the village rector-第43章

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passed　round　another　great　chain　which　is　called　the　/filet　de　ramas/。
This　chain　holds　all　the　couples　by　the　feet；　and　runs　along　the
bottom　of　the　/tolard/。　It　took　me　over　two　years　to　get　accustomed　to
that　iron　clanking；　which　called　out　incessantly；　'Thou　art　a　galley…
slave！'　If　I　slept　an　instant　some　vile　companion　moved　or　quarrelled；
reminding　me　of　where　I　was。　There　is　a　terrible　apprenticeship　to
make　before　a　man　can　learn　how　to　sleep。　I　myself　could　not　sleep
until　I　had　come　to　the　end　of　my　strength　and　to　utter　exhaustion。
When　at　last　sleep　came　I　had　the　nights　in　which　to　forget。　Oh！　to
/forget/；　madame；　that　was　something！　Once　there；　a　man　must　learn　to
satisfy　his　needs；　even　in　the　smallest　things；　according　to　the　ways
laid　down　by　pitiless　regulations。　Imagine；　madame；　the　effect　such　a
life　produced　on　a　lad　like　me；　who　had　lived　in　the　woods　with　the
birds　and　the　squirrels！　If　I　had　not　already　lived　for　six　months
within　prison…walls；　I　should；　in　spite　of　Monsieur　Bonnet's　grand
wordsfor　he；　I　can　truly　say；　is　the　father　of　my　soulI　should；
ah！　I　must　have　flung　myself　into　the　sea　at　the　mere　sight　of　my
companions。　Out…doors　I　still　could　live；　but　in　the　building；　whether
to　sleep　or　to　eat；to　eat　out　of　buckets；　and　each　bucket　filled　for
three　couples；it　was　life　no　longer；　it　was　death；　the　atrocious
faces　and　language　of　my　companions　were　always　insufferable　to　me。
Happily；　from　five　o'clock　in　summer；　and　from　half…past　seven　o'clock
in　winter　we　went；　in　spite　of　heat　or　cold　and　wind　or　rain；　on
'fatigue；'　that　is；　hard…labor。　Thus　half　this　life　was　spent　in　the
open　air；　and　the　air　was　sweet　after　the　close　dormitory　packed　with
eight　hundred　convicts。　And　that　air；　too；　is　sea…air！　We　could　enjoy
the　breezes；　we　could　be　friends　with　the　sun；　we　could　watch　the
clouds　as　they　passed　above　us；　we　could　hope　and　pray　for　fine
weather！　As　for　me；　I　took　an　interest　in　my　work〃

Farrabesche　stopped；　two　heavy　tears　were　rolling　down　his　mistress's
face。

〃Oh！　madame；　I　have　only　told　you　the　best　side　of　that　life；〃　he
continued；　taking　the　expression　of　her　face　as　meant　for　him。　〃The
terrible　precautions　taken　by　the　government；　the　constant　spying　of
the　keepers；　the　blacksmith's　inspection　of　the　chains　every　day；
night　and　morning；　the　coarse　food；　the　hideous　garments　which
humiliate　a　man　at　all　hours；　the　comfortless　sleep；　the　horrible
rattling　of　eight　hundred　chains　in　that　resounding　hall；　the　prospect
of　being　shot　or　blown　to　pieces　by　cannon　if　ten　of　those　villains
took　a　fancy　to　revolt；　all　those　dreadful　things　are　nothing；
nothing；　I　tell　you；　that　is　the　bright　side　only。　There's　another
side；　madame；　and　a　decent　man；　a　bourgeois；　would　die　of　horror　in　a
week。　A　convict　is　forced　to　live　with　another　man；　obliged　to　endure
the　company　of　five　other　men　at　every　meal；　twenty…three　in　his　bed
at　night；　and　to　hear　their　language！　The　great　society　of　galley…
slaves；　madame；　has　its　secret　laws；　disobey　them　and　you　are
tortured；　obey　them；　and　you　become　a　torturer。　You　must　be　either
victim　or　executioner。　If　they　would　kill　you　at　once　it　would　at
least　be　the　cure　of　life。　But　no；　they　are　wiser　than　that　in　doing
evil。　It　is　impossible　to　hold　out　against　the　hatred　of　these　men；
their　power　is　absolute　over　any　prisoner　who　displeases　them；　and
they　can　make　his　life　a　torment　far　worse　than　death。　The　man　who
repents　and　endeavors　to　behave　well　is　their　common　enemy；　above　all；
they　suspect　him　of　informing；　and　an　informer　is　put　to　death；　often
on　mere　suspicion。　Every　hall　and　community　of　eight　hundred　convicts
has　its　tribunal；　in　which　are　judged　the　crimes　committed　against
that　society。　Not　to　obey　the　usages　is　criminal；　and　a　man　is　liable
to　punishment。　For　instance；　every　man　must　co…operate　in　escapes；
every　convict　has　his　time　assigned　him　to　escape；　and　all　his　fellow…
convicts　must　protect　and　aid　him。　To　reveal　what　a　comrade　is　doing
with　a　view　to　escape　is　criminal。　I　will　not　speak　to　you　of　the
horrible　customs　and　morals　of　the　galleys。　No　man　belongs　to　himself；
the　government；　in　order　to　neutralize　the　attempts　at　revolt　or
escape；　takes　pains　to　chain　two　contrary　natures　and　interests
together；　and　this　makes　the　torture　of　the　coupling　unendurable；　men
are　linked　together　who　hate　or　distrust　each　other。〃

