the village rector-第49章

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　　give　a　certainty　that　the　intellectual　qualities　of　the　adult
　　youth　will　be　those　of　the　mature　man。/

　　At　this　moment　I　am　intimate　with　a　number　of　distinguished　men
　　who　concern　themselves　with　all　the　moral　maladies　which　are　now
　　afflicting　France。　They　see；　as　I　do；　that　our　highest　education
　　is　manufacturing　temporary　capacities；temporary　because　they
　　are　without　exercise　and　without　future；　that　such　education　is
　　without　profit　to　the　State　because　it　is　devoid　of　the　vigor　of
　　belief　and　feeling。　Our　whole　system　of　public　education　needs
　　overhauling；　and　the　work　should　be　presided　over　by　some　man　of
　　great　knowledge；　powerful　will；　and　gifted　with　that　legislative
　　genius　which　has　never　been　met　with　among　moderns；　except　perhaps
　　in　Jean…Jacques　Rousseau。

　　Possibly　our　superfluous　numbers　might　be　employed　in　giving
　　elementary　instruction　so　much　needed　by　the　people。　The
　　deplorable　amount　of　crime　and　misdemeanors　shows　a　social　disease
　　directly　arising　from　the　half…education　given　the　masses；　which
　　tends　to　the　destruction　of　social　ties　by　making　the　people
　　reflect　just　enough　to　desert　the　religious　beliefs　which　are
　　favorable　to　social　order；　and　not　enough　to　lift　them　to　the
　　theory　of　obedience　and　duty；　which　is　the　highest　reach　of　the
　　new　transcendental　philosophy。　But　as　it　is　impossible　to　make　a
　　whole　nation　study　Kant；　therefore　I　say　fixed　beliefs　and　habits
　　are　safer　for　the　masses　than　shallow　studies　and　reasoning。

　　If　I　had　my　life　to　begin　over　again；　perhaps　I　would　enter　a
　　seminary　and　become　a　simple　village　priest；　or　the　teacher　of　a
　　country　district。　But　I　am　too　far　advanced　in　my　profession　now
　　to　be　a　mere　primary　instructor；　I　can；　if　I　leave　my　present
　　post；　act　in　a　wider　range　than　that　of　a　school　or　a　country
　　parish。　The　Saint…Simonians；　to　whom　I　have　been　tempted　to　ally
　　myself；　want　now　to　take　a　course　in　which　I　cannot　follow　them。
　　Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　their　mistakes；　they　have　touched　on
　　many　of　the　sore　spots　which　are　the　fruits　of　our　present
　　legislation；　and　which　the　State　will　only　doctor　by　insufficient
　　palliatives；merely　delaying　in　France　the　moral　and　political
　　crisis　that　must　come。

　　Adieu；　dear　Monsieur　Grossetete；　accept　the　assurance　of　my
　　respectful　attachment；　which；　notwithstanding　all　these
　　observations；　can　only　increase。

Gregoire　Gerard。


According　to　his　old　habit　as　a　banker；　Grossetete　had　jotted　down　his
reply　on　the　back　of　the　letter　itself；　heading　it　with　the
sacramental　word；　/Answered/。

　　It　is　useless；　my　dear　Gerard；　to　discuss　the　observations　made　in
　　your　letter；　because　by　a　trick　of　chance　（I　use　the　term　which
　　is；　as　you　say；　the　pet　word　of　fools）　I　have　a　proposal　to　make
　　to　you　which　may　result　in　withdrawing　you　from　the　situation　you
　　find　so　bad。　Madame　Graslin；　the　owner　of　the　forests　of　Montegnac
　　and　of　a　barren　plateau　extending　from　the　base　of　a　chain　of
　　mountains　on　which　are　the　forests；　wishes　to　improve　this　vast
　　domain；　to　clear　her　timber　properly；　and　cultivate　the　stony
　　plain。

　　To　put　this　project　into　execution　she　needs　a　man　of　your
　　scientific　knowledge　and　ardor；　and　one　who　has　also　your
　　disinterested　devotion　and　your　ideas　of　practical　utility。　It
　　will　be　little　money　and　much　work！　a　great　result　from　small
　　means！　a　whole　region　to　be　changed　fundamentally！　barren　places
　　to　be　made　to　gush　with　plenty！　Isn't　that　precisely　what　you
　　want；you　who　are　dreaming　of　constructing　a　poem？　From　the　tone
　　of　sincerity　which　pervades　your　letter；　I　do　not　hesitate　to　bid
　　you　come　and　see　me　at　Limoges。　But；　my　good　friend；　don't　send　in
　　your　resignation　yet；　get　leave　of　absence　only；　and　tell　your
　　administration　that　you　are　going　to　study　questions　connected
　　with　your　profession　outside　of　the　government　works。　In　this　way；
　　you　will　not　lose　your　rights；　and　you　will　have　time　to　judge　for
　　yourself　whether　the　project　conceived　by　the　rector　of　Montegnac
　　and　approved　by　Madame　Graslin　is　feasible。

　　I　will　explain　to　you　by　word　of　mouth　the　advantages　you　will
　　find　in　case　this　great　scheme　can　be　carried　out。　Rely　on　the
　　friendship　of

