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something like that on the Pavillon de l'Horloge of the palace of the
Tuileries； and in it is a single room forming a belvedere and
containing the clock。 As a matter of economy the roofs had all been
made of gutter…tiles； the enormous weight of which was easily
supported by the stout beams and uprights of the framework cut in the
forest。
Before his death Graslin had laid out the road which the peasantry had
just built out of gratitude； for these restorations （which Graslin
called his folly） had distributed several hundred thousand francs
among the people； in consequence of which Montegnac had considerably
increased。 Graslin had also begun； before his death； behind the
offices on the slope of the hill leading down to the plain； a number
of farm buildings； proving his intention to draw some profit from the
hitherto uncultivated soil of the plains。 Six journeyman…gardeners；
who were lodged in the offices； were now at work under orders of a
head gardener； planting and completing certain works which Monsieur
Bonnet had considered indispensable。
The ground…floor apartments of the chateau； intended only for
reception…rooms； had been sumptuously furnished； the upper floor was
rather bare； Monsieur Graslin having stopped for a time the work of
furnishing it。
〃Ah； Monseigneur！〃 said Madame Graslin to the bishop； after going the
rounds of the house； 〃I who expected to live in a cottage！ Poor
Monsieur Graslin was extravagant indeed！〃
〃And you；〃 said the bishop； adding after a pause； as he noticed the
shudder than ran through her frame at his first words； 〃you will be
extravagant in charity？〃
She took the arm of her mother； who was leading Francis by the hand；
and went to the long terrace at the foot of which are the church and
the parsonage； and from which the houses of the village can be seen in
tiers。 The rector carried off Monseigneur Dutheil to show him the
different sides of the landscape。 Before long the two priests came
round to the farther end of the terrace； where they found Madame
Graslin and her mother motionless as statues。 The old woman was wiping
her eyes with a handkerchief； and her daughter stood with both hands
stretched beyond the balustrade as though she were pointing to the
church below。
〃What is the matter； madame？〃 said the rector to Madame Sauviat。
〃Nothing；〃 replied Madame Graslin； turning round and advancing a few
steps to meet the priests； 〃I did not know that I should have the
cemetery under my eyes。〃
〃You can put it elsewhere； the law gives you that right。〃
〃The law！〃 she exclaimed with almost a cry。
Again the bishop looked fixedly at Veronique。 Disturbed by the dark
glance with which the priest had penetrated the veil of flesh that
covered her soul； dragging thence a secret hidden in the grave of that
cemetery； she said to him suddenly：
〃Well； /yes/！〃
The priest laid his hand over his eyes and was silent for a moment as
if stunned。
〃Help my daughter；〃 cried the old mother； 〃she is fainting。〃
〃The air is so keen； it overcomes me；〃 said Madame Graslin； as she
fell unconscious into the arms of the two priests； who carried her
into one of the lower rooms of the chateau。
When she recovered consciousness she saw the priests on their knees
praying for her。
〃May the angel you visited you never leave you！〃 said the bishop；
blessing her。 〃Farewell； my daughter。〃
Overcome by those words Madame Graslin burst into tears。
〃Tears will save her！〃 cried her mother。
〃In this world and in the next；〃 said the bishop； turning round as he
left the room。
The room to which they had carried Madame Graslin was on the first
floor above the ground…floor of the corner tower； from which the
church and cemetery and southern side of Montegnac could be seen。 She
determined to remain there； and did so； more or less uncomfortably；
with Aline her maid and little Francis。 Madame Sauviat； naturally；
took another room near hers。
It was several days before Madame Graslin recovered from the violent
emotion which overcame her on that first evening； and her mother
induced her to stay in bed at least during the mornings。 At night；
Veronique would come out and sit on a bench of the terrace from which
her eyes could rest on the church and cemetery。 In spite of Madame
Sauviat's mute but persistent opposition； Madame Graslin formed an
almost monomaniacal habit of sitting in the same place； where she
seemed to give way to the blackest melancholy。
〃Madame will die；〃 said Aline to the old mother。
Appealed to by Madame Sauviat； the rector； who had wished not to seem
intrusive； came henceforth very frequently to visit Madame Graslin； he
needed only to be warned that her soul was sick。 This true pastor took
care to pay his visits at the hour when Veronique came out to sit at
the corner of the terrace with her child； both in deep mourning。
XI
THE RECTOR AT WORK
It was now the beginning of October； and Nature was growing dull and
sad。 Monsieur Bonnet； perceiving in Veronique from the moment of her
arrival at Montegnac the existence of an inward wound； thought it
wisest to wait for the voluntary and complete confidence of a woman
who would sooner or later become his penitent。
One evening Madame Graslin looked at the rector with eyes almost
glazed with that fatal indecision often observable in persons who are
cherishing the thought of death。 From that moment Monsieur Bonnet
hesitated no longer； he set before him the duty of arresting the
progress of this cruel moral malady。
At first there was a brief struggle of empty words between the priest
and Veronique； in which they both sought to veil their real thoughts。
In spite of the cold； Veronique was sitting on the granite bench
holding Francis on her knee。 Madame Sauviat was standing at the corner
of the terrace； purposely so placed as to hide the cemetery。 Aline was
waiting to take the child away。
〃I had supposed； madame；〃 said the rector； who was now paying his
seventh visit； 〃that you were only melancholy； but I see；〃 sinking his
voice to a whisper； 〃that your soul is in despair。 That feeling is
neither Christian nor Catholic。〃
〃But；〃 she replied； looking to heaven with piercing eyes and letting a
bitter smile flicker on her lips； 〃what other feeling does the Church
leave to a lost soul unless it be despair？〃
As he heard these words the rector realized the vast extent of the
ravages in her soul。
〃Ah！〃 he said； 〃you are making this terrace your hell； when it ought
to be your Calvary from which to rise to heaven。〃
〃I have no pride left to place me on such a pedestal；〃 she answered；
in a tone which revealed the self…contempt that lay within her。
Here the priest； by one of those inspirations which are both natural
and frequent in noble souls； the man of God lifted the child in his
arms and kissed its forehead； saying； in a fatherly voice； 〃Poor
little one！〃 Then he gave it himself to the nurse； who carried it
away。
Madame Sauviat looked at her daughter； and saw the efficacy of the
rector's words； for Veronique's eyes； long dry； were moist with tears。
The old woman made a sign to the priest and disappeared。
〃Let us walk；〃 said the r