the village rector-第13章

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〃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　will　see　that
he　will　die　well。〃

The　question；　〃Will　he　speak　out；will　he　not　speak？〃　gave　rise　to
many　a　bet。

Since　the　burst　of　rage　with　which　Tascheron　received　his　sentence；
and　which　was　so　violent　that　it　might　have　been　fatal　to　persons
about　him　in　the　court…room　if　the　gendarmes　had　not　been　there　to
master　him；　the　condemned　man　threatened　all　who　came　near　him　with
the　fury　of　a　wild　beast；　so　that　the　jailers　were　obliged　to　put　him
into　a　straight…jacket；　as　much　to　protect　his　life　as　their　own　from
the　effects　of　his　anger。　Prevented　by　that　controlling　power　from
doing　violence；　Tascheron　gave　vent　to　his　despair　by　convulsive　jerks
which　horrified　his　guardians；　and　by　words　and　looks　which　the
middle…ages　would　have　attributed　to　demoniacal　possession。　He　was　so
young　that　many　women　thought　pitifully　of　a　life　so　full　of　passion
about　to　be　cut　off　forever。　〃The　Last　Day　of　a　Condemned　Man；〃　that
mournful　elegy；　that　useless　plea　against　the　penalty　of　death　（the
mainstay　of　society！）；　which　had　lately　been　published；　as　if
expressly　to　meet　this　case；　was　the　topic　of　all　conversations。

But；　above　all；　in　the　mind　of　every　one；　stood　that　invisible　unknown
woman；　her　feet　in　blood；　raised　aloft　by　the　trial　as　it　were　on　a
pedestal；torn；　no　doubt；　by　horrible　inward　anguish　and　condemned　to
absolute　silence　within　her　home。　Who　was　this　Medea　whom　the　public
well…nigh　admired；the　woman　with　that　impenetrable　brow；　that　white
breast　covering　a　heart　of　steel？　Perhaps　she　was　the　sister　or　the
cousin　or　the　daughter　or　the　wife　of　this　one　or　of　that　one　among
them！　Alarm　seemed　to　creep　into　the　bosom　of　families。　As　Napoleon
finely　said；　it　is　especially　in　the　domain　of　the　imagination　that
the　power　of　the　Unknown　is　immeasurable。

As　for　the　hundred　thousand　francs　stolen　from　Monsieur　and　Madame　des
Vanneaulx　no　efforts　of　the　police　could　find　them；　and　the　obstinate
silence　of　the　criminal　gave　no　clue。　Monsieur　de　Grandville　tried　the
common　means　of　holding　out　hopes　of　commutation　of　the　sentence　in
case　of　confession；　but　when　he　went　to　see　the　prisoner　and　suggest
it　the　latter　received　him　with　such　furious　cries　and　epileptic
contortions；　such　rage　at　being　powerless　to　take　him　by　the　throat；
that　he　could　do　nothing。

The　law　could　only　look　to　the　influence　of　the　Church　at　the　last
moment。　The　des　Vanneaulx　had　frequently　consulted　with　the　Abbe
Pascal；　chaplain　of　the　prison。　This　priest　was　not　without　the
faculty　of　making　prisoners　listen　to　him；　and　he　religiously　braved
Tascheron's　violence；　trying　to　get　in　a　few　words　amid　the　storms　of
that　powerful　nature　in　convulsion。　But　this　struggle　of　spiritual
fatherhood　against　the　hurricane　of　unchained　passions；　overcame　the
poor　abbe　completely。

〃The　man　has　had　his　paradise　here　below；〃　said　the　old　man；　in　his
gentle　voice。

Little　Madame　des　Vanneaulx　consulted　her　friends　as　to　whether　she
ought　to　try　a　visit　herself　to　the　criminal。　Monsieur　des　Vanneaulx
talked　of　offering　terms。　In　his　anxiety　to　recover　the　money　he
actually　went　to　Monsieur　de　Grandville　and　asked　for　the　pardon　of
his　uncle's　murderer　if　the　latter　would　make　restitution　of　the
hundred　thousand　francs。　The　/procureur…general/　replied　that　the
majesty　of　the　crown　did　not　stoop　to　such　compromises。

The　des　Vanneaulx　then　had　recourse　to　the　lawyer　who　had　defended
Tascheron；　and　to　him　they　offered　ten　per　cent　of　whatever　sum　he
could　recover。　This　lawyer　was　the　only　person　before　whom　Tascheron
was　not　violent。　The　heirs　authorized　him　to　offer　the　prisoner　an
additional　ten　per　cent　to　be　paid　to　his　family。　In　spite　of　all
these　inducements　and　his　own　eloquence；　the　lawyer　could　obtain
nothing　whatever　from　his　client。　The　des　Vanneaulx　were　furious；　they
anathematized　the　unhappy　man。

