the village rector-第37节

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advice；　bought　three　hundred　acres　at　the　opening　of　that　gorge；　on
which　the　waters　have　left　sediment　enough　to　make　good　soil　over
quite　a　piece　of　ground。　Madame　will　also　see　the　opposite　side　of　the
Roche…Vive；　where　there　are　fine　woods；　among　which　Monsieur　Graslin
would　no　doubt　have　put　a　farm　had　he　lived；　there's　an　excellent
place　for　one；　where　the　spring　which　rises　just　by　my　house　loses
itself　below。〃

Farrabesche　rode　first　to　show　the　way；　taking　Veronique　through　a
path　which　led　to　the　spot　where　the　two　slopes　drew　closely　together
and　then　flew　apart；　one　to　the　east　the　other　to　the　west；　as　if
repulsed　by　a　shock。　This　narrow　passage；　filled　with　large　rocks　and
coarse；　tall　grasses；　was　only　about　sixty　feet　in　width。

The　Roche…Vive；　cut　perpendicularly　on　this　side　looked　like　a　wall　of
granite　in　which　there　was　no　foothold；　but　above　this　inflexible　wall
was　a　crown　of　trees；　the　roots　of　which　hung　down　it；　mostly　pines
clinging　to　the　rock　with　their　forked　feet　like　birds　on　a　bough。

The　opposite　hill；　hollowed　by　time；　had　a　frowning　front；　sandy；
rocky；　and　yellow；　here　were　shallow　caverns；　dips　without　depth；　the
soft　and　pulverizing　rock　had　ochre　tones。　A　few　plants　with　prickly
leaves　above；　and　burdocks；　reeds；　and　aquatic　growths　below；　were
indication　enough　of　the　northern　exposure　and　the　poverty　of　the
soil。　The　bed　of　the　torrent　was　of　stone；　quite　hard；　but　yellow。
Evidently　the　two　chains；　though　parallel　and　ripped　asunder　by　one　of
the　great　catastrophes　which　have　changed　the　face　of　the　globe；　were；
either　from　some　inexplicable　caprice　or　for　some　unknown　reason；　the
discovery　of　which　awaited　genius；　composed　of　elements　that　were
wholly　dissimilar。　The　contrast　of　their　two　natures　showed　more
clearly　here　than　elsewhere。

Veronique　now　saw　before　her　an　immense　dry　plateau；　without　any
vegetation；　chalky　（this　explained　the　absorption　of　the　water）　and
strewn　with　pools　of　stagnant　water　and　rocky　places　stripped　of　soil。
To　the　right　were　the　mountains　of　the　Correze；　to　left　the　Roche…Vive
barred　the　view　covered　with　its　noble　trees；　on　its　further　slope　was
a　meadow　of　some　two　hundred　acres；　the　verdure　of　which　contrasted
with　the　hideous　aspect　of　the　desolate　plateau。

〃My　son　and　I　cut　that　ditch　you　see　down　there　marked　by　the　tall
grasses；〃　said　Farrabesche；　〃it　joins　the　one　which　bounds　your
forest。　On　this　side　the　estate　is　bounded　by　a　desert；　for　the
nearest　village　is　three　miles　distant。〃

Veronique　turned　rapidly　to　the　dismal　plain；　followed　by　her　guide。
She　leaped　her　horse　across　the　ditch　and　rode　at　full　gallop　across
the　drear　expanse；　seeming　to　take　a　savage　pleasure　in　contemplating
that　vast　image　of　desolation。　Farrabesche　was　right。　No　power；　no
will　could　put　to　any　use　whatever　that　soil　which　resounded　under　the
horses'　feet　as　though　it　were　hollow。　This　effect　was　produced　by　the
natural　porousness　of　the　clay；　but　there　were　fissures　also　through
which　the　water　flowed　away；　no　doubt　to　some　distant　source。

〃There　are　many　souls　like　this；〃　thought　Veronique；　stopping　her
horse　after　she　had　ridden　at　full　speed　for　fifteen　or　twenty
minutes。　She　remained　motionless　and　thoughtful　in　the　midst　of　this
desert；　where　there　was　neither　animal　nor　insect　life　and　where　the
birds　never　flew。　The　plain　of　Montegnac　was　at　least　pebbly　or　sandy；
on　it　were　places　where　a　few　inches　of　soil　did　give　a　foothold　for
the　roots　of　certain　plains；　but　here　the　ungrateful　chalk；　neither
stone　nor　earth；　repelled　even　the　eye；　which　was　forced　to　turn　for
relief　to　the　blue　of　the　ether。

After　examining　the　bounds　of　her　forest　and　the　meadows　purchased　by
her　husband；　Veronique　returned　toward　the　outlet　of　the　Gabou；　but
slowly。　She　then　saw　Farrabesche　gazing　into　a　sort　of　ditch　which
looked　like　one　a　speculator　might　have　dug　into　this　desolate　corner
of　the　earth　expecting　Nature　to　give　up　some　hidden　treasure。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Veronique；　noticing　on　that　manly　face　an
expression　of　deep　sadness。

〃Madame；　I　owe　my　life　to　that　ditch；　or　rather；　to　speak　more
correctly；　I　owe　to　it　time　for　repentance；　time　to　redeem　my　sins　in
the　eyes　of　men。〃

This　method　of　explaining　life　so　affected　Madame　Graslin　that　she
stopped　her　horse　on　the　brink　of　the　ditch。

