Veronique had sent all her household belongings from Limoges to
Montegnac） the six guests felt a momentary embarrassment。 The doctor；
the mayor and the /juge de paix/ knew nothing of Grossetete and
Gerard。 But during the first course； old Grossetete's hearty good…
humor broke the ice of a first meeting。 In addition to this； Madame
Graslin's cordiality led on Gerard； and encouraged Roubaud。 Under her
touch these souls full of fine qualities recognized their relation；
and felt they had entered a sympathetic circle。 So； by the time the
dessert appeared on the table； when the glass and china with gilded
edges sparkled； and the choicer wines were served by Aline and
Champion and Grossetete's valet； the conversation became sufficiently
confidential to allow these four choice minds； thus meeting by chance；
to express their real thoughts on matters of importance； such as men
like to discuss when they can do so and be sure of the discretion of
their companions。
〃Your furlough came just in time to let you witness the revolution of
July；〃 said Grossetete to Gerard； with an air as if he asked an
opinion of him。
〃Yes；〃 replied the engineer。 〃I was in Paris during the three famous
days。 I saw all； and I came to sad conclusions。〃
〃What were they？〃 said the rector； eagerly。
〃There is no longer any patriotism except under dirty shirts；〃 replied
Gerard。 〃In that lies the ruin of France！ July was the voluntary
defeat of all superiorities；name； fortune； talent。 The ardent；
devoted masses carried the day against the rich and the intelligent；
to whom ardor and devotion are repugnant。〃
〃To judge by what has happened during the past year；〃 said Monsieur
Clousier； 〃this change of government is simply a premium given to an
evil that is sapping us；individualism。 Fifteen years hence all
questions of a generous nature will be met by； /What is that to me？/
the great cry of Freedom of Will descending from the religious heights
where Luther； Calvin； Zwinglius； and Knox introduced it； into even
political economy。 /Every one for himself/； /every man his own
master/；those two terrible axioms form； with the /What is that to
me？/ a trinity of wisdom to the burgher and the small land…owner。 This
egotism results from the vices of our present civil legislation （too
hastily made）； to which the revolution of July has just given a
terrible confirmation。〃
The /juge de paix/ fell back into his usual silence after thus
expressing himself； but the topics he suggested must have occupied the
minds of those present。 Emboldened by Clousier's words； and moved by
the look which Gerard exchanged with Grossetete； Monsieur Bonnet
ventured to go further。
〃The good King Charles X。；〃 he said； 〃has just failed in the most far…
sighted and salutary enterprise a monarch ever planned for the welfare
of the people confided to him； and the Church ought to feel proud of
the part she took in his councils。 But the upper classes deserted him
in heart and mind； just as they had already deserted him on the great
question of the law of primogeniture；the lasting honor of the only
bold statesman the Restoration has produced； namely； the Comte de
Peyronnet。 To reconstitute the nation through the family； to take from
the press its venomous action and confine it to its real usefulness；
to recall the elective Chamber to its true functions； and to restore
to religion its power over the people；such were the four cardinal
points of the internal policy of the house of Bourbon。 Well； twenty
years from now all France will have recognized the necessity of that
grand and sound policy。 Charles X。 was in greater peril in the
situation he chose to leave than in that in which his paternal power
has been defeated。 The future of our noble countrywhere all things
will henceforth be brought periodically into question； where our
rulers will discuss incessantly instead of acting； where the press；
become a sovereign power； will be the instrument of base ambitions
this future will only prove the wisdom of the king who has just
carried away with him the true principles of government； and history
will bear in mind the courage with which he resisted his best friends
after having probed the wound and seen the necessity of curative
measures； which were not sustained by those for whose sake he put
himself into the breach。〃
〃Ah！ monsieur；〃 cried Gerard； 〃you are frank； you go straight to your
thought without disguise； and I won't contradict you。 Napoleon in his
Russian campaign was forty years in advance of the spirit of his age；
he was never understood。 The Russia and England of 1830 explains the
campaign of 1812。 Charles X。 has been misunderstood in the same way。
It is quite possible that in twenty…five years from now his ordinances
may become the laws of the land。〃
〃France； too eloquent not to gabble； too full of vanity to bow down
before real talent； is； in spite of the sublime good sense of its
language and the mass of its people； the very last nation in which two
deliberative chambers should have been attempted；〃 said the /juge de
paix/。 〃Or； at any rate； the weaknesses of our national character
