　connected　with　it　should　be　in　fulfilment　of　the　clause　of　the
marriage　contract　relative　to　the　investment　of　her　dowry。　Graslin　was
all　the　more　ready　to　do　so　because　this　act　of　justice　cost　him
nothing；　he　having　doubled　the　original　sum。

At　this　time；　when　Graslin　was　negotiating　the　purchase；　the
Navarreins　domains　comprised　the　forest　of　Montegnac　which　contained
about　thirty　thousand　acres　of　unused　land；　the　ruins　of　the　castle；
the　gardens；　park；　and　about　five　thousand　acres　of　uncultivated　land
on　the　plain　beyond　Montegnac。　Graslin　immediately　bought　other　lands
in　order　to　make　himself　master　of　the　first　peak　in　the　chain　of　the
Correzan　mountains　on　which　the　vast　forest　of　Montegnac　ended。　Since
the　imposition　of　taxes　the　Duc　de　Navarreins　had　never　received　more
than　fifteen　thousand　francs　per　annum　from　this　manor；　once　among　the
richest　tenures　of　the　kingdom；　the　lands　of　which　had　escaped　the
sale　of　〃public　domain〃　ordered　by　the　Convention；　on　account　probably
of　their　barrenness　and　the　known　difficulty　of　reclaiming　them。

When　the　rector　went　at　last　to　Madame　Graslin's　apartment；　and　saw
the　woman　noted　for　her　piety　and　for　her　intellect　of　whom　he　had
heard　speak；　he　could　not　restrain　a　gesture　of　amazement。　Veronique
had　now　reached　the　third　phase　of　her　life；　that　in　which　she　was　to
rise　into　grandeur　by　the　exercise　of　the　highest　virtues；a　phase　in
which　she　became　another　woman。　To　the　Little　Virgin　of　Titian；　hidden
at　eleven　years　of　age　beneath　a　spotted　mantle　of　small…pox；　had
succeeded　a　beautiful　woman；　noble　and　passionate；　and　from　that
woman；　now　wrung　by　inward　sorrows；　came　forth　a　saint。

Her　skin　bore　the　yellow　tinge　which　colors　the　austere　faces　of
abbesses　who　have　been　famous　for　their　macerations。　The　attenuated
temples　were　almost　golden。　The　lips　had　paled；　the　red　of　an　opened
pomegranate　was　no　longer　on　them；　their　color　had　changed　to　the　pale
pink　of　a　Bengal　rose。　At　the　corners　of　the　eyes；　close　to　the　nose；
sorrows　had　made　two　shining　tracks　like　mother…of…pearl；　where　tears
had　flowed；　tears　which　effaced　the　marks　of　small…pox　and　glazed　the
skin。　Curiosity　was　invincibly　attracted　to　that　pearly　spot；　where
the　blue　threads　of　the　little　veins　throbbed　precipitately；　as　though
they　were　swelled　by　an　influx　of　blood　brought　there；　as　it　were；　to
feed　the　tears。　The　circle　round　the　eyes　was　now　a　dark…brown　that
was　almost　black　above　the　eyelids；　which　were　horribly　wrinkled。　The
cheeks　were　hollow；　in　their　folds　lay　the　sign　of　solemn　thoughts。
The　chin；　which　in　youth　was　full　and　round；　the　flesh　covering　the
muscles；　was　now　shrunken；　to　the　injury　of　its　expression；　which　told
of　an　implacable　religious　severity　exercised　by　this　woman　upon
herself。

At　twenty…nine　years　of　age　Veronique's　hair　was　scanty　and　already
whitening。　Her　thinness　was　alarming。　In　spite　of　her　doctor's　advice
she　insisted　on　suckling　her　son。　The　doctor　triumphed　in　the　result；
and　as　he　watched　the　changes　he　had　foretold　in　Veronique's
appearance；　he　often　said：

〃See　the　effects　of　childbirth　on　a　woman！　She　adores　that　child；　I
have　often　noticed　that　mothers　are　fondest　of　the　children　who　cost
them　most。〃

Veronique's　faded　eyes　were　all　that　retained　even　a　memory　of　her
youth。　The　dark　blue　of　the　iris　still　cast　its　passionate　fires；　to
which　the　woman's　life　seemed　to　have　retreated；　deserting　the　cold；
impassible　face；　and　glowing　with　an　expression　of　devotion　when　the
welfare　of　a　fellow…being　was　concerned。

Thus　the　surprise；　the　dread　of　the　rector　ceased　by　degrees　as　he
went　on　explaining　to　Madame　Graslin　all　the　good　that　a　large　owner
of　property　could　do　at　Montegnac　provided　he　lived　there。　Veronique's
beauty　came　back　to　her　for　a　moment　as　her　eyes　glowed　with　the　light
of　an　unhoped…for　future。

〃I　will　live　there；〃　she　said。　〃It　shall　be　my　work。　I　will　ask
Monsieur　Graslin　for　money；　and　I　will　gladly　share　in　your　religious
enterprise。　Montegnac　shall　be　fertilized；　we　will　find　some　means　to
water　those　arid　plains。　Like　Moses；　you　have　struck　a　rock　from　which
the　waters　will　gush。〃

The　rector　of　Montegnac；　when　questioned　by　his　friends　in　Limoges
about　Madame　Graslin；　spoke　of　her　as　a　saint。

