\"Oh，madame，\"criedFarrabesche，\"beforelong，whentherainsbegin，youwillhearthetorrentroarevenatthechateau;buteventhatisnothingtowhathappensinspringwhenthesnowsmelt。ThewaterthenrushesdownfromallpartsoftheforestbehindMontegnac，fromthosegreatslopeswhicharebackofthehillsonwhichyouhaveyourpark。
Allthewaterofthesemountainspoursintothisvalleyandmakesadeluge。Luckilyforyou，thetreesholdtheearth;otherwisethelandwouldslideintothevalley。\"
\"Wherearethesprings？\"askedMadameGraslin，givingherfullattentiontowhathesaid。
Farrabeschepointedtoanarrowgorgewhichseemedtoendthevalleyjustbelowhishouse。\"TheyaremostlyonaclayplateaulyingbetweentheLimousinandtheCorreze;theyaremeregreenpoolsduringthesummer，andlosethemselvesinthesoil。Noonelivesinthatunhealthyregion。Thecattlewillnoteatthegrassorreedsthatgrownearthebrackishwater。Thatvasttract，whichhasmorethanthreethousandacresinit，isanopencommonforthreedistricts;but，liketheplainsofMontegnac，nousecanbemadeofit。Thissideonyourproperty，asIshowedyou，thereisalittleearthamongthestones，butoverthereisnothingbutsandyrock。\"
\"Sendyourboyforthehorses;Iwillrideoverandseeitformyself。\"