the village rector-第12章

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man　replied　that　he　had　intended　to　establish　a　porcelain　manufactory
in　that　country。　Thus；　without　committing　himself　to　any　line　of
defence；　he　covered　his　accomplice；　leaving　it　to　be　supposed　that　the
crime　was　committed；　if　at　all；　to　obtain　funds　for　this　business
venture。

In　the　midst　of　such　excitement　it　was　impossible　for　Veronique's
friends　to　refrain　from　discussing　in　her　presence　the　progress　of　the
case　and　the　reticence　of　the　criminal。　Her　health　was　extremely
feeble；　but　the　doctor　having　advised　her　going　out　into　the　fresh
air；　she　had　on　one　occasion　taken　her　mother's　arm　and　walked　as　far
as　Madame　Sauviat's　house　in　the　country；　where　she　rested。　On　her
return　she　endeavored　to　keep　about　until　her　husband　came　to　his
dinner；　which　she　always　served　him　herself。　On　this　occasion　Graslin；
being　detained　in　the　court…room；　did　not　come　in　till　eight　o'clock。
She　went　into　the　dining…room　as　usual；　and　was　present　at　a
discussion　which　took　place　among　a　number　of　her　friends　who　had
assembled　there。

〃If　my　poor　father　were　still　living；〃　she　remarked　to　them；　〃we
should　know　more　about　the　matter；　possibly　this　man　might　never　have
become　a　criminal。　I　think　you　have　all　taken　a　singular　idea　about
the　matter。　You　insist　that　love　is　at　the　bottom　of　the　crime；　and　I
agree　with　you　there；　but　why　do　you　think　this　unknown　person　is　a
married　woman？　He　may　have　loved　some　young　girl　whose　father　and
mother　would　not　let　her　marry　him。〃

〃A　young　girl　could；　sooner　or　later；　have　married　him　legitimately；〃
replied　Monsieur　de　Grandville。　〃Tascheron　has　no　lack　of　patience；　he
had　time　to　make　sufficient　means　to　support　her　while　awaiting　the
time　when　all　girls　are　at　liberty　to　marry　against　the　wishes　of
their　parents；　he　need　not　have　committed　a　crime　to　obtain　her。〃

〃I　did　not　know　that　a　girl　could　marry　in　that　way；〃　said　Madame
Graslin；　〃but　how　is　it　that　in　a　town　like　this；　where　all　things　are
known；　and　where　everybody　sees　everything　that　happens　to　his
neighbor；　not　the　slightest　clue　to　this　woman　has　been　obtained？　In
order　to　love；　persons　must　see　each　other　and　consequently　be　seen。
What　do　you　really　think；　you　magistrates？〃　she　added；　plunging　a
fixed　look　into　the　eyes　of　the　/procureur…general/。

〃We　think　that　the　woman　belongs　to　the　bourgeois　or　the　commercial
class。〃

〃I　don't　agree　with　you；〃　said　Madame　Graslin。　〃A　woman　of　that　class
does　not　have　elevated　sentiments。〃

This　reply　drew　all　eyes　on　Veronique；　and　the　whole　company　waited
for　an　explanation　of　so　paradoxical　a　speech。

〃During　the　hours　I　lie　awake　at　night　I　have　not　been　able　to　keep　my
mind　from　dwelling　on　this　mysterious　affair；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃and　I
think　I　have　fathomed　Tascheron's　motive。　I　believe　the　person　he
loves　is　a　young　girl；　because　a　married　woman　has　interests；　if　not
feelings；　which　partly　fill　her　heart　and　prevent　her　from　yielding　so
completely　to　a　great　passion　as　to　leave　her　home。　There　is　such　a
thing　as　a　love　proceeding　from　passion　which　is　half　maternal；　and　to
me　it　is　evident　that　this　man　was　loved　by　a　woman　who　wished　to　be
his　prop；　his　Providence。　She　must　have　put　into　her　passion　something
of　the　genius　that　inspires　the　work　of　artists　and　poets；　the
creative　force　which　exists　in　woman　under　another　form；　for　it　is　her
mission　to　create　men；　not　things。　Our　works　are　our　children；　our
children　are　the　pictures；　books；　and　statues　of　our　lives。　Are　we　not
artists　in　their　earliest　education？　I　say　that　this　unknown　woman；　if
she　is　not　a　young　girl；　has　never　been　a　mother　but　is　filled　with
the　maternal　instinct；　she　has　loved　this　man　to　form　him；　to　develop
him。　It　needs　a　feminine　element　in　you　men　of　law　to　detect　these
shades　of　motive；　which　too　often　escape　you。　If　I　had　been　your
deputy；〃　she　said；　looking　straight　at　the　/procureur…general/；　〃I
should　have　found　the　guilty　woman；　if　indeed　there　is　any　guilt　about
it。　I　agree　with　the　Abbe　Dutheil　that　these　lovers　meant　to　fly　to
America　with　the　money　of　old　Pingret。　The　theft　led　to　the　murder　by
the　fatal　logic　which　the　punishment　of　death　inspires。　And　so；〃　she
added　with　an　appealing　look　at　Monsieur　de　Grandville；　〃I　think　it
would　be　merciful　in　you　to　abandon　the　theory　of　premeditation；　for
in　so　doing　you　would　save　the　man's　life。　He　is　evidently　a　fine　man
in　spite　of　his　crime；　he　might；　perhaps；　repair　that　crime　by　a　great
repentance　if　you　gave　him　time。　The　works　of　repentance　ought　to
count　for　something　in　the　judgment　of　the　law。　In　these　days　is　there
nothing　better　for　a　human　being　to　do　than　to　give　his　life；　or
build；　as　in　former　times；　a　cathedral　of　Milan；　to　expiate　his
crimes？〃

