the village rector-第41章

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one　since　Montegnac　existed；　neither　the　great　lords；　nor　their
bailiffs；　nor　their　foresters；　nor　the　poor；　nor　the　rich；　none　of
those　who　saw　that　plain　barren　for　want　of　water；　ever　asked
themselves　why　the　streams　which　now　feed　the　Gabou　do　not　come　there。
The　three　districts　above；　which　have　constantly　been　afflicted　with
fevers　in　consequence　of　stagnant　water；　never　looked　for　the　remedy；
I　myself；　who　live　in　the　wilds；　never　dreamed　of　it；　it　needed　a　man
of　God。〃

The　tears　filled　his　eyes　as　he　said　the　word。

〃All　that　men　of　genius　discover；〃　said　Madame　Graslin；　〃seems　so
simple　that　every　one　thinks　they　might　have　discovered　it　themselves。
But；〃　she　added；　as　if　to　herself；　〃genius　has　this　fine　thing　about
it；it　resembles　all　the　world；　but　no　one　resembles　it。〃

〃I　understood　Monsieur　Bonnet　at　once；〃　continued　Farrabesche；　〃it　did
not　take　him　many　words　to　tell　me　what　I　had　to　do。　Madame；　this　fact
I　tell　you　of　is　all　the　more　singular　because　there　are；　toward　the
plain；　great　rents　and　fissures　in　the　mountain；　gorges　and　ravines
down　which　the　water　flows；　but；　strange　to　say；　these　clefts　and
ravines　and　gorges　all　send　their　streams　into　a　little　valley　which
is　several　feet　below　the　level　of　your　plain。　To…day　I　have
discovered　the　reason　of　this　phenomenon：　from　the　Roche…Vive　to
Montegnac；　at　the　foot　of　the　mountains；　runs　a　shelf　or　barricade　of
rock；　varying　in　height　from　twenty　to　thirty　feet；　there　is　not　a
break　in　it　from　end　to　end；　and　it　is　formed　of　a　species　of　rock
which　Monsieur　Bonnet　calls　schist。　The　soil　above　it；　which　is　of
course　softer　than　rock；　has　been　hollowed　out　by　the　action　of　the
water；　which　is　turned　at　right　angles　by　the　barricade　of　rock；　and
thus　flows　naturally　into　the　Gabou。　The　trees　and　underbrush　of　the
forest　conceal　this　formation　and　the　hollowing　out　of　the　soil。　But
after　following　the　course　of　the　water；　as　I　have　done　by　the　traces
left　of　its　passage；　it　is　easy　to　convince　any　one　of　the　fact。　The
Gabou　thus　receives　the　water…shed　of　both　mountains；that　which
ought　to　go　down　the　mountain　face　on　which　your　park　and　garden　are
to　the　plain；　and　that　which　comes　down　the　rocky　slopes　before　us。
According　to　Monsieur　Bonnet　the　present　state　of　things　will　crease
when　the　water…shed　toward　the　plain　gains　a　natural　outlet；　and　is
dammed　toward　the　Gabou　by　the　earth　and　rocks　which　the　mountain
torrents　bring　down　with　them。　It　will　take　a　hundred　years　to　do
that；　however；　and　besides；　it　isn't　desirable。　If　your　soil　will　not
take　up　more　water　than　the　great　common　you　are　now　going　to　see；
Montegnac　would　be　full　of　stagnant　pools；　breeding　fever　in　the
community。〃

〃I　suppose　that　the　places　Monsieur　Bonnet　showed　me　the　other　day
where　the　foliage　of　the　trees　is　still　green　mark　the　present
conduits　by　which　the　water　falls　into　the　Gabou？〃

〃Yes；　madame。　Between　Roche…Vive　and　Montegnac　there　are　three
distinct　mountains　with　three　hollows　between　them；　down　which　the
waters；　stopped　by　the　schist　barrier；　turn　off　into　the　Gabou。　The
belt　of　trees　still　green　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　above　the　barrier；
which　looks；　at　a　distance；　like　a　part　of　the　plain；　is　really　the
water…sluice　the　rector　supposed；　very　justly；　that　Nature　had　made
for　herself。〃

〃Well；　what　has　been　to　the　injury　of　Montegnac　shall　soon　be　its
prosperity；〃　said　Madame　Graslin；　in　a　tone　of　deep　intention。　〃And
inasmuch　as　you　have　been　the　first　instrument　employed　on　the　work；
you　shall　share　in　it；　you　shall　find　me　faithful；　industrious
workmen；　lack　of　money　can　always　be　made　up　by　devotion　and　good
work。〃

Benjamin　and　Maurice　came　up　as　Veronique　ended　these　words；　she
mounted　her　horse　and　signed　to　Farrabesche　to　mount　the　other。

〃Guide　me；〃　she　said；　〃to　the　place　where　the　waters　spread　out　in
pools　over　that　waste　land。〃

