between whom was Veronique； could see the direction of the four first
cuttings marked out by piles of gathered stones。 At each cutting five
laborers were digging out and piling up the good loam along the edges；
clearing a space about eighteen feet wide； the width of each road。 On
either side； four other men were digging the ditches and also piling
up the loam at the sides to make a bank。 Behind them； as the banks
were made； two men were digging holes in which others planted trees。
In each of these divisions； thirty old paupers； a score of women； and
forty or more girls and children were picking up stones； which special
laborers piled in heaps along the roadside so as to keep a record of
the quantity gathered by each group。 Thus the work went on rapidly；
with picked workmen full of ardor。 Grossetete promised Madame Graslin
to send her some trees and to ask her other friends to do the same；
for the nurseries of the chateau would evidently not suffice to supply
such an extensive plantation。 Toward the close of the day； which was
to end in a grand dinner at the chateau； Farrabesche requested Madame
Graslin to grant him an audience for a few moments。
〃Madame；〃 he said； presenting himself with Catherine； 〃you were so
good as to offer me the farm at the chateau。 By granting me so great a
favor I know you intended to put me in the way of making my fortune。
But Catherine has ideas about our future which we desire to submit to
you。 If I were to succeed and make money there would certainly be
persons envious of my good fortune； a word is soon said； I might have
quarrels；I fear them； besides； Catherine would always be uneasy。 In
short； too close intercourse with the world will not suit us。 I have
come therefore to ask you to give us only the land at the opening of
the Gabou on the commons； with a small piece of the woodland behind
the Roche…Vive。 In July you will have a great many workmen here； and
it would be very easy then to build a farmhouse in a good position on
the slope of the hill。 We should be happy there。 I will send for
Guepin。 My poor comrade will work like a horse； perhaps I could marry
him here。 My son is not a do…nothing either。 No one would put us out
of countenance； we could colonize this corner of the estate； and I
should make it my ambition to turn it into a fine farm for you。
Moreover； I want to propose as farmer of your great farm near the
chateau a cousin of Catherine； who has money and would therefore be
more capable than I could be of managing such a large affair as that
farm。 If it please God to bless your enterprise； in five years from
now you will have five or six thousand horned beasts or horses on that
plain below； and it wants a better head than mine to manage them。〃
Madame Graslin agreed to his request； doing justice to the good sense
of it。
From the time the work on the plain began； Veronique's life assumed
the regularity of country existence。 In the morning she heard mass；
took care of her son； whom she idolized； and went to see her laborers。
After dinner she received her friends from Montegnac in the little
salon to the right of the clock…tower。 She taught Roubaud； Clousier；
and the rector to play whist； which Gerard knew already。 The rubbers
usually ended at nine o'clock； after which the company withdrew。 This
peaceful life had no other events to mark it than the success of the
various parts of the great enterprise。
In June the torrent of the Gabou went dry； and Gerard established his
headquarters in the keeper's house。 Farrabesche had already built his
farmhouse； which he called Le Gabou。 Fifty masons； brought from Paris；
joined the two mountains by a wall twenty feet thick； with a
foundation twelve feet deep and heavily cemented。 The wall； or dam；
rose nearly sixty feet and tapered in until it was not more than ten
feet thick at the summit。 Gerard backed this wall on the valley side
with a cemented slope； about twelve feet wide at its base。 On the side
toward the commons a similar slope； covered with several feet of
arable earth； still further supported this great work； which no rush
of water could possibly damage。 The engineer provided in case of
unusual rains an overflow at a proper height。 The masonry was inserted
into the flank of each mountain until the granite or the hard…pan was
reached； so that the water had absolutely no outlet at the sides。
This dam was finished by the middle of August。 At the same time Gerard
was preparing three canals in the principal valleys； and none of these
works came up to his estimated costs。 The chateau farm could now be
finished。 The irrigation channels through the plain； superintended by
Fresquin； started from the canal made by nature along the base of the
mountains on the plain side； through which culverts were cut to the
irrigating channels。 Water…gates were fitted into those channels； the
sides of which the abundance of rock had enabled them to stone up； so
as to keep the flow of water at an even height along the plain。
Every Sunday after mass； Veronique； the engineer； the rector； the
doctor； and the mayor walked down through the park to see the course
