They soon arrived at the locks. Two coffer-dams, one below, one above, barred the course of the water; a large cast-iron siphon caused the current to pass over the workmen engaged in laying the foundations of the walls (the lateral walls) forming the chamber of the lock. Paul inquired about the working of the siphon, which he soon understood, as he had made one with quills and wax, and had emptied glasses of water with it. He had never imagined that this little hydraulic apparatus could be applied on so grand a scale. He saw how they made the concrete which was run under the lateral walls of the chamber, that is, the space comprised between the two gates of the lock. A horse was attached to a great wooden lever, which caused an iron shaft to revolve in a vertical cylinder, and which, furnished with beaters, mixed the slaked lime with the sand that was introduced at the top of this cylinder. An opening at the bottom let the mortar, well mixed, run into wheelbarrows which the workmen were taking to a wooden floor, where they mixed it with double its quantity of pebbles, by means of rakes. Then other workmen transported the concrete, well mingled, to a shoot which conducted it to the bottom of the excavation, where others again spread it in layers, and rammed it down with wooden damsels. Paul inquired, also, respecting the arrangement of the gates, the kerb, the stay, or sill, over which the folded gates of the lock were to abut, that is, presenting an obtuse angle towards the upper part of the stream, to resist the action of the current. He saw the carpenters’ workshop, where they put the lock-gates on templets. While superintending his works and giving his orders, M. Victorien explained to Paul how each department of labour contributed to the whole; and the latter took notes and made sketches in his memorandum-book with a view to keep in mind what he heard and saw. This attention on Paul’s part appeared to please M. Victorien. So when they were again seated in the char-à-banc to return to the town, the engineer did not fail to complete his explanations. He described to him the lock-gates of seaports, and how some were made in the present day thirty yards wide and more, part iron, part wood, or entirely iron; and promised to show him when they reached home the drawings of some of these locks. The conversation then turned on bridges, and by what means their piers could be built in the middle of a stream.
M. Victorien explained to him how, by the use of means supplied by modern engineering, piers were built in the middle of wide, deep, and rapid streams, where formerly the operation was not regarded as practicable; how they sunk double-plated iron cylinders vertically, so that their lower extremity touched the bottom; how, with the help of powerful machinery, they compressed the air in these enormous hollow columns, and how they then filled these cylinders with masonry, so that they thus obtained piers perfectly solid, stable, and capable of sustaining heavy pressures; and while the metal-work must decay with time the columns of masonry remained intact, having had time to gain a solid consistence.
M. Victorien’s explanations thus opened to Paul a new horizon of study, and he began to ask himself whether he should ever have time to learn all these things; for M. Victorien did not fail to repeat to him continually that an architect ought not to be ignorant of these methods of construction, because it was possible that he would have to make use of them. His attention, therefore, seemed distracted. M. Victorien perceived it, and said to him, “Let us talk of something else, for you seem to me rather tired.”
“No,” replied Paul; “but I had a good deal of difficulty in getting into my head all that my cousin told me about building a house only; and I thought that when I had thoroughly understood the different things he explained to me, I should have got the substance of all I had to learn: and now I see that there are many other things relating to construction which I ought to know, and—you know——”
“And that disquiets and frightens you. Take time; do not try to understand all at once; listen attentively, that is all. By degrees it will be disentangled in your mind, and be properly classified. Do not be anxious about it—young brains consist of a number of empty drawers. Youth need only be asked to open them; each new acquisition comes of itself to take its place in that which suits it. Afterwards, all we have to do is to open the drawer containing such or such a thing, stored up almost without our being conscious of it: we find it untouched, fit to be used for its proper purpose. Only we must always keep all our drawers open in the gathering season, a season which is but short. If we leave the drawers shut during our early youth—that is, from twelve to twenty-five—it is hard work to fill them afterwards, for the locks are rusted, or they have been filled, we do not know how, with useless rubbish.”
Chatting thus, the travellers returned home, where Madame Victorien had prepared them a good supper, enlivened by the presence of two little fellows returned from school, and who were soon very good friends with Paul.
The following day was devoted to seeing the contractor for the woodwork, and explaining to him the particulars Paul had brought with him, and preparing the estimates in which M. Victorien gave some assistance. Paul, however, well trained by his cousin, executed his commission creditably, and felt much flattered when, at the close of the interview, the contractor addressed him as ‘Monsieur l’Inspecteur,’ giving him all sorts of technical explanations, which Paul did not always comprehend, though he took good care not to show his ignorance, waiting for the opportunity of asking his cousin to enlighten him where necessary.
On the morning of the third day they went to see some interesting buildings in the neighbourhood, and in the evening, at nine o’clock, Paul returned to the château, his travelling-bag full of information which M. Victorien had given him respecting bridges, locks, and the building materials of the district, and the way in which they were employed.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE SLATING AND PLUMBING.
Although Paul could have returned to the Lyceum at Paris in June, Madame de Gandelau insisted upon her son remaining at home during the summer. She was afraid of typhus. Anxiety, moreover, was felt respecting the tranquillity of the great city which had been so cruelly tried and injured. A tutor in the neighbourhood—a man of more learning than is usually possessed by those modest substitutes for the highest class of educators—came therefore every day to read with Paul for an hour or two, that he might not forget his Latin; and the rest of his time was devoted to superintending the works, which were visibly advancing. The walls were built, the floor-joists fixed, and they were beginning to raise the timber-work of the roofs; and though there were no longer so many details to be given to the workmen, the surveillance had to be more minute, especially as Eugène would not allow anything to escape observation, and insisted upon having an account of everything. Sometimes, when Paul returned from the works, Eugène would ask him if he had seen such or such a part. If Paul hesitated, he would say to him, “Well, my dear fellow, you must go back and see that, and bring me an account of it—not to-morrow, mind, but directly.” And Paul would have to mount his pony again. So in order to avoid these goings and comings, which seemed to him at least monotonous, he had acquired the habit of not returning till he had examined in detail all the points respecting which his cousin could possibly question him. It was especially to the chain-rods that he had directed Paul’s attention. He would ask him repeatedly how the claw ends were bedded; and if the explanations did not agree, Paul had to return to the works, and not leave them till he had seen with his own eyes that things had been done according to order. Besides this, Eugène visited the works three times a week with Paul, and instructions were given to the builders in his presence. The former always took care to make his clerk of works repeat these instructions to him, to be certain that they were understood.