the village rector-第48节

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oppose　bad　legislation　and　capricious　wars。　The　Chamber；　as
constituted　to…day；　will　proceed；　as　you　will　soon　see；　to　govern；　and
that　is　the　first　step　to　legal　anarchy。〃

〃Good　God！〃　cried　the　rector；　in　a　flush　of　sacred　patriotism；　〃how
can　such　enlightened　minds　as　these；〃　and　he　motioned　to　Clousier；
Roubaud；　and　Gerard；　〃how　can　they　see　evil　so　clearly　and　suggest
remedies　without　first　looking　within　and　applying　a　remedy　to
themselves？　All　of　you；　who　represent　the　attacked　classes；　recognize
the　necessity　of　the　passive　obedience　of　the　masses　of　the　State；
like　that　of　soldiers　during　a　war；　you　want　the　unity　of　power；　and
you　desire　that　it　shall　never　be　brought　into　question。　What　England
has　obtained　by　the　development　of　her　pride　and　self…interest　（a　part
of　her　creed）　cannot　be　obtained　in　France　but　through　sentiments　due
to　Catholicism；　and　none　of　you　are　Catholics！　Here　am　I；　a　priest；
obliged　to　leave　my　own　ground　and　argue　with　arguers。　How　can　you
expect　the　masses　to　become　religious　and　obedient　when　they　see
irreligion　and　want　of　discipline　above　them？　All　peoples　united　by
any　faith　whatever　will　inevitably　get　the　better　of　peoples　without
any　faith　at　all。　The　law　of　public　interest；　which　gives　birth　to
patriotism；　is　destroyed　by　the　law　of　private　interest；　which　it
sanctions；　but　which　gives　birth　to　selfishness。　There　is　nothing
solid　and　durable　but　that　which　is　natural；　and　the　natural　thing　in
human　policy　is　the　Family。　The　family　must　be　the　point　of　departure
for　all　institutions。　A　universal　effect　proves　a　universal　cause；　and
what　you　have　just　been　setting　forth　as　evident　on　all　sides　comes
from　the　social　principle　itself；　which　is　now　without　force　because
it　has　taken　for　its　basis　independence　of　thought　and　will；　and　such
freedom　is　the　parent　of　individualism。　To　make　happiness　depend　on
the　stability；　intelligence；　and　capacity　of　all　is　not　as　wise　as　to
make　happiness　depend　on　the　stability　and　intelligence　of
institutions　and　the　capacity　of　a　single　head。　It　is　easier　to　find
wisdom　in　one　man　than　in　a　whole　nation。　Peoples　have　heart　and　no
eyes；　they　feel；　and　see　not。　Governments　ought　to　see；　and　not
determine　anything　through　sentiment。　There　is；　therefore；　an　evident
contradiction　between　the　impulses　of　the　multitude　and　the　action　of
power　whose　function　it　is　to　direct　and　unify　those　impulses。　To　meet
with　a　great　prince　is　certainly　a　rare　chance　（to　use　your　term）；　but
to　trust　to　a　whole　assembly；　even　though　it　is　composed　of　honest　men
only；　is　folly。　France　is　committing　that　folly　at　this　moment。　Alas！
you　are　just　as　much　convinced　of　that　as　I　am。　If　all　right…minded
men；　like　yourselves；　would　only　set　an　example　around　them；　if　all
intelligent　hands　would　raise；　in　the　great　republic　of　souls；　the
altars　of　the　one　Church　which　has　set　the　interests　of　humanity
before　her；　we　might　again　behold　in　France　the　miracles　our　fathers
did　here。〃

〃But　the　difficulty　is；　monsieur；〃　said　Gerard；〃if　I　may　speak　to
you　with　the　freedom　of　the　confessional；I　look　upon　faith　as　a　lie
we　tell　to　ourselves；　on　hope　as　a　lie　we　tell　about　the　future；　and
on　charity　as　a　trick　for　children　to　keep　them　good　by　the　promise　of
sugar…plums。〃

〃Still；　we　sleep　better　for　being　rocked　by　hope；　monsieur；〃　said
Madame　Graslin。

This　speech　stopped　Roubaud；　who　was　about　to　reply；　its　effect　was
strengthened　by　a　look　from　Grossetete　and　the　rector。

〃Is　it　our　fault；〃　said　Clousier；　〃that　Jesus　Christ　had　not　the　time
to　formulate　a　government　in　accordance　with　his　moral　teaching；　as
did　Moses　and　Confucius；　the　two　greatest　human　law…givers？witness
the　existence；　as　a　nation；　of　the　Jews　and　Chinese；　the　former　in
spite　of　their　dispersion　over　the　whole　earth；　and　the　latter　in
spite　of　their　isolation。〃

〃Ah！　dear　me！　what　work　you　are　cutting　out　for　me！〃　cried　the　rector
naively。　〃But　I　shall　triumph；　I　shall　convert　you　all！　You　are　much
nearer　to　the　true　faith　than　you　think　you　are。　Truth　always　lurks
behind　falsehood；　go　on　a　step；　turn　round；　and　then　you'll　see　it。〃

This　little　outburst　of　the　good　rector　had　the　effect　of　changing　the
conversation。



XVIII

CATHERINE　CURIEUX

Before　taking　his　departure　the　next　day；　Monsieur　Grossetete　promised
Veronique　to　associate　himself　in　all　her　plans；　as　soon　as　the
realization　of　them　was　a　practicable　thing。　Madame　Graslin　and　Gerard
accompanied　his　carriage　on　horseback；　and　did　not　leave　him　till　they
reached　the　junction　of　the　high…road　of　Montegnac　with　that　from
Bordeaux　to　Lyon。　The　engineer　was　so　impatient　to　see　the　land　he　was
to　reclaim；　and　Veronique　was　so　impatient　to　show　it　to　him；　that
they　had　planned　this　expedition　the　evening　before。

