the village rector-第34章

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　　pupil…engineer。　I　studied　the　science　of　construction；　and　how
　　ardently！　I　am　sure　you　remember　that。　I　left　the　school　in　1827；
　　being　then　twenty…four　years　of　age；　still　only　a　candidate　as
　　engineer；　and　the　government　paid　me　one　hundred　and　fifty　francs
　　a　month；　the　commonest　book…keeper　in　Paris　earns　that　by　the　time
　　he　is　eighteen；　giving　little　more　than　four　hours　a　day　to　his
　　work。

　　By　a　most　unusual　piece　of　luck；　perhaps　because　of　the
　　distinction　my　devoted　studies　won　for　me；　I　was　made；　in　1828；
　　when　I　was　twenty…five　years　old；　engineer…in…ordinary。　I　was
　　sent；　as　you　know；　to　a　sub…prefecture；　with　a　salary　of　twenty…
　　five　hundred　francs。　The　question　of　money　is　nothing。　Certainly
　　my　fate　has　been　more　brilliant　than　the　son　of　a　carpenter　might
　　expect；　but　where　will　you　find　a　grocer's　boy；　who；　if　thrown
　　into　a　shop　at　sixteen；　will　not　in　ten　years　be　on　the　high…road
　　to　an　independent　property？

　　I　learned　then　to　what　these　terrible　efforts　of　mental　power；
　　these　gigantic　exertions　demanded　by　the　State　were　to　lead。　The
　　State　now　employed　me　to　count　and　measure　pavements　and　heaps　of
　　stones　on　the　roadways；　I　had　to　keep　in　order；　repair；　and
　　sometimes　construct　culverts；　one…arched　bridges；　regulate　drift…
　　ways；　clean　and　sometimes　open　ditches；　lay　out　bounds；　and　answer
　　questions　about　the　planting　and　felling　of　trees。　Such　are　the
　　principal　and　sometimes　the　only　occupations　of　ordinary
　　engineers；　together　with　a　little　levelling　which　the　government
　　obliges　us　to　do　ourselves；　though　any　of　our　chain…bearers　with
　　their　limited　experience　can　do　it　better　than　we　with　all　our
　　science。

　　There　are　nearly　four　hundred　engineers…in…ordinary　and　pupil
　　engineers；　and　as　there　are　not　more　than　a　hundred　or　so　of
　　engineers…in…chief；　only　a　limited　number　of　the　sub…engineers　can
　　hope　to　rise。　Besides；　above　the　grade　of　engineer…in…chief；　there
　　is　no　absorbent　class；　for　we　cannot　count　as　a　means　of
　　absorption　the　ten　or　fifteen　places　of　inspector…generals　or
　　divisionaries；posts　that　are　almost　as　useless　in　our　corps　as
　　colonels　are　in　the　artillery；　where　the　battery　is　the　essential
　　thing。　The　engineer…in…ordinary；　like　the　captain　of　artillery；
　　knows　the　whole　science。　He　ought　not　to　have　any　one　over　him
　　except　an　administrative　head　to　whom　no　more　than　eighty…six
　　engineers　should　report；for　one　engineer；　with　two　assistants　is
　　enough　for　a　department。

　　The　present　hierarchy　in　these　bodies　results　in　the　subordination
　　of　active　energetic　capacities　to　the　worn…out　capacities　of　old
　　men；　who；　thinking　they　know　best；　alter　or　nullify　the　plans
　　submitted　by　their　subordinates；perhaps　with　the　sole　aim　of
　　making　their　existence　felt；　for　that　seems　to　me　the　only
　　influence　exercised　over　the　public　works　of　France　by　the
　　Council…general　of　the　/Ponts　et　Chaussees/。

　　Suppose；　however；　that　I　become；　between　thirty　and　forty　years　of
　　age；　an　engineer　of　the　first…class　and　an　engineer…in…chief
　　before　I　am　fifty。　Alas！　I　see　my　future；　it　is　written　before　my
　　eyes。　Here　is　a　forecast　of　it：

