the village rector-第26章

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〃Some　there　are　whom　the　shears　of　the　woman　gathering　fagots　cut
short　in　their　prime；〃　she　said　bitterly。

〃Do　not　fall　back　into　those　thoughts；〃　said　the　rector　sternly；
though　with　indulgence　still。　〃The　misfortune　of　this　forest　is　that
it　has　never　been　cut。　Do　you　see　the　phenomenon　these　masses
present？〃

Veronique；　to　whose　mind　the　singularities　of　the　forest　nature
suggested　little；　looked　obediently　at　the　forest　and　then　let　her
eyes　drop　gently　back　upon　the　rector。

〃You　do　not　notice；〃　he　said；　perceiving　from　that　look　her　total
ignorance；　〃the　lines　where　the　trees　of　all　species　still　hold　their
greenness？〃

〃Ah！　true；〃　she　said。　〃I　see　them　now。　Why　is　it？〃

〃In　that；〃　replied　the　rector；　〃lies　the　future　of　Montegnac；　and　your
own　fortune；　an　immense　fortune；　as　I　once　explained　to　Monsieur
Graslin。　You　see　the　furrows　of　those　three　dells；　the　mountain
streams　of　which　flow　into　the　torrent　of　the　Gabou。　That　torrent
separates　the　forest　of　Montegnac　from　the　district　which　on　this　side
adjoins　ours。　In　September　and　October　it　goes　dry；　but　in　November　it
is　full　of　water；　the　volume　of　which　would　be　greatly　increased　by　a
partial　clearing　of　the　forest；　so　as　to　send　all　the　lesser　streams
to　join　it。　As　it　is；　its　waters　do　no　good；　but　if　one　or　two　dams
were　made　between　the　two　hills　on　either　side　of　it；　as　they　have
done　at　Riquet；　and　at　Saint…Ferreolwhere　they　have　made　immense
reservoirs　to　feed　the　Languedoc　canalthis　barren　plain　could　be
fertilized　by　judicious　irrigation　through　trenches　and　culverts
managed　by　watergates；　sending　the　water　when　needed　over　these　lands；
and　diverting　it　at　other　times　to　our　little　river。　You　could　plant
fine　poplars　along　these　water…courses　and　raise　the　finest　cattle　on
such　pasturage　as　you　would　then　obtain。　What　is　grass；　but　sun　and
water？　There　is　quite　soil　enough　on　the　plains　to　hold　the　roots；　the
streams　will　furnish　dew　and　moisture；　the　poplars　will　hold　and　feed
upon　the　mists；　returning　their　elements　to　the　herbage；　these　are　the
secrets　of　the　fine　vegetation　of　valleys。　If　you　undertook　this　work
you　would　soon　see　life　and　joy　and　movement　where　silence　now　reigns；
where　the　eye　is　saddened　by　barren　fruitlessness。　Would　not　that　be　a
noble　prayer　to　God？　Such　work　would　be　a　better　occupation　of　your
leisure　than　the　indulgence　of　melancholy　thoughts。〃

Veronique　pressed　the　rector's　hand；　answering　with　four　brief　words；
but　they　were　grand　ones：

〃It　shall　be　done。〃

〃You　conceive　the　possibility　of　this　great　work；〃　he　went　on；　〃but
you　cannot　execute　it。　Neither　you　nor　I　have　the　necessary　knowledge
to　accomplish　an　idea　which　might　have　come　to　all；　but　the　execution
of　which　presents　immense　difficulties；　for　simple　as　it　may　seem；　the
matter　requires　the　most　accurate　science　with　all　its　resources。
Seek；　therefore；　at　once　for　the　proper　human　instruments　who　will
enable　you　within　the　next　dozen　years　to　get　an　income　of　six　or
seven　thousand　louis　out　of　the　six　thousand　acres　you　irrigate　and
fertilize。　Such　an　enterprise　will　make　Montegnac　at　some　future　day
the　most　prosperous　district　in　the　department。　The　forest；　as　yet；
yields　you　no　return；　but　sooner　or　later　commerce　will　come　here　in
search　of　its　fine　woodsthose　treasures　amassed　by　time；　the　only
ones　the　production　of　which　cannot　be　hastened　or　improved　upon　by
man。　The　State　may　some　day　provide　a　way　of　transport　from　this
forest；　for　many　of　the　trees　would　make　fine　masts　for　the　navy；　but
it　will　wait　until　the　increasing　population　of　Montegnac　makes　a
demand　upon　its　protection；　for　the　State　is　like　fortune；　it　comes
only　to　the　rich。　This　estate；　well　managed；　will　become；　in　the
course　of　time；　one　of　the　finest　in　France；　it　will　be　the　pride　of
your　grandson；　who　may　then　find　the　chateau　paltry；　comparing　it　with
its　revenues。〃