After　bidding　adieu　to　the　kind　old　man；　they　turned　off　the　road
across　the　vast　plain；　and　skirted　the　mountain　chain　from　the　foot　of
the　rise　which　led　to　the　chateau　to　the　steep　face　of　the　Roche…Vive。
The　engineer　then　saw　plainly　the　shelf　or　barricade　of　rock　mentioned
by　Farrabesche；　which　forms；　as　it　were；　the　lowest　foundation　of　the
hills。　By　so　directing　the　water　that　it　should　not　overflow　the
indestructible　canal　which　Nature　had　built；　and　by　clearing　out　the
accumulation　of　earth　which　choked　it　up；　irrigation　would　be　helped
rather　than　hindered　by　this　natural　sluice…way；　which　was　raised；　on
an　average；　ten　feet　above　the　plain。　The　first　important　point　was　to
estimate　the　amount　of　water　flowing　through　the　Gabou；　and　to　make
sure　whether　or　not　the　slopes　of　the　valley　allowed　any　to　escape　in
other　directions。

Veronique　gave　Farrabesche　a　horse；　and　directed　him　to　accompany　the
engineer　and　to　explain　to　him　everything　he　had　himself　noticed。
After　several　days'　careful　exploration；　Gerard　found　that　the　base　of
the　two　parallel　slopes　was　sufficiently　solid；　though　different　in
composition；　to　hold　the　water；　allowing　none　to　escape。　During　the
month　of　January；　which　was　rainy；　he　estimated　the　quantity　of　water
flowing　through　the　Gabou。　This　quantity；　added　to　that　of　three
streams　which　could　easily　be　led　into　it；　would　supply　water　enough
to　irrigate　a　tract　of　land　three　times　as　extensive　as　the　plain　of
Montegnac。　The　damming　of　the　Gabou　and　the　works　necessary　to　direct
the　water　of　the　three　valleys　to　the　plain；　ought　not　to　cost　more
than　sixty　thousand　francs；　for　the　engineer　discovered　on　the　commons
a　quantity　of　calcareous　soil　which　would　furnish　the　lime　cheaply；
the　forest　was　close　at　hand；　the　wood　and　stone　cost　nothing；　and　the
transportation　was　trifling。　While　awaiting　the　season　when　the　Gabou
would　be　dry　（the　only　time　suitable　for　the　work）　all　the　necessary
preparations　could　be　made　so　as　to　push　the　enterprise　through
rapidly　when　it　was　once　begun。

But　the　preparation　of　the　plain　was　another　thing；　that　according　to
Gerard；　would　cost　not　less　than　two　hundred　thousand　francs；　without
including　the　sowing　and　planting。　The　plain　was　to　be　divided　into
square　compartments　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　acres　each；　where　the
ground　had　to　be　cleared；　not　only　of　its　stunted　growths；　but　of
rocks。　Laborers　would　have　to　dig　innumerable　trenches；　and　stone　them
up　so　as　to　let　no　water　run　to　waste；　also　to　direct　its　flow　at
will。　This　part　of　the　enterprise　needed　the　active　and　faithful　arms
of　conscientious　workers。　Chance　provided　them　with　a　tract　of　land
without　natural　obstacles；　a　long　even　stretch　of　plain；　where　the
waters；　having　a　fall　of　ten　feet；　could　be　distributed　at　will。
Nothing　hindered　the　finest　agricultural　results；　while　at　the　same
time；　the　eye　would　be　gratified　by　one　of　those　magnificent　sheets　of
verdure　which　are　the　pride　and　the　wealth　of　Lombardy。　Gerard　sent
for　an　old　and　experienced　foreman；　who　had　already　been　employed　by
him　elsewhere　in　this　capacity；　named　Fresquin。

Madame　Graslin　wrote　to　Grossetete；　requesting　him　to　negotiate　for
her　a　loan　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs；　secured　on　her
income　from　the　Funds；　which；　if　relinquished　for　six　years；　would　be
enough　to　pay　both　capital　and　interest。　This　loan　was　obtained　in
March。　By　this　time　the　preliminary　preparations　carried　on　by　Gerard
and　his　foreman；　Fresquin；　were　fully　completed；　also；　the　surveying；
estimating；　levelling；　and　sounding。　The　news　of　this　great　enterprise
spreading　about　the　country；　stimulated　the　laboring　population。　The
indefatigable　Farrabesche；　Colorat；　Clousier；　the　mayor　of　Montegnac；
Roubaud；　and　others；　interested　either　in　the　welfare　of　the
neighborhood　or　in　Madame　Graslin；　selected　such　of　these　laborers　as
seemed　the　poorest；　or　were　most　deserving　of　employment。　Gerard
bought　for　himself　and　for　Monsieur　Grossetete　a　thousand　acres　on　the
other　side　of　the　high…road　to　Montegnac。　Fresquin；　the　foreman；
bought　five　hundred；　and　sent　for　his　wife　and　children。

Early　in　April；　1832；　Monsieur　Grossetete　came　to　see　the　land　bought
for　him　by　Gerard；　though　his　journey　was　chiefly　occasioned　by　the
advent　of　Catherine　Curieux；　who　had　come　from　Paris　to　Limoges　by　the
diligence。　Grossetete　now　brought　her　with　hi