雨果 悲惨世界 英文版1-第102章

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　　A　profound　vagueness　enveloped　that　form　clad　in　mourning。
　　Your　eyes　searched　that　vagueness；　and　sought　to　make　out　the　surroundings　of　the　apparition。　At　the　expiration　of　a　very　short　time　you　discovered　that　you　could　see　nothing。
　　What　you　beheld　was　night；　emptiness；　shadows；　a　wintry　mist　mingled　with　a　vapor　from　the　tomb；　a　sort　of　terrible　peace；　a　silence　from　which　you　could　gather　nothing；　not　even　sighs；　a　gloom　in　which　you　could　distinguish　nothing；　not　even　phantoms。
　　What　you　beheld　was　the　interior　of　a　cloister。
　　It　was　the　interior　of　that　severe　and　gloomy　edifice　which　was　called　the　Convent　of　the　Bernardines　of　the　Perpetual　Adoration。　The　box　in　which　you　stood　was　the　parlor。
　　The　first　voice　which　had　addressed　you　was　that　of　the　portress　who　always　sat　motionless　and　silent；　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall；　near　the　square　opening；　screened　by　the　iron　grating　and　the　plate　with　its　thousand　holes；　as　by　a　double　visor。
　　The　obscurity　which　bathed　the　grated　box　arose　from　the　fact　that　the　parlor；　which　had　a　window　on　the　side　of　the　world；　had　none　on　the　side　of　the　convent。
　　Profane　eyes　must　see　nothing　of　that　sacred　place。
　　Nevertheless；　there　was　something　beyond　that　shadow；　there　was　a　light；　there　was　life　in　the　midst　of　that　death。
　　Although　this　was　the　most　strictly　walled　of　all　convents；　we　shall　endeavor　to　make　our　way　into　it；　and　to　take　the　reader　in；　and　to　say；　without　transgressing　the　proper　bounds；　things　which　story…tellers　have　never　seen；　and　have；　therefore；　never　described。


BOOK　SIXTH。LE　PETIT…PICPUS
CHAPTER　II　
　　THE　OBEDIENCE　OF　MARTIN　VERGA
　　　This　convent；　which　in　1824　had　already　existed　for　many　a　long　year　in　the　Rue　Petit…Picpus；　was　a　munity　of　Bernardines　of　the　obedience　of　Martin　Verga。
　　These　Bernardines　were　attached；　in　consequence；　not　to　Clairvaux；　like　the　Bernardine　monks；　but　to　Citeaux；　like　the　Benedictine　monks。　In　other　words；　they　were　the　subjects；　not　of　Saint　Bernard；　but　of　Saint　Benoit。
　　Any　one　who　has　turned　over　old　folios　to　any　extent　knows　that　Martin　Verga　founded　in　1425　a　congregation　of　Bernardines…Benedictines；　with　Salamanca　for　the　head　of　the　order；　and　Alcala　as　the　branch　establishment。
　　This　congregation　had　sent　out　branches　throughout　all　the　Catholic　countries　of　Europe。
　　There　is　nothing　unusual　in　the　Latin　Church　in　these　grafts　of　one　order　on　another。
　　To　mention　only　a　single　order　of　Saint…Benoit；　which　is　here　in　question：
　　there　are　attached　to　this　order；　without　counting　the　obedience　of　Martin　Verga；　four　congregations；　two　in　Italy；　Mont…Cassin　and　Sainte…Justine　of　Padua；　two　in　France；　Cluny　and　Saint…Maur；　and　nine　orders；Vallombrosa；　Granmont；　the　Celestins；　the　Camaldules；　the　Carthusians；　the　Humilies；　the　Olivateurs；　the　Silvestrins；　and　lastly；　Citeaux；　for　Citeaux　itself；　a　trunk　for　other　orders；　is　only　an　offshoot　of　Saint…Benoit。　Citeaux　dates　from　Saint　Robert；　Abbe　de　Molesme；　in　the　diocese　of　Langres；　in　1098。
　　Now　it　was　in　529　that　the　devil；　having　retired　to　the　desert　of　Subiacohe　was　oldhad　he　turned　hermit？　was　chased　from　the　ancient　temple　of　Apollo；　where　he　dwelt；　by　Saint…Benoit；　then　aged　seventeen。
　　After　the　rule　of　the　Carmelites；　who　go　barefoot；　wear　a　bit　of　willow　on　their　throats；　and　never　sit　down；　the　harshest　rule　is　that　of　the　Bernardines…Benedictines　of　Martin　Verga。　They　are　clothed　in　black；　with　a　guimpe；　which；　in　accordance　with　the　express　mand　of　Saint…Benoit；　mounts　to　the　chin。　A　robe　of　serge　with　large　sleeves；　a　large　woollen　veil；　the　guimpe　which　mounts　to　the　chin　cut　square　on　the　breast；　the　band　which　descends　over　their　brow　to　their　eyes；this　is　their　dress。　All　is　black　except　the　band；　which　is　white。