〃He　is　not　only　a　murderer；　but　he　has　no　sense　of　decency；〃　cried
Madame　des　Vanneaulx　（ignorant　of　Fualdes'　famous　complaint）；　when　she
received　word　of　the　failure　of　the　Abbe　Pascal's　efforts；　and　was
told　there　was　no　hope　of　a　reversal　of　the　sentence　by　the　court　of
appeals。

〃What　good　will　our　money　do　him　in　the　place　he　is　going　to？〃　said
her　husband。　〃Murder　can　be　conceived　of；　but　useless　theft　is
inconceivable。　What　days　we　live　in；　to　be　sure！　To　think　that　people
in　good　society　actually　take　an　interest　in　such　a　wretch！〃

〃He　has　no　honor；〃　said　Madame　des　Vanneaulx。

〃But　perhaps　the　restitution　would　compromise　the　woman　he　loves；〃
said　an　old　maid。

〃We　would　keep　his　secret；〃　returned　Monsieur　des　Vanneaulx。

〃Then　you　would　be　compounding　a　felony；〃　remarked　a　lawyer。

〃Oh；　the　villain！〃　was　Monsieur　des　Vanneaulx's　usual　conclusion。

One　of　Madame　Graslin's　female　friends　related　to　her　with　much
amusement　these　discussions　of　the　des　Vanneaulx。　This　lady；　who　was
very　intelligent；　and　one　of　those　persons　who　form　ideals　and　desire
that　all　things　should　attain　perfection；　regretted　the　violence　and
savage　temper　of　the　condemned；　she　would　rather　he　had　been　cold　and
calm　and　dignified；　she　said。

〃Do　you　not　see；〃　replied　Veronique；　〃that　he　is　thus　avoiding　their
temptations　and　foiling　their　efforts？　He　is　making　himself　a　wild
beast　for　a　purpose。〃

〃At　any　rate；〃　said　the　lady；　〃he　is　not　a　well…bred　man；　he　is　only　a
workman。〃

〃If　he　had　been　a　well…bred　man；〃　said　Madame　Graslin；　〃he　would　soon
have　sacrificed　that　unknown　woman。〃

These　events；　discussed　and　turned　and　twisted　in　every　salon；　every
household；　commented　on　in　a　score　of　ways；　stripped　bare　by　the
cleverest　tongues　in　the　community；　gave；　of　course；　a　cruel　interest
to　the　execution　of　the　criminal；　whose　appeal　was　rejected　after　two
months'　delay　by　the　upper　court。　What　would　probably　be　his　demeanor
in　his　last　moments？　Would　he　speak　out？　Would　he　contradict　himself？
How　would　the　bets　be　decided？　Who　would　go　to　see　him　executed；　and
who　would　not　go；　and　how　could　it　be　done？　The　position　of　the
localities；　which　in　Limoges　spares　a　criminal　the　anguish　of　a　long
distance　to　the　scaffold；　lessens　the　number　of　spectators。　The　law
courts　which　adjoin　the　prison　stand　at　the　corner　of　the　rue　du
Palais　and　the　rue　du　Pont…Herisson。　The　rue　du　Palais　is　continued　in
a　straight　line　by　the　short　rue　de　Monte…a…Regret；　which　leads　to　the
place　des　Arenes；　where　the　executions　take　place；　and　which　probably
owes　its　name　to　that　circumstances。　There　is　therefore　but　little
distance　to　go；　few　houses　to　pass；　and　few　windows　to　look　from。　No
person　in　good　society　would　be　willing　to　mingle　in　the　crowd　which
would　fill　the　streets。

But　the　expected　execution　was；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　the　whole
town；　put　off　from　day　to　day　for　the　following　reason：