〃Your　ideas　are　noble；　madame；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Grandville；　〃but；
premeditation　apart；　Tascheron　would　still　be　liable　to　the　penalty　of
death　on　account　of　the　other　serious　and　proved　circumstances
attending　the　crime；such　as　forcible　entrance　and　burglary　at
night。〃

〃Then　you　think　that　he　will　certainly　be　found　guilty？〃　she　said；
lowering　her　eyelids。

〃I　am　certain　of　it；〃　he　said；　〃the　prosecution　has　a　strong　case。〃

A　slight　tremor　rustled　Madame　Graslin's　dress。

〃I　feel　cold；〃　she　said。　Taking　her　mother's　arm　she　went　to　bed。

〃She　seemed　quite　herself　this　evening；〃　said　her　friends。

The　next　day　Veronique　was　much　worse　and　kept　her　bed。　When　her
physician　expressed　surprise　at　her　condition　she　said；　smiling：

〃I　told　you　that　that　walk　would　do　me　no　good。〃

Ever　since　the　opening　of　the　trial　Tascheron's　demeanor　had　been
equally　devoid　of　hypocrisy　or　bravado。　Veronique's　physician；
intending　to　divert　his　patient's　mind；　tried　to　explain　this
demeanor；　which　the　man's　defenders　were　making　the　most　of。　The
prisoner　was　misled；　said　the　doctor；　by　the　talents　of　his　lawyer；
and　was　sure　of　acquittal；　at　times　his　face　expressed　a　hope　that　was
greater　than　that　of　merely　escaping　death。　The　antecedents　of　the　man
（who　was　only　twenty…three　years　old）　were　so　at　variance　with　the
crime　now　charged　to　him　that　his　legal　defenders　claimed　his　present
bearing　to　be　a　proof　of　innocence；　besides；　the　overwhelming
circumstantial　proofs　of　the　theory　of　the　prosecution　were　made　to
appear　so　weak　by　his　advocate　that　the　man　was　buoyed　up　by　the
lawyer's　arguments。　To　save　his　client's　life　the　lawyer　made　the　most
of　the　evident　want　of　premeditation；　hypothetically　he　admitted　the
premeditation　of　the　robbery　but　not　of　the　murders；　which　were
evidently　（no　matter　who　was　the　guilty　party）　the　result　of　two
unexpected　struggles。　Success；　the　doctor　said；　was　really　as　doubtful
for　one　side　as　for　the　other。

After　this　visit　of　her　physician　Veronique　received　that　of　the
/procureur…general/；　who　was　in　the　habit　of　coming　in　every　morning
on　his　way　to　the　court…room。

〃I　have　read　the　arguments　of　yesterday；〃　she　said　to　him；　〃and
to…day；　as　I　suppose；　the　evidence　for　the　defence　begins。　I　am　so
interested　in　that　man　that　I　should　like　to　have　him　saved。　Couldn't
you　for　once　in　your　life　forego　a　triumph？　Let　his　lawyer　beat　you。
Come；　make　me　a　present　of　the　man's　life；　and　perhaps　you　shall　have
mine　some　day。　The　able　presentation　of　the　defence　by　Tascheron's
lawyer　really　raises　a　strong　doubt；　and〃