〃How　was　it　with　you？〃　asked　Madame　Graslin。

〃Ah！　there；〃　replied　Farrabesche；　〃I　had　luck；　I　never　drew　a　lot　to
kill　a　convict；　I　never　had　to　vote　the　death　of　any　one　of　them；　I
never　was　punished；　no　man　took　a　dislike　to　me；　and　I　got　on　well
with　the　three　different　men　I　was　chained　to；　they　all　feared　me　but
liked　me。　One　reason　was；　my　name　was　known　and　famous　at　the　galleys
before　I　got　there。　A　/chauffeur/！　they　thought　me　one　of　those
brigands。　I　have　seen　/chauffing/；〃　continued　Farrabesche　after　a
pause；　in　a　low　voice；　〃but　I　never　either　did　it　myself；　or　took　any
of　the　money　obtained　by　it。　I　was　a　refractory；　I　evaded　the
conscription；　that　was　all。　I　helped　my　comrades；　I　kept　watch；　I　was
sentinel　and　brought　up　the　rear…guard；　but　I　never　shed　any　man's
blood　except　in　self…defence。　Ah！　I　told　all　to　Monsieur　Bonnet　and　my
lawyer；　and　the　judges　knew　well　enough　that　I　was　no　murderer。　But；
all　the　same；　I　am　a　great　criminal；　nothing　that　I　ever　did　was
morally　right。　However；　before　I　got　there；　as　I　was　saying；　two　of　my
comrades　told　of　me　as　a　man　able　to　do　great　things。　At　the　galleys；
madame；　nothing　is　so　valuable　as　that　reputation；　not　even　money。　In
that　republic　of　misery　murder　is　a　passport　to　tranquillity。　I　did
nothing　to　destroy　that　opinion　of　me。　I　was　sad；　resigned；　and　they
mistook　the　appearance　of　it。　My　gloomy　manner；　my　silence；　passed　for
ferocity。　All　that　world；　convicts；　keepers；　young　and　old；　respected
me。　I　was　treated　as　first　in　my　hall。　No　one　interfered　with　my
sleep；　I　was　never　suspected　of　informing；　I　behaved　honorably
according　to　their　ideas；　I　never　refused　to　do　service；　I　never
testified　the　slightest　repugnance；　I　howled　with　the　wolves　outside；
I　prayed　to　God　within。　My　last　companion　in　chains　was　a　soldier；
twenty…two　years　of　age；　who　had　committed　a　theft　and　deserted　in
consequence　of　it。　We　were　chained　together　for　four　years；　and　we
were　friends；　wherever　I　may　be　I　am　certain　to　meet　him　when　his　time
is　up。　This　poor　devil；　whose　name　is　Guepin；　is　not　a　scoundrel；　he
is　merely　heedless；　his　punishment　may　reform　him。　If　my　comrades　had
discovered　that　religion　led　me　to　submit　to　my　trials；that　I　meant；
when　my　time　was　up；　to　live　humbly　in　a　corner；　letting　no　one　know
where　I　was；　intending　to　forget　their　horrible　community　and　never　to
cross　the　path　of　any　of　them；they　would　probably　have　driven　me
mad。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Madame　Graslin；　〃if　a　poor　young　man；　a　tender　soul；
carried　away　by　passion；　having　committed　a　murder；　was　spared　from
death　and　sent　to　the　galleys〃

〃Oh！　madame；〃　said　Farrabesche；　interrupting　her；　〃there　is　no　sparing
in　that。　The　sentence　may　be　commuted　to　twenty　years　at　the　galleys；
but　for　a　decent　young　man；　that　is　awful！　I　could　not　speak　to　you　of
the　life　that　awaits　him　there；　a　thousand　times　better　die。　Yes；　to
die　upon　the　scaffold　is　happiness　in　comparison。〃

〃I　dared　not　think　it；〃　murmured　Madame　Graslin。

She　had　turned　as　white　as　wax。　To　hide　her　face　she　laid　her　forehead
on　the　balustrade；　and　kept　it　there　several　minutes。　Farrabesche　did
not　know　whether　he　ought　to　go　or　remain。

Madame　Graslin　raised　her　head　at　last；　looked　at　Farrabesche　with　an
almost　majestic　air；　and　said；　to　his　amazement；　in　a　voice　that
stirred　his　heart：

〃Thank　you；　my　friend。　But；〃　she　added；　after　a　pause；　〃where　did　you
find　courage　to　live　and　suffer？〃

〃Ah！　madame；　Monsieur　Bonnet　put　a　treasure　within　my　soul！　and　for
that　I　love　him　better　than　all　else　on　earth。〃

〃Better　than　Catherine？〃　said　Madame　Graslin；　smiling　with　a　sort　of
bitterness。

〃Almost　as　well；　madame。〃

〃How　did　he　do　it？〃

〃Madame；　the　words　and　the　voice　of　that　man　conquered　me。　Catherine
brought　hi