the village rector-第21章

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few　moments。　The　girl　flung　herself　on　her　brother；　bent　her　tearful
face　to　his　and　whispered：

〃They　may　be　listening　to　us。〃

〃Otherwise　they　would　not　have　let　you　come　here；〃　he　replied　in　a
loud　voice。　〃I　have　long　asked　the　favor　that　none　of　my　family　should
be　admitted　here。〃

〃Oh！　how　they　have　bound　him！〃　cried　the　mother。　〃My　poor　child！　my
poor　boy！〃　and　she　fell　on　her　knees　beside　the　pallet；　hiding　her
head　in　the　cassock　of　the　priest；　who　was　standing　by　her。

〃If　Jean　will　promise　me　to　be　quiet；〃　said　the　rector；　〃and　not
attempt　to　injure　himself；　and　to　behave　properly　while　we　are　with
him；　I　will　ask　to　have　him　unbound；　but　the　least　violation　of　his
promise　will　reflect　on　me。〃

〃I　do　so　want　to　move　as　I　please；　dear　Monsieur　Bonnet；〃　said　the
criminal；　his　eyes　moistening　with　tears；　〃that　I　give　you　my　word　to
do　as　you　wish。〃

The　rector　went　out；　and　returned　with　the　jailer；　and　the　jacket　was
taken　off。

〃You　won't　kill　me　to…night；　will　you？〃　said　the　turnkey。

Jean　made　no　answer。

〃Poor　brother！〃　said　Denise；　opening　a　basket　which　had　just　passed
through　a　rigorous　examination。　〃Here　are　some　of　the　things　you　like；
I　dare　say　they　don't　feed　you　for　the　love　of　God。〃

She　showed　him　some　fruit；　gathered　as　soon　as　the　rector　had　told　her
she　could　go　to　the　jail；　and　a　/galette/　his　mother　had　immediately
baked　for　him。　This　attention；　which　reminded　him　of　his　boyhood；　the
voice　and　gestures　of　his　sister；　the　presence　of　his　mother　and　the
rector；　brought　on　a　reaction　and　he　burst　into　tears。

〃Ah！　Denise；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　not　had　a　good　meal　for　six　months。　I
eat　only　when　driven　to　it　by　hunger。〃

The　mother　and　sister　went　out　and　then　returned；　with　the　natural
housekeeping　spirit　of　such　women；　who　want　to　give　their　men　material
comfort；　they　soon　had　a　supper　for　their　poor　child。　In　this　the
officials　helped　them；　for　an　order　had　been　given　to　do　all　that
could　with　safety　be　done　for　the　condemned　man。　The　des　Vanneaulx　had
contributed；　with　melancholy　hope；　toward　the　comfort　of　the　man　from
whom　they　still　expected　to　recover　their　inheritance。　Thus　poor　Jean…
Francois　had　a　last　glimpse　of　family　joys；　if　joys　they　could　be
called　under　such　circumstances。

〃Is　my　appeal　rejected？〃　he　said　to　Monsieur　Bonnet。

〃Yes；　my　child；　nothing　is　left　for　you　to　do　but　to　make　a　Christian
end。　This　life　is　nothing　in　comparison　to　that　which　awaits　you；　you
must　think　now　of　your　eternal　happiness。　You　can　pay　your　debt　to　man
with　your　life；　but　God　is　not　content　with　such　a　little　thing　as
that。〃

〃Give　up　my　life！　Ah！　you　do　not　know　all　that　I　am　leaving。〃

Denise　looked　at　her　brother　as　if　to　warn　him　that　even　in　matters　of
religion　he　must　be　cautious。

〃Let　us　say　no　more　about　it；〃　he　resumed；　eating　the　fruit　with　an
avidity　which　told　of　his　inward　fire。　〃When　am　I〃

〃No；　no！　say　nothing　of　that　before　me！〃　said　the　mother。

〃But　I　should　be　easier　in　mind　if　I　knew；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice　to
the　rector。

〃Always　the　same　nature；〃　exclaimed　Monsieur　Bonnet。　Then　he　bent　down
to　the　prisoner's　ear　and　whispered；　〃If　you　will　reconcile　yourself
this　night　with　God　so　that　your　repentance　will　enable　me　to　absolve
you；　it　will　be　to…morrow。　We　have　already　gained　much　in　calming
you；〃　he　said；　aloud。

Hearing　these　last　words；　Jean's　lips　turned　pale；　his　eyes　rolled　up
in　a　violent　spasm；　and　an　angry　shudder　passed　through　his　frame。

〃Am　I　calm？〃　he　asked　himself。　Happily　his　eyes　encountered　the
tearful　face　of　Denise；　and　he　recovered　his　self…control。　〃So　be　it；〃
he　said　to　the　rector；　〃there　is　no　one　but　you　to　whom　I　would
listen；　they　have　known　how　to　conquer　me。〃