〃Why；　you　are　quite　agitated；〃　said　the　viscount　somewhat　surprised。

〃Do　you　know　why？〃　she　answered。　〃My　husband　has　just　remarked　a　most
horrible　coincidence；　which　is　really　enough　in　the　present　state　of
my　nerves；　to　cause　my　death。　If　you　condemn　this　man　to　death　it　will
be　on　the　very　day　when　I　shall　give　birth　to　my　child。〃

〃But　I　can't　change　the　laws；〃　said　the　lawyer。

〃Ah！　you　don't　know　how　to　love；〃　she　retorted；　closing　her　eyes；　then
she　turned　her　head　on　the　pillow　and　made　him　an　imperative　sign　to
leave　the　room。

Monsieur　Graslin　pleaded　strongly　but　in　vain　with　his　fellow…jurymen
for　acquittal；　giving　a　reason　which　some　of　them　adopted；　a　reason
suggested　by　his　wife：

〃If　we　do　not　condemn　this　man　to　death；　but　allow　him　to　live；　the
des　Vanneaulx　will　in　the　end　recover　their　property。〃

This　weighty　argument　made　a　division　of　the　jury；　into　five　for
condemnation　against　seven　for　acquittal；　which　necessitated　an　appeal
to　the　court；　but　the　judge　sided　with　the　minority。　According　to　the
legal　system　of　that　day　this　action　led　to　a　verdict　of　guilty。　When
sentence　was　passed　upon　him　Tascheron　flew　into　a　fury　which　was
natural　enough　in　a　man　full　of　life　and　strength；　but　which　the　court
and　jury　and　lawyers　and　spectators　had　rarely　witnessed　in　persons
who　were　thought　to　be　unjustly　condemned。



VI

DISCUSSIONS　AND　CHRISTIAN　SOLICITUDES

In　spite　of　the　verdict；　the　drama　of　this　crime　did　not　seem　over　so
far　as　the　community　was　concerned。　So　complicated　a　case　gave　rise；
as　usually　happens　under　such　circumstances；　to　two　sets　of
diametrically　opposite　opinions　as　to　the　guilt　of　the　hero；　whom　some
declared　to　be　an　innocent　and　ill…used　victim；　and　others　the　worst
of　criminals。

The　liberals　held　for　Tascheron's　innocence；　less　from　conviction　than
for　the　satisfaction　of　opposing　the　government。

〃What　an　outrage；〃　they　said；　〃to　condemn　a　man　because　his　footprint
is　the　size　of　another　man's　footprint；　or　because　he　will　not　tell
you　where　he　spent　the　night；　as　if　all　young　men　would　not　rather　die
than　compromise　a　woman。　They　prove　he　borrowed　tools　and　bought　iron；
but　have　they　proved　he　made　that　key？　They　find　a　bit　of　blue　linen
hanging　to　the　branch　of　a　tree；　possibly　put　there　by　old　Pingret
himself　to　scare　the　crows；　though　it　happens　to　match　a　tear　in
Tascheron's　blouse。　Is　a　man's　life　to　depend　on　such　things　as　these？
Jean…Francois　denies　everything；　and　the　prosecution　has　not　produced
a　single　witness　who　saw　the　crime　or　anything　relating　to　it。〃

They　talked　over；　enlarged　upon；　and　paraphrased　the　arguments　of　the
defence。　〃Old　Pingret！　what　was　he？a　cracked　money　box！〃　said　the
strong…minded。　A　few　of　the　more　determined　progressists；　denying　the
sacred　laws　of　property；　which　the　Saint…Simonians　were　already
attacking　under　their　abstract　theories　of　political　economy；　went
further。

〃Pere　Pingret；〃　they　said；　〃was　the　real　author　of　the　crime。　By
hoarding　his　gold　that　man　robbed　the　nation。　What　enterprises　might
have　been　made　fruitful　by　his　useless　money！　He　had　barred　the　way　of
industry；　and　was　justly　punished。〃

They　pitied　the　poor　murdered　servant…woman；　but　Denise；　Tascheron's
sister；　who　resisted　the　wiles　of　lawyers　and　did　not　give　a　single
answer　at　the　trial　without　long　consideration　of　what　she　ought　to
say；　excited　the　deepest　interest。　She　became　in　their　minds　a　figure
to　be　compared　（though　in　another　sense）　with　Jeannie　Deans；　whose
piety；　grace；　modesty　and　beauty　she　possessed。

Francois　Tascheron　continued；　therefore；　to　excite　the　curiosity　of
not　only　all　the　town　but　all　the　department；　and　a　few　romantic　women
openly　testified　their　admiration　for　him。

〃If　there　is　really　in　all　this　a　love　for　some　woman　high　above　him；〃
they　said；　〃then　he　is　surely　no　ordinary　man；　and　you