the village rector-第29节

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emotion　of　happiness　which　was　noticed　by　all　her　friends。　When
Monsieur　de　Grandville；　then　a　young　man　of　twenty…five；　whom　she
declined　to　take　as　a　husband；　kissed　her　hand　with　an　earnest
expression　of　regret；　the　new　bishop　noticed　the　strange　manner　in
which　the　black　pupil　of　Veronique's　eyes　suddenly　spread　over　the
blue　of　the　iris；　reducing　it　to　a　narrow　circle。　The　eye　betrayed
unmistakably　some　violent　inward　emotion。

〃I　shall　never　see　him　again；〃　she　whispered　to　her　mother；　who
received　this　confidence　without　betraying　the　slightest　feeling　in
her　old　face。

Madame　Graslin　was　at　that　instant　under　the　observation　of
Grossetete；　who　was　directly　in　front　of　her；　but；　in　spite　of　his
shrewdness；　the　old　banker　did　not　detect　the　hatred　which　Veronique
felt　for　the　magistrate；　whom　she　nevertheless　received　at　her　house。
But　churchmen　have　far　more　perception　than　other　men；　and　Monsieur
Dutheil　suddenly　startled　Veronique　with　a　priestly　glance。

〃Do　you　regret　nothing　in　Limoges？〃　he　asked　her。

〃Nothing；　now　that　you　are　leaving　it；　and　monsieur；〃　she　added；
smiling　at　Grossetete；　who　was　bidding　her　adieu；　〃will　seldom　be
there。〃

The　bishop　accompanied　Madame　Graslin　as　far　as　Montegnac。

〃I　ought　to　walk　this　road　in　sackcloth　and　ashes；〃　she　said　in　her
mother's　ear　as　they　went　on　foot　up　the　steep　slope　of　Saint…Leonard。

The　old　woman　put　her　finger　on　her　lips　and　glanced　at　the　bishop；
who　was　looking　at　the　child　with　terrible　attention。　This　gesture；
and　the　luminous　look　in　the　prelate's　eyes；　sent　a　shudder　through
Veronique's　body。　At　the　aspect　of　the　vast　plains　stretching　their
gray　expanse　before　Montegnac　the　fire　died　out　of　her　eyes；　and　an
infinite　sadness　overcame　her。　Presently　she　saw　the　village　rector
coming　to　meet　her；　and　together　they　returned　to　the　carriage。

〃There　is　your　domain；　madame；〃　said　Monsieur　Bonnet；　extending　his
hand　toward　the　barren　plain。

A　few　moments　more；　and　the　village　of　Montegnac；　with　its　hill；　on
which　the　newly　erected　buildings　struck　the　eye；　came　in　sight；
gilded　by　the　setting　sun；　and　full　of　the　poesy　born　of　the　contrast
between　the　beautiful　spot　and　the　surrounding　barrenness；　in　which　it
lay　like　an　oasis　in　the　desert。　Madame　Graslin's　eyes　filled　suddenly
with　tears。　The　rector　called　her　attention　to　a　broad　white　line　like
a　gash　on　the　mountain　side。

〃See　what　my　parishioners　have　done　to　testify　their　gratitude　to　the
lady　of　the　manor；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　line；　which　was　really　a
road；　〃we　can　now　drive　up　to　the　chateau。　This　piece　of　road　has　been
made　by　them　without　costing　you　a　penny；　and　two　months　hence　we
shall　plant　it　with　trees。　Monseigneur　will　understand　what　trouble
and　care　and　devotion　were　needed　to　accomplish　such　a　change。〃

〃Is　it　possible　they　have　done　that？〃　said　the　bishop。

〃Without　accepting　any　payment　for　their　work；　Monseigneur。　The
poorest　put　their　hands　into　it；　knowing　that　it　would　bring　a　mother
among　them。〃

At　the　foot　of　the　hill　the　travellers　saw　the　whole　population　of　the
neighborhood；　who　were　lighting　fire…boxes　and　discharging　a　few　guns；
then　two　of　the　prettiest　of　the　village　girls；　dressed　in　white；　came
forward　to　offer　Madame　Graslin　flowers　and　fruit。

〃To　be　thus　received　in　this　village！〃　she　exclaimed；　grasping　the
rector's　hand　as　if　she　stood　on　the　brink　of　a　precipice。

The　crowd　accompanied　the　carriage　to　the　iron　gates　of　the　avenue。
From　there　Madame　Graslin　could　see　her　chateau；　of　which　as　yet　she
had　only　caught　glimpses；　and　she　was　thunderstruck　at　the
magnificence　of　the　building。　Stone　is　rare　in　those　parts；　the
granite　of　the　mountains　being　difficult　to　quarry。　The　architect
employed　by　Graslin　to　restore　the　house　had　used　brick　as　the　chief
substance　of　this　vast　construction。　This　was　rendered　less　costly　by
the　fact　that　the　forest　of　Montegnac　furnished　all　the　necessary　wood
and　clay　for　its　fabrication。　The　framework　of　wood　and　the　stone　for
the　foundations　also　came　from　the　forest；　otherwise　the　cost　of　the
restorations　would　have　been　ruinous。　The　chief　expenses　had　been
those　of　transportation；　labor；　and　salaries。　Thus　the　money　laid　out
was　kept　in　the　village；　and　greatly　benefited　it。