And　he　flung　himself　on　his　mother's　breast。

〃My　son；〃　said　the　mother；　weeping；　〃listen　to　Monsieur　Bonnet；　he
risks　his　life；　the　dear　rector；　in　going　to　you　to〃　she　hesitated；
and　then　said；　〃to　the　gate　of　eternal　life。〃

Then　she　kissed　Jean's　head　and　held　it　to　her　breast　for　some
moments。

〃Will　he；　indeed；　go　with　me？〃　asked　Jean；　looking　at　the　rector；　who
bowed　his　head　in　assent。　〃Well；　yes；　I　will　listen　to　him；　I　will　do
all　he　asks　of　me。〃

〃You　promise　it？〃　said　Denise。　〃The　saving　of　your　soul　is　what　we
seek。　Besides；　you　would　not　have　all　Limoges　and　the　village　say　that
a　Tascheron　knows　not　how　to　die　a　noble　death？　And　then；　too；　think
that　all　you　lose　here　you　will　regain　in　heaven；　where　pardoned　souls
will　meet　again。〃

This　superhuman　effort　parched　the　throat　of　the　heroic　girl。　She　was
silent　after　this；　like　her　mother；　but　she　had　triumphed。　The
criminal；　furious　at　seeing　his　happiness　torn　from　him　by　the　law；
now　quivered　at　the　sublime　Catholic　truth　so　simply　expressed　by　his
sister。　All　women；　even　young　peasant…women　like　Denise；　know　how　to
touch　these　delicate　chords；　for　does　not　every　woman　seek　to　make
love　eternal？　Denise　had　touched　two　chords；　each　most　sensitive。
Awakened　pride　called　on　the　other　virtues　chilled　by　misery　and
hardened　by　despair。　Jean　took　his　sister's　hand　and　kissed　it；　and
laid　it　on　his　heart　in　a　deeply　significant　manner；　he　applied　it
both　gently　and　forcibly。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　renounce　all；　this　is　the　last　beating　of　my
heart；　its　last　thought。　Keep　them；　Denise。〃

And　he　gave　her　one　of　those　glances　by　which　a　man　in　crucial　moments
tries　to　put　his　soul　into　the　soul　of　another　human　being。

This　thought；　this　word；　was；　in　truth；　a　last　testament；　an　unspoken
legacy；　to　be　as　faithfully　transmitted　as　it　was　trustfully　given。　It
was　so　fully　understood　by　mother；　sister；　and　priest；　that　they　all
with　one　accord　turned　their　faces　from　each　other；　to　hide　their
tears　and　keep　the　secret　of　their　thoughts　in　their　own　breasts。
Those　few　words　were　the　dying　agony　of　a　passion；　the　farewell　of　a
soul　to　the　glorious　things　of　earth；　in　accordance　with　true　Catholic
renunciation。　The　rector；　comprehending　the　majesty　of　all　great　human
things；　even　criminal　things；　judged　of　this　mysterious　passion　by　the
enormity　of　the　sin。　He　raised　his　eyes　to　heaven　as　if　to　invoke　the
mercy　of　God。　Thence　come　the　consolations；　the　infinite　tendernesses
of　the　Catholic　religion；so　humane；　so　gentle　with　the　hand　that
descends　to　man；　showing　him　the　law　of　higher　spheres；　so　awful；　so
divine；　with　that　other　hand　held　out　to　lead　him　into　heaven。

Denise　had　now　significantly　shown　the　rector　the　spot　by　which　to
strike　that　rock　and　make　the　waters　of　repentance　flow。　But　suddenly；
as　though　the　memories　evoked　were　dragging　him　backwards；　Jean…
Francois　gave　the　harrowing　cry　of　the　hyena　when　the　hunters　overtake
it。

〃No；　no！〃　he　cried；　falling　on　his　knees；　〃I　will　live！　Mother；　give
me　your　clothes；　I　can　escape！　Mercy；　mercy！　Go　see　the　king；　tell
him〃

He　stopped；　gave　a　horrible　roar；　and　clung　convulsively　to　the
rector's　cassock。

〃Go；〃　said　Monsieur　Bonnet；　in　a　low　voice；　to　the　agitated　women。

Jean　heard　the　words；　he　raised　his　head；　gazed　at　his　mother　and
sister；　then　he　stopped　and　kissed　their　feet。

〃Let　us　say　farewell　now；　do　not　come　back；　leave　me　alone　with
Monsieur　Bonnet。　You　need　not　be　uneasy　about　me　any　longer；〃　he　said；
pressing　his　mother　and　his　sister　to　him　with　a　strength　in　which　he
seemed　to　put　all　his　life。

