the village rector-第31部分

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the　region　and　was　brought　up　with　them；　and　had；　as　they　said；　only
fled　the　conscription；　all　the　women　were　on　his　side；and　that's　a
great　deal；　you　know。〃

〃Is　it　really　certain　that　Farrabesche　did　kill　several　persons？〃
asked　Madame　Graslin。

〃Yes；　certain；〃　replied　Colorat；　〃it　is　even　said　that　it　was　he　who
killed　the　traveller　by　the　mail…coach　in　1812；　but　the　courier　and
the　postilion；　the　only　witnesses　who　could　have　identified　him；　were
dead　before　he　was　tried。〃

〃Tried　for　the　robbery？〃　asked　Madame　Graslin。

〃Yes；　they　took　everything；　amongst　it　twenty…five　thousand　francs
belonging　to　the　government。〃

Madame　Graslin　rode　silently　after　that　for　two　or　three　miles。　The
sun　had　now　set；　the　moon　was　lighting　the　gray　plain；　which　looked
like　an　open　sea。　Champion　and　Colorat　began　to　wonder　at　Madame
Graslin；　whose　silence　seemed　strange　to　them；　and　they　were　greatly
astonished　to　see　the　shining　track　of　tears　upon　her　cheeks；　her　eyes
were　red　and　full　of　tears；　which　were　falling　drop　by　drop　as　she
rode　along。

〃Oh；　madame；〃　said　Colorat；　〃don't　pity　him！　The　lad　has　had　his　day。
He　had　pretty　girls　in　love　with　him；　and　now；　though　to　be　sure　he　is
closely　watched　by　the　police；　he　is　protected　by　the　respect　and
good…will　of　the　rector；　for　he　has　really　repented。　His　conduct　at
the　galleys　was　exemplary。　Everybody　knows　he　is　as　honest　as　the　most
honest　man　among　us。　Only　he　is　proud；　he　doesn't　choose　to　expose
himself　to　rebuff；　so　he　lives　quietly　by　himself　and　does　good　in　his
own　way。　He　has　made　a　nursery　of　about　ten　acres　for　you　on　the　other
side　of　the　Roche…Vive；　he　plants　in　the　forests　wherever　he　thinks
there's　a　chance　of　making　a　tree　grow；　he　trims　the　tree　and　cuts　out
the　dead　wood；　and　ties　it　up　into　bundles　for　the　poor。　All　the　poor
people　know　they　can　get　their　wood　from　him　all　cut　and　ready　to
burn；　so　they　go　and　ask　him　for　it；　instead　of　taking　it　themselves
and　injuring　your　forest。　He　is　another　kind　of　/chauffeur/　now；　and
warms　his　poor　neighbors　to　their　comfort　and　not　to　their　harm。　Oh；
Farrabesche　loves　your　forest！　He　takes　care　of　it　as　if　it　were　his
own　property。〃

〃And　he　livesall　alone？〃　exclaimed　Madame　Graslin；　adding　the　two
last　words　hastily。

〃Excuse　me；　not　quite　alone；　madame；　he　takes　care　of　a　boy　about
fifteen　years　old；〃　said　Maurice　Champion。

〃Yes；　that's　so；〃　said　Colorat；　〃La　Curieux　gave　birth　to　the　child
some　little　time　before　Farrabesche　was　condemned。〃

〃Is　it　his　child？〃　asked　Madame　Graslin。

〃People　think　so。〃

〃Why　didn't　he　marry　her？〃

〃How　could　he？　They　would　certainly　have　arrested　him。　As　it　was；　when
La　Curieux　heard　he　was　sentenced　to　the　galleys　the　poor　girl　left
this　part　of　the　country。〃

〃Was　she　a　pretty　girl？〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Maurice；　〃my　mother　says　she　was　very　like　another　girl　who
has　also　left　Montegnac　for　something　the　same　reason；Denise
Tascheron。〃

