the village rector-第57章

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well…educated　man。　Monsieur　Bonnet　wrote　to　the　Seminary。　Madame
Graslin；　on　her　side；　said　a　few　words　as　to　her　wishes　and　the
difficulty　of　obtaining　the　right　person　to　Monsieur　Dutheil；　recently
appointed　arch…bishop。　The　choice　of　such　a　man；　who　would　live　nine
years　familiarly　in　the　chateau；　was　a　serious　matter。　Gerard　had
already　offered　to　teach　mathematics　to　his　friend　Francis；　but　he
could　not；　of　course；　take　the　place　of　a　regular　tutor。　This　question
agitated　Madame　Graslin's　mind；　and　all　the　more　because　she　knew　that
her　health　was　beginning　to　fail。

The　more　prosperous　grew　her　dear　Montegnac；　the　more　she　increased
the　secret　austerities　of　her　life。　Monseigneur　Dutheil；　with　whom　she
corresponded　regularly；　found　at　last　the　man　she　wanted。　He　sent　her
from　his　late　diocese　a　young　professor；　twenty…five　years　of　age；
named　Ruffin；　whose　mind　had　a　special　vocation　for　the　art　of
teaching。　This　young　man's　knowledge　was　great；　and　his　nature　was　one
of　deep　feeling；　which；　however；　did　not　preclude　the　sternness
necessary　in　the　management　of　youth。　In　him　religion　did　not　in　any
way　hamper　knowledge；　he　was　also　patient；　and　extremely　agreeable　in
appearance　and　manner。　〃I　make　you　a　fine　present；　my　dear　daughter；〃
wrote　the　prelate；　〃this　young　man　is　fit　to　educate　a　prince；
therefore　I　think　you　will　be　glad　to　arrange　the　future　with　him；　for
he　can　undoubtedly　be　a　spiritual　father　to　your　son。〃

Monsieur　Ruffin　proved　so　satisfactory　to　Madame　Graslin's　faithful
friends　that　his　arrival　made　no　change　in　the　various　intimacies　that
grouped　themselves　around　this　beloved　idol；　whose　hours　and　moments
were　claimed　by　each　with　jealous　eagerness。

By　the　year　1843　the　prosperity　of　Montegnac　had　increased　beyond　all
expectation。　The　farm　of　the　Gabou　rivalled　the　farms　of　the　plain；
and　that　of　the　chateau　set　an　example　of　constant　improvement　to　all。
The　five　other　farms；　increasing　in　value；　obtained　higher　rent；
reaching　the　sum　of　thirty　thousand　francs　for　each　at　the　end　of
twelve　years。　The　farmers；　who　were　beginning　to　gather　in　the　fruits
of　their　sacrifices　and　those　of　Madame　Graslin；　now　began　to　improve
the　grass　of　the　plains；　sowing　seed　of　better　quality；　there　being　no
longer　any　occasion　to　fear　drought。

During　this　year　a　man　from　Montegnac　started　a　diligence　between　the
chief　town　of　the　arrondissement　and　Limoges；　leaving　both　places　each
day。　Monsieur　Clousier's　nephew　sold　his　office　and　obtained　a　license
as　notary　in　Montegnac。　The　government　appointed　Fresquin　collector　of
the　district。　The　new　notary　built　himself　a　pretty　house　in　the　upper
part　of　Montegnac；　planted　mulberries　in　the　grounds；　and　became　after
a　time　assistant…mayor　to　his　friend　Gerard。

The　engineer；　encouraged　by　so　much　success；　now　conceived　a　scheme　of
a　nature　to　render　Madame　Graslin's　fortune　colossal；she　herself
having　by　this　time　recovered　possession　of　the　income　which　had　been
mortgaged　for　the　repayment　of　the　loan。　Gerard's　new　scheme　was　to
make　a　canal　of　the　little　river；　and　turn　into　it　the　superabundant
waters　of　the　Gabou。　This　canal；　which　he　intended　to　carry　into　the
Vienne；　would　form　a　waterway　by　which　to　send　down　timber　from　the
twenty　thousand　acres　of　forest　land　belonging　to　Madame　Graslin　in
Montegnac；　now　admirably　managed　by　Colorat；　but　which；　for　want　of
transportation；　returned　no　profit。　A　thousand　acres　could　be　cut　over
each　year　without　detriment　to　the　forest；　and　if　sent　in　this　way　to
Limoges；　would　find　a　ready　market　for　building　purposes。

This　was　the　original　plan　of　Monsieur　Graslin　himself；　who　had　paid
very　little　attention　to　the　rector's　scheme　relating　to　the　plain；
being　much　more　attracted　by　that　of　turning　the　little　river　into　a
canal。



XIX

A　DEATH　BLOW

At　the　beginning　of　the　following　year；　in　spite　of　Madame　Graslin's
assumption　of　strength；　her　friends　began　to　notice　symptoms　which
foreshadowed　her　coming　death。　To　all　the　doctor's　remarks；　and　to　the
inquiries　of　the　most　clear…sighted　of　her　friends；　Veronique　made　the
invariable　answer　that　she　was　perfectly　well。　But　when　the　spring
opened　she　went　round　to　visit　her　forests；　farms；　and　beautiful
meadows　with　a　childlike　joy　and　delight　which　betrayed　to　those　who
knew　her　best　a　sad　foreboding。