　　The　novices　wear　the　same　habit；　but　all　in　white。
　　The　professed　nuns　also　wear　a　rosary　at　their　side。
　　The　Bernardines…Benedictines　of　Martin　Verga　practise　the　Perpetual　Adoration；　like　the　Benedictines　called　Ladies　of　the　Holy　Sacrament；　who；　at　the　beginning　of　this　century；　had　two　houses　in　Paris；　one　at　the　Temple；　the　other　in　the　Rue　Neuve…Sainte…Genevieve。　However；　the　Bernardines…Benedictines　of　the　Petit…Picpus；　of　whom　we　are　speaking；　were　a　totally　different　order　from　the　Ladies　of　the　Holy　Sacrament；　cloistered　in　the　Rue　Neuve…Sainte…Genevieve　and　at　the　Temple。　There　were　numerous　differences　in　their　rule；　there　were　some　in　their　costume。
　　The　Bernardines…Benedictines　of　the　Petit…Picpus　wore　the　black　guimpe；　and　the　Benedictines　of　the　Holy　Sacrament　and　of　the　Rue　Neuve…Sainte…Genevieve　wore　a　white　one；　and　had；　besides；　on　their　breasts；　a　Holy　Sacrament　about　three　inches　long；　in　silver　gilt　or　gilded　copper。
　　The　nuns　of　the　Petit…Picpus　did　not　wear　this　Holy　Sacrament。
　　The　Perpetual　Adoration；　which　was　mon　to　the　house　of　the　Petit…Picpus　and　to　the　house　of　the　Temple；　leaves　those　two　orders　perfectly　distinct。
　　Their　only　resemblance　lies　in　this　practice　of　the　Ladies　of　the　Holy　Sacrament　and　the　Bernardines　of　Martin　Verga；　just　as　there　existed　a　similarity　in　the　study　and　the　glorification　of　all　the　mysteries　relating　to　the　infancy；　the　life；　and　death　of　Jesus　Christ　and　the　Virgin；　between　the　two　orders；　which　were；　nevertheless；　widely　separated；　and　on　occasion　even　hostile。
　　The　Oratory　of　Italy；　established　at　Florence　by　Philip　de　Neri；　and　the　Oratory　of　France；　established　by　Pierre　de　Berulle。
　　The　Oratory　of　France　claimed　the　precedence；　since　Philip　de　Neri　was　only　a　saint；　while　Berulle　was　a　cardinal。
　　Let　us　return　to　the　harsh　Spanish　rule　of　Martin　Verga。
　　The　Bernardines…Benedictines　of　this　obedience　fast　all　the　year　round；　abstain　from　meat；　fast　in　Lent　and　on　many　other　days　which　are　peculiar　to　them；　rise　from　their　first　sleep；　from　one　to　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　to　read　their　breviary　and　chant　matins；　sleep　in　all　seasons　between　serge　sheets　and　on　straw；　make　no　use　of　the　bath；　never　light　a　fire；　scourge　themselves　every　Friday；　observe　the　rule　of　silence；　speak　to　each　other　only　during　the　recreation　hours；　which　are　very　brief；　and　wear　drugget　chemises　for　six　months　in　the　year；　from　September　14th；　which　is　the　Exaltation　of　the　Holy　Cross；　until　Easter。　These　six　months　are　a　modification：
　　the　rule　says　all　the　year；　but　this　drugget　chemise；　intolerable　in　the　heat　of　summer；　produced　fevers　and　nervous　spasms。
　　The　use　of　it　had　to　be　restricted。　Even　with　this　palliation；　when　the　nuns　put　on　this　chemise　on　the　14th　of　September；　they　suffer　from　fever　for　three　or　four　days。　Obedience；　poverty；　chastity；　perseverance　in　their　seclusion；　these　are　their　vows；　which　the　rule　greatly　aggravates。
　　The　prioress　is　elected　for　three　years　by　the　mothers；　who　are　called　meres　vocales　because　they　have　a　voice　in　the　chapter。　A　prioress　can　only　be　re…elected　twice；　which　fixes　the　longest　possible　reign　of　a　prioress　at　nine　years。
　　They　never　see　the　officiating　priest；　who　is　always　hidden　from　them　by　a　serge　curtain　nine　feet　in　height。
　　During　the　sermon；　when　the　preacher　is　in　the　chapel；　they　drop　their　veils　over　their　faces。　They　must　always　speak　low；　walk　with　their　eyes　on　the　ground　and　their　heads　bowed。
　　One　man　only　is　allowed　to　enter　the　convent；　the　archbishop　of　the　diocese。
　　There　is　really　one　other；the　gardener。
