the village rector-第22章

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which　produces　this　race　of　delicate　and　high…strung　horses；not
over…strong　to　bear　fatigue；　but　showy；　excellent　for　the　country　of
their　birth；　though　subject　to　changes　if　transplanted。　A　few　mulberry
trees　lately　imported　showed　an　intention　of　cultivating　silk…worms。

Like　most　of　the　villages　in　this　world　Montegnac　had　but　one　street；
through　which　the　high　road　passed。　Nevertheless　there　was　an　upper
and　a　lower　Montegnac；　reached　by　lanes　going　up　or　going　down　from
the　main　street。　A　line　of　houses　standing　along　the　brow　of　the　hill
presented　the　cheerful　sight　of　terraced　gardens；　which　were　entered
by　flights　of　steps　from　the　main　street。　Some　had　their　steps　of
earth；　others　of　pebbles；　here　and　there　old　women　were　sitting　on
them；　knitting　or　watching　children；　and　keeping　up　a　conversation
from　the　upper　to　the　lower　town　across　the　usually　peaceful　street　of
the　little　village；　thus　rumors　spread　easily　and　rapidly　in
Montegnac。　All　the　gardens；　which　were　full　of　fruit…trees；　cabbages；
onions；　and　other　vegetables；　had　bee…hives　along　their　terraces。

Another　line　of　houses；　running　down　from　the　main　street　to　the
river；　the　course　of　which　was　outlined　by　thriving　little　fields　of
hemp　and　the　sorts　of　fruit　trees　which　like　moisture；　lay　parallel
with　the　upper　town；　some　of　the　houses；　that　of　the　post…house；　for
instance；　were　in　a　hollow；　and　were　well…situated　for　certain　kinds
of　work；　such　as　weaving。　Nearly　all　of　them　were　shared　by　walnut…
trees；　the　tree　/par　excellence/　of　strong　soils。

On　this　side　of　the　main　street　at　the　end　farthest　from　the　great
plain　was　a　dwelling…house；　very　much　larger　and　better　cared　for　than
those　in　other　parts　of　the　village；　around　it　were　other　houses
equally　well　kept。　This　little　hamlet；　separated　from　the　village　by
its　gardens；　was　already　called　Les　Tascherons；　a　name　it　keeps　to　the
present　day。

The　village　itself　mounted　to　very　little；　but　thirty　or　more　outlying
farms　belonged　to　it。　In　the　valley；　leading　down　to　the　river；
irrigating　channels　like　those　of　La　Marche　and　Berry　indicated　the
flow　of　water　around　the　village　by　the　green　fringe　of　verdure　about
them；　Montegnac　seemed　tossed　in　their　midst　like　a　vessel　at　sea。
When　a　house；　an　estate；　a　village；　a　region；　passes　from　the　wretched
condition　to　a　prosperous　one；　without　becoming　either　rich　or
splendid；　life　seems　so　easy；　so　natural　to　living　beings；　that　the
spectator　may　not　at　once　suspect　the　enormous　labor；　infinite　in
petty　detail；　grand　in　persistency　like　the　toil　buried　in　a
foundation　wall；　in　short；　the　forgotten　labor　on　which　the　whole
structure　rests。

Consequently　the　scene　that　lay　before　him　told　nothing　extraordinary
to　the　young　Abbe　Gabriel　as　his　eye　took　in　the　charming　landscape。
He　knew　nothing　of　the　state　of　the　region　before　the　arrival　of　the
rector；　Monsieur　Bonnet。　The　young　man　now　went　on　a　few　steps　and
again　saw；　several　hundred　feet　above　the　gardens　of　the　upper
village；　the　church　and　the　parsonage；　which　he　had　already　seen　from
a　distance　confusedly　mingled　with　the　imposing　ruins　clothed　with
creepers　of　the　old　castle　of　Montegnac；　one　of　the　residences　of　the
Navarreins　family　in　the　twelfth　century。

The　parsonage；　a　house　originally　built　no　doubt　for　the　bailiff　or
game…keeper；　was　noticeable　for　a　long　raised　terrace　planted　with
lindens　from　which　a　fine　view　extended　over　the　country。　The　steps
leading　to　this　terrace　and　the　walls　which　supported　it　showed　their
great　age　by　the　ravages　of　time。　The　flat　moss　which　clings　to　stones
had　laid　its　dragon…green　carpet　on　each　surface。　The　numerous
families　of　the　pellitories；　the　chamomiles；　the　mesembryanthemums；
pushed　their　varied　and　abundant　tufts　through　the　loop…holes　in　the
walls；　cracked　and　fissured　in　spite　of　their　thickness。　Botany　had
lavished　there　its　most　elegant　drapery　of　ferns　of　all　kinds；　snap…
dragons　with　their　violet　mouths　and　golden　pistils；　the　blue　anchusa；
the　brown　lichens；　so　that　the　old　worn　stones　seemed　mere　accessories
peeping　out　at　intervals　from　this　fresh　growth。　Along　the　terrace　a
box　hedge；　cut　into　geometric　figures；　enclosed　a　pleasure　garden
surrounding　the　parsonage；　above　which　the　rock　rose　like　a　white　wall
surmounted　by　slender　trees　that　drooped　and　swayed　above　it　like
plumes。

