the village rector-第38节

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left　the　church　after　service　she　found　nearly　all　the　inhabitants　of
the　parish　formed　in　two　hedges　through　which　she　was　expected　to
pass。　One　and　all　they　bowed　respectfully　in　profound　silence。　She　was
deeply　touched　by　this　reception；　without　knowing　the　actual　cause　of
it。　Seeing　Farrabesche　humbly　stationed　among　the　last；　she　stopped
and　said　to　him：

〃You　are　a　good　hunter；　do　not　forget　to　supply　me　with　game。〃

A　few　days　later　Veronique　went　to　walk　with　the　rector　through　the
part　of　the　forest　that　was　nearest　the　chateau；　wishing　to　descend
with　him　the　terraced　slopes　she　had　seen　from　the　house　of
Farrabesche。　In　doing　this　she　obtained　complete　certainty　as　to　the
nature　of　the　upper　affluents　of　the　Gabou。　The　rector　saw　for　himself
that　the　streams　which　watered　certain　parts　of　upper　Montegnac　came
from　the　mountains　of　the　Correze。　This　chain　of　hills　joined　the
barren　slopes　we　have　already　described；　parallel　with　the　chain　of
the　Roche…Vive。

On　returning　from　this　walk　the　rector　was　joyful　as　a　child；　he
foresaw；　with　the　naivete　of　a　poet；　the　prosperity　of　his　dear
villagefor　a　poet　is　a　man；　is　he　not？　who　realizes　hopes　before
they　ripen。　Monsieur　Bonnet　garnered　his　hay　as　he　stood　overlooking
that　barren　plain　from　Madame　Graslin's　upper　terrace。



XV

STORY　OF　A　GALLEY…SLAVE

The　next　day　Farrabesche　and　his　son　came　to　the　chateau　with　game。
The　keeper　also　brought；　for　Francis；　a　cocoanut　cup；　elaborately
carved；　a　genuine　work　of　art；　representing　a　battle。　Madame　Graslin
was　walking　at　the　time　on　the　terrace；　in　the　direction　which
overlooked　Les　Tascherons。　She　sat　down　on　a　bench；　took　the　cup　in
her　hand　and　looked　earnestly　at　the　deft　piece　of　work。　A　few　tears
came　into　her　eyes。

〃You　must　have　suffered　very　much；〃　she　said　to　Farrabesche；　after　a
few　moments'　silence。

〃How　could　I　help　it；　madame？〃　he　replied；　〃for　I　was　there　without
the　hope　of　escape；　which　supports　the　life　of　most　convicts。〃

〃An　awful　life！〃　she　said　in　a　tone　of　horror；　inviting　Farrabesche　by
word　and　gesture　to　say　more。

Farrabesche　took　the　convulsive　trembling　and　other　signs　of　emotion
he　saw　in　Madame　Graslin　for　the　powerful　interest　of　compassionate
curiosity　in　himself。

Just　then　Madame　Sauviat　appeared；　coming　down　a　path　as　if　she　meant
to　join　them；　but　Veronique　drew　out　her　handkerchief　and　made　a
negative　sign；　saying；　with　an　asperity　she　had　never　before　shown　to
the　old　woman：