〃She　loved　him？〃　said　Madame　Graslin。

〃Ha；　yes！　because　he　/chauffed/；　women　do　like　things　that　are　out　of
the　way。　However；　nothing　ever　did　surprise　the　community　more　than
that　love　affair。　Catherine　Curieux　lived　as　virtuous　a　life　as　a　holy
virgin；　she　passed　for　a　pearl　of　purity　in　her　village　of　Vizay；
which　is　really　a　small　town　in　the　Correze　on　the　line　between　the
two　departments。　Her　father　and　mother　are　farmers　to　the　Messieurs
Brezac。　Catherine　Curieux　was　about　seventeen　when　Farrabesche　was
sent　to　the　galleys。　The　Farrabesches　were　an　old　family　from　the　same
region；　who　settled　in　the　commune　of　Montegnac；　they　hired　their　farm
from　the　village。　The　father　and　mother　Farrabesche　are　dead；　but
Catherine's　three　sisters　are　married；　one　in　Aubusson；　another　in
Limoges；　and　a　third　in　Saint…Leonard。〃

〃Do　you　think　Farrabesche　knows　where　Catherine　Curieux　is？〃　asked
Madame　Graslin。

〃If　he　did　know　he'd　break　his　parole。　Oh！　he'd　go　to　her。　As　soon　as
he　came　back　from　the　galleys　he　got　Monsieur　Bonnet　to　ask　for　the
little　boy　whom　the　grandfather　and　grandmother　were　taking　care　of；
and　Monsieur　Bonnet　obtained　the　child。〃

〃Does　no　one　know　what　became　of　the　mother？〃

〃No　one；〃　said　Colorat。　〃The　girl　felt　that　she　was　ruined；　she　was
afraid　to　stay　in　her　own　village。　She　went　to　Paris。　What　is　she
doing　there？　Well；　that's　the　question；　but　you　might　as　well　hunt　for
a　marble　among　the　stones　on　that　plain　as　look　for　her　there。〃

They　were　now　riding　up　the　ascent　to　the　chateau　as　Colorat　pointed
to　the　plain　below。　Madame　Sauviat；　evidently　uneasy；　Aline　and　the
other　servants　were　waiting　at　the　gate；　not　knowing　what　to　think　of
this　long　absence。

〃My　dear；〃　said　Madame　Sauviat；　helping　her　daughter　to　dismount；　〃you
must　be　very　tired。〃

〃No；　mother；〃　replied　Madame　Graslin；　in　so　changed　a　voice　that
Madame　Sauviat　looked　closely　at　her　and　then　saw　the　mark　of　tears。

Madame　Graslin　went　to　her　own　rooms　with　Aline；　who　took　her　orders
for　all　that　concerned　her　personal　life。　She　now　shut　herself　up　and
would　not　even　admit　her　mother；　when　Madame　Sauviat　asked　to　enter；
Aline　stopped　her；　saying；　〃Madame　has　gone　to　sleep。〃

The　next　day　Veronique　rode　out　attended　by　Maurice　only。　In　order　to
reach　the　Roche…Vive　as　quickly　as　possible　she　took　the　road　by　which
she　had　returned　the　night　before。　As　they　rode　up　the　gorge　which
lies　between　the　mountain　peak　and　the　last　hill　of　the　forest　（for；
seen　from　the　plain；　the　Roche…Vive　looks　isolated）　Veronique
requested　Maurice　to　show　her　the　house　in　which　Farrabesche　lived　and
then　to　hold　the　horses　and　wait　for　her；　she　wished　to　go　alone。
Maurice　took　her　to　a　path　which　led　down　on　the　other　side　of　the
Roche…Vive　and　showed　her　the　thatched　roof　of　a　dwelling　half　buried
in　the　mountain；　below　which　lay　the　nursery　grounds。　It　was　then
about　mid…day。　A　light　smoke　issued　from　the　chimney。　Veronique
reached　the　cottage　in　a　few　moments；　but　she　did　not　make　her
presence　known　at　once。　She　stood　a　few　moments　lost　in　thoughts　known
only　to　herself　as　she　gazed　on　the　modest　dwelling　which　stood　in　the
middle　of　a　garden　enclosed　with　a　hedge　of　thorns。

Beyond　the　lower　end　of　the　garden　lay　several　cares　of　meadow　land
surrounded　by　an　evergreen　hedge；　the　eye　looked　down　on　the　flattened
tops　of　fruit　trees；　apple；　pear；　and　plum　trees　scattered　here　and
there　among　these　fields。　Above　the　house；　toward　the　crest　of　the
mountain　where　the　soil　became　sandy；　rose　the　yellow　crowns　of　a
splendid　grove　of　chestnuts。　Opening　the　railed　gate　made　of　half…
rotten　boards　which　enclosed　the　premises；　Madame　Graslin　saw　a
stable；　a　small　poultry…yard　and　all　the　picturesque　and　living
accessories　of　poor　homes；　which　have　so　much　of　rural　poesy　about
them。　Who　could　see　without　emotion　the　linen　fluttering　on　the
hedges；　the　bunches　of　onions　hanging　from　the　eaves；　the　iron
saucepans　drying　in　the　sun；　the　wooden　bench　overhung　with
honeysuckle；　the　stone…crop　clinging　to　the　thatch；　as　it　does　on　the
roofs　of　nearly　all　the　cottages　in　France；　revealing　a　humble　life
that　is　almost　vegetative？