〃How　is　it　we　do　not　die　of　this？〃　said　Denise　to　her　mother　as　they
passed　through　the　wicket。

It　was　nearly　eight　o'clock　when　this　parting　took　place。　At　the　gate
of　the　prison　the　two　women　met　the　Abbe　de　Rastignac；　who　asked　them
news　of　the　prisoner。

〃He　will　no　doubt　be　reconciled　with　God；〃　said　Denise。　〃If　repentance
has　not　yet　begun；　he　is　very　near　it。〃

The　bishop　was　soon　after　informed　that　the　clergy　would　triumph　on
this　occasion；　and　that　the　criminal　would　go　to　the　scaffold　with　the
most　edifying　religious　sentiments。　The　prelate；　with　whom　was　the
attorney…general；　expressed　a　wish　to　see　the　rector。　Monsieur　Bonnet
did　not　reach　the　palace　before　midnight。　The　Abbe　Gabriel；　who　made
many　trips　between　the　palace　and　the　jail；　judged　it　necessary　to
fetch　the　rector　in　the　episcopal　coach；　for　the　poor　priest　was　in　a
state　of　exhaustion　which　almost　deprived　him　of　the　use　of　his　legs。
The　effect　of　his　day；　the　prospect　of　the　morrow；　the　sight　of　the
secret　struggle　he　had　witnessed；　and　the　full　repentance　which　had　at
last　overtaken　his　stubborn　lamb　when　the　great　reckoning　of　eternity
was　brought　home　to　him；all　these　things　had　combined　to　break　down
Monsieur　Bonnet；　whose　nervous；　electrical　nature　entered　into　the
sufferings　of　others　as　though　they　were　his　own。　Souls　that　resemble
that　noble　soul　espouse　so　ardently　the　impressions；　miseries；
passions；　sufferings　of　those　in　whom　they　are　interested；　that　they
actually　feel　them；　and　in　a　horrible　manner；　too；　for　they　are　able
to　measure　their　extent；a　knowledge　which　escapes　others　who　are
blinded　by　selfishness　of　heart　or　the　paroxysm　of　grief。　It　is　here
that　a　priest　like　Monsieur　Bonnet　becomes　an　artist　who　feels；　rather
than　an　artist　who　judges。

When　the　rector　entered　the　bishop's　salon　and　found　there　the　two
grand…vicars；　the　Abbe　de　Rastignac；　Monsieur　de　Grandville；　and　the
/procureur…general/；　he　felt　convinced　that　something　more　was
expected　of　him。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　bishop；　〃have　you　obtained　any　facts　which　you
can；　without　violating　your　duty；　confide　to　the　officers　of　the　law
for　their　guidance？〃

〃Monseigneur；　in　order　to　give　absolution　to　that　poor；　wandering
child；　I　waited　not　only　till　his　repentance　was　as　sincere　and　as
complete　as　the　Church　could　wish；　but　I　have　also　exacted　from　him
the　restitution　of　the　money。〃

〃This　restitution；〃　said　the　/procureur…general/；　〃brings　me　here
to…night；　it　will；　of　course；　be　made　in　such　a　way　as　to　throw　light
on　the　mysterious　parts　of　this　affair。　The　criminal　certainly　had
accomplices。〃

〃The　interests　of　human　justice；〃　said　the　rector；　〃are　not　those　for
which　I　act。　I　am　ignorant　of　how　the　restitution　will　be　made；　but　I
know　it　will　take　place。　In　sending　for　me　to　minister　to　my
parishioner；　Monseigneur　placed　me　under　the　conditions　which　give　to
rectors　in　their　parishes　the　same　powers　which　Monseigneur　exercises
in　his　diocese；barring；　of　course；　all　questions　of　discipline　and
ecclesiastical　obedience。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　bishop。　〃But　the　question　here　is　how　to
obtain　from　the　condemned　man　voluntary　information　which　may
enlighten　justice。〃

〃My　mission　is　to　win　souls　to　God；〃　said　Monsieur　Bonnet。

Monsieur　de　Grancour　shrugged　his　shoulders　slightly；　but　his
colleague；　the　Abbe　Dutheil　nodded　his　head　in　sign　of　approval。

〃Tascheron　is　no　doubt　endeavoring　to　shield　some　one；　whom　the
restitution　will　no　doubt　bring　to　light；〃　said　the　/procureur…
general/。

〃Monsieur；〃　replied　the　rector；　〃I　know　absolutely　nothing　which　would
either　confute　or　justify　your　suspicion。　Besides；　the　secrets　of
confession　are　inviolable。〃

〃Will　the　restitution　really　take　place？〃　asked　the　man　of　law。

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　replied　the　man　of　God。

〃That　is　enough　for　me；〃　said　the　/procureur…gener