〃Leave　me；　leave　me；　mother。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　Farrabesche；　〃for　ten　years　I　wore　there　（holding　out
his　leg）　a　chain　fastened　to　a　great　iron　ring　which　bound　me　to
another　man。　During　my　time　I　had　to　live　thus　with　three　different
convicts。　I　slept　on　a　wooden　bench；　I　had　to　work　extraordinarily
hard　to　earn　a　little　mattress　called　a　/serpentin/。　Each　dormitory
contains　eight　hundred　men。　Each　bed；　called　a　/tolard/；　holds　twenty…
four　men；　chained　in　couples。　Every　night　the　chain　of　each　couple　is
passed　round　another　great　chain　which　is　called　the　/filet　de　ramas/。
This　chain　holds　all　the　couples　by　the　feet；　and　runs　along　the
bottom　of　the　/tolard/。　It　took　me　over　two　years　to　get　accustomed　to
that　iron　clanking；　which　called　out　incessantly；　'Thou　art　a　galley…
slave！'　If　I　slept　an　instant　some　vile　companion　moved　or　quarrelled；
reminding　me　of　where　I　was。　There　is　a　terrible　apprenticeship　to
make　before　a　man　can　learn　how　to　sleep。　I　myself　could　not　sleep
until　I　had　come　to　the　end　of　my　strength　and　to　utter　exhaustion。
When　at　last　sleep　came　I　had　the　nights　in　which　to　forget。　Oh！　to
/forget/；　madame；　that　was　something！　Once　there；　a　man　must　learn　to
satisfy　his　needs；　even　in　the　smallest　things；　according　to　the　ways
laid　down　by　pitiless　regulations。　Imagine；　madame；　the　effect　such　a
life　produced　on　a　lad　like　me；　who　had　lived　in　the　woods　with　the
birds　and　the　squirrels！　If　I　had　not　already　lived　for　six　months
within　prison…walls；　I　should；　in　spite　of　Monsieur　Bonnet's　grand
wordsfor　he；　I　can　truly　say；　is　the　father　of　my　soulI　should；
ah！　I　must　have　flung　myself　into　the　sea　at　the　mere　sight　of　my
companions。　Out…doors　I　still　could　live；　but　in　the　building；　whether
to　sleep　or　to　eat；to　eat　out　of　buckets；　and　each　bucket　filled　for
three　couples；it　was　life　no　longer；　it　was　death；　the　atrocious
faces　and　language　of　my　companions　were　always　insufferable　to　me。
Happily；　from　five　o'clock　in　summer；　and　from　half…past　seven　o'clock
in　winter　we　went；　in　spite　of　heat　or　cold　and　wind　or　rain；　on
'fatigue；'　that　is；　hard…labor。　Thus　half　this　life　was　spent　in　the
open　air；　and　the　air　was　sweet　after　the　close　dormitory　packed　with
eight　hundred　convicts。　And　that　air；　too；　is　sea…air！　We　could　enjoy
the　breezes；　we　could　be　friends　with　the　sun；　we　could　watch　the
clouds　as　they　passed　above　us；　we　could　hope　and　pray　for　fine
weather！　As　for　me；　I　took　an　interest　in　my　work〃