The　ruins　of　the　castle　looked　down　upon　the　house　and　church。　The
house；　built　of　pebbles　and　mortar；　had　but　one　story　surmounted　by　an
enormous　sloping　roof　with　gable　ends；　in　which　were　attics；　no　doubt
empty；　considering　the　dilapidation　of　their　windows。　The　ground…floor
had　two　rooms　parted　by　a　corridor；　at　the　farther　end　of　which　was　a
wooden　staircase　leading　to　the　second　floor；　which　also　had　two
rooms。　A　little　kitchen　was　at　the　back　of　the　building　in　a　yard；
where　were　the　stable　and　coach…house；　both　unused；　deserted；　and
worthless。　The　kitchen　garden　lay　between　the　church　and　the　house；　a
ruined　gallery　led　from　the　parsonage　to　the　sacristy。

When　the　young　abbe　saw　the　four　windows　with　their　leaded　panes；　the
brown　and　mossy　walls；　the　door　in　common　pine　slit　like　a　bundle　of
matches；　far　from　being　attracted　by　the　adorable　naivete　of　these
details；　the　grace　of　the　vegetations　which　draped　the　roof　and　the
dilapidated　wooden　frames　of　the　windows；　the　wealth　of　the　clambering
plants　escaping　from　every　cranny；　and　the　clasping　tendrils　of　the
grape…vine　which　looked　into　every　window　as　if　to　bring　smiling　ideas
to　those　within；　he　congratulated　himself　heartily　on　being　a　bishop
in　perspective　instead　of　a　village　rector。

This　house；　apparently　always　open；　seemed　to　belong　to　everybody。　The
Abbe　Gabriel　entered　a　room　communicating　with　the　kitchen；　which　was
poorly　furnished　with　an　oak　table　on　four　stout　legs；　a　tapestried
armchair；　a　number　of　chairs　all　of　wood；　and　an　old　chest　by　way　of
buffet。　No　one　was　in　the　kitchen　except　a　cat　which　revealed　the
presence　of　a　woman　about　the　house。　The　other　room　served　as　a　salon。
Casting　a　glance　about　it　the　young　priest　noticed　armchairs　in
natural　wood　covered　with　tapestry；　the　woodwork　and　the　rafters　of
the　ceiling　were　of　chestnut　which　had　turned　as　black　as　ebony。　A
tall　clock　in　a　green　case　painted　with　flowers；　a　table　with　a　faded
green　cloth；　several　chairs；　two　candlesticks　on　the　chimney…piece；
between　which　was　an　Infant　Jesus　in　wax　under　a　glass　case；　completed
the　furniture　of　the　room。　The　chimney…piece　of　wood　with　common
mouldings　was　filled　by　a　fire…board　covered　by　a　painting
representing　the　Good　Shepherd　with　a　lamb　over　his　shoulder；　which
was　probably　the　gift　of　some　young　girl；the　mayor's　daughter；　or
the　judge's　daughter；in　return　for　the　pastor's　care　of　her
education。

The　forlorn　condition　of　the　house　was　distressing　to　behold；　the
walls；　once　whitewashed；　were　now　discolored；　and　stained　to　a　man's
height　by　constant　friction。　The　staircase　with　its　heavy　baluster　and
wooden　steps；　though　very　clean；　looked　as　if　it　might　easily　give　way
under　the　feet。　On　the　other　side　of　the　house；　opposite　to　the
entrance　door；　another　door　opening　upon　the　kitchen　garden　enabled
the　Abbe　de　Rastignac　to　judge　of　the　narrowness　of　that　garden；　which
was　closed　at　the　back　by　a　wall　cut　in　the　white　and　friable　stone
side　of　the　mountain；　against　which　espaliers　were　fastened；　covered
with　grape…vines　and　fruit…trees　so　ill　taken　care　of　that　their
leaves　were　discolored　with　blight。

The　abbe　returned　upon　his　steps　and　walked　along　the　paths　of　the
first　garden；　from　which　he　could　see；　in　the　distance　beyond　the
village；　the　magnificent　stretch　of　valley；　a　true　oasis　at　the　edge
of　the　vast　plains；　which　now；　veiled　by　the　light　mists　of　morning；
lay　along　the　horizon　like　a　tranquil　ocean。　Behind　him　could　be　seen；
on　one　side；　for　a　foil；　the　dark　masses　of　the　bronze…green　forest；
on　the　other；　the　church　and　the　ruins　of　the　castle　perched　on　the
rock　and　vividly　detached　upon　the　blue　of　the　ether。　The　Abbe
Gabriel；　his　feet　creaking　on　the　gravelly　paths　cut　in　stars　and
rounds　and　lozenges；　looked　down　upon　the　village；　where