The　repentance　and　resignation　of　great　criminals　on　their　way　to
death　is　one　of　the　triumphs　which　the　Church　reserves　for　itself；a
triumph　which　seldom　misses　its　effect　on　the　popular　mind。　Repentance
is　so　strong　a　proof　of　the　power　of　religious　ideastaken　apart　from
all　Christian　interest；　though　that；　of　course；　is　the　chief　object　of
the　Churchthat　the　clergy　are　always　distressed　by　a　failure　on　such
occasions。　In　July；　1829；　such　a　failure　was　aggravated　by　the　spirit
of　party　which　envenomed　every　detail　in　the　life　of　the　body　politic。
The　liberal　party　rejoiced　in　the　expectation　that　the　priest…party　（a
term　invented　by　Montlosier；　a　royalist　who　went　over　to　the
constitutionals；　and　was　dragged　by　them　far　beyond　his　wishes）；that
the　priests　would　fail　on　so　public　an　occasion　before　the　eyes　of　the
people。　Parties　/en　masse/　commit　infamous　actions　which　would　cover　a
single　man　with　shame　and　opprobrium；　therefore　when　one　man　alone
stands　in　his　guilt　before　the　eyes　of　the　masses；　he　becomes　a
Robespierre；　a　Jeffries；　a　Laubardemont；　a　species　of　expiatory　altar
on　which　all　secret　guilts　hang　their　/ex…votos/。

The　authorities；　sympathizing　with　the　Church；　delayed　the　execution；
partly　in　the　hope　of　gaining　some　conclusive　information　for
themselves；　and　partly　to　allow　religion　an　opportunity　to　prevail。

Nevertheless；　their　power　was　not　unlimited；　and　the　sentence　must
sooner　or　later　be　carried　out。　The　same　liberals　who；　out　of　mere
opposition；　had　declared　Tascheron　innocent；　and　who　had　done　their
best　to　break　down　the　verdict；　now　clamored　because　the　sentence　was
not　executed。　When　the　opposition　is　consistent　it　invariably　falls
into　such　unreasonableness；　because　its　object　is　not　to　have　right　on
its　own　side；　but　to　harass　the　authorities　and　put　them　in　the　wrong。

Accordingly；　about　the　beginning　of　August；　the　government　officials
felt　their　hand　forced　by　that　clamor；　so　often　stupid；　called　〃public
opinion。〃　The　day　for　the　execution　was　named。　In　this　extremity　the
Abbe　Dutheil　took　upon　himself　to　propose　to　the　bishop　a　last
resource；　the　adoption　of　which　caused　the　introduction　into　this
judicial　drama　of　a　remarkable　personage；　who　serves　as　a　bond　between
all　the　figures　brought　upon　the　scene　of　it；　and　who；　by　ways
familiar　to　Providence；　was　destined　to　lead　Madame　Graslin　along　a
path　where　her　virtues　were　to　shine　with　greater　brilliancy　as　a
noble　benefactress　and　an　angelic　Christian　woman。

The　episcopal　palace　at　Limoges　stands　on　a　hill　which　slopes　to　the
banks　of　the　Vienne；　and　its　gardens；　supported　by　strong　walls　topped
with　a　balustrade；　descend　to　the　river　by　terrace　after　terrace；
according　to　the　natural　lay　of　the　land。　The　rise　of　this　hill　is
such　that　the　suburb　of　Saint…Etienne　on　the　opposite　bank　seems　to
lie　at　the　foot　of　the　lower　terrace。　From　there；　according　to　the
direction　in　which　a　person　walks；　the　Vienne　can　be　seen　either　in　a
long　stretch　or　directly　across　it；　in　the　midst　of　a　fertile
panorama。　On　the　west；　after　the　river　leaves　the　embankment　of　the
episcopal　gardens；　it　turns　toward　the　town　in　a　graceful　curve　which
winds　around　the　suburb　of　Saint…Martial。　At　a　short　distance　beyond
that　suburb　is　a　pretty　country　house　called　Le　Cluseau；　the　walls　of
which　can　be　seen　from　the　lower　terrace　of　the　bishop's　palace；
appearing；　by　an　effect　of　distance；　to　blend　with　the　steeples　of　the
suburb。　Opposite　to　Le　Cluseau　is　the　sloping　island；　covered　with
poplar　and　other　trees；　which　Veronique　in　her　girlish　youth　had　named
the　Ile　de　France。　To　the　east　the　distance　is　closed　by　an
ampitheatre　of　hills。

The　magic　charm　of　the　site　and　the　rich　simplicity　of　the　building
make　this　episcopal　palace　one　of　the　most　interesting　objects　in　a
town　where　the　other　edifices　do　not　shine；　either　through　choice　of
material　or　architecture。

Long　familiarized　with　the　aspects　which　commend　these　gardens　to　all
lovers　of　the　picturesque；　the　Abbe　Dutheil；　who　had　induced　the　Abbe
de　Grancour　to　accompany　him；　descended　from　terrace　to　terrace；
paying　no　attention　to　the　ruddy　colors；　the　orange　tones；　the　violet
tints；　which　the　setting　sun　was　casting　on　the　old　walls　and
balustrades　of　the　gardens；　on　the　river　beneath