the village rector-第42节

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　　Monge。　Did　Vauban　ever　go　to　any　other　Ecole　than　that　great
　　school　we　call　vocation？　Who　was　Riquet's　tutor？　When　great
　　geniuses　arise　above　the　social　mass；　impelled　by　vocation；　they
　　are　nearly　always　rounded　into　completeness；　the　man　is　then　not
　　merely　a　specialist；　he　has　the　gift　of　universality。　Do　you　think
　　that　an　engineer　from　the　Ecole　Polytechnique　could　ever　create
　　one　of　those　miracles　of　architecture　such　as　Leonardo　da　Vinci
　　knew　how　to　build；mechanician；　architect；　painter；　inventor　of
　　hydraulics；　indefatigable　constructor　of　canals　that　he　was？

　　Trained　from　their　earliest　years　to　the　baldness　of　axiom　and
　　formula；　the　youths　who　leave　the　Ecole　have　lost　the　sense　of
　　elegance　and　ornament；　a　column　seems　to　them　useless；　they　return
　　to　the　point　where　art　begins；　and　cling　to　the　useful。

　　But　all　this　is　nothing　in　comparison　to　the　real　malady　which　is
　　undermining　me。　I　feel　an　awful　transformation　going　on　within　me；
　　I　am　conscious　that　my　powers　and　my　faculties；　formerly
　　unnaturally　taxed；　are　giving　way。　I　am　letting　the　prosaic
　　influence　of　my　life　get　hold　of　me。　I　who；　by　the　very　nature　of
　　my　efforts；　looked　to　do　some　great　thing；　I　am　face　to　face　with
　　none　but　petty　ones；　I　measure　stones；　I　inspect　roads；　I　have　not
　　enough　to　really　occupy　me　for　two　hours　in　my　day。　I　see　my
　　colleagues　marry；　and　fall　into　a　situation　contrary　to　the　spirit
　　of　modern　society。　I　wanted　to　be　useful　to　my　country。　Is　my
　　ambition　an　unreasonable　one？　The　country　asked　me　to　put　forth
　　all　my　powers；　it　told　me　to　become　a　representative　of　science；
　　yet　here　I　am　with　folded　arms　in　the　depths　of　the　provinces。　I
　　am　not　even　allowed　to　leave　the　locality　in　which　I　am　penned；　to
　　exercise　my　faculties　in　planning　useful　enterprises。　A　hidden　but
　　very　real　disfavor　is　the　certain　reward　of　any　one　of　us　who
　　yields　to　an　inspiration　and　goes　beyond　the　special　service　laid
　　down　for　him。

　　No；　the　favor　a　superior　man　has　to　hope　for　in　that　case　is　that
　　his　talent　and　his　presumption　may　not　be　noticed；　and　that　his
　　project　may　be　buried　in　the　archives　of　the　administration。　What
　　think　you　will　be　the　reward　of　Vicat；　the　one　among　us　who　has
　　brought　about　the　only　real　progress　in　the　practical　science　of
　　construction？　The　Council…general　of　the　/Ponts　et　Chaussees/；
　　composed　in　part　of　men　worn…out　by　long　and　sometimes　honorable
　　service；　but　whose　only　remaining　force　is　for　negation；　and　who
　　set　aside　everything　they　no　longer　comprehend；　is　the
　　extinguisher　used　to　snuff　out　the　projects　of　audacious　spirits。
　　This　Council　seems　to　have　been　created　to　paralyze　the　arm　of
　　that　glorious　youth　of　France；　which　asks　only　to　work　and　to　be
　　useful　to　its　country。

　　Monstrous　things　are　done　in　Paris。　The　future　of　a　province
　　depends　on　the　mere　signature　of　men　who　（through　intrigues　I　have
　　no　time　to　explain　to　you）　often　stop　the　execution　of　useful　and
　　much…needed　work；　in　fact；　the　best　plans　are　often　those　which
　　offer　most　to　the　cupidity　of　commercial　companies　or　speculators。

　　Another　five　years　and　I　shall　no　longer　be　myself；　my　ambition
　　will　be　quenched；　my　desire　to　use　the　faculties　my　country
　　ordered　me　to　exercise　gone　forever；　the　faculties　themselves　are
　　rusting　out　in　the　miserable　corner　of　the　world　in　which　I
　　vegetate。　Taking　my　chances　at　their　best；　the　future　seems　to　me
　　a　poor　thing。　I　have　just　taken　advantage　of　a　furlough　to　come　to
　　Paris；　I　mean　to　change　my　profession　and　find　some　other　way　to
　　put　my　energy；　my　knowledge；　and　my　activity　to　use。　I　shall　send
　　in　my　resignation　and　go　to　some　other　country；　where　men　of　my
　　special　capacity　are　wanted。

　　If　I　find　I　cannot　do　this；　then　I　shall　throw　myself　into　the
　　struggle　of　the　new　doctrines；　which　certainly　seem　calculated　to
　　produce　great　changes　in　the　present　social　order　by　judiciously
　　guiding　the　working…classes。　What　are　we　now　but　workers　without
　　work；　tools　on　the　shelves　of　a　shop？　We　are　trained　and　organized
　　as　if　to　move　the　world；　and　nothing　is　given　us　to　do。　I　feel
　　within　me　some　great　thing；　which　is　decreasing　daily；　and　will
　　soon　vanish；　I　tell　you　so　with　mathematical　frankness。　Before
　　making　the　change　I　want　your　advice；　I　look　upon　myself　as　your
　　child；　and　I　will　never　take　any　important　step　without　consulting
　　you；　for　your　experience　is　equal　to　your　kindness。

