whom she rode hastily back to the chateau。 When Madame Sauviat and
Aline saw her they were struck with the change in her countenance； the
hope of doing good in the region she now owned gave her already an
appearance of happiness。 She wrote at once to Monsieur Grossetete；
begging him to ask Monsieur de Grandville for the complete release of
the returned convict； on whose conduct she gave him assurances which
were confirmed by a certificate from the mayor of Montegnac and by a
letter from Monsieur Bonnet。 To this request she added information
about Catherine Curieux； begging Grossetete to interest the
/procureur…general/ in the good work she wished to do； and persuade
him to write to the prefecture of police in Paris to recover traces of
the girl。 The circumstance of Catherine's having sent money to
Farrabesche at the galleys ought to be clew enough to furnish
information。 Veronique was determined to know why it was that the
young woman had not returned to her child and to Farrabesche； now that
he was free。 She also told her old friend of her discovery about the
torrent of the Gabou； and urged him to select an able engineer； such
as she had already asked him to procure for her。
The next day was Sunday； and for the first time since her installation
at Montegnac Veronique felt able to hear mass in church； she
accordingly went there and took possession of the bench that belonged
to her in the chapel of the Virgin。 Seeing how denuded the poor church
was； she resolved to devote a certain sum yearly to the needs of the
building and the decoration of the altars。 She listened to the sweet；
impressive； angelic voice of the rector； whose sermon； though couched
in simple language suited to the rustic intellects before him； was
sublime in character。 Sublimity comes from the heart； intellect has
little to do with it； religion is a quenchless source of this
sublimity which has no dross； for Catholicism entering and changing
all hearts； is itself all heart。 Monsieur Bonnet took his text from
the epistle for the day； which signified that； sooner or later； God
accomplishes all promises； assisting His faithful ones； encouraging
the righteous。 He made plain to every mind the great things which
might be accomplished by wealth judiciously used for the good of
others；explaining that the duties of the poor to the rich were as
widely extended as those of the rich to the poor； and that the aid and
assistance given should be mutual。
Farrabesche had made known to a few of those who treated him in a
friendly manner （the result of the Christian charity which Monsieur
Bonnet had put in practice among his parishioners） the benevolent acts
Madame Graslin had done for him。 Her conduct in this matter had been
talked over by all the little groups of persons assembled round the
church door before the service； as is the custom in country places。
Nothing could have been better calculated to win the friendship and
good…will of these eminently susceptible minds； so that when Veronique
left the church after service she found nearly all the inhabitants of
the parish formed in two hedges through which she was expected to
pass。 One and all they bowed respectfully in profound silence。 She was
deeply touched by this reception； without knowing the actual cause of
it。 Seeing Farrabesche humbly stationed among the last； she stopped
and said to him：
〃You are a good hunter； do not forget to supply me with game。〃
A few days later Veronique went to walk with the rector through the
part of the forest that was nearest the chateau； wishing to descend
with him the terraced slopes she had seen from the house of
Farrabesche。 In doing this she obtained complete certainty as to the
nature of the upper affluents of the Gabou。 The rector saw for himself
that the streams which watered certain parts of upper Montegnac came
from the mountains of the Correze。 This chain of hills joined the
barren slopes we have already described； parallel with the chain of
the Roche…Vive。
On returning from this walk the rector was joyful as a child； he
foresaw； with the naivete of a poet； the prosperity of his dear
villagefor a poet is a man； is he not？ who realizes hopes before
they ripen。 Monsieur Bonnet garnered his hay as he stood overlooking
that barren plain from Madame Graslin's upper terrace。
XV
STORY OF A GALLEY…SLAVE
The next day Farrabesche and his son came to the chateau with game。
The keeper also brought； for Francis； a cocoanut cup； elaborately
carved； a genuine work of art； representing a battle。 Madame Graslin
was walking at the time on the terrace； in the direction which
overlooked Les Tascherons。 She sat down on a bench； took the cup in
her hand and looked earnestly at the deft piece of work。 A few tears
came into her eyes。
〃You must have suffered very much；〃 she said to Farrabesche； after a
few moments' silence。
〃How could I help it； madame？〃 he replied； 〃for I was there without
the hope of escape； which supports the life of most convicts。〃
〃An awful life！〃 she said in a tone of horror； inviting Farrabesche by
word and gesture to say more。