　　My　present　engineer…in…chief　is　sixty　years　old；　he　issued　with
　　honors；　as　I　did；　from　the　famous　Ecole；　he　has　turned　gray　doing
　　in　two　departments　what　I　am　doing　now；　and　he　has　become　the　most
　　ordinary　man　it　is　possible　to　imagine；　he　has　fallen　from　the
　　height　to　which　he　had　really　risen；　far　worse；　he　is　no　longer　on
　　the　level　of　scientific　knowledge；　science　has　progressed；　he　has
　　stayed　where　he　was。　The　man　who　came　forth　ready　for　life　at
　　twenty…two　years　of　age；　with　every　sign　of　superiority；　has
　　nothing　left　to…day　but　the　reputation　of　it。　In　the　beginning；
　　with　his　mind　specially　turned　to　the　exact　sciences　and
　　mathematics　by　his　education；　he　neglected　everything　that　was　not
　　his　specialty；　and　you　can　hardly　imagine　his　present　dulness　in
　　all　other　branches　of　human　knowledge。　I　hardly　dare　confide　even
　　to　you　the　secrets　of　his　incapacity　sheltered　by　the　fact　that　he
　　was　educated　at　the　Ecole　Polytechnique。　With　that　label　attached
　　to　him　and　on　the　faith　of　that　prestige；　no　one　dreams　of
　　doubting　his　ability。　To　you　alone　do　I　dare　reveal　the　fact　that
　　the　dulling　of　all　his　talents　has　led　him　to　spend　a　million　on　a
　　single　matter　which　ought　not　to　have　cost　the　administration　more
　　than　two　hundred　thousand　francs。　I　wished　to　protest；　and　was
　　about　to　inform　the　prefect；　but　an　engineer　I　know　very　well
　　reminded　me　of　one　of　our　comrades　who　was　hated　by　the
　　administration　for　doing　that　very　thing。　〃How　would　you　like；〃　he
　　said　to　me；　〃when　you　get　to　be　engineer…in…chief　to　have　your
　　errors　dragged　forth　by　your　subordinate？　Before　long　your
　　engineer…in…chief　will　be　made　a　divisional　inspector。　As　soon　as
　　any　one　of　us　commits　a　serious　blunder；　as　he　has　done；　the
　　administration　（which　can't　allow　itself　to　appear　in　the　wrong）
　　will　quietly　retire　him　from　active　duty　by　making　him　inspector。〃

　　That's　how　the　reward　of　merit　devolves　on　incapacity。　All　France
　　knew　of　the　disaster　which　happened　in　the　heart　of　Paris　to　the
　　first　suspension　bridge　built　by　an　engineer；　a　member　of　the
　　Academy　of　Sciences；　a　melancholy　collapse　caused　by　blunders　such
　　as　none　of　the　ancient　engineersthe　man　who　cut　the　canal　at
　　Briare　in　Henri　IV。's　time；　or　the　monk　who　built　the　Pont　Royal
　　would　have　made；　but　our　administration　consoled　its　engineer　for
　　his　blunder　by　making　him　a　member　of　the　Council…general。

　　Are　the　technical　schools　vast　manufactories　of　incapables？　That
　　subject　requires　careful　investigation。　If　I　am　right　they　need
　　reforming；　at　any　rate　in　their　method　of　proceeding；for　I　am
　　not；　of　course；　doubting　the　utility　of　such　schools。　Only；　when
　　we　look　back　into　the　past　we　see　that　France　in　former　days　never
　　wanted　for　the　great　talents　necessary　to　the　State；　but　now　she
　　prefers　to　hatch　out　talent　geometrically；　after　the　theory　of
　　Monge。　Did　Vauban　ever　go　to　any　other　Ecole　than　that　great
　　school　we　call　vocation？　Who　was　Riquet's　tutor？　When　great
　　geniuses　arise　above　the　social　mass；　impelled　by　vocation；　they
　　are　nearly　always　rounded　into　completeness；　the　man　is　then　not
　　merely　a　specialist；　he　has　the　gift　of　universality。　Do　you　think
　　that　an　engineer　from　the　Ecole　Polytechnique　could　ever　create
　　one　of　those　miracles　of　architecture　such　as　Leonardo　da　Vinci
　　knew　how　to　build；mechanician；　architect；　painter；　inventor　of
　　hydraulics；　indefatigable　constructor　of　canals　that　he　was？

　　Trained　from　their　earliest　years　to　the　baldness　of　axiom　and
　　formula；　the　youths　who　leave　the　Ecole　have　lost　the　sense　of
　　elegance　and　ornament；　a　column　seems　to　them　useless；　they　return
　　to　the　point　where　art　begins；　and　cling　to　the　useful。