〃There　is　all　the　more　reason　why　madame　should　go　there；〃　said
Farrabesche；　〃because　the　late　Monsieur　Graslin；　under　the　rector's
advice；　bought　three　hundred　acres　at　the　opening　of　that　gorge；　on
which　the　waters　have　left　sediment　enough　to　make　good　soil　over
quite　a　piece　of　ground。　Madame　will　also　see　the　opposite　side　of　the
Roche…Vive；　where　there　are　fine　woods；　among　which　Monsieur　Graslin
would　no　doubt　have　put　a　farm　had　he　lived；　there's　an　excellent
place　for　one；　where　the　spring　which　rises　just　by　my　house　loses
itself　below。〃

Farrabesche　rode　first　to　show　the　way；　taking　Veronique　through　a
path　which　led　to　the　spot　where　the　two　slopes　drew　closely　together
and　then　flew　apart；　one　to　the　east　the　other　to　the　west；　as　if
repulsed　by　a　shock。　This　narrow　passage；　filled　with　large　rocks　and
coarse；　tall　grasses；　was　only　about　sixty　feet　in　width。

The　Roche…Vive；　cut　perpendicularly　on　this　side　looked　like　a　wall　of
granite　in　which　there　was　no　foothold；　but　above　this　inflexible　wall
was　a　crown　of　trees；　the　roots　of　which　hung　down　it；　mostly　pines
clinging　to　the　rock　with　their　forked　feet　like　birds　on　a　bough。

The　opposite　hill；　hollowed　by　time；　had　a　frowning　front；　sandy；
rocky；　and　yellow；　here　were　shallow　caverns；　dips　without　depth；　the
soft　and　pulverizing　rock　had　ochre　tones。　A　few　plants　with　prickly
leaves　above；　and　burdocks；　reeds；　and　aquatic　growths　below；　were
indication　enough　of　the　northern　exposure　and　the　poverty　of　the
soil。　The　bed　of　the　torrent　was　of　stone；　quite　hard；　but　yellow。
Evidently　the　two　chains；　though　parallel　and　ripped　asunder　by　one　of
the　great　catastrophes　which　have　changed　the　face　of　the　globe；　were；
either　from　some　inexplicable　caprice　or　for　some　unknown　reason；　the
discovery　of　which　awaited　genius；　composed　of　elements　that　were
wholly　dissimilar。　The　contrast　of　their　two　natures　showed　more
clearly　here　than　elsewhere。

Veronique　now　saw　before　her　an　immense　dry　plateau；　without　any
vegetation；　chalky　（this　explained　the　absorption　of　the　water）　and
strewn　with　pools　of　stagnant　water　and　rocky　places　stripped　of　soil。
To　the　right　were　the　mountains　of　the　Correze；　to　left　the　Roche…Vive
barred　the　view　covered　with　its　noble　trees；　on　its　further　slope　was
a　meadow　of　some　two　hundred　acres；　the　verdure　of　which　contrasted
with　the　hideous　aspect　of　the　desolate　plateau。

〃My　son　and　I　cut　that　ditch　you　see　down　there　marked　by　the　tall
grasses；〃　said　Farrabesche；　〃it　joins　the　one　which　bounds　your
forest。　On　this　side　the　estate　is　bounded　by　a　desert；　for　the
nearest　village　is　three　miles　distant。〃

Veronique　turned　rapidly　to　the　dismal　plain；　followed　by　her　guide。
She　leaped　her　horse　across　the　ditch　and　rode　at　full　gallop　across
the　drear　expanse；　seeming　to　take　a　savage　pleasure　in　contemplating
that　vast　image　of　desolation。　Farrabesche　was　right。　No　power；　no
will　could　put　to　any　use　whatever　that　soil　which　resounded　under　the
horses'　feet　as　though　it　were　hollow。　This　effect　was　produced　by　the
natural　porousness　of　the　clay；　but　there　were　fissures　also　through
which　the　water　flowed　away；　no　doubt　to　some　distant　source。

〃There　are　many　souls　like　this；〃　thought　Veronique；　stopping　her
horse　after　she　had　ridden　at　full　speed　for　fifteen　or　twenty
minutes。　She　remained　motionless　and　thoughtful　in　the　midst　of　this
desert；　where　there　was　neither　animal　nor　insect　life　and　where　the
birds　never　flew。　The　plain　of　Montegnac　was　at　least　pebbly　or　sandy；
on　it　were　places　where　a　few　inches　of　soil　did　give　a　foothold　for
the　roots　of　certain　plains；　but　here　the　ungrateful　chalk；　neither
stone　nor　earth；　repelled　even　the　eye；　which　was　forced　to　turn　for
relief　to　the　blue　of　the　ether。

After　examining　the　bounds　of　her　forest　and　the　meadows　purchased　by
her　husband；　Veronique　returned　toward　the　outlet　of　the　Gabou；　but
slowly。　She　then　saw　Farrabesche　gazing　into　a　sort　of　ditch　which
looked　like　one　a　speculator　might　have　dug　into　this　desolate　corner
of　the　earth　expecting　Nature　to　give　up　some　hidden　treasure。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Veronique；　noticing　on　that　manly　face　an
expression　of　deep　sadness。

〃Madame；　I　owe　my　life　to　that　ditch；　or　rather；　to　speak　more
c