the village rector-第53节

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〃Let　her　do　as　she　wishes；〃　said　Madame　Sauviat。

A　few　moments　later　Veronique　returned　alone；　and　was　taken　back　to
the　chateau　by　her　mother　and　Monsieur　Bonnet。　Doubtless　she　had
formed　some　plan　which　required　secrecy；　for　no　one　in　the
neighborhood　either　saw　Denise　or　heard　any　mention　of　her。

Madame　Graslin　took　to　her　bed　that　day　and　never　but　once　left　it
again；　she　went　from　bad　to　worse　daily；　and　seemed　annoyed　and
thwarted　that　she　could　not　rise；trying　to　do　so　on　several
occasions；　and　expressing　a　desire　to　walk　out　into　the　park。　A　few
days；　however；　after　the　scene　we　have　just　related；　about　the
beginning　of　June；　she　made　a　violent　effort；　rose；　dressed　as　if　for
a　gala　day；　and　begged　Gerard　to　give　her　his　arm；　declaring　that　she
was　resolved　to　take　a　walk。　She　gathered　up　all　her　strength　and
expended　it　on　this　expedition；　accomplishing　her　intention　in　a
paroxysm　of　will　which　had；　necessarily；　a　fatal　reaction。

〃Take　me　to　the　chalet；　and　alone；〃　she　said　to　Gerard　in　a　soft
voice；　looking　at　him　with　a　sort　of　coquetry。　〃This　is　my　last
excursion；　I　dreamed　last　night　the　doctors　arrived　and　captured　me。〃

〃Do　you　want　to　see　your　woods？〃　asked　Gerard。

〃For　the　last　time；　yes；〃　she　answered。　〃But　what　I　really　want；〃　she
added；　in　a　coaxing　voice；　〃is　to　make　you　a　singular　proposition。〃

She　asked　Gerard　to　embark　with　her　in　one　of　the　boats　on　the　second
lake；　to　which　she　went　on　foot。　When　the　young　man；　surprised　at　her
intention；　began　to　move　the　oars；　she　pointed　to　the　hermitage　as　the
object　of　her　coming。

〃My　friend；〃　she　said；　after　a　long　pause；　during　which　she　had　been
contemplating　the　sky　and　water；　the　hills　and　shores；　〃I　have　a
strange　request　to　make　of　you；　but　I　think　you　are　a　man　who　would
obey　my　wishes〃

〃In　all　things；　sure　that　you　can　wish　only　what　is　good。〃

〃I　wish　to　marry　you；〃　she　answered；　〃if　you　consent　you　will
accomplish　the　wish　of　a　dying　woman；　which　is　certain　to　secure　your
happiness。〃

〃I　am　too　ugly；〃　said　the　engineer。

〃The　person　to　whom　I　refer　is　pretty；　she　is　young；　and　wishes　to
live　at　Montegnac。　If　you　will　marry　her　you　will　help　to　soften　my
last　hours。　I　will　not　dwell　upon　her　virtues　now；　I　only　say　her
nature　is　a　rare　one；　in　the　matter　of　grace　and　youth　and　beauty；　one
look　will　suffice；　you　are　now　about　to　see　her　at　the　hermitage。　As
we　return　home　you　must　give　me　a　serious　yes　or　no。〃

Hearing　this　confidence；　Gerard　unconsciously　quickened　his　oars；
which　made　Madame　Graslin　smile。　Denise；　who　was　living　alone；　away
from　all　eyes；　at　the　hermitage；　recognized　Madame　Graslin　and
immediately　opened　the　door。　Veronique　and　Gerard　entered。　The　poor
girl　could　not　help　a　blush　as　she　met　the　eyes　of　the　young　man；　who
was　greatly　surprised　at　her　beauty。