〃Here；〃　said　Veronique；　〃is　a　future　for　my　life。〃

〃A　beneficent　work　such　as　that　will　redeem　wrongdoing；〃　said　the
rector。

Seeing　that　she　understood　him；　he　attempted　to　strike　another　blow　on
this　woman's　intellect；　judging　rightly　that　in　her　the　intellect　led
the　heart；　whereas　in　other　women　the　heart　is　their　road　to
intelligence。

〃Do　you　know；〃　he　said　after　a　pause；　〃the　error　in　which　you　are
living？〃

She　looked　at　him　timidly。

〃Your　repentance　is　as　yet　only　a　sense　of　defeat　endured；which　is
horrible；　for　it　is　nothing　else　than　the　despair　of　Satan；　such；
perhaps；　was　the　repentance　of　mankind　before　the　coming　of　Jesus
Christ。　But　our　repentance；　the　repentance　of　Christians；　is　the
horror　of　a　soul　struck　down　on　an　evil　path；　to　whom；　by　this　very
shock；　God　has　revealed　Himself。　You　are　like　the　pagan　Orestes；　make
yourself　another　Paul。〃

〃Your　words　have　changed　me　utterly；〃　she　cried。　〃Nowoh！　now　I　want
to　live。〃

〃The　spirit　conquers；〃　thought　the　modest　rector；　as　he　joyfully　took
his　leave。　He　had　cast　nourishment　before　a　soul　hunted　into　secret
despair　by　giving　to　its　repentance　the　form　of　a　good　and　noble
action。



XII

THE　SOUL　OF　FORESTS

Veronique　wrote　to　Monsieur　Grossetete　on　the　morrow。　A　few　days　later
she　received　from　Limoges　three　saddle…horses　sent　by　her　old　friend。
Monsieur　Bonnet　found　at　Veronique's　request；　a　young　man；　son　of　the
postmaster；　who　was　delighted　to　serve　Veronique　and　earn　good　wages。
This　young　fellow；　small　but　active；　with　a　round　face；　black　eyes　and
hair；　and　named　Maurice　Champion；　pleased　Veronique　very　much　and　was
immediately　inducted　into　his　office；　which　was　that　of　taking　care　of
the　horses　and　accompanying　his　mistress　on　her　excursions。

The　head…forester　of　Montegnac　was　a　former　cavalry…sergeant　in　the
Royal　guard；　born　at　Limoges；　whom　the　Duc　de　Navarreins　had　sent　to
his　estate　at　Montegnac　to　study　its　capabilities　and　value；　in　order
that　he　might　derive　some　profit　from　it。　Jerome　Colorat　found　nothing
but　waste　land　utterly　barren；　woods　unavailable　for　want　of
transportation；　a　ruined　chateau；　and　enormous　outlays　required　to
restore　the　house　and　gardens。　Alarmed；　above　all；　by　the　beds　of
torrents　strewn　with　granite　rocks　which　seamed　the　forest；　this
honest　but　unintelligent　agent　was　the　real　cause　of　the　sale　of　the
property。

〃Colorat；〃　said　Madame　Graslin　to　her　forester；　for　whom　she　had　sent；
〃I　shall　probably　ride　out　every　morning；　beginning　with　to…morrow。
You　know　all　the　different　parts　of　the　land　that　belonged　originally
to　this　estate　and　those　which　Monsieur　Graslin　added　to　it：　I　wish
you　to　go　with　me　and　point　them　out；　for　I　intend　to　visit　every　part
of　the　property　myself。〃

The　family　within　the　chateau　saw　with　joy　the　change　that　now
appeared　in　Veronique's　behavior。　Without　being　told　to　do　so；　Aline
got　out　her　mistress's　riding…habit　and　put　it　in　good　order　for　use。
The　next　day　Madame　Sauviat　felt　unspeakable　relief　when　her　daughter
left　her　room　dressed　to　ride　out。

Guided　by　the　forester　and　Champion；　who　found　their　way　by
recollection；　for　the　paths　were　scarcely　marked　on　these　unfrequented
mountains；　Madame　Graslin　started　on　the　first　day　for　the　summits；
intending　to　explore　those　only；　so　as　to　understand　the　watershed　and
familiarize　herself　with　the　lay　of　the　ravines；　the　natural　path　of
the　torrents　when　they　tore　down　the　slopes。　She　wished　to　measure　the
task　before　her；to　study　the　land　and　the　water…ways；　and　find　for
herself　the　essential　points　of　the　enterprise　which　the　rector　had
suggested　to　her。　She　followed　Colorat；　who　rode　in　advance；　Champion
was　a　few　steps　behind　her。