Farrabesche took the convulsive trembling and other signs of emotion
he saw in Madame Graslin for the powerful interest of compassionate
curiosity in himself。
Just then Madame Sauviat appeared； coming down a path as if she meant
to join them； but Veronique drew out her handkerchief and made a
negative sign； saying； with an asperity she had never before shown to
the old woman：
〃Leave me； leave me； mother。〃
〃Madame；〃 said Farrabesche； 〃for ten years I wore there （holding out
his leg） a chain fastened to a great iron ring which bound me to
another man。 During my time I had to live thus with three different
convicts。 I slept on a wooden bench； I had to work extraordinarily
hard to earn a little mattress called a /serpentin/。 Each dormitory
contains eight hundred men。 Each bed； called a /tolard/； holds twenty…
four men； chained in couples。 Every night the chain of each couple is
passed round another great chain which is called the /filet de ramas/。
This chain holds all the couples by the feet； and runs along the
bottom of the /tolard/。 It took me over two years to get accustomed to
that iron clanking； which called out incessantly； 'Thou art a galley…
slave！' If I slept an instant some vile companion moved or quarrelled；
reminding me of where I was。 There is a terrible apprenticeship to
make before a man can learn how to sleep。 I myself could not sleep
until I had come to the end of my strength and to utter exhaustion。
When at last sleep came I had the nights in which to forget。 Oh！ to
/forget/； madame； that was something！ Once there； a man must learn to
satisfy his needs； even in the smallest things； according to the ways
laid down by pitiless regulations。 Imagine； madame； the effect such a
life produced on a lad like me； who had lived in the woods with the
birds and the squirrels！ If I had not already lived for six months
within prison…walls； I should； in spite of Monsieur Bonnet's grand
wordsfor he； I can truly say； is the father of my soulI should；
ah！ I must have flung myself into the sea at the mere sight of my
companions。 Out…doors I still could live； but in the building； whether
to sleep or to eat；to eat out of buckets； and each bucket filled for
three couples；it was life no longer； it was death； the atrocious
faces and language of my companions were always insufferable to me。
Happily； from five o'clock in summer； and from half…past seven o'clock
in winter we went； in spite of heat or cold and wind or rain； on
'fatigue；' that is； hard…labor。 Thus half this life was spent in the
open air； and the air was sweet after the close dormitory packed with
eight hundred convicts。 And that air； too； is sea…air！ We could enjoy
the breezes； we could be friends with the sun； we could watch the
clouds as they passed above us； we could hope and pray for fine
weather！ As for me； I took an interest in my work〃
Farrabesche stopped； two heavy tears were rolling down his mistress's
face。
〃Oh！ madame； I have only told you the best side of that life；〃 he
continued； taking the expression of her face as meant for him。 〃The
terrible precautions taken by the government； the constant spying of
the keepers； the blacksmith's inspection of the chains every day；
night and morning； the coarse food； the hideous garments which
humiliate a man at all hours； the comfortless sleep； the horrible
rattling of eight hundred chains in that resounding hall； the prospect
of being shot or blown to pieces by cannon if ten of those villains
took a fancy to revolt； all those dreadful things are nothing；
nothing； I tell you； that is the bright side only。 There's another
side； madame； and a decent man； a bourgeois； would die of horror in a
week。 A convict is forced to live with another man； obliged to endure
the company of five other men at every meal； twenty…three in his bed
at night； and to hear their language！ The great society of galley…
slaves； madame； has its secret laws； disobey them and you are
tortured； obey them； and you become a torturer。 You must be either
victim or executioner。 If they would kill you at once it would at
least be the cure of life。 But no； they are wiser than that in doing
evil。 It is impossible to hold out against the hatred of these men；
their power is absolute over any prisoner who displeases them； and
they can make his life a torment far worse than death。 The man who
repents and endeavors to behave well is their common enemy； above all；
they suspect him of informing； and an informer is put to death； often
on mere suspicion。 Every hall and community of eight hundred convicts
has its tribunal； in which are judged the crimes committed against
that society。 Not to obey the usages is criminal； and a man is liable
to punishment。 For instance； every man must co…operate in escapes；
every convict has his time assigned him to escape； and all his fellow…
convicts must protect and aid him。 To reveal what a comrade is doing
with a view to escape is criminal。 I will not speak to you of the
horrible customs and morals of the galleys。 No man belongs to himself；
the government； in order to neutralize the attempts