〃I　hope　Madame　Farrabesche　has　not　let　you　want　for　anything？〃　said
Veronique。

〃Oh　no！　madame；　see！〃　and　she　pointed　to　her　breakfast。

〃This　is　Monsieur　Gerard；　of　whom　I　spoke　to　you；〃　went　on　Veronique。
〃He　is　to　be　my　son's　guardian；　and　after　my　death　you　shall　live
together　at　the　chateau　until　his　majority。〃

〃Oh！　madame；　do　not　talk　in　that　way！〃

〃My　dear　child；　look　at　me！〃　replied　Veronique；　addressing　Denise；　in
whose　eyes　the　tears　rose　instantly。　〃She　has　just　arrived　from　New
York；〃　she　added；　by　way　of　introduction　to　Gerard。

The　engineer　put　several　questions　about　the　new　world　to　the　young
woman；　while　Veronique；　leaving　them　alone；　went　to　look　at　the　third
and　more　distant　lake　of　the　Gabou。　It　was　six　o'clock　as　Veronique
and　Gerard　returned　in　the　boat　toward　the　chalet。

〃Well？〃　she　said；　looking　at　him。

〃You　have　my　promise。〃

〃Though　you　are；　I　know；　without　prejudices；〃　she　went　on；　〃I　must　not
leave　you　ignorant　of　the　reason　why　that　poor　girl；　brought　back　here
by　homesickness；　left　the　place　originally。〃

〃A　false　step？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃　said　Veronique。　〃Should　I　offer　her　to　you　if　that　were　so？
She　is　the　sister　of　a　workman　who　died　on　the　scaffold〃

〃Ah！　Tascheron；〃　he　said；　〃the　murderer　of　old　Pingret。〃

〃Yes；　she　is　the　sister　of　a　murderer；〃　said　Madame　Graslin；　in　a
bitter　tone；　〃you　are　at　liberty　to　take　back　your　promise　and〃

She　did　not　finish；　and　Gerard　was　obliged　to　carry　her　to　the　bench
before　the　chalet；　where　she　remained　unconscious　for　some　little
time。　When　she　opened　her　eyes　Gerard　was　on　his　knees　before　her　and
he　said　instantly：

〃I　will　marry　Denise。〃

Madame　Graslin　took　his　head　in　both　hands　and　kissed　him　on　the
forehead；　then；　seeing　his　surprise　at　so　much　gratitude；　she　pressed
his　hand　and　said：

〃Before　long　you　will　know　the　secret　of　all　this。　Let　us　go　back　to
the　terrace；　for　it　is　late；　I　am　very　tired；　but　I　must　look　my　last
on　that　dear　plain。〃

Though　the　day　had　been　insupportably　hot；　the　storms　which　during
this　year　devastated　parts　of　Europe　and　of　France　but　respected　the
Limousin；　had　run　their　course　in　the　basin　of　the　Loire；　and　the
atmosphere　was　singularly　clear。　The　sky　was　so　pure　that　the　eye
could　seize　the　slightest　details　on　the　horizon。　What　language　can
render　the　delightful　concert　of　busy　sounds　produced　in　the　village
by　the　return　of　the　workers　from　the　fields？　Such　a　scene；　to　be
rightly　given；　needs　a　great　landscape　artist　and　also　a　great　painter
of　the　human　face。　Is　there　not；　by　the　bye；　in　the　lassitude　of
Nature　and　that　of　man　a　curious　affinity　which　is　difficult　to　grasp？
The　depressing　heat　of　a　dog…day　and　the　rarification　of　the　air　give
to　the　least　sound　made　by　human　beings　all　its　signification。　The
women　seated　on　their　doorsteps　and　waiting　for　their　husbands　（who
often　bring　back　the　children）　gossip　with　each　other　while　still　at
work。　The　roofs　are　casting　up　the　lines　of　smoke　which　tell　of　the
evening　meal；　the　gayest　among　the　peasantry；　after　which；　they　sleep。
All　actions　express　the　tranquil　cheerful　thoughts　of　those　whose
day's　work　is　over。　Songs　are　heard　very　different　in　character　from
those　of　the　morning；　in　this　the　peasants　imitate　the　birds；　whose
warbling　at　night　is　totally　unlike　their　notes　at　dawn。　All　nature
sings　a　hymn　to　rest；　as　it　sang　a　hymn　of　joy　to　the　coming　sun。　The
slightest　movements　of　living　beings　seem　tinted　then　with　the　soft；
harmonious　colors　of　the　sunset　cast　upon　the　landscape　and　lending
even　to　the　dusty　roadways　a　placid　air。　If　any　dared　deny　the
influence　of　this　hour；　the　loveliest　of　the　day；　the　flowers　would
protest　and　intoxicate　his　senses　with　their　penetrating　perfumes；
which　then　exhale　and　mingle　with　the　tender　hum　of　insects　and　the
amorous　note　of　birds。

