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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from The Village Rector by Honore de Balzac: you will hear the torrent roar even at the chateau; but even that is
nothing to what happens in spring when the snows melt. The water then
rushes down from all parts of the forest behind Montegnac, from those
great slopes which are back of the hills on which you have your park.
All the water of these mountains pours into this valley and makes a
deluge. Luckily for you, the trees hold the earth; otherwise the land
would slide into the valley."
"Where are the springs?" asked Madame Graslin, giving her full
attention to what he said.
Farrabesche pointed to a narrow gorge which seemed to end the valley
just below his house. "They are mostly on a clay plateau lying between
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