the village rector-第35章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


human　justice；　politics；　and　art。　We　shall　ever　recognize　in　Europe
the　places　where　those　radiant　centres　once　were。　Nearly　all　our
modern　towns　are　the　children　of　monasteries。　If　you　believe　that　God
will　judge　you；　the　Church　tells　you　by　my　voice　that　sin　can　be
redeemed　by　works　of　repentance。　The　mighty　hand　of　God　weighs　both
the　evil　done　and　the　value　of　benefits　accomplished。　Be　yourself　like
those　monasteries；　work　here　the　same　miracles。　Your　prayers　must　be
labors。　From　your　labors　must　come　the　good　of　those　above　whom　you
are　placed　by　fortune；　by　superiority　of　mind；　even　this　natural
position　of　your　dwelling　is　the　image　of　your　social　situation。〃

As　he　said　the　last　words；　the　priest　and　Madame　Graslin　turned　to
walk　back　toward　the　plains；　and　the　rector　pointed　both　to　the
village　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　and　to　the　chateau　commanding　the
whole　landscape。　It　was　then　half…past　four　o'clock；　a　glow　of　yellow
sunlight　enveloped　the　balustrade　and　the　gardens；　illuminated　the
chateau；　sparkled　on　the　gilded　railings　of　the　roof；　lighted　the　long
plain　cut　in　two　by　the　high…road；a　sad；　gray　ribbon；　not　bordered
there　by　the　fringe　of　trees　which　waved　above　it　elsewhere　on　either
side。

When　Veronique　and　Monsieur　Bonnet　had　passed　the　main　body　of　the
chateau；　they　could　seebeyond　the　courtyard；　the　stables；　and　the
officesthe　great　forest　of　Montegnac；　along　which　the　yellow　glow
was　gliding　like　a　soft　caress。　Though　this　last　gleam　of　the　setting
sun　touched　the　tree…tops　only；　it　enabled　the　eye　to　see　distinctly
the　caprices　of　that　marvellous　tapestry　which　nature　makes　of　a
forest　in　autumn。　The　oaks　were　a　mass　of　Florentine　bronze；　the
walnuts　and　the　chestnuts　displayed　their　blue…green　tones；　the　early
trees　were　putting　on　their　golden　foliage；　and　all　these　varied
colors　were　shaded　with　the　gray　of　barren　spots。　The　trunks　of　trees
already　stripped　of　leafage　showed　their　light…gray　colonnades；　the
russet；　tawny；　grayish　colors；　artistically　blended　by　the　pale
reflections　of　an　October　sun；　harmonized　with　the　vast　uncultivated
plain；　green　as　stagnant　water。

A　thought　came　into　the　rector's　mind　as　he　looked　at　this　fine
spectacle；　mute　in　other　ways；for　not　a　tree　rustled；　not　a　bird
chirped；　death　was　on　the　plain；　silence　in　the　forest；　here　and　there
a　little　smoke　from　the　village　chimneys；　that　was　all。　The　chateau
seemed　as　gloomy　as　its　mistress。　By　some　strange　law　all　things　about
a　dwelling　imitate　the　one　who　rules　there；　the　owner's　spirit　hovers
over　it。　Madame　Graslinher　mind　grasped　by　the　rector's　words；　her
soul　struck　by　conviction；　her　heart　affected　in　its　tenderest
emotions　by　the　angelic　quality　of　that　pure　voicestopped　short。　The
rector　raised　his　arm　and　pointed　to　the　forest。　Veronique　looked
there。

〃Do　you　not　think　it　has　a　vague　resemblance　to　social　life？〃　he　said。
〃To　each　its　destiny。　How　many　inequalities　in　that　mass　of　trees！
Those　placed　the　highest　lack　earth　and　moisture；　they　die　first。〃

〃Some　there　are　whom　the　shears　of　the　woman　gathering　fagots　cut
short　in　their　prime；〃　she　said　bitterly。

〃Do　not　fall　back　into　those　thoughts；〃　said　the　rector　sternly；
though　with　indulgence　still。　〃The　misfortune　of　this　forest　is　that
it　has　never　been　cut。　Do　you　see　the　phenomenon　these　masses
present？〃

Veronique；　to　whose　mind　the　singularities　of　the　forest　nature
suggested　little；　looked　obediently　at　the　forest　and　then　let　her
eyes　drop　gently　back　upon　the　rector。

〃You　do　not　notice；〃　he　said；　perceiving　from　that　look　her　total
ignorance；　〃the　lines　where　the　trees　of　all　species　still　hold　their
greenness？〃