　　But　all　this　is　nothing　in　comparison　to　the　real　malady　which　is
　　undermining　me。　I　feel　an　awful　transformation　going　on　within　me；
　　I　am　conscious　that　my　powers　and　my　faculties；　formerly
　　unnaturally　taxed；　are　giving　way。　I　am　letting　the　prosaic
　　influence　of　my　life　get　hold　of　me。　I　who；　by　the　very　nature　of
　　my　efforts；　looked　to　do　some　great　thing；　I　am　face　to　face　with
　　none　but　petty　ones；　I　measure　stones；　I　inspect　roads；　I　have　not
　　enough　to　really　occupy　me　for　two　hours　in　my　day。　I　see　my
　　colleagues　marry；　and　fall　into　a　situation　contrary　to　the　spirit
　　of　modern　society。　I　wanted　to　be　useful　to　my　country。　Is　my
　　ambition　an　unreasonable　one？　The　country　asked　me　to　put　forth
　　all　my　powers；　it　told　me　to　become　a　representative　of　science；
　　yet　here　I　am　with　folded　arms　in　the　depths　of　the　provinces。　I
　　am　not　even　allowed　to　leave　the　locality　in　which　I　am　penned；　to
　　exercise　my　faculties　in　planning　useful　enterprises。　A　hidden　but
　　very　real　disfavor　is　the　certain　reward　of　any　one　of　us　who
　　yields　to　an　inspiration　and　goes　beyond　the　special　service　laid
　　down　for　him。

　　No；　the　favor　a　superior　man　has　to　hope　for　in　that　case　is　that
　　his　talent　and　his　presumption　may　not　be　noticed；　and　that　his
　　project　may　be　buried　in　the　archives　of　the　administration。　What
　　think　you　will　be　the　reward　of　Vicat；　the　one　among　us　who　has
　　brought　about　the　only　real　progress　in　the　practical　science　of
　　construction？　The　Council…general　of　the　/Ponts　et　Chaussees/；
　　composed　in　part　of　men　worn…out　by　long　and　sometimes　honorable
　　service；　but　whose　only　remaining　force　is　for　negation；　and　who
　　set　aside　everything　they　no　longer　comprehend；　is　the
　　extinguisher　used　to　snuff　out　the　projects　of　audacious　spirits。
　　This　Council　seems　to　have　been　created　to　paralyze　the　arm　of
　　that　glorious　youth　of　France；　which　asks　only　to　work　and　to　be
　　useful　to　its　country。

　　Monstrous　things　are　done　in　Paris。　The　future　of　a　province
　　depends　on　the　mere　signature　of　men　who　（through　intrigues　I　have
　　no　time　to　explain　to　you）　often　stop　the　execution　of　useful　and
　　much…needed　work；　in　fact；　the　best　plans　are　often　those　which
　　offer　most　to　the　cupidity　of　commercial　companies　or　speculators。

　　Another　five　years　and　I　shall　no　longer　be　myself；　my　ambition
　　will　be　quenched；　my　desire　to　use　the　faculties　my　country
　　ordered　me　to　exercise　gone　forever；　the　faculties　themselves　are
　　rusting　out　in　the　miserable　corner　of　the　world　in　which　I
　　vegetate。　Taking　my　chances　at　their　best；　the　future　seems　to　me
　　a　poor　thing。　I　have　just　taken　advantage　of　a　furlough　to　come　to
　　Paris；　I　mean　to　change　my　profession　and　find　some　other　way　to
　　put　my　energy；　my　knowledge；　and　my　activity　to　use。　I　shall　send
　　in　my　resignation　and　go　to　some　other　country；　where　men　of　my
　　special　capacity　are　wanted。

　　If　I　find　I　cannot　do　this；　then　I　shall　throw　myself　into　the
　　struggle　of　the　new　doctrines；　which　certainly　seem　calculated　to
　　produce　great　changes　in　the　present　social　order　by　judiciously
　　guiding　the　working…classes。　What　are　we　now　but　workers　without
　　work；　tools　on　the　shelves　of　a　shop？　We　are　trained　and　organized
　　as　if　to　move　the　world；　and　nothing　is　given　us　to　do。　I　feel
　　within　me　some　great　thing；　which　is　decreasing　daily；　and　will
　　soon　vanish；　I　tell　you　so　with　mathematical　frankness。　Before
　　making　the　change　I　want　your　advice；　I　look　upon　myself　as　your
　　child；　and　I　will　never　take　any　important　step　without　consulting
　　you；　for　your　experience　is　equal　to　your　kindness。

　　I　know　very　well　that　the　State；　after　obtaining　a　class　of
　　trained　men；　cannot　undertake　for　them　alone　great　public　works；
　　there　are　not　three　hundred　bridges　needed　a　year　in　all　France；
　　the　State　can　no　more　build　great　buildings　for　the　fame　of　its
　　engineers　than　it　can　declare　war　merely　to　win　battles　and　bring
　　to　the　front　great　generals；　but；　then；　as　men　of　genius　have
　　never　failed　to　present　themselves　when　the　occasion　called　for
　　them；　springing　from　the　crowd　like　Vauban；　can　there　be　any
　　greater　proof　of　the　uselessness　of　the　present　institution？　Can't