Farrabesche　stopped；　two　heavy　tears　were　rolling　down　his　mistress's
face。

〃Oh！　madame；　I　have　only　told　you　the　best　side　of　that　life；〃　he
continued；　taking　the　expression　of　her　face　as　meant　for　him。　〃The
terrible　precautions　taken　by　the　government；　the　constant　spying　of
the　keepers；　the　blacksmith's　inspection　of　the　chains　every　day；
night　and　morning；　the　coarse　food；　the　hideous　garments　which
humiliate　a　man　at　all　hours；　the　comfortless　sleep；　the　horrible
rattling　of　eight　hundred　chains　in　that　resounding　hall；　the　prospect
of　being　shot　or　blown　to　pieces　by　cannon　if　ten　of　those　villains
took　a　fancy　to　revolt；　all　those　dreadful　things　are　nothing；
nothing；　I　tell　you；　that　is　the　bright　side　only。　There's　another
side；　madame；　and　a　decent　man；　a　bourgeois；　would　die　of　horror　in　a
week。　A　convict　is　forced　to　live　with　another　man；　obliged　to　endure
the　company　of　five　other　men　at　every　meal；　twenty…three　in　his　bed
at　night；　and　to　hear　their　language！　The　great　society　of　galley…
slaves；　madame；　has　its　secret　laws；　disobey　them　and　you　are
tortured；　obey　them；　and　you　become　a　torturer。　You　must　be　either
victim　or　executioner。　If　they　would　kill　you　at　once　it　would　at
least　be　the　cure　of　life。　But　no；　they　are　wiser　than　that　in　doing
evil。　It　is　impossible　to　hold　out　against　the　hatred　of　these　men；
their　power　is　absolute　over　any　prisoner　who　displeases　them；　and
they　can　make　his　life　a　torment　far　worse　than　death。　The　man　who
repents　and　endeavors　to　behave　well　is　their　common　enemy；　above　all；
they　suspect　him　of　informing；　and　an　informer　is　put　to　death；　often
on　mere　suspicion。　Every　hall　and　community　of　eight　hundred　convicts
has　its　tribunal；　in　which　are　judged　the　crimes　committed　against
that　society。　Not　to　obey　the　usages　is　criminal；　and　a　man　is　liable
to　punishment。　For　instance；　every　man　must　co…operate　in　escapes；
every　convict　has　his　time　assigned　him　to　escape；　and　all　his　fellow…
convicts　must　protect　and　aid　him。　To　reveal　what　a　comrade　is　doing
with　a　view　to　escape　is　criminal。　I　will　not　speak　to　you　of　the
horrible　customs　and　morals　of　the　galleys。　No　man　belongs　to　himself；
the　government；　in　order　to　neutralize　the　attempts　at　revolt　or
escape；　takes　pains　to　chain　two　contrary　natures　and　interests
together；　and　this　makes　the　torture　of　the　coupling　unendurable；　men
are　linked　together　who　hate　or　distrust　each　other。〃

〃How　was　it　with　you？〃　asked　Madame　Graslin。

〃Ah！　there；〃　replied　Farrabesche；　〃I　had　luck；　I　never　drew　a　lot　to
kill　a　convict；　I　never　had　to　vote　the　death　of　any　one　of　them；　I
never　was　punished；　no　man　took　a　dislike　to　me；　and　I　got　on　well
with　the　three　different　men　I　was　chained　to；　they　all　feared　me　but
liked　me。　One　reason　was；　my　name　was　known　and　famous　at　the　galleys
before　I　got　there。　A　/chauffeur/！　they　thought　me　one　of　those
brigands。　I　have　seen　/chauffing/；〃　continued　Farrabesche　after　a
pause；　in　a　low　voice；　〃but　I　never　either　did　it　myself；　or　took　any
of　the　money　obtained　by　it。　I　was　a　refractory；　I　evaded　the
conscription；　that　was　all。　I　helped　my　comrades；　I　kept　watch；　I　was
sentinel　and　brought　up　the　rear…guard；　but　I　never　shed　any　man's
blood　except　in　self…defence。　Ah！　I　told　all　to　Monsieur　Bonnet　and　my
lawyer；　and　the　judges　knew　well　enough　that　I　was　no　murderer。　But；
all　the　same；　I　am　a　great　criminal；　nothing　that　I　ever　did　was
morally　right。　However；　before　I　got　there；　as　I　was　saying；　two　of　my
comrades　told　of　me　as　a　man　able　to　do　great　things。　At　the　galleys；
madame；　nothing　is　so　valuable　as　that　reputation；　not　even　money。　In
that　republic　of　misery　murder　is　a　passport　to　tranquillity。　I　did
nothing　to　destroy　that　opinion　of　me。　I　was　sad；　resigned；　and　they
mistook　the　appearance　of　it。　My　gloomy　manner；　my　silence；　passed　for
ferocity。　All　that　world；　convicts；　keepers；　young　and　old；　respected
me。　I　was　treated　as　first　in　my　hall。　No　one　interfered　with　my
sleep；　I　was　never　suspected　of　informing；　I　behaved　honorably
according　to　their　ideas；　I　never　refused　to　do　service；　I　never
testified　the　slightest　repugnance；　I　howled　with　the　wolves　outside；
I　prayed　to　God　within。　My　last　companion　i