brilliancy。 Study had probably injured his sight； for he wore glasses。
When he removed the great cloak of a gendarme in which he was wrapped；
it was seen that his clothing did not improve his general appearance。
The manner in which his garments were put on and buttoned； his untidy
cravat； his rumpled shirt； were signs of the want of personal care
with which men of science； all more or less absent…minded； are
charged。 As in the case of most thinkers； his countenance and his
attitude； the development of his bust and the thinness of his legs；
betrayed a sort of bodily debility produced by habits of meditation。
Nevertheless； the ardor of his heart and the vigor of his mind； proofs
of which were given in this letter； gleamed from his forehead； which
was white as Carrara marble。 Nature seemed to have reserved to herself
that spot in order to place there visible signs of the grandeur；
constancy； and goodness of the man。 The nose； like that of most men of
the true Gallic race； was flattened。 His mouth； firm and straight；
showed absolute discretion and the instinct of economy。 But the whole
mask； worn by study； looked prematurely old。
〃We must begin by thanking you； monsieur；〃 said Madame Graslin；
addressing the engineer； 〃for being willing to direct an enterprise in
a part of the country which can offer you no other pleasure than the
satisfaction of knowing that you are doing a real good。〃
〃Madame；〃 he replied； 〃Monsieur Grossetete has told me enough about
your enterprise as we came along to make me already glad that I can in
any way be useful to you； the prospect of living in close relations
with you and Monsieur Bonnet seems to me charming。 Unless I am
dismissed from this region； I expect to end my days here。〃
〃We will try not to let you change your mind；〃 replied Madame Graslin；
smiling。
〃Here；〃 said Grossetete； addressing Veronique； whom he took aside；
〃are the papers which the /procureur…general/ gave to me。 He was quite
surprised that you did not address your inquiry about Catherine
Curieux to him。 All that you wished has been done immediately； with
the utmost promptitude and devotion。 Three months hence Catherine
Curieux will be sent to you。〃
〃Where is she？〃 asked Veronique。
〃She is now in the hospital Saint…Louis；〃 replied the old man； 〃they
are awaiting her recovery before sending her from Paris。〃
〃Ah！ is the poor girl ill？〃
〃You will find all necessary information in these papers；〃 said
Grossetete； giving Veronique a packet。
Madame Graslin returned to her guests to conduct them into the
magnificent dining…room on the ground…floor。 She sat at table； but did
not herself take part in the dinner； since her arrival at Montegnac
she had made it a rule to take her meals alone； and Aline； who knew
the reason of this withdrawal； faithfully kept the secret of it till
her mistress was in danger of death。
The mayor； the /juge de paix/； and the doctor of Montegnac had been
invited。
The doctor； a young man twenty…seven years of age； named Roubaud； was
extremely desirous of knowing a woman so celebrated in Limoges。 The
rector was all the more pleased to present him at the chateau because
he wanted to gather a little society around Veronique to distract her
mind and give it food。 Roubaud was one of those thoroughly well…
trained young physicians whom the Ecole de Medecine in Paris sends
forth to the profession。 He would undoubtedly have shone on the vast
stage of the capital； but frightened by the clash of ambitions in
Paris； and knowing himself more capable than pushing； more learned
than intriguing； his gentle disposition led him to choose the narrow
career of the provinces； where he hoped to be sooner appreciated than
in Paris。
At Limoges； Roubaud came in contact with the settled practice of the
regular physicians and the habits of the people； he therefore let
himself be persuaded by Monsieur Bonnet； who； judging by the gentle
and winning expression of his face； thought him well…suited to
co…operate in his own work at Montegnac。 Roubaud was small and fair；
his general appearance was rather insipid； but his gray eyes betrayed
the depths of the physiologist and the patient tenacity of a studious
man。 There was no physician in Montegnac except an old army…surgeon；
more devoted to his cellar than to his patients； and too old to
continue with any vigor the hard life of a country doctor。 At the
present time he was dying。
Roubaud had been in Montegnac about eighteen months； and was much
liked there。 But this young pupil of Desplein and the successors of
Cabanis did not believe in Catholicism。 He lived in a state of
profound indifference as to religion； and did not desire to come out
of it。 The rector was in despair。 Not that Roubaud did any wrong； he
never spoke against religion； and his duties were excuse enough for
his absence from church； besides； he was incapable of trying to
undermine the faith of others； and indeed behaved outwardly as the
best of Catholics； he simply prohibited himself from thinking of a
problem which he considered above the range of human thought。 When the
