albert savarus-第21章

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which　he　widened　to　two　acres　by　accumulating　above　it　all　the　soil
which　had　to　be　removed　to　make　a　channel　for　the　river　and　the
irrigation　canals。

When　the　Baron　de　Watteville　thus　obtained　the　lake　above　his　dam　he
was　owner　of　the　two　hills；　but　not　of　the　upper　valley　thus　flooded；
through　which　there　had　been　at　all　times　a　right…of…way　to　where　it
ends　in　a　horseshoe　under　the　Dent　de　Vilard。　But　this　ferocious　old
man　was　so　widely　dreaded；　that　so　long　as　he　lived　no　claim　was　urged
by　the　inhabitants　of　Riceys；　the　little　village　on　the　further　side
of　the　Dent　de　Vilard。　When　the　Baron　died；　he　left　the　slopes　of　the
two　Rouxey　hills　joined　by　a　strong　wall；　to　protect　from　inundation
the　two　lateral　valleys　opening　into　the　valley　of　Rouxey；　to　the
right　and　left　at　the　foot　of　the　Dent　de　Vilard。　Thus　he　died　the
master　of　the　Dent　de　Vilard。

His　heirs　asserted　their　protectorate　of　the　village　of　Riceys；　and　so
maintained　the　usurpation。　The　old　assassin；　the　old　renegade；　the　old
Abbe　Watteville；　ended　his　career　by　planting　trees　and　making　a　fine
road　over　the　shoulder　of　one　of　the　Rouxey　hills　to　join　the
highroad。　The　estate　belonging　to　this　park　and　house　was　extensive；
but　badly　cultivated；　there　were　chalets　on　both　hills　and　neglected
forests　of　timber。　It　was　all　wild　and　deserted；　left　to　the　care　of
nature；　abandoned　to　chance　growths；　but　full　of　sublime　and
unexpected　beauty。　You　may　now　imagine　les　Rouxey。

It　is　unnecessary　to　complicate　this　story　by　relating　all　the
prodigious　trouble　and　the　inventiveness　stamped　with　genius；　by　which
Rosalie　achieved　her　end　without　allowing　it　to　be　suspected。　It　is
enough　to　say　that　it　was　in　obedience　to　her　mother　that　she　left
Besancon　in　the　month　of　May　1835；　in　an　antique　traveling　carriage
drawn　by　a　pair　of　sturdy　hired　horses；　and　accompanied　her　father　to
les　Rouxey。

To　a　young　girl　love　lurks　in　everything。　When　she　rose；　the　morning
after　her　arrival；　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville　saw　from　her　bedroom
window　the　fine　expanse　of　water；　from　which　the　light　mists　rose　like
smoke；　and　were　caught　in　the　firs　and　larches；　rolling　up　and　along
the　hills　till　they　reached　the　heights；　and　she　gave　a　cry　of
admiration。

〃They　loved　by　the　lakes！　/She/　lives　by　a　lake！　A　lake　is　certainly
full　of　love！〃　she　thought。

A　lake　fed　by　snows　has　opalescent　colors　and　a　translucency　that
makes　it　one　huge　diamond；　but　when　it　is　shut　in　like　that　of　les
Rouxey；　between　two　granite　masses　covered　with　pines；　when　silence
broods　over　it　like　that　of　the　Savannas　or　the　Steppes；　then　every
one　must　exclaim　as　Rosalie　did。

〃We　owe　that；〃　said　her　father；　〃to　the　notorious　Watteville。〃

〃On　my　word；〃　said　the　girl；　〃he　did　his　best　to　earn　forgiveness。　Let
us　go　in　a　boat　to　the　further　end；　it　will　give　us　an　appetite　for
breakfast。〃

The　Baron　called　two　gardener　lads　who　knew　how　to　row；　and　took　with
him　his　prime　minister　Modinier。　The　lake　was　about　six　acres　in
breadth；　in　some　places　ten　or　twelve；　and　four　hundred　in　length。
Rosalie　soon　found　herself　at　the　upper　end　shut　in　by　the　Dent　de
Vilard；　the　Jungfrau　of　that　little　Switzerland。

〃Here　we　are；　Monsieur　le　Baron；〃　said　Modinier；　signing　to　the
gardeners　to　tie　up　the　boat；　〃will　you　come　and　look？〃

〃Look　at　what？〃　asked　Rosalie。

〃Oh；　nothing！〃　exclaimed　the　Baron。　〃But　you　are　a　sensible　girl；　we
have　some　little　secrets　between　us；　and　I　may　tell　you　what　ruffles
my　mind。　Some　difficulties　have　arisen　since　1830　between　the　village
authorities　of　Riceys　and　me；　on　account　of　this　very　Dent　de　Vilard；
and　I　want　to　settle　the　matter　without　your　mother's　knowing　anything
about　it；　for　she　is　stubborn；　she　is　capable　of　flinging　fire　and
flames　broadcast；　particularly　if　she　should　hear　that　the　Mayor　of
Riceys；　a　republican；　got　up　this　action　as　a　sop　to　his　people。〃

Rosalie　had　presence　of　mind　enough　to　disguise　her　delight；　so　as　to
work　more　effectually　on　her　father。

