the village rector-第21章

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wind；　for　want　of　trees　which　might　arrest　them　and　so　obtain　their
nourishment。　Merely　to　plant　trees　in　such　a　region　would　be　carrying
a　gospel　to　it。　Separated　from　the　nearest　town　or　city　by　a　distance
as　insurmountable　to　poor　folk　as　though　a　desert　lay　between　them；
with　no　means　of　reaching　a　market　for　their　products　（if　they
produced　anything）；　close　to　an　unexplored　forest　which　supplied　them
with　wood　and　the　uncertain　livelihood　of　poaching；　the　inhabitants
often　suffered　from　hunger　during　the　winters。　The　soil　not　being
suitable　for　wheat；　and　the　unfortunate　peasantry　having　neither
cattle　of　any　kind　nor　farming　implements；　they　lived　for　the　most
part　on　chestnuts。

Any　one　who　has　studied　zoological　productions　in　a　museum；　or　become
personally　aware　of　the　indescribable　depression　caused　by　the　brown
tones　of　all　European　products；　will　understand　how　the　constant　sight
of　these　gray；　arid　plains　must　have　affected　the　moral　nature　of　the
inhabitants；　through　the　desolate　sense　of　utter　barrenness　which　they
present　to　the　eye。　There；　in　those　dismal　regions；　is　neither
coolness　nor　brightness；　nor　shade　nor　contrast；none　of　all　those
ideas　and　spectacles　of　Nature　which　awaken　and　rejoice　the　heart；
even　a　stunted　apple…tree　would　be　hailed　as　a　friend。

A　country　road；　recently　made；　runs　through　the　centre　of　this　great
plain；　and　meets　the　high…road。　Upon　it；　at　a　distance　of　some　fifteen
miles　from　the　high…road；　stands　Montegnac；　at　the　foot　of　a　hill；　as
its　name　designates；　the　chief　town　of　a　canton　or　district　in　the
Haute…Vienne。　The　hill　is　part　of　Montegnac；　which　thus　unites　a
mountainous　scenery　with　that　of　the　plains。　This　district　is　a
miniature　Scotland；　with　its　lowlands　and　highlands。　Behind　the　hill；
at　the　foot　of　which　lies　the　village；　rises；　at　a　distance　of　about
three　miles；　the　first　peak　of　the　Correze　mountains。　The　space
between　is　covered　by　the　great　forest　of　Montegnac；　which　clothes　the
hill；　extends　over　the　valley；　and　along　the　slopes　of　the　mountain
（though　these　are　bare　in　some　places）；　continuing　as　far　as　the
highway　to　Aubusson；　where　it　diminishes　to　a　point　near　a　steep
embankment　on　that　road。　This　embankment　commands　a　ravine　through
which　the　post…road　between　Bordeaux　and　Lyon　passes。　Travellers；
either　afoot　or　in　carriages；　were　often　stopped　in　the　depths　of　this
dangerous　gorge　by　highwaymen；　whose　deeds　of　violence　went
unpunished；　for　the　site　favored　them；　they　could　instantly　disappear；
by　ways　known　to　them　alone；　into　the　inaccessible　parts　of　the
forest。

Such　a　region　was　naturally　out　of　reach　of　law。　No　one　now　travelled
through　it。　Without　circulation；　neither　commerce；　industry；　exchange
of　ideas；　nor　any　of　the　means　to　wealth；　can　exist；　the　material
triumphs　of　civilization　are　always　the　result　of　the　application　of
primitive　ideas。　Thought　is　invariably　the　point　of　departure　and　the
goal　of　all　social　existence。　The　history　of　Montegnac　is　a　proof　of
that　axiom　of　social　science。　When　at　last　the　administration　was　able
to　concern　itself　with　the　needs　and　the　material　prosperity　of　this
region　of　country；　it　cut　down　this　strip　of　forest；　and　stationed　a
detachment　of　gendarmerie　near　the　ravine；　which　escorted　the　mail…
coaches　between　the　two　relays；　but；　to　the　shame　of　the　gendarmerie
be　it　said；　it　was　the　gospel；　and　not　the　sword；　the　rector　Monsieur
Bonnet；　and　not　Corporal　Chervin；　who　won　a　civil　victory　by　changing
the　morals　of　a　population。　This　priest；　filled　with　Christian
tenderness　for　the　poor；　hapless　region；　attempted　to　regenerate　it；
and　succeeded　in　the　attempt。