　　But　he　is　always　an　old　man；　and；　in　order　that　he　may　always　be　alone　in　the　garden；　and　that　the　nuns　may　be　warned　to　avoid　him；　a　bell　is　attached　to　his　knee。
　　Their　submission　to　the　prioress　is　absolute　and　passive。　It　is　the　canonical　subjection　in　the　full　force　of　its　abnegation。　As　at　the　voice　of　Christ；　ut　voci　Christi；　at　a　gesture；　at　the　first　sign；　ad　nutum；　ad　primum　signum；　immediately；　with　cheerfulness；　with　perseverance；　with　a　certain　blind　obedience；　prompte；　hilariter；　perseveranter　et　caeca　quadam　obedientia；　as　the　file　in　the　hand　of　the　workman；　quasi　limam　in　manibus　fabri；　without　power　to　read　or　to　write　without　express　permission；　legere　vel　scribere　non　addiscerit　sine　expressa　superioris　licentia。
　　Each　one　of　them　in　turn　makes　what　they　call　reparation。　The　reparation　is　the　prayer　for　all　the　sins；　for　all　the　faults；　for　all　the　dissensions；　for　all　the　violations；　for　all　the　iniquities；　for　all　the　crimes　mitted　on　earth。
　　For　the　space　of　twelve　consecutive　hours；　from　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　till　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　or　from　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　until　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　the　sister　who　is　making　reparation　remains　on　her　knees　on　the　stone　before　the　Holy　Sacrament；　with　hands　clasped；　a　rope　around　her　neck。
　　When　her　fatigue　bees　unendurable；　she　prostrates　herself　flat　on　her　face　against　the　earth；　with　her　arms　outstretched　in　the　form　of　a　cross；　this　is　her　only　relief。　In　this　attitude　she　prays　for　all　the　guilty　in　the　universe。　This　is　great　to　sublimity。
　　As　this　act　is　performed　in　front　of　a　post　on　which　burns　a　candle；　it　is　called　without　distinction；　to　make　reparation　or　to　be　at　the　post。
　　The　nuns　even　prefer；　out　of　humility；　this　last　expression；　which　contains　an　idea　of　torture　and　abasement。
　　To　make　reparation　is　a　function　in　which　the　whole　soul　is　absorbed。　The　sister　at　the　post　would　not　turn　round　were　a　thunderbolt　to　fall　directly　behind　her。
　　Besides　this；　there　is　always　a　sister　kneeling　before　the　Holy　Sacrament。
　　This　station　lasts　an　hour。
　　They　relieve　each　other　like　soldiers　on　guard。
　　This　is　the　Perpetual　Adoration。
　　The　prioresses　and　the　mothers　almost　always　bear　names　stamped　with　peculiar　solemnity；　recalling；　not　the　saints　and　martyrs；　but　moments　in　the　life　of　Jesus　Christ：
　　as　Mother　Nativity；　Mother　Conception；　Mother　Presentation；　Mother　Passion。
　　But　the　names　of　saints　are　not　interdicted。
　　When　one　sees　them；　one　never　sees　anything　but　their　mouths。
　　All　their　teeth　are　yellow。
　　No　tooth…brush　ever　entered　that　convent。　Brushing　one's　teeth　is　at　the　top　of　a　ladder　at　whose　bottom　is　the　loss　of　one's　soul。
　　They　never　say　my。
　　They　possess　nothing　of　their　own；　and　they　must　not　attach　themselves　to　anything。
　　They　call　everything　our；　thus：
　　our　veil；　our　chaplet；　if　they　were　speaking　of　their　chemise；　they　would　say　our　chemise。
　　Sometimes　they　grow　attached　to　some　petty　object；　to　a　book　of　hours；　a　relic；　a　medal　that　has　been　blessed。
　　As　soon　as　they　bee　aware　that　they　are　growing　attached　to　this　object；　they　must　give　it　up。
　　They　recall　the　words　of　Saint　Therese；　to　whom　a　great　lady　said；　as　she　was　on　the　point　of　entering　her　order；　〃Permit　me；　mother；　to　send　for　a　Bible　to　which　I　am　greatly　attached。〃
　　〃Ah；　you　are　attached　to　something！　In　that　case；　do　not　enter　our　order！〃
　　Every　person　whatever　is　forbidden　to　shut　herself　up；　to　have　a　place　of　her　own；　a　chamber。
　　They　live　with　their　cells　open。　When　they　meet；　one　says；　〃Blessed　and　adored　be　the　most　Holy　Sacrament　of　the　altar！〃
　　The　other　responds；　〃Forever。〃
　　The　same　ceremony　when　one　taps　at　the　other's　door。
　　Hardly　has　she　touched　the　do