180 FRESNEL. 
sequel was unexpected. To level small portions of 
road ; to seek, in the countries placed under his superin- 
tendence, for beds of flint; to preside over the extraction 
of the materials; to see to their deposition on the road, 
or in the wheel ruts; to execute, here and there, a 
bridge over the irrigation drains; to reéstablish some 
metres of bank which the torrent has carried away in its 
progress; to exercise principally an active surveillance 
over the contractors; to verify their accounts; to esti- 
mate scrupulously their works,—such were the duties, 
very useful, though not very lofty, not very scientific, 
which Fresnel had to fulfil during from eight to nine 
years in Vendée, in Dréme, and in Ile et Vilaine. 
How heavily must a mind of such power have been 
affected, when he compared the use which he might 
have made of those hours which pass away so quickly, 
with the way in which they were being spent! But 
with Fresnel conscientiousness was always the foremost 
part of his character, and he constantly performed his 
duties as an engineer with the most rigorous scrupulous- 
ness. The mission to defend the revenues of the state, 
to obtain for them the best employment possible, ap- 
peared to his eyes in the light of a question of honour. 
The functionary, whatever might be his rank, who sub- 
mitted to him an ambiguous account, became at once the 
object of his profound contempt. Fresnel could not 
comprehend the conduct to which persons, in other 
respects very estimable, believe themselves bound some- 
times by an esprit de corps. All fraternity ceased for 
him, notwithstanding the similarity of title and uniform, 
as soon as any one lost a probity free of suspicion. 
Under such circumstances the habitual gentleness of his 
manners disappeared, and gave place to a sternness, I 
uth A tig, 