So　long　as　they　were　making　their　way　through　parts　that　were　dense
with　trees；　going　up　and　down　undulations　of　ground　lying　near　to　each
other　and　very　characteristic　of　the　mountains　of　France；　Veronique
was　lost　in　contemplation　of　the　marvels　of　the　forest。　First　came　the
venerable　centennial　trees；　which　amazed　her　till　she　grew　accustomed
to　them；　next；　the　full…grown　younger　trees　reaching　to　their　natural
height；　then；　in　some　more　open　spot；　a　solitary　pine…tree　of　enormous
height；　orbut　this　was　rareone　of　those　flowing　shrubs；　dwarf
elsewhere；　but　here　attaining　to　gigantic　development；　and　often　as
old　as　the　soil　itself。　She　saw；　with　a　sensation　quite　unspeakable；　a
cloud　rolling　along　the　face　of　the　bare　rocks。　She　noticed　the　white
furrows　made　down　the　mountain　sides　by　the　melting　snows；　which
looked　at　a　distance　like　scars　and　gashes。　Passing　through　a　gorge
stripped　of　vegetation；　she　nevertheless　admired；　in　the　cleft　flanks
of　the　rocky　slope；　aged　chestnuts　as　erect　as　the　Alpine　fir…trees。

The　rapidity　with　which　she　advanced　left　her　no　time　to　take　in　all
the　varied　scene；　the　vast　moving　sands；　the　quagmires　boasting　a　few
scattered　trees；　fallen　granite　boulders；　overhanging　rocks；　shaded
valleys；　broad　open　spaces　with　moss　and　heather　still　in　bloom
（though　some　was　dried）；　utter　solitudes　overgrown　with　juniper　and
caper…bushes；　sometimes　uplands　with　short　grass；　small　spaces
enriched　by　an　oozing　spring；in　short；　much　sadness；　many　splendors；
things　sweet；　things　strong；　and　all　the　singular　aspects　of
mountainous　Nature　in　the　heart　of　France。

As　she　watched　these　many　pictures；　varied　in　form　but　all　inspired
with　the　same　thought；　the　awful　sadness　of　this　Nature；　so　wild；　so
ruined；　abandoned；　fruitless；　barren；　filled　her　soul　and　answered　to
her　secret　feelings。　And　when；　through　an　opening　among　the　trees；　she
caught　a　glimpse　of　the　plain　below　her；　when　she　crossed　some　arid
ravine　over　gravel　and　stones；　where　a　few　stunted　bushes　alone　could
grow；　the　spirit　of　this　austere　Nature　came　to　her；　suggesting
observations　new　to　her　mind；　derived　from　the　many　significations　of
this　varied　scene。

There　is　no　spot　in　a　forest　which　does　not　have　its　significance；　not
a　glade；　not　a　thicket　but　has　its　analogy　with　the　labyrinth　of　human
thought。　Who　is　there　among　those　whose　minds　are　cultivated　or　whose
hearts　are　wounded　who　can　walk　alone　in　a　forest　and　the　forest　not
speak　to　him？　Insensibly　a　voice　lifts　itself；　consoling　or　terrible；
but　oftener　consoling　than　terrifying。　If　we　seek　the　causes　of　the
sensationgrave；　simple；　sweet；　mysteriousthat　grasps　us　there；
perhaps　we　shall　find　it　in　the　sublime　and　artless　spectacle　of　all
these　creations　obeying　their　destiny　and　immutably　submissive。　Sooner
or　later　the　overwhelming　sense　of　the　permanence　of　Nature　fills　our
hearts　and　stirs　them　deeply；　and　we　end　by　being　conscious　of　God。　So
it　was　with　Veronique；　in　the　silence　of　those　summits；　from　the　odor
of　the　woods；　the　serenity　of　the　air；　she　gatheredas　she　said　that
evening　to　Monsieur　Bonnetthe　certainty　of　God's　mercy。　She　saw　the
possibility　of　an　order　of　deeds　higher　than　any　to　which　her
aspirations　had　ever　reached。　She　felt　a　sort　of　happiness　within　her；
it　was　long；　indeed　since　she　had　known　such　a　sense　of　peace。　Did　she
owe　that　feeling　to　the　resemblance　she　found　between　that　barren
landscape　and　the　arid；　exhausted　regions　of　her　soul？　Had　she　seen
those　troubles　of　nature　with　a　sort　of　joy；　thinking　that　Nature　was
punished　though　it　had　n