of the waters。 The winter of 1832 and 1833 was extremely rainy。 The
water of the three streams which had been directed to the torrent；
swollen by the water of the rains； now formed three ponds in the
valley of the Gabou； carefully placed at different levels so as to
create a steady reserve in case of a severe drought。 At certain places
where the valley widened Gerard had taken advantage of a few hillocks
to make islands and plant them with trees of varied foliage。 These
vast operations completely changed the face of the country； but five
or six years were of course needed to bring out their full character。
〃The country was naked；〃 said Farrabesche； 〃and madame has clothed
it。〃
Since these great undertakings were begun； Veronique had been called
〃Madame〃 throughout the whole neighborhood。 When the rains ceased in
June； 1833； they tried the irrigating channels through the planted
fields； and the young verdure thus nourished soon showed the superior
qualities of the /marciti/ of Italy and the meadows of Switzerland。
The system of irrigation； modelled on that of the farms in Lombardy；
watered the earth evenly； and kept the surface as smooth as a carpet。
The nitre of the snow dissolving in these channels no doubt added much
to the quality of the herbage。 The engineer hoped to find in the
products of succeeding years some analogy with those of Switzerland；
to which this nitrous substance is； as we know； a source of perpetual
riches。
The plantations along the roads； sufficiently moistened by the water
allowed to run through the ditches； made rapid growth。 So that in
1838； six years after Madame Graslin had begun her enterprise； the
stony plain； regarded as hopelessly barren by twenty generations； was
verdant； productive； and well planted throughout。 Gerard had built
five farmhouses with their dependencies upon it； with a thousand acres
to each。 Gerard's own farm and those of Grossetete and Fresquin； which
received the overflow from Madame's domains； were built on the same
plan and managed by the same methods。 The engineer also built a
charming little house for himself on his own property。 When all was
completely finished； the inhabitants of Montegnac； instigated by the
present mayor； who was anxious to retire； elected Gerard to the
mayoralty of the district。
In 1840 the departure of the first herd of cattle sent from Montegnac
to the Paris markets was made the occasion of a rural fete。 The farms
of the plain raised fine beasts and horses； for it was found； after
the land was cleaned up； that there were seven inches of good soil
which the annual fall of leaves； the manure left by the pasturage of
animals； and； above all； the melting of the snows contained in the
valley of the Gabou； increased in fertility。
It was in this year that Madame Graslin found it necessary to obtain a
tutor for her son； who was now eleven years of age。 She did not wish
to part with him； and yet she was anxious to make him a thoroughly
well…educated man。 Monsieur Bonnet wrote to the Seminary。 Madame
Graslin； on her side； said a few words as to her wishes and the
difficulty of obtaining the right person to Monsieur Dutheil； recently
appointed arch…bishop。 The choice of such a man； who would live nine
years familiarly in the chateau； was a serious matter。 Gerard had
already offered to teach mathematics to his friend Francis； but he
could not； of course； take the place of a regular tutor。 This question
agitated Madame Graslin's mind； and all the more because she knew that
her health was beginning to fail。
The more prosperous grew her dear Montegnac； the more she increased
the secret austerities of her life。 Monseigneur Dutheil； with whom she
corresponded regularly； found at last the man she wanted。 He sent her
from his late diocese a young professor； twenty…five years of age；
named Ruffin； whose mind had a special vocation for the art of
teaching。 This young man's knowledge was great； and his nature was one
of deep feeling； which； however； did not preclude the sternness
necessary in the management of youth。 In him religion did not in any
way hamper knowledge； he was also patient； and extremely agreeable in
appearance and manner。 〃I make you a fine present； my dear daughter；〃
wrote the prelate； 〃this young man is fit to educate a prince；
therefore I think you will be glad to arrange the future with him； for
he can undoubtedly be a spiritual father to your son。〃
Monsieur Ruffin proved so satisfactory to Madame Graslin's faithful
friends that his arrival made no change in the various intimacies that
grouped themselves around this beloved idol； whose hours and moments
were claimed by each with jealous eagerness。
By the year 1843 the prosperity of Montegnac had increased beyond all
expectation。 The farm of the Gabou rivalled the farms of the plain；
and that of the chateau set an example of constant improvement to all。
The five other farms； increasing in value； obtained higher rent；
reaching the sum of thirty thousand francs for each at the end of
twelve years。 The farmers； who were beginning to g