The　day　after　the　purchase　was　concluded　Monsieur　Graslin　sent　an
architect　to　Montegnac。　The　banker　intended　to　restore　the　chateau；
gardens；　terrace；　and　park；　and　also　to　connect　the　castle　grounds
with　the　forest　by　a　plantation。　He　set　himself　to　make　these
improvements　with　vainglorious　activity。

A　few　months　later　Madame　Graslin　met　with　a　great　misfortune。　In
August；　1830；　Graslin；　overtaken　by　the　commercial　and　banking
disasters　of　that　period；　became　involved　by　no　fault　of　his　own。　He
could　not　endure　the　thought　of　bankruptcy；　nor　that　of　losing　a
fortune　of　three　millions　acquired　by　forty　years　of　incessant　toil。
The　moral　malady　which　resulted　from　this　anguish　of　mind　aggravated
the　inflammatory　disease　always　ready　to　break　forth　in　his　blood。　He
took　to　his　bed。　Since　her　confinement　Veronique's　regard　for　her
husband　had　developed；　and　had　overthrown　all　the　hopes　of　her
admirer；　Monsieur　de　Grandville。　She　strove　to　save　her　husband's　life
by　unremitting　care；　with　no　result　but　that　of　prolonging　for　a　few
months　the　poor　man's　tortures；　but　the　respite　was　very　useful　to
Grossetete；　who；　foreseeing　the　end　of　his　former　clerk　and　partner；
obtained　from　him　all　the　information　necessary　for　the　prompt
liquidation　of　the　assets。

Graslin　died　in　April；　1831；　and　the　widow's　grief　yielded　only　to
Christian　resignation。　Veronique's　first　words；　when　the　condition　of
Monsieur　Graslin's　affairs　were　made　known　to　her；　were　that　she
abandoned　her　own　fortune　to　pay　the　creditors；　but　it　was　found　that
Graslin's　own　property　was　more　than　sufficient。　Two　months　later；　the
liquidation；　of　which　Grossetete　took　charge；　left　to　Madame　Graslin
the　estate　of　Montegnac　and　six　hundred　thousand　francs；　her　whole
personal　fortune。　The　son's　name　remained　untainted；　for　Graslin　had
injured　no　one's　property；　not　even　that　of　his　wife。　Francis　Graslin；
the　son；　received　about　one　hundred　thousand　francs。

Monsieur　de　Grandville；　to　whom　Veronique's　grandeur　of　soul　and　noble
qualities　were　well　known；　made　her　an　offer　of　marriage；　but；　to　the
surprise　of　all　Limoges；　Madame　Graslin　declined；　under　pretext　that
the　Church　discouraged　second　marriages。　Grossetete；　a　man　of　strong
common…sense　and　sure　grasp　of　a　situation；　advised　Veronique　to
invest　her　property　and　what　remained　of　Monsieur　Graslin's　in　the
Funds；　and　he　made　the　investment　himself　in　one　of　the　government
securities　which　offered　special　advantages　at　that　time；　namely；　the
Three…per…cents；　which　were　then　quoted　at　fifty。　The　child　Francis
received；　therefore；　six　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　his　mother　forty
thousand。　Veronique's　fortune　was　still　the　largest　in　the　department。

When　these　affairs　were　all　settled；　Madame　Graslin　announced　her
intention　of　leaving　Limoges　and　taking　up　her　residence　at　Montegnac；
to　be　near　Monsieur　Bonnet。　She　sent　for　the　rector　to　consult　about
the　enterprise　he　was　so　anxious　to　carry　on　at　Montegnac；　in　which
she　desired　to　take　part。　But　he　endeavored　unselfishly　to　dissuade
her；　telling　her　that　her　place　was　in　the　world　and　in　society。

〃I　was　born　of　the　people　and　I　wish　to　return　to　the　people；〃　she
replied。　On　which　the　rector；　full　of　love　for　his　village；　said　no
more　against　Madame　Graslin's　apparent　vocation；　and　the　less　because
she　had　actually　put　it　out　of　her　power　to　continue　in　Limoges；
having　sold　the　hotel　Graslin　to　Grossetete；　who；　to　cover　a　sum　that
was　due　to　him；　took　it　at　its　proper　valuation。

The　day　of　her　departure；　toward　the　end　of　August；　1831；　Madame
Graslin's　numerous　friends　accompanied　her　some　distance　out　of　the
town。　A　few　went　as　far　as　the　first　relay。　Veronique　was　in　an　open
carriage　with　her　mother。　The　Abbe　Dutheil　（just　appointed　to　a
bishopric）　occupied　the　front　seat　of　the　carriage　with　old
Grossetete。　As　they　passed　through　the　place　d'Aine；　Veronique　showed
signs　of　a　sudden　shock；　her　face　contracted　so　that　the　play　of　the
muscles　could　be　seen；　she　clasped　her　infant　to　her　breast　with　a
convulsive　motion；　which　old　Madame　Sauviat　concealed　by　instantly
taking　the　child；　for　she　seemed　to　be　on　the　watch　for　her　daughter's
agitation。　Chance　willed　that　Madame　Graslin　should　pass　through　the
square　in　which　stood　the　house　she　had　formerly　occupied　with　her
father　and　mother　in　her　girlish　days；　she　grasped　her　mother's　hand
while　great　tears　fell　from　her　eyes　and　rolled　down　her　cheeks。

After　leaving　Limoges　she　turned　and　looked　back；　seeming　to　feel　an
emotion　of　happiness　which　was　notice