Yours；　etc；　　　　T。　Grossetete。


Madame　Graslin　replied　to　Grossetete　in　few　words：　〃Thank　you；　my
friend；　I　shall　expect　your　/protege/。〃　She　showed　the　letter　to　the
rector；　saying；

〃One　more　wounded　man　for　the　hospital。〃

The　rector　read　the　letter；　reread　it；　made　two　or　three　turns　on　the
terrace　silently；　then　he　gave　it　back　to　Madame　Graslin；　saying；

〃A　fine　soul；　and　a　superior　man。　He　says　the　schools　invented　by　the
genius　of　the　Revolution　manufacture　incapacities。　For　my　part；　I　say
they　manufacture　unbelievers；　for　if　Monsieur　Gerard　is　not　an
atheist；　he　is　a　protestant。〃

〃We　will　ask　him；〃　she　said；　struck　by　an　answer。



XVII

THE　REVOLUTION　OF　JULY　JUDGED　AT　MONTEGNAC

A　fortnight　later；　in　December；　and　in　spite　of　the　cold；　Monsieur
Grossetete　came　to　the　chateau　de　Montegnac；　to　〃present　his　protege；〃
whom　Veronique　and　Monsieur　Bonnet　were　impatiently　awaiting。

〃I　must　love　you　very　much；　my　dear　child；〃　said　the　old　man；　taking
Veronique's　two　hands　in　his；　and　kissing　them　with　that　gallantry　of
old　men　which　never　displeases　women；　〃yes；　I　must　love　you　well；　to
come　from　Limoges　in　such　weather。　But　I　wanted　to　present　to　you
myself　the　gift　of　Monsieur　Gregoire　Gerard　here　present。　You'll　find
him　a　man　after　your　own　heart；　Monsieur　Bonnet；〃　added　the　banker；
bowing　affectionately　to　the　rector。

Gerard's　external　appearance　was　not　prepossessing。　He　was　of　middle
height；　stocky　in　shape；　the　neck　sunk　in　the　shoulders；　as　they　say
vulgarly；　he　had　yellow　hair；　and　the　pink　eyes　of　an　albino；　with
lashes　and　eyebrows　almost　white。　Though　his　skin；　like　that　of　all
persons　of　that　description；　was　amazingly　white；　marks　of　the　small…
box　and　other　very　visible　scars　had　destroyed　its　original
brilliancy。　Study　had　probably　injured　his　sight；　for　he　wore　glasses。

When　he　removed　the　great　cloak　of　a　gendarme　in　which　he　was　wrapped；
it　was　seen　that　his　clothing　did　not　improve　his　general　appearance。
The　manner　in　which　his　garments　were　put　on　and　buttoned；　his　untidy
cravat；　his　rumpled　shirt；　were　signs　of　the　want　of　personal　care
with　which　men　of　science；　all　more　or　less　absent…minded；　are
charged。　As　in　the　case　of　most　thinkers；　his　countenance　and　his
attitude；　the　development　of　his　bust　and　the　thinness　of　his　legs；
betrayed　a　sort　of　bodily　debility　produced　by　habits　of　meditation。
Nevertheless；　the　ardor　of　his　heart　and　the　vigor　of　his　mind；　proofs
of　which　were　given　in　this　letter；　gleamed　from　his　forehead；　which
was　white　as　Carrara　marble。　Nature　seemed　to　have　reserved　to　herself
that　spot　in　order　to　place　there　visible　signs　of　the　grandeur；
constancy；　and　goodness　of　the　man。　The　nose；　like　that　of　most　men　of
the　true　Gallic　race；　was　flattened。　His　mouth；　firm　and　straight；
showed　absolute　discretion　and　the　instinct　of　economy。　But　the　whole
mask；　worn　by　study；　looked　prematurely　old。

〃We　must　begin　by　thanking　you；　monsieur；〃　said　Madame　Graslin；
addressing　the　engineer；　〃for　being　willing　to　direct　an　enterprise　in
a　part　of　the　country　which　can　offer　you　no　other　pleasure　than　the
satisfaction　of　knowing　that　you　are　doing　a　real　good。〃

〃Madame；〃　he　replied；　〃Monsieur　Grossetete　has　told　me　enough　about
your　enterprise　as　we　came　along　to　make　me　already　glad　that　I　can　in
any　way　be　useful　to　you；　the　prospect　of　living　in　close　relations
with　you　and　Monsieur　Bonnet　seems　to　me　charming。　Unless　I　am
dismissed　from　this　region；　I　expect　to　end　my　days　here。〃

〃We　will　try　not　to　let　you　change　your　mind；〃　replied　Madame　Graslin；
smiling。

〃Here；〃　said　Grossetete；　addressing　Veronique；　whom　he　took　aside；
〃are　the　papers　which　the　/procureur…general/　gave　to　me。　He　was　quite
surprised　that　you　did　not　address　your　inquiry　about　Catherine
Curieux　to　him。　All　that　you　wished　has　been　done　immediately；　with
the　utmost　promptitude　and　devotion。