〃I　was　hiding　there；　madame。　The　ground　is　so　resonant　that　when　my
ear　was　against　it　I　could　hear　the　horses　of　the　gendarmerie；　or　even
the　footsteps　of　the　soldiers；　which　are　always　peculiar。　That　gave　me
time　to　escape　up　the　Gabou　to　a　place　where　I　had　a　horse；　and　I
always　managed　to　put　several　miles　between　myself　and　my　pursuers。
Catherine　used　to　bring　me　food　during　the　night；　if　she　did　not　find
me　I　always　found　the　bread　and　wine　in　a　hole　covered　with　a　rock。〃

This　recollection　of　his　wandering　and　criminal　life；　which　might　have
injured　Farrabesche　with　some　persons；　met　with　the　most　indulgent
pity　from　Madame　Graslin。　She　rode　hastily　on　toward　the　Gabou；
followed　by　her　guide。　While　she　measured　with　her　eye　this　opening；
through　which　could　be　seen　the　long　valley；　so　smiling　on　one　side；
so　ruined　on　the　other；　and　at　its　lower　end；　a　league　away；　the
terraced　hill…sides　back　of　Montegnac；　Farrabesche　said：

〃There'll　be　a　famous　rush　of　water　in　a　few　days。〃

〃And　next　year；　on　this　day；　not　a　drop　shall　flow　there。　Both　sides
belong　to　me；　and　I　will　build　a　dam　solid　enough　and　high　enough　to
stop　the　freshet。　Instead　of　a　valley　yielding　nothing；　I　will　have　a
lake　twenty；　thirty；　forty　feet　deep　over　an　extent　of　three　or　four
miles；an　immense　reservoir；　which　shall　supply　the　flow　of
irrigation　with　which　I　will　fertilize　the　plain　of　Montegnac。〃

〃Ah；　madame！　the　rector　was　right；　when　he　said　to　us　as　we　finished
our　road；　'You　are　working　for　a　mother。'　May　God　shed　his　blessing　on
such　an　undertaking。〃

〃Say　nothing　about　it；　Farrabesche；〃　said　Madame　Graslin。　〃The　idea
was　Monsieur　Bonnet's。〃

They　returned　to　the　cottage；　where　Veronique　picked　up　Maurice；　with
whom　she　rode　hastily　back　to　the　chateau。　When　Madame　Sauviat　and
Aline　saw　her　they　were　struck　with　the　change　in　her　countenance；　the
hope　of　doing　good　in　the　region　she　now　owned　gave　her　already　an
appearance　of　happiness。　She　wrote　at　once　to　Monsieur　Grossetete；
begging　him　to　ask　Monsieur　de　Grandville　for　the　complete　release　of
the　returned　convict；　on　whose　conduct　she　gave　him　assurances　which
were　confirmed　by　a　certificate　from　the　mayor　of　Montegnac　and　by　a
letter　from　Monsieur　Bonnet。　To　this　request　she　added　information
about　Catherine　Curieux；　begging　Grossetete　to　interest　the
/procureur…general/　in　the　good　work　she　wished　to　do；　and　persuade
him　to　write　to　the　prefecture　of　police　in　Paris　to　recover　traces　of
the　girl。　The　circumstance　of　Catherine's　having　sent　money　to
Farrabesche　at　the　galleys　ought　to　be　clew　enough　to　furnish
information。　Veronique　was　determined　to　know　why　it　was　that　the
young　woman　had　not　returned　to　her　child　and　to　Farrabesche；　now　that
he　was　free。　She　also　told　her　old　friend　of　her　discovery　about　the
torrent　of　the　Gabou；　and　urged　him　to　select　an　able　engineer；　such
as　she　had　already　asked　him　to　procure　for　her。

The　next　day　was　Sunday；　and　for　the　first　time　since　her　installation
at　Montegnac　Veronique　felt　able　to　hear　mass　in　church；　she
accordingly　went　there　and　took　possession　of　the　bench　that　belonged
to　her　in　the　chapel　of　the　Virgin。　Seeing　how　denuded　the　poor　church
was；　she　resolved　to　devote　a　certain　sum　yearly　to　the　needs　of　the
building　and　the　decoration　of　the　altars。　She　listened　to　the　sweet；
impressive；　angelic　voice　of　the　rector；　whose　sermon；　though　couched
in　simple　language　suited　to　the　rustic　intellects　before　him；　was
sublime　in　character。　Sublimity　comes　from　the　heart；　intellect　has
little　to　do　with　it；　religion　is　a　quenchless　source　of　this
sublimity　which　has　no　dross；　for　Catholicism　entering　and　changing
all　hearts；　is　itself　all　heart。　Monsieur　Bonnet　took　his　text　from
the　epistle　for　the　day；　which　signified　that；　sooner　or　later；　God
accomplishes　all　promises；　assisting　His　faithful　ones；　encouraging
the　righteous。　He　made　plain　to　every　mind　the　great　things　which
might　be　accomplished　by　wealth　judiciously　used　for　the　good　of
others；explaining　that　the　duties　of　the　poor　to　the　rich　were　as
widely　extended　as　those　of　the　rich　to　the　poor；　and　that　the　aid　and
assistance　given　should　be　mutual。

Farrabesche　had　made　known　to　a　few　of　those　who　treated　him　in　a
friendly　manner　（the　result　of　the　Christian　charity　which　Monsieur
Bonnet　had　put　in　practice　among　his　parishioners）　the　benevolent　acts
Madame　Graslin　had　done　for　him。　Her　conduct　in　this　matter　had　been
talked　over　by　all　the　little　groups　of　persons　assembled　round　the
church　door　before　the　service；　as　is　the　custom　in　country　places。
Nothing　could　have　been　better　calculated　to　win　the　friendship　and
good…will　of　these　eminently　susceptible　minds；　so　that　when　Veronique
left　the　church　after　service　she　found　nearly　all　the　inhabitants　of
the　parish　forme