〃Ah！　true；〃　she　said。　〃I　see　them　now。　Why　is　it？〃

〃In　that；〃　replied　the　rector；　〃lies　the　future　of　Montegnac；　and　your
own　fortune；　an　immense　fortune；　as　I　once　explained　to　Monsieur
Graslin。　You　see　the　furrows　of　those　three　dells；　the　mountain
streams　of　which　flow　into　the　torrent　of　the　Gabou。　That　torrent
separates　the　forest　of　Montegnac　from　the　district　which　on　this　side
adjoins　ours。　In　September　and　October　it　goes　dry；　but　in　November　it
is　full　of　water；　the　volume　of　which　would　be　greatly　increased　by　a
partial　clearing　of　the　forest；　so　as　to　send　all　the　lesser　streams
to　join　it。　As　it　is；　its　waters　do　no　good；　but　if　one　or　two　dams
were　made　between　the　two　hills　on　either　side　of　it；　as　they　have
done　at　Riquet；　and　at　Saint…Ferreolwhere　they　have　made　immense
reservoirs　to　feed　the　Languedoc　canalthis　barren　plain　could　be
fertilized　by　judicious　irrigation　through　trenches　and　culverts
managed　by　watergates；　sending　the　water　when　needed　over　these　lands；
and　diverting　it　at　other　times　to　our　little　river。　You　could　plant
fine　poplars　along　these　water…courses　and　raise　the　finest　cattle　on
such　pasturage　as　you　would　then　obtain。　What　is　grass；　but　sun　and
water？　There　is　quite　soil　enough　on　the　plains　to　hold　the　roots；　the
streams　will　furnish　dew　and　moisture；　the　poplars　will　hold　and　feed
upon　the　mists；　returning　their　elements　to　the　herbage；　these　are　the
secrets　of　the　fine　vegetation　of　valleys。　If　you　undertook　this　work
you　would　soon　see　life　and　joy　and　movement　where　silence　now　reigns；
where　the　eye　is　saddened　by　barren　fruitlessness。　Would　not　that　be　a
noble　prayer　to　God？　Such　work　would　be　a　better　occupation　of　your
leisure　than　the　indulgence　of　melancholy　thoughts。〃

Veronique　pressed　the　rector's　hand；　answering　with　four　brief　words；
but　they　were　grand　ones：

〃It　shall　be　done。〃

〃You　conceive　the　possibility　of　this　great　work；〃　he　went　on；　〃but
you　cannot　execute　it。　Neither　you　nor　I　have　the　necessary　knowledge
to　accomplish　an　idea　which　might　have　come　to　all；　but　the　execution
of　which　presents　immense　difficulties；　for　simple　as　it　may　seem；　the
matter　requires　the　most　accurate　science　with　all　its　resources。
Seek；　therefore；　at　once　for　the　proper　human　instruments　who　will
enable　you　within　the　next　dozen　years　to　get　an　income　of　six　or
seven　thousand　louis　out　of　the　six　thousand　acres　you　irrigate　and
fertilize。　Such　an　enterprise　will　make　Montegnac　at　some　future　day
the　most　prosperous　district　in　the　department。　The　forest；　as　yet；
yields　you　no　return；　but　sooner　or　later　commerce　will　come　here　in
search　of　its　fine　woodsthose　treasures　amassed　by　time；　the　only
ones　the　production　of　which　cannot　be　hastened　or　improved　upon　by
man。　The　State　may　some　day　provide　a　way　of　transport　from　this
forest；　for　many　of　the　trees　would　make　fine　masts　for　the　navy；　but
it　will　wait　until　the　increasing　population　of　Montegnac　makes　a
demand　upon　its　protection；　for　the　State　is　like　fortune；　it　comes
only　to　the　rich。　This　estate；　well　managed；　will　become；　in　the
course　of　time；　one　of　the　finest　in　France；　it　will　be　the　pride　of
your　grandson；　who　may　then　find　the　chateau　paltry；　comparing　it　with
its　revenues。〃

〃Here；〃　said　Veronique；　〃is　a　future　for　my　life。〃

〃A　beneficent　work　such　as　that　will　redeem　wrongdoing；〃　said　the
rector。

Seeing　that　she　understood　him；　he　attempted　to　strike　another　blow　on
this　woman's　intellect；　judging　rightly　that　in　her　the　intellect　led
the　heart；　whereas　in　other　women　the　heart　is　their　road　to
intelligence。

〃Do　you　know；〃　he　said　after　a　pause；　〃the　error　in　which　you　are
living？〃

She　looked　at　him　timidly。

〃Your　repentance　is　as　yet　only　a　sense　of　defeat　endured；which　is
horrible；　for　it　is　nothing　else　than　the　despair　of　Satan；　such；
perhaps；　was　the　repentance　of　mankind　before　the　coming　of　Jesus
Christ。　But　our　repentance；　the　repentance　of　Christians；　is　the
horror　of　a　soul　struck　down　on　an　evil　path；　to　whom；　by　this　very
shock；　God　has　revealed　Himself。　You　are　like　the　pagan　Orestes；　make
yourself　another　Paul。〃

〃Your　words　have　changed　me　utterly；〃　she　cried。　〃Nowoh！　now　I　want
to　live。〃

〃The　spirit　conquers；〃　thought　the　modest　rector；　as　he　joyfully　took
his　leave。　He　had　cast　nourishment　before　a　soul　hunted　into　secret
despair　by　giving　to　its　repentance　the　form　of　a　good　and　noble
action。



XII

THE　SOUL　OF　FORESTS

Veronique　wrote　to　Monsieur　Grosse