The　brooks　which　threaded　the　plain　beyond　the　village　were　veiled　in
fleecy　vapor。　In　the　great　meadows　through　which　the　high…road　ran；
bordered　with　poplars；　acacias；　and　ailanthus；　wisely　intermingled　and
already　giving　shade；enormous　and　justly　celebrated　herds　of　cattle
were　scattered　here　and　there；　some　still　grazing；　others　ruminating。
Men；　women；　and　children　were　ending　their　day's　work　in　the　hay…
field；　the　most　picturesque　of　all　the　country　toils。　The　night　air；
freshened　by　distant　storms；　brought　on　its　wings　the　satisfying　odors
of　the　newly　cut　grass　or　the　finished　hay。　Every　feature　of　this
beautiful　panorama　could　be　seen　perfectly；　those　who　feared　a　coming
storm　were　finishing　in　haste　the　hay…stacks；　while　others　followed
with　their　pitchforks　to　fill　the　carts　as　they　were　driven　along　the
rows。　Others　in　the　distance　were　still　mowing；　or　turning　the　long
lines　of　fallen　grass　to　dry　it；　or　hastening　to　pile　it　into　cocks。
The　joyous　laugh　of　the　merry　workers　mingling　with　the　shouts　of　the
children　tumbling　each　other　in　the　hay；　rose　on　the　air。　The　eye
could　distinguish　the　pink；　red；　or　blue　petticoats；　the　kerchiefs；
and　the　bare　legs　and　arms　of　the　women；　all　wearing　broad…brimmed
hats　of　a　coarse　straw；　and　the　shirts　and　trousers　of　the　men；　the
latter　almost　invariably　white。　The　last　rays　of　the　sun　were
filtering　through　the　long　lines　of　poplars　planted　beside　the
trenches　which　divided　the　plain　into　meadows　of　unequal　size；　and
caressing　the　groups　of　horses　and　carts；　men；　women；　children；　and
cattle。　The　cattlemen　and　the　shepherd…girls　were　beginning　to　collect
their　flocks　to　the　sound　of　rustic　horns。

The　scene　was　noisy；　yet　silent；a　paradoxical　statement；　which　will
surprise　only　those　to　whom　the　character　of　country　life　is　still
unknown。　From　all　sides　came　the　carts；　laden　with　fragrant　fodder。
There　was　something；　I　know　not　what；　of　torpor　in　the　scene。
Veronique　walked　slowly　and　silently　between　Gerard　and　the　rector；
who　had　joined　her　on　the　terrace。

Through　the　openings　made　by　the　rural　lanes　running　down　below　the
terrace　to　the　main　street　of　Montegnac　Gerard　and　Monsieur　Bonnet
could　see　the　faces　of　men；　women；　and　children　turned　toward　them；
watching　more　particularly；　no　doubt；　for　Madame　Graslin。　How　much　of
tenderness　and　gratitude　was　expressed　on　those　faces！　How　many
benedictions　followed　Veronique's　footsteps！　With　what　reverent
attention　were　the　three　benefactors　of　a　whole　community　regarded