It　was　impossible　for　Veronique　to　come　upon　her　keeper　without　his
receiving　due　notice；　two　fine　hunting　dogs　began　to　bark　as　soon　as
the　rustling　of　her　habit　was　heard　on　the　dried　leaves。　She　took　the
end　of　it　over　her　arm　and　advanced　toward　the　house。　Farrabesche　and
his　boy；　who　were　sitting　on　a　wooden　bench　outside　the　door；　rose　and
uncovered　their　heads；　standing　in　a　respectful　attitude；　but　without
the　least　appearance　of　servility。

〃I　have　heard；〃　said　Veronique；　looking　attentively　at　the　boy；　〃that
you　take　much　care　of　my　interests；　I　wished　to　see　your　house　and　the
nurseries；　and　ask　you　a　few　questions　relating　to　the　improvements　I
intend　to　make。〃

〃I　am　at　madame's　orders；〃　replied　Farrabesche。

Veronique　admired　the　boy；　who　had　a　charming　face　of　a　perfect　oval；
rather　sunburned　and　brown　but　very　regular　in　features；　the　forehead
finely　modelled；　orange…colored　eyes　of　extreme　vivacity；　black　hair
cut　straight　across　the　brow　and　allowed　to　hang　down　on　either　side
of　the　face。　Taller　than　most　boys　of　his　age；　the　little　fellow　was
nearly　five　feet　high。　His　trousers；　like　his　shirt；　were　of　coarse
gray　linen；　his　waistcoat；　of　rough　blue　cloth　with　horn　buttons　much
worn　and　a　jacket　of　the　cloth　so　oddly　called　Maurienne　velvet；　with
which　the　Savoyards　like　to　clothe　themselves；　stout　hob…nailed　shoes；
and　no　stockings。　This　costume　was　exactly　like　that　of　his　father；
except　that　Farrabesche　had　on　his　head　the　broad…brimmed　felt　hat　of
the　peasantry；　while　the　boy　had　only　a　brown　woollen　cap。

Though　intelligent　and　animated；　the　child's　face　was　instinct　with
the　gravity　peculiar　to　all　human　beings　of　any　age　who　live　in
solitude；　he　seemed　to　put　himself　in　harmony　with　the　life　and　the
silence　of　the　woods。　Both　Farrabesche　and　his　son　were　specially
developed　on　their　physical　side；　possessing　many　of　the
characteristics　of　savages；piercing　sight；　constant　observation；
absolute　self…control；　a　keen　ear；　wonderful　agility；　and　an
intelligent　manner　of　speaking。　At　the　first　glance　the　boy　gave　his
father　Madame　Graslin　recognized　one　of　those　unbounded　affections　in
which　instinct　blends　with　thought；　and　a　most　active　happiness
strengthens　both　the　will　of　the　instinct　and　the　reasoning　of
thought。

〃This　must　be　the　child　I　have　heard　of；〃　said　Veronique；　motioning　to
the　boy。

〃Yes；　madame。〃

〃Have　you　made　no　attempt　to　find　his　mother？〃　asked　Veronique；　making
a　sign　to　Farrabesche　to　follow　her　a　little　distance。

〃Madame　may　not　be　aware　that　I　am　not　allowed　to　go　beyond　the
district　in　which　I　reside。〃

〃Have　you　never　received　any　news　of　her？〃

〃At　the　expiration　of　my　term；〃　he　answered；　〃I　received　from　the
Commissioner　a　thousand　francs；　sent　to　him　quarterly　for　me　in　little
sums　which　police　regulations　did　not　allow　me　to　receive　till　the　day
I　left　the　galleys。　I　think　that　Catherine　alone　would　have　thought　of
me；　as　it　was　not　Monsieur　Bonnet　who　sent　this　money；　therefore　I
have　kept　it　safely　for　Benjamin。〃

〃And　Catherine's　parents？〃

〃