At　first　sight；　and　from　a　distance；　the　chateau　presents　an　enormous
red　mass；　threaded　by　black　lines　produced　by　the　pointing；　and　edged
with　gray；　for　the　window　and　door　casings；　the　entablatures；　corner
stones；　and　courses　between　the　stories；　are　of　granite；　cut　in　facets
like　a　diamond。　The　courtyard；　which　forms　a　sloping　oval　like　that　of
the　Chateau　de　Versailles；　is　surrounded　by　brick　walls　divided　into
panels　by　projecting　buttresses。　At　the　foot　of　these　walls　are　groups
of　rare　shrubs；　remarkable　for　the　varied　color　of　their　greens。　Two
fine　iron　gates　placed　opposite　to　each　other　lead　on　one　side　to　a
terrace　which　overlooks　Montegnac；　on　the　other　to　the　offices　and　a
farm…house。

The　grand　entrance…gate；　to　which　the　road　just　constructed　led；　is
flanked　by　two　pretty　lodges　in　the　style　of　the　sixteenth　century。
The　facade　on　the　courtyard　looking　east　has　three　towers；one　in　the
centre；　separated　from　the　two　others　by　the　main　building　of　the
house。　The　facade　on　the　gardens；　which　is　absolutely　the　same　as　the
others；　looks　westward。　The　towers　have　but　one　window　on　the　facade；
the　main　building　has　three　on　either　side　of　the　middle　tower。　The
latter；　which　is　square　like　a　/campanile/；　the　corners　being
vermiculated；　is　noticeable　for　the　elegance　of　a　few　carvings
sparsely　distributed。　Art　is　timid　in　the　provinces；　and　though；　since
1829；　ornamentation　has　made　some　progress　at　the　instigation　of
certain　writers；　landowners　were　at　that　period　afraid　of　expenses
which　the　lack　of　competition　and　skilled　workmen　rendered　serious。

The　corner　towers；　which　have　three　stories　with　a　single　window　in
each；　looking　to　the　side；　are　covered　with　very　high…pitched　roofs
surrounded　by　granite　balustrades；　and　on　each　pyramidal　slope　of
these　roofs　crowned　at　the　top　with　the　sharp　ridge　of　a　platform
surrounded　with　a　wrought　iron　railing；　is　another　window　carved　like
the　rest。　On　each　floor　the　corbels　of　the　doors　and　windows　are
adorned　with　carvings　copied　from　those　of　the　Genoese　mansions。　The
corner　tower　with　three　windows　to　the　south　looks　down　on　Montegnac；
the　other；　to　the　north；　faces　the　forest。　From　the　garden　front　the
eye　takes　in　that　part　of　Montegnac　which　is　still　called　Les
Tascherons；　and　follows　the　high…road　leading　through　the　village　to
the　chief　town　of　the　department。　The　facade　on　the　courtyard　has　a
view　of　the　vast　plains　semicircled　by　the　mountains　of　the　Correze；
on　the　side　toward　Montegnac；　but　ending　in　the　far　distance　on　a　low
horizon。　The　main　building　has　only　one　floor　above　the　ground…floor；
covered　with　a　mansarde　roof　in　the　olden　style。　The　towers　at　each
end　are　three　stories　in　height。　The　middle　tower　has　a　stunted　dome
something　like　that　on　the　Pavillon　de　l'Horloge　of　the　palace　of　the
Tuileries；　and　in　it　is　a　single　room　forming　a　belvedere　and
containing　the　clock。　As　a　matter　of　economy　the　roofs　had　all　been
made　of　gutter…tiles；　the　enormous　weight　of　which　was　easily
supported　by　the　stout　beams　and　uprights　of　the　framework　cut　in　the
forest。

Before　his　death　Graslin　had　laid　out　the　road　which　the　peasantry　had
just　built　out　of　gratitude；　for　these　restorations　（which　Graslin
called　his　folly）　had　distributed　several　hundred　thousand　francs
among　the　people；　in　consequence　of　which　Montegnac　had　considerably
increased。　Graslin　had　also　begun；　before　his　death；　behind　the
offices　on　the　slope　of　the　hill　leading　down　to　the　plain；　a　number
of　farm　buildings；　proving　his　intention　to　draw　some　profit　from　the
hitherto　uncultivated　soil　of　the　plains。　Six　journeyman…gardeners；
who　were　lodged　in　the　offices；　were　now　at　work　under　orders　of　a
head　gardener；　planting　and　completing　certain　works　which　Monsieur
Bonnet　had　considered　indispensable。

The　ground…floor　apartments　of　the　chateau；　intended　only　for
reception…rooms；　had　been　sumptuously　furnished；　the　upper　floor　was
rather　bare；　Monsieur　Graslin　having　stopped　for　a　time　the　work　of
furnishing　it。

〃Ah；　Monseigneur！〃　said　Madame　Graslin　to　the　bishop；　after　going　the
rounds　of　the　house；　〃I　who　expected　to　live　in　a　cottage！　Poor
Monsieur　Graslin　was　extravagant　indeed！〃

〃And　you；〃　said　the　bishop；　adding　after　a　pause；　as　he　noticed　the
shudder　than　ran　through　her　frame　at　his　first　words；　〃you　will　be
extravagant　in　charity？〃

She　took　the　arm　of　her　mother；　who　was　leading　Francis　by　the　hand；
and　went　to　the　long　terrace　at　the　foot　of　which　are　the　church　and
the　parsonage；　and　from　which　the　houses　of　the　village　can　be　seen　in
tiers。　The　rector　carried　off　Monseigneur　Dutheil　to　show　him　the
different　sides　of　the　landscape。　Before　long　the　two　priests　came
round　to　the　farther　end　of　the　terrace；　where　they　found　Madame
Graslin　and　her　mother　motionless　as　statues。　The　old　woman　was　wiping
her　eyes　with　a　handkerchief；　and　her　daughter　stood　with　bot