How to build a house

by Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

Eugène had therefore taught Paul how he should contrive every evening to get a clear idea of the labour of various kinds that was to be executed next day, and how he should allot everyone his part before quitting the works. This necessity of foreseeing everything had appeared to Paul a difficult task; but his mind had become gradually accustomed to the business, and he was acquiring the power of calculating with some ease what had to be accomplished.

Eugène warned him that he must not expect help from the workmen in thus arranging things methodically; and he had in fact observed that most of them, when any piece of work was to be begun, could not set about it, because those whose duty it was to put things in readiness for them had not received notice to do so, and had not made the necessary arrangements. Then the time would be wasted in running after one another.

“The workman,” Eugène would say to Paul, “is naturally improvident, as are all those who have acquired the habit of being commanded by others, and have no responsibility of their own. He is not unaware of what will be necessary for accomplishing such or such a piece of work; yet he waits till the moment it will have to be done without troubling himself whether the conditions required for its accomplishment will be present or not. When, therefore, labourers in several departments are working together, method, order, and foresight are demanded on the part of the architect; otherwise much time is lost; the workmen hinder instead of helping one another; each does his own work without concerning himself as to whether it is at the fitting time or not. The same piece of work may have to be recommenced twice or thrice.”

The workmen who were to set the grates and fix the warming apparatus had come; and though every provision had been made during the building for the passage of the flues, for the ventilation and the hot pipes of the warming apparatus, these workmen were continually calling for the mason. But as Eugène had pre-arranged everything for the purpose, he had enjoined his clerk of the works not to allow these workmen to make holes in every direction for the passage of their pipes or other arrangements, as they had been accustomed to do, without respect for the building and the bearings of the floors. But the passages were not obvious, especially as they took very little trouble to look for them, so that Branchu was obliged to go and show them how they lay, and open the orifices, enlarging some and contracting others. Then the plumbers set about laying the water-pipes, and the walls had to be pierced for them, and cramp-holes made. The joiners, too, would be requiring the mason to cramp in the window and door-frames. It was necessary to mediate between these conflicting interests, for Branchu was getting confused, and was going from one set of workmen to another without getting anything finished. This period of his work therefore made Paul acquainted with many details in building to which he had scarcely paid attention a few months before.

At the end of September the joiners’ work was considerably advanced, and the roofing quite finished, so that soon the painting alone would remain to occupy attention. The memoranda were in due order, so that the accounts could be readily made out.

Meantime, M. de Gandelau was thinking of sending his son back to the Lyceum at the end of the vacation; it was necessary for him to complete his studies; and though this year had not been lost to Paul, he was still too young to begin to study architecture, supposing he intended to adopt that profession. The question was therefore brought forward one evening towards the end of September, en famille. Eugène remarked, and with reason, that Paul had learned all he could in works on this small scale; that if he were to remain longer in the country he would see the painters prepare the grounds and put on the successive coats of paint, but this could not be of much use to him. Besides, as Madame Marie was not to return till the spring, it was desirable to allow the building to dry before proceeding with the interior decorations and upholstery.

The idea of returning to college was not very agreeable to Paul after a year of this active life, passed as it was almost entirely in the open air; but reflection taught him that it would not be right to do otherwise. Moreover, Monsieur and Madame de Gandelau had business to attend to in Paris, and would pass a part of the winter there.

It was therefore decided that Eugène should remain during the time required for getting the work finished, so that no risks should be incurred in the winter, and that Paul should set out with his parents at the beginning of October.

The painting would not be begun till after the severe frosts. Eugène undertook to have this operation superintended, and to visit the works himself during his stay at Chateauroux, where business of some importance required his presence towards the end of the winter.

All being thus arranged, Paul, with a somewhat heavy heart, quitted his beloved house on the 2nd of October, and returned to the Lyceum. Most of his comrades, like himself, had passed nearly the whole year away from Paris, and their studies had been suspended; but very few had employed their time usefully. So when Paul related what he had done during these twelve months, many laughed at him, and some did not believe him; but from that time forward he was called by no other name than Monsieur l’Architecte.