the village rector-第44章
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〃Madame； the words and the voice of that man conquered me。 Catherine
brought him to that hole in the ground I showed you on the common； he
had come fearlessly alone。 He was； he said； the new rector of
Montegnac； I was his parishioner； he loved me； he knew I was only
misguided； not lost； he did not intend to betray me； but to save me；
in short； he said many such things that stirred my soul to its depths。
That man； madame； commands you to do right with as much force as those
who tell you to do wrong。 It was he who told me； poor dear man； that
Catherine was a mother； and that I was dooming two beings to shame and
desertion。 'Well；' I said to him； 'they are like me； I have no
future。' He answered that I had a future； two bad futures； before me
one in another world； one in this worldif I persisted in not
changing my way of life。 In this world； I should die on the scaffold。
If I were captured my defence would be impossible。 On the contrary； if
I took advantage of the leniency of the new government toward all
crimes traceable to the conscription； if I delivered myself up； he
believed he could save my life； he would engage a good lawyer； who
would get me off with ten years at the galleys。 Then Monsieur Bonnet
talked to me of the other life。 Catherine wept like the MagdalenSee；
madame；〃 said Farrabesche； holding out his right arm； 〃her face was in
that hand； and I felt it wet with tears。 She implored me to live。
Monsieur Bonnet promised to secure me； when I had served my sentence；
a peaceful life here with my child； and to protect me against affront。
He catechised me as he would a little child。 After three such visits
at night he made me as supple as a glove。 Would you like to know how；
madame？〃
Farrabesche and Madame Graslin looked at each other； not explaining to
themselves their mutual curiosity。
〃Well；〃 resumed the poor liberated convict； 〃when he left me the first
time； and Catherine had gone with him to show the way； I was left
alone。 I then felt within my soul a freshness； a calmness； a
sweetness； I had never known since childhood。 It was like the
happiness my poor Catherine had given me。 The love of this dear man
had come to /seek me/； that； and his thought for me； for my future；
stirred my soul to its depths； it changed me。 A light broke forth in
my being。 As long as he was there； speaking to me； I resisted。 That's
not surprising； he was a priest； and we bandits don't eat of their
bread。 But when I no longer heard his footsteps nor Catherine's； oh！ I
wasas he told me two days laterenlightened by divine grace。 God
gave me thenceforth strength to bear all；prison； sentence； irons；
parting； even the life of the galleys。 I believed in his word as I do
in the Gospel； I looked upon my sufferings as a debt I was bound to
pay。 When I seemed to suffer too much； I looked across ten years and
saw my home in the woods； my little Benjamin； my Catherine。 He kept
his word； that good Monsieur Bonnet。 But one thing was lacking。 When
at last I was released； Catherine was not at the gate of the galleys；
she was not on the common。 No doubt she has died of grief。 That is why
I am always sad。 Now； thanks to you； I shall have useful work to do； I
can employ both body and soul；and my boy； too； for whom I live。〃
〃I begin to understand how it is that the rector has changed the
character of this whole community；〃 said Madame Graslin。
〃Nothing can resist him；〃 said Farrabesche。
〃Yes； yes； I know it！〃 replied Veronique； hastily； making a gesture of
farewell to her keeper。
Farrabesche withdrew。 Veronique remained alone on the terrace for a
good part of the day； walking up and down in spite of a fine rain
which fell till evening。 When her face was thus convulsed； neither her
mother nor Aline dared to interrupt her。 She did not notice in the
dusk that her mother was talking in the salon to Monsieur Bonnet； the
old woman； anxious to put an end to this fresh attack of dreadful
depression； sent little Francis to fetch her。 The child took his
mother's hand and led her in。 When she saw the rector she gave a start
of surprise in which there seemed to be some fear。 Monsieur Bonnet
took her back to the terrace； saying：
〃Well； madame； what were you talking about with Farrabesche？〃
In order not to speak falsely； Veronique evaded a reply； she
questioned Monsieur Bonnet。
〃That man was your first victory here； was he not？〃 she said。
〃Yes；〃 he answered； 〃his conversion would； I thought； give me all
Montegnacand I was not mistaken。〃
Veronique pressed Monsieur Bonnet's hand and said； with tears in her
voice； 〃I am your penitent from this day forth； monsieur； I shall go
to…morrow to the confessional。〃
Her last words showed a great internal effort； a terrible victory won
over herself。 The rector brought her back to the house without saying
another word。 After that he remained till dinner…time； talking about
the proposed improvements at Montegnac。
〃Agriculture is a question of time；〃 he said； 〃the little that I know
of it makes me understand what a gain it would be to get some good out
of the winter。 The rains are now beginning； and the mountains will
soon be covered with snow； your operations cannot then be begun。 Had
you not better hasten Monsieur Grossetete？〃
Insensibly； Monsieur Bonnet； who at first did all the talking； led
Madame Graslin to join in the conversation and so distract her
thoughts； in fact； he left her almost recovered from the emotions of
the day。 Madame Sauviat； however； thought her daughter too violently
agitated to be left alone； and she spent the night in her room。
XVI
CONCERNS ONE OF THE BLUNDERS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
The following day an express； sent from Limoges by Monsieur Grossetete
to Madame Graslin； brought her the following letter：
To Madame Graslin：
My dear Child；It was difficult to find horses； but I hope you
are satisfied with those I sent you。 If you want work or draft
horses； you must look elsewhere。 In any case； however； I advise
you to do your tilling and transportation with oxen。 All the
countries where agriculture is carried on with horses lose capital
when the horse is past work； whereas cattle always return a profit
to those who use them。
I approve in every way of your enterprise； my child； you will thus
employ the passionate activity of your soul； which was turning
against yourself and thus injuring you。
Your second request； namely； for a man capable of understanding
and seconding your projects； requires me to find you a /rara avis/
such as we seldom raise in the provinces； where； if we do raise
them； we never keep them。 The education of that high product is
too slow and too risky a speculation for country folks。
Besides； men of intellect alarm us； we call them 〃originals。〃 The
men belonging to the scientific category from which you will have
to obtain your co…operator do not flourish here； and I was on the
point of writing to you that I despaired of fulfilling your
commission。 You want a poet； a man of ideas；in short； what we
should here call a fool； and all our fools go to Paris。 I have
spoken of your plans to the young men employed in land surveying；
to contractors on the canals； and makers of the embankments； and
none of them see any 〃advantage〃 in what you propose。
But suddenly； as good luck would have it； chance has thrown in my
way the very man you want； a young man to whom I believe I render
a service in naming him to you。 You will see by his letter；
herewith enclosed； that deeds of beneficence ought not to be done
hap…hazard。 Nothing needs more reflection than a good action。 We
never know whether that which seems best at one moment may not
prove an evil later。 The exercise of beneficence； as I have lived
to discover； is to usurp the role of Destiny。
As she read that sentence Madame Graslin let fall the letter and was
thoughtful for several minutes。
〃My God！〃 she said at last； 〃when wilt thou cease to strike me down on
all sides？〃
Then she took up the letter and continued reading it：
Gerard seems to me to have a cool head and an ardent heart； that's
the sort of man you want。
