Three…per…cents； which were then quoted at fifty。 The child Francis
received； therefore； six thousand francs a year； and his mother forty
thousand。 Veronique's fortune was still the largest in the department。
When these affairs were all settled； Madame Graslin announced her
intention of leaving Limoges and taking up her residence at Montegnac；
to be near Monsieur Bonnet。 She sent for the rector to consult about
the enterprise he was so anxious to carry on at Montegnac； in which
she desired to take part。 But he endeavored unselfishly to dissuade
her； telling her that her place was in the world and in society。
〃I was born of the people and I wish to return to the people；〃 she
replied。 On which the rector； full of love for his village； said no
more against Madame Graslin's apparent vocation； and the less because
she had actually put it out of her power to continue in Limoges；
having sold the hotel Graslin to Grossetete； who； to cover a sum that
was due to him； took it at its proper valuation。
The day of her departure； toward the end of August； 1831； Madame
Graslin's numerous friends accompanied her some distance out of the
town。 A few went as far as the first relay。 Veronique was in an open
carriage with her mother。 The Abbe Dutheil （just appointed to a
bishopric） occupied the front seat of the carriage with old
Grossetete。 As they passed through the place d'Aine； Veronique showed
signs of a sudden shock； her face contracted so that the play of the
muscles could be seen； she clasped her infant to her breast with a
convulsive motion； which old Madame Sauviat concealed by instantly
taking the child； for she seemed to be on the watch for her daughter's
agitation。 Chance willed that Madame Graslin should pass through the
square in which stood the house she had formerly occupied with her
father and mother in her girlish days； she grasped her mother's hand
while great tears fell from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks。
After leaving Limoges she turned and looked back； seeming to feel an
emotion of happiness which was noticed by all her friends。 When
Monsieur de Grandville； then a young man of twenty…five； whom she
declined to take as a husband； kissed her hand with an earnest
expression of regret； the new bishop noticed the strange manner in
which the black pupil of Veronique's eyes suddenly spread over the
blue of the iris； reducing it to a narrow circle。 The eye betrayed
unmistakably some violent inward emotion。
〃I shall never see him again；〃 she whispered to her mother； who
received this confidence without betraying the slightest feeling in
her old face。
Madame Graslin was at that instant under the observation of
Grossetete； who was directly in front of her； but； in spite of his
shrewdness； the old banker did not detect the hatred which Veronique
felt for the magistrate； whom she nevertheless received at her house。
But churchmen have far more perception than other men； and Monsieur
Dutheil suddenly startled Veronique with a priestly glance。
〃Do you regret nothing in Limoges？〃 he asked her。
〃Nothing； now that you are leaving it； and monsieur；〃 she added；
smiling at Grossetete； who was bidding her adieu； 〃will seldom be
there。〃
The bishop accompanied Madame Graslin as far as Montegnac。
〃I ought to walk this road in sackcloth and ashes；〃 she said in her
mother's ear as they went on foot up the steep slope of Saint…Leonard。
The old woman put her finger on her lips and glanced at the bishop；
who was looking at the child with terrible attention。 This gesture；
and the luminous look in the prelate's eyes； sent a shudder through
Veronique's body。 At the aspect of the vast plains stretching their
gray expanse before Montegnac the fire died out of her eyes； and an
infinite sadness overcame her。 Presently she saw the village rector
coming to meet her； and together they returned to the carriage。
〃There is your domain； madame；〃 said Monsieur Bonnet； extending his
hand toward the barren plain。
A few moments more； and the village of Montegnac； with its hill； on
which the newly erected buildings struck the eye； came in sight；
gilded by the setting sun； and full of the poesy born of the contrast
between the beautiful spot and the surrounding barrenness； in which it
lay like an oasis in the desert。 Madame Graslin's eyes filled suddenly
with tears。 The rector called her attention to a broad white line like
a gash on the mountain side。
〃See what my parishioners have done to testify their gratitude to the
lady of the manor；〃 he said； pointing to the line； which was really a
road； 〃we can now drive up to the chateau。 This piece of road has been
made by them without costing you a penny； and two months hence we
shall plant it with trees。 Monseigneur will understand what trouble
and care and devotion were needed to accomplish such a change。〃
〃Is it possible they have done that？〃 said the bishop。
〃Without accepting any payment for their work； Monseigneur。 The
poorest put their hands into it； knowing that it would bring a mother
among them。〃
At the foot of the hill the travellers saw the whole population of the
neighborhood； who were lighting fire…boxes and discharging a few guns；
then two of the prettiest of the village girls； dressed in white； came
forward to offer Madame Graslin flowers and fruit。
〃To be thus received in this village！〃 she exclaimed； grasping the
rector's hand as if she stood on the brink of a precipice。
The crowd accompanied the carriage to the iron gates of the avenue。
From there Madame Graslin could see her chateau； of which as yet she
had only caught glimpses； and she was thunderstruck at the
magnificence of the building。 Stone is rare in those parts； the
granite of the mountains being difficult to quarry。 The architect
employed by Graslin to restore the house had used brick as the chief
substance of this vast construction。 This was rendered less costly by
the fact that the forest of Montegnac furnished all the necessary wood
and clay for its fabrication。 The framework of wood and the stone for
the foundations also came from the forest； otherwise the cost of the
restorations would have been ruinous。 The chief expenses had been
those of transportation； labor； and salaries。 Thus the money laid out
was kept in the village； and greatly benefited it。
At first sight； and from a distance； the chateau presents an enormous
red mass； threaded by black lines produced by the pointing； and edged
with gray； for the window and door casings； the entablatures； corner
stones； and courses between the stories； are of granite； cut in facets
like a diamond。 The courtyard； which forms a sloping oval like that of
the Chateau de Versailles； is surrounded by brick walls divided into
panels by projecting buttresses。 At the foot of these walls are groups
of rare shrubs； remarkable for the varied color of their greens。 Two
fine iron gates placed opposite to each other lead on one side to a
terrace which overlooks Montegnac； on the other to the offices and a
farm…house。
The grand entrance…gate； to which the road just constructed led； is
flanked by two pretty lodges in the style of the sixteenth century。
The facade on the courtyard looking east has three towers；one in the
centre； separated from the two others by the main building of the
house。 The facade on the gardens； which is absolutely the same as the
others； looks westward。 The towers have but one window on the facade；
the main building has three on either side of the middle tower。 The
latter； which is square like a /campanile/； the corners being
vermiculated； is noticeable for the elegance of a few carvings
sparsely distributed。 Art is timid in the provinces； and though； since
1829； ornamentation has made some progress at the instigation of
certain writers； landowners were at that period afraid of expenses
which the lack of competition and skilled workmen rendered serious。
The corner towers； which have three stories with a single window in
each； looking to the side； are covered with very high…pitched roofs
surrounded by granite balustrades； and on each pyramidal slope of
these roofs crowned at the top with the sharp ridge of a platform
surrounded with a wrought iron railing； is another window carved like
the rest。 On each floor the corbels of the doors and windows are
adorned with carvings copied from those of the Genoese mansions。 The
corner tower with three windows to the south looks down on Montegnac；
the other； to the north； faces the forest。 From the garden front the
eye takes in that part of Montegnac which is still called Les
Tascherons； and follows the high…road leading through the village to
the chief town of the department。 The facade on the courtyard has a
view of the vast plains semicircled by the mountains of the Correze；
on the side toward Montegnac； but ending in the far distance on a low
horizon。 The main building has only one floor above the ground…floor；
covered with a mansarde roof in the olden style。 The towers at each
end are three stories in height。 The middle tower has a stunted dome
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 b