〃What　action？〃　said　she。

〃Mademoiselle；　the　people　of　Riceys；〃　said　Modinier；　〃have　long
enjoyed　the　right　of　grazing　and　cutting　fodder　on　their　side　of　the
Dent　de　Vilard。　Now　Monsieur　Chantonnit；　the　Maire　since　1830；
declares　that　the　whole　Dent　belongs　to　his　district；　and　maintains
that　a　hundred　years　ago；　or　more；　there　was　a　way　through　our
grounds。　You　understand　that　in　that　case　we　should　no　longer　have
them　to　ourselves。　Then　this　barbarian　would　end　by　saying；　what　the
old　men　in　the　village　say；　that　the　ground　occupied　by　the　lake　was
appropriated　by　the　Abbe　de　Watteville。　That　would　be　the　end　of　les
Rouxey；　what　next？〃

〃Indeed；　my　child；　between　ourselves；　it　is　the　truth；〃　said　Monsieur
de　Watteville　simply。　〃The　land　is　an　usurpation；　with　no　title…deed
but　lapse　of　time。　And；　therefore；　to　avoid　all　worry；　I　should　wish
to　come　to　a　friendly　understanding　as　to　my　border　line　on　this　side
of　the　Dent　de　Vilard；　and　I　will　then　raise　a　wall。〃

〃If　you　give　way　to　the　municipality；　it　will　swallow　you　up。　You
ought　to　have　threatened　Riceys。〃

〃That　is　just　what　I　told　the　master　last　evening；〃　said　Modinier。
〃But　in　confirmation　of　that　view　I　proposed　that　he　should　come　to
see　whether；　on　this　side　of　the　Dent　or　on　the　other；　there　may　not
be；　high　or　low；　some　traces　of　an　enclosure。〃

For　a　century　the　Dent　de　Vilard　had　been　used　by　both　parties　without
coming　to　extremities；　it　stood　as　a　sort　of　party　wall　between　the
communes　of　Riceys　and　les　Rouxey；　yielding　little　profit。　Indeed；　the
object　in　dispute；　being　covered　with　snow　for　six　months　in　the　year；
was　of　a　nature　to　cool　their　ardor。　Thus　it　required　all　the　hot
blast　by　which　the　revolution　of　1830　inflamed　the　advocates　of　the
people；　to　stir　up　this　matter；　by　which　Monsieur　Chantonnit；　the
Maire　of　Riceys；　hoped　to　give　a　dramatic　turn　to　his　career　on　the
peaceful　frontier　of　Switzerland；　and　to　immortalize　his　term　of
office。　Chantonnit；　as　his　name　shows；　was　a　native　of　Neuchatel。

〃My　dear　father；〃　said　Rosalie；　as　they　got　into　the　boat　again；　〃I
agree　with　Modinier。　If　you　wish　to　secure　the　joint　possession　of　the
Dent　de　Vilard；　you　must　act　with　decision；　and　get　a　legal　opinion
which　will　protect　you　against　this　enterprising　Chantonnit。　Why
should　you　be　afraid？　Get　the　famous　lawyer　Savaronengage　him　at
once；　lest　Chantonnit　should　place　the　interests　of　the　village　in　his
hands。　The　man　who　won　the　case　for　the　Chapter　against　the　town　can
certainly　win　that　of　Watteville　/versus/　Riceys！　Besides；〃　she　added；
〃les　Rouxey　will　some　day　be　minenot　for　a　long　time　yet；　I　trust。
Well；　then　do　not　leave　me　with　a　lawsuit　on　my　hands。　I　like　this
place；　I　shall　often　live　here；　and　add　to　it　as　much　as　possible。　On
those　banks；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　feet　of　the　two　hills；　〃I　shall
cut　flowerbeds　and　make　the　loveliest　English　gardens。　Let　us　go　to
Besancon　and　bring　back　with　us　the　Abbe　de　Grancey；　Monsieur　Savaron；
and　my　mother；　if　she　cares　to　come。　You　can　then　make　up　your　mind；
but　in　your　place　I　should　have　done　so　already。　Your　name　is
Watteville；　and　you　are　afraid　of　a　fight！　If　you　should　lose　your
casewell；　I　will　never　reproach　you　by　a　word！〃

〃Oh；　if　that　is　the　way　you　take　it；〃　said　the　Baron；　〃I　am　quite
ready；　I　will　see　the　lawyer。〃

〃Besides　a　lawsuit　is　really　great　fun。　It　brings　some　interest　into
life；　with　coming　and　going　and　raging　over　it。　You　will　have　a　great
deal　to　do　before　you　can　get　hold　of　the　judges。We　did　not　see　the
Abbe　de　Grancey　for　three　weeks；　he　was　so　busy！〃

〃But　the　very　existence　of　the　Chapter　was　involved；〃　said　Monsieur　de
Watteville；　〃and　then　the　Archbishop's　pride；　his　conscience；
everything　that　makes　up　the　life　of　the　priesthood；　was　at　stake。
That　Savaron　does　not　know　what　he　did　for　the　Chapter！　He　saved　it！〃

〃Listen　to　me；〃　said　his　daughter　in　his　ear；　〃if　you　secure　Monsieur
de　Savaron；　you　will　gain　your　suit；　won't　you？　Well；　then；　let　me
advise　you。　You　cannot　get　at　Monsieur　Savaron　excepting　through
Monsieur　de　Grancey。　Take　my　word　for　it；　and　let　us　together　talk　to
the　dear　Abbe　without　my　mother'