Finding　himself　obliged　to　build　a　small　cemented　wall　between　the　dam
of　the　Gabou　and　the　park　of　Montegnac　along　the　base　of　the　hill
called　especially　La　Correze；　Gerard　took　up　the　idea　of　enclosing　the
whole　forest　and　thus　uniting　it　with　the　park。　Madame　Graslin　agreed
to　this；　and　appointed　thirty　thousand　francs　a　year　to　this　work；
which　would　take　seven　years　to　accomplish　and　would　then　withdraw
that　fine　forest　from　the　rights　exercised　by　government　over　the　non…
enclosed　forests　of　private　individuals。　The　three　ponds　of　the　Gabou
would　thus　become　a　part　of　the　park。　These　ponds；　ambitiously　called
lakes；　had　each　its　island。

This　year；　Gerard　had　prepared；　in　collusion　with　Grossetete；　a
surprise　for　Madame　Graslin's　birthday。　He　had　built　a　little
hermitage　on　the　largest　of　the　islands；　rustic　on　the　outside　and
elegantly　arranged　within。　The　old　banker　took　part　in　the　conspiracy；
in　which　Farrabesche；　Fresquin；　Clousier's　nephew；　and　nearly　all　the
well…to…do　people　in　Montegnac　co…operated。　Grossetete　sent　down　some
beautiful　furniture。　The　clock　tower；　copied　from　that　at　Vevay；　made
a　charming　effect　in　the　landscape。　Six　boats；　two　for　each　pond；　were
secretly　built；　painted；　and　rigged　during　the　winter　by　Farrabesche
and　Guepin；　assisted　by　the　carpenter　of　Montegnac。

When　the　day　arrived　（about　the　middle　of　May）　after　a　breakfast
Madame　Graslin　gave　to　her　friends；　she　was　taken　by　them　across　the
parkwhich　was　finely　laid　out　by　Gerard；　who；　for　the　last　five
years；　had　improved　it　like　a　landscape　architect　and　naturalistto
the　pretty　meadow　of　the　valley　of　the　Gabou；　where；　at　the　shore　of
the　first　lake；　two　of　the　boats　were　floating。　This　meadow；　watered
by　several　clear　streamlets；　lay　at　the　foot　of　the　fine　ampitheatre
where　the　valley　of　the　Gabou　begins。　The　woods；　cleared　in　a
scientific　manner；　so　as　to　produce　noble　masses　and　vistas　that　were
charming　to　the　eye；　enclosed　the　meadow　and　gave　it　a　solitude　that
was　grateful　to　the　soul。　Gerard　had　reproduced　on　an　eminence　that
chalet　in　the　valley　of　Sion　above　the　road　to　Brieg　which　travellers
admire　so　much；　here　were　to　be　the　dairy　and　the　cow…sheds　of　the
chateau。　From　its　gallery　the　eye　roved　over　the　landscape　created　by
the　engineer　which　the　three　lakes　made　worthy　of　comparison　with　the
beauties　of　Switzerland。

The　day　was　beautiful。　In　the　blue　sky；　not　a　cloud；　on　earth；　all　the
charming；　graceful　things　the　soil　offers　in　the　month　of　May。　The
trees　planted　ten　years　earlier　on　the　banksweeping　willows；　osier；
alder；　ash；　the　aspen　of　Holland；　the　poplars　of　Italy　and　Virginia；
hawthorns　and　roses；　acacias；　birches；　all　choice　growths　arranged　as
their　nature　and　the　lay　of　the　land　made　suitableheld　amid　their
foliage　a　few　fleecy　vapors；　born　of　the　waters；　which　rose　like　a
slender　smoke。　The　surface　of　the　lakelet；　clear　as　a　mirror　and　calm
as　the　sky；　reflected　the　tall　green　masses　of　the　forest；　the　tops　of
which；　distinctly　defined　in　the　limpid　atmosphere；　contrasted　with
the　groves　below　wrapped　in　their　pretty　veils。　The　lakes；　separated
by　broad　causeways；　were　three　mirrors　showing　different　reflections；
the　waters　of　which　flowed　from　one　to　another　in　melodious　cascades。
These　causeways　were　used　to　go　from　lake　to　lake　without　passing
round　the　shores。　From　the　chalet　could　be　seen；　through　a　vista　among
the　trees；　the　thankless　waste　of　the　chalk　commons；　resembling　an
open　sea　and　contrasting　with　the　fresh　beauty　of　the　lakes　and　their
verdure。

When　Veronique　saw　the　joyousness　of　her　friends　as　they　held　out
their　hands　to　help　her　into　the　largest　of　the　boats；　tears　came　into
her　eyes　and　she　kept　silence　till　they　touched　the　bank　of　the　first
causeway。　As　she　stepped　into　the　second　boat　she　saw　the　hermitage
wit