After　travelling　for　about　an　hour　over　these　plains；　alternately
stony　and　dusty；　where　the　partridges　flocked　in　tranquil　coveys；
their　wings　whirring　with　a　dull；　heavy　sound　as　the　carriage　came
toward　them；　the　Abbe　Gabriel；　like　all　other　travellers　on　the　same
road；　saw　with　satisfaction　the　roofs　of　Montegnac　in　the　distance。　At
the　entrance　of　the　village　was　one　of　those　curious　post…relays　which
are　seen　only　in　the　remote　parts　of　France。　Its　sign　was　an　oak　board
on　which　some　pretentious　postilion　had　carved　the　words；　/Pauste　o
chevos/；　blackening　the　letters　with　ink；　and　then　nailing　the　board
by　its　four　corners　above　the　door　of　a　wretched　stable　in　which　there
were　no　horses。　The　door；　which　was　nearly　always　open；　had　a　plank
laid　on　the　soil　for　its　threshold；　to　protect　the　stable　floor；　which
was　lower　than　the　road；　from　inundation　when　it　rained。　The
discouraged　traveller　could　see　within　worn…out；　mildewed；　and　mended
harnesses；　certain　to　break　at　a　plunge　of　the　horses。　The　horses
themselves　were　hard　at　work　in　the　fields；　or　anywhere　but　in　the
stable。　If　by　any　chance　they　happen　to　be　in　their　stalls；　they　are
eating；　if　they　have　finished　eating；　the　postilion　has　gone　to　see
his　aunt　or　his　cousin；　or　is　getting　in　the　hay；　or　else　he　is
asleep；　no　one　can　say　where　he　is；　the　traveller　has　to　wait　till　he
is　found；　and　he　never　comes　till　he　has　finished　what　he　is　about。
When　he　does　come　he　loses　an　immense　amount　of　time　looking　for　his
jacket　and　his　whip；　or　putting　the　collars　on　his　horses。　Near　by；　at
the　door　of　the　post…house；　a　worthy　woman　is　fuming　even　more　than
the　traveller；　in　order　to　prevent　the　latter　from　complaining　loudly。
This　is　sure　to　be　the　wife　of　the　post…master；　whose　husband　is　away
in　the　fields。

The　bishop's　secretary　left　his　carriage　before　a　post…house　of　this
kind；　the　walls　of　which　resembled　a　geographical　map；　while　the
thatched　roof；　blooming　like　a　flower…garden；　seemed　to　be　giving　way
beneath　the　weight　of　stone…crop。　After　begging　the　post…mistress　to
have　everything　in　readiness　for　his　departure　in　an　hour's　time；　the
abbe　asked　the　way　to　the　parsonage。　The　good　woman　showed　him　a　lane
which　led　to　the　church；　telling　him　the　rectory　was　close　beside　it。

While　the　young　abbe　followed　this　lane；　which　was　full　of　stones　and
closed　on　either　side　by　hedges；　the　post…mistress　questioned　the
postilion。　Since　starting　from　Limoges　each　postilion　had　informed　his
successor　of　the　conjectures　of　the　Limoges　postilion　as　to　the
mission　of　the　bishop's　messenger。　While　the　inhabitants　of　the　town
were　getting　out　of　bed　and　talking　of　the　coming　execution；　a　rumor
spread　among　the　country　people　that　the　bishop　had　obtained　the
pardon　of　the　innocent　man；　and　much　was　said　about　the　mistakes　to
which　human　justice　was　liable。　If　Jean…Francois　was　executed　later；
it　was　certain　that　he　was　regarded　in　the　country　regions　as　a
martyr。

After　taking　a　few　steps　along　the　lane；　reddened　by　the　autumn
leaves；　and　black　with　mulberries　and　damsons；　the　Abbe　Gabriel　turned
round　with　the　instinctive　impulse　which　leads　us　all　to　make
acquaintance　with　a　region　which　we　see　for　the　first　time；a　sort　of
instinctive　physical　curiosity　shared　by　dogs　and　horses。

The　position　of　Montegnac　was　explained　to　him　as　his　eyes　rested　on
various　little　streams　flowing　down　the　hillsides　and　on　a　little
river；　along　the　bank　of　which　runs　the　country　road　which　connects
the　chief　town　of　the　arrondissement　with　the　prefecture。　Like　all　the
villages　of　this　upland　plain；　Montegnac　is　built　of　earth　baked　in
the　sun　and　moulded　into　square　blocks。　After　a　fire　a　house　looks　as
if　it　had　been　built　of　brick。　The　roofs　are　of　thatch。　Poverty　is
everywhere　visible。

Before　the　village　lay　several　fields　of　potatoes；　radishes；　and　rye；
redeemed　from　the　barren　plain。　On　the　slope　of　the　hill　were
irrigated　meadows　where　the　inhabitants　raised　horses；　the　famous
Limousin　breed；　which　is　said　to　be　a　legacy　of　the　Arabs　when　they
descended　by　the　Pyrenees　into　France　and　were　cut　to　pieces　by　the
battle…axes　of　the　Franks　under　Charles　Martel。　The　heights　are
barren。　A　hot；　baked；　reddish　soil　shows　a　region　where　chestnuts
flourish。　The　springs；　carefully　applied　to　irrigation；　water　the
meadows　only；　nourishing　the　sweet；　crisp　grass；　so　fine　and　choice；
which　produces　this　race　of　delicate　and　high…strung　horses；not
over…strong　to　bear　fatigue；　but　showy；　excellent　for　the　co