should have been guarded against by the admirable restrictions which
Napoleon's experience laid upon them。 Our present system may succeed
in a country whose action is circumscribed by the nature of its soil；
like England； but the law of primogeniture applied to the transmission
of land is absolutely necessary； when that law is suppressed the
system of legislative representation becomes absurd。 England owes her
existence to the quasi…feudal law which entails landed property and
family mansions on the eldest son。 Russia is based on the feudal right
of autocracy。 Consequently those two nations are to…day on the high…
road of startling progress。 Austria could only resist our invasions
and renew the way against Napoleon by virtue of that law of
primogeniture which preserves in the family the active forces of a
nation； and supplies the great productions necessary to the State。 The
house of Bourbon； feeling that it was slipping to the third rank in
Europe； by reason of liberalism； wanted to regain its rightful place
and there maintain itself； and the nation has thrown it over at the
very time it was about to save the nation。 I am sure I don't know how
low down the present system will drop us。〃
〃If we have a war； France will be without horses； as Napoleon was in
1813； when； being reduced to those of France only； he could not profit
by his two victories of Lutzen and Botzen； and so was crushed at
Leipzig；〃 cried Grossetete。 〃If peace continues； the evil will only
increase。 Twenty…five years from now the race of cattle and horses
will have diminished in France by one half。〃
〃Monsieur Grossetete is right；〃 remarked Gerard。 〃So that the work you
are undertaking here； madame；〃 he added； addressing Veronique； 〃is
really a service done to the country。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the /juge de paix/； 〃because Madame has but one son； and
the inheritance will not be divided up； but how long will that
condition last？ For a certain length of time the magnificent culture
which you are about to introduce will； let us hope； belong to only one
proprietor； who will continue to breed horned beasts and horses； but
sooner or later the day must come when these forests and fields will
be divided up and sold in small parcels。 Divided and redivided； the
six thousand acres of that plain will have a thousand or twelve
hundred owners； and thenceforthno more horses and cattle！〃
〃Oh！ as for those days〃began the mayor。
〃There！ don't you hear the /What is that to me？/ Monsieur Clousier
talked of？〃 cried Monsieur Grossetete。 〃Taken in the act！ But；
monsieur；〃 resumed the banker； gravely addressing the dumfounded
mayor； 〃those days have really come。 In a radius of thirty miles round
Paris the land is so divided up into small holdings that milch cows
are no longer seen。 The Commune of Argenteuil contains thirty…eight
thousand eight hundred and eighty…five parcels of land； many of which
do not return a farthing of revenue。 If it were not for the rich
refuse of Paris； which produces a fodder of strong quality； I don't
know how dairymen would get along。 As it is； this over…stimulating
food and confinement in close stables produce inflammatory diseases；
of which the cows often die。 They use cows in the neighborhood of
Paris as they do horses in the street。 Crops more profitable than hay
vegetables； fruit； apple orchards； vineyardsare taking the place
of meadow…lands。 In a few years we shall see milk sent to Paris by the
mail…coaches as they now send fish。 What is going on around Paris is
also going on round all the large cities of France； the land will thus
be used up before many years are gone。 Chaptel states that in 1800
there were barely two million acres of vineyard in France； a careful
estimate would give ten million to…day。 Divided /ad infinitum/ by our
present system of inheritance； Normandy will lose half her production
of horses and cattle； but she will have a monopoly of milk in Paris；
for her climate； happily； forbids grape culture。 We shall soon see a
curious phenomenon in the progressive rise in the cost of meat。 In
twenty years from now； in 1850； Paris； which paid seven to eleven sous
for a pound of beef in 1814； will be paying twentyunless there comes
a man of genius who can carry out the plan of Charles X。〃
〃You have laid your finger on the mortal wound of France；〃 said the
/juge de paix/。 〃The root of our evils lies in the section relating to
inheritance in the Civil Code； in which the equal division of property
among heirs is ordained。 That's the pestle that pounds territory into
crumbs； individualizes fortunes； and takes from them their needful
stability； decomposing ever and never recomposing；a state of things
which must end in the ruin of France。 The French Revolution emitted a
destructive virus to which the July days have given fresh activity。
This vitiating element is the accession of the peasantry to the
ownership of land。 In the section 'On Inheritance' is the principle of
the evil； the peasant is the means through which it works。 No sooner
does that class get a parcel of land into its maw than it begin