　　I　know　very　well　that　the　State；　after　obtaining　a　class　of
　　trained　men；　cannot　undertake　for　them　alone　great　public　works；
　　there　are　not　three　hundred　bridges　needed　a　year　in　all　France；
　　the　State　can　no　more　build　great　buildings　for　the　fame　of　its
　　engineers　than　it　can　declare　war　merely　to　win　battles　and　bring
　　to　the　front　great　generals；　but；　then；　as　men　of　genius　have
　　never　failed　to　present　themselves　when　the　occasion　called　for
　　them；　springing　from　the　crowd　like　Vauban；　can　there　be　any
　　greater　proof　of　the　uselessness　of　the　present　institution？　Can't
　　they　see　that　when　they　have　stimulated　a　man　of　talent　by　all
　　those　preparations　he　will　make　a　fierce　struggle　before　he　allows
　　himself　to　become　a　nonentity？　Is　this　good　policy　on　the　part　of
　　the　State？　On　the　contrary；　is　not　the　State　lighting　the　fire　of
　　ardent　ambitions；　which　must　find　fuel　somewhere。

　　Among　the　six　hundred　young　men　whom　they　put　forth　every　year
　　there　are　exceptions；men　who　resist　what　may　be　called　their
　　demonetization。　I　know　some　myself；　and　if　I　could　tell　you　their
　　struggles　with　men　and　things　when　armed　with　useful　projects　and
　　conceptions　which　might　bring　life　and　prosperity　to　the　half…dead
　　provinces　where　the　State　has　sent　them；　you　would　feel　that　a　man
　　of　power；　a　man　of　talent；　a　man　whose　nature　is　a　miracle；　is　a
　　hundredfold　more　unfortunate　and　more　to　be　pitied　than　the　man
　　whose　lower　nature　lets　him　submit　to　the　shrinkage　of　his
　　faculties。

　　I　have　made　up　my　mind；　therefore；　that　I　would　rather　direct　some
　　commercial　or　industrial　enterprise；　and　live　on　small　means　while
　　trying　to　solve　some　of　the　great　problems　still　unknown　to
　　industry　and　to　society；　than　remain　at　my　present　post。

　　You　will　tell　me；　perhaps；　that　nothing　hinders　me　from　employing
　　the　leisure　that　I　certainly　have　in　using　my　intellectual　powers
　　and　seeking　in　the　stillness　of　this　commonplace　life　the　solution
　　of　some　problem　useful　to　humanity。　Ah！　monsieur；　don't　you　know
　　the　influence　of　the　provinces；the　relaxing　effect　of　a　life
　　just　busy　enough　to　waste　time　on　futile　labor；　and　not　enough　to
　　use　the　rich　resources　our　education　has　given　us？　Don't　think　me；
　　my　dear　protector；　eaten　up　by　the　desire　to　make　a　fortune；　nor
　　even　by　an　insensate　desire　for　fame。　I　am　too　much　of　a
　　calculator　not　to　know　the　nothingness　of　glory。　Neither　do　I　want
　　to　marry；　seeing　the　fate　now　before　me；　I　think　my　existence　a
　　melancholy　gift　to　offer　any　woman。　As　for　money；　though　I　regard
　　it　as　one　of　the　most　powerful　means　given　to　social　man　to　act
　　with；　it　is；　after　all；　but　a　means。

　　I　place　my　whole　desire　and　happiness　on　the　hope　of　being　useful
　　to　my　country。　My　greatest　pleasure　would　be　to　work　in　some
　　situation　suited　to　my　faculties。　If　in　your　region；　or　in　the
　　circle　of　your　acquaintances；　you　should　hear　of　any　enterprise
　　that　needed　the　capacities　you　know　me　to　possess；　think　of　me；　I
　　will　wait　six　months　for　your　answer　before　taking　any　step。

　　What　I　have　written　here；　dear　sir　and　friend；　others　think。　I
　　have　seen　many　of　my　classmates　or　older　graduates　caught　like　me
　　in　the　toils　of　some　specialty；geographical　engineers；　captain…
　　professors；　captains　of　engineers；　who　will　remain　captains　all
　　their　lives；　and　now　bitterly　regret　they　did　not　enter　active
　　service　with　the　army。　Reflecting　on　these　miserable　results；　I
　　ask　myself　the　following　questions；　and　I　would　like　your　opinion
　　on　them；　assuring　you　that　they　are　the　fruit　of　long　meditation；
　　clarified　in　the　fires　of　suffering：

　　What　is　the　real　object　of　the　State？　Does　it　truly　seek　to　obtain
　　fine　capacities？　The　system　now　pursued　directly　defeats　that　end；
　　it　has　crated　the　most　thorough　mediocrities　that　any　government
　　hostile　to　superiority　could　desire。　Does　it　wish　to　give　a　career
　　to　its　choice　minds？　As　a　matter　of　fact；　it　affords　them　the
　　meanest　opportunities；　there　is　not　a　man　who　has　issued　from　the
　　Ecoles　who　does　not　bitterly　regret；　when　he　gets　to　be　fifty　or
　　sixty　years　of　age；　that　he　ever　fell　into　the　trap　set　for　him　by
　　the　promises　of　the　State。　Does　it　seek　to　obtain　men　of　genius？
　　What　man　of　genius；　what　great　talent　have　the　schools　produced
　　since　1790？　If　it　had　not　been　for　Napoleon　would　Cachin；　the　man
　　of　genius　to　whom　France　owes　Cherbourg；　have　existed？　Imperial
　　despotism　brought　him　forward；　the　constitutional　regime　would
　　have　smothered　him。　How　many　men　from　the　Ecoles　are　to　be　found
　　in　the　Academy　of　Sciences？　Possibly　two　or　three。　The　man　of