rector heard him say that pantheism had been the religion of all great
minds he set him down as inclining to the doctrine of Pythagoras on
reincarnation。
Roubaud； who saw Madame Graslin for the first time； experienced a
violent sensation when he met her。 Science revealed to him in her
expression； her attitude； in the ravages of her face； untold
sufferings both moral and physical； a nature of almost superhuman
force； great faculties which would support her under the most
conflicting trials； he detected all；even the darkest corners of that
nature so carefully hidden。 He felt that some evil； some malady； was
devouring the heart of that fine creature； for just as the color of a
fruit shows the presence of a worm within it； so certain tints in the
human face enable physicians to detect a poisoning thought。
From this moment Monsieur Roubaud attached himself so deeply to Madame
Graslin that he became afraid of loving her beyond the permitted line
of simple friendship。 The brow； the bearing； above all； the glance of
Veronique's eye had a sort of eloquence that men invariably
understand； it said as plainly that she was dead to love as other
women say the contrary by a reversal of the same eloquence。 The doctor
suddenly vowed to her； in his heart； a chivalrous worship。
He exchanged a rapid glance with the rector； who thought to himself；
〃Here's the thunderbolt which will convert my poor unbeliever； Madame
Graslin will have more eloquence than I。〃
The mayor； an old countryman； amazed at the luxury of this dining…room
and surprised to find himself dining with one of the richest men in
the department； had put on his best clothes； which rather hampered
him； and this increased his mental awkwardness。 Moreover； Madame
Graslin in her mourning garments seemed to him very imposing； he was
therefore mute。 After living all his life as a farmer at Saint…
Leonard； he had bought the only habitable house in Montegnac and
cultivated with his own hands the land belonging to it。 Though he knew
how to read and write； he would have been incapable of fulfilling his
functions were it not for the help of his clerk and the /juge de
paix/； who prepared his work for him。 He was very anxious to have a
notary established in Montegnac； in order that he might shift the
burden of his responsibility on to that officer's shoulders。 But the
poverty of the village and its outlying districts made such a
functionary almost useless； and the inhabitants had recourse when
necessary to the notaries of the chief town of the arrondissement。
The /juge de paix/； named Clousier； was formerly a lawyer in Limoges；
where cases had deserted him because he insisted on putting into
practice that fine axiom that the lawyer is the best judge of the
client and the case。 In 1809 he obtained his present post； the meagre
salary of which just enabled him to live。 He had now reached a stage
of honorable but absolute poverty。 After a residence of twenty…one
years in this poor village the worthy man； thoroughly countrified；
looked； top…coat and all； exactly like the farmers about him。
Under this coarse exterior Clousier hid a clear…sighted mind； given to
lofty meditation on public policy； though he himself had fallen into a
state of complete indifference； derived from his intimate knowledge of
men and their interests。 This man； who baffled for a long time the
rector's perspicacity and who might in a higher sphere have proved
another l'Hopital； incapable of intrigue like all really profound
persons； was by this time living in the contemplative state of an
ancient hermit。 Independent through privation； no personal
consideration acted on his mind； he knew the laws and judged
impartially。 His life； reduced to the merest necessaries； was pure and
regular。 The peasants loved Monsieur Clousier and respected him for
the disinterested fatherly care with which he settled their
differences and gave them advice in their daily affairs。 The 〃goodman
Clousier〃 as all Montegnac called him； had a nephew with him as clerk；
an intelligent young man； who afterwards contributed much to the
prosperity of the district。
Old Clousier's personal appearance was remarkable for a broad； high
forehead and two bushes of white hair which stood out from his head on
either side of it。 His highly colored complexion and well…developed
corpulence might have made persons think； in spite of his actual
sobriety； that he cultivated Bacchus as well as Troplong and Toullier。
His half…extinct voice was the sign of an oppressive asthma。 Perhaps
the dry air of Montegnac had contributed to fix him there。 He lived in
a house arranged for him by a well…to…do cobbler to whom it belonged。
Clousier had already seen Veronique at church； and he had formed his
opinion of her without communicating it to any one； not even to
Monsieur Bonnet； with whom he was beginning to be intimate。 For the
first time in his life the /juge de paix/ was to be thrown in with
persons able to appreciate him。
When the company were seated round a table handsomely appointed （for
Veronique had sent all her household belongings from Lim