the village rector-第47章

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also；　perhaps；　to　pay　their　respects　to　the　great　prelate；　for　whom
the　French　clergy　now　desired　the　honors　of　the　cardinalate；　hoping
that　the　clearness　of　his　intellect；　which　was　thoroughly　Gallican；
would　enlighten　the　Sacred　College。

Horace　Bianchon　returned　to　Paris；　before　departing；　he　came　to　bid
farewell　to　the　dying　woman　and　thank　her　for　her　munificence。　Slowly
he　approached；　perceiving　from　the　faces　of　the　priests　that　the
wounds　of　the　soul　had　been　the　determining　cause　of　those　of　the
body。　He　took　Madame　Graslin's　hand；　laid　it　on　the　bed　and　felt　the
pulse。　The　deep　silence；　that　of　a　summer　night　in　a　country　solitude；
gave　additional　solemnity　to　the　scene。　The　great　salon；　seen　through
the　double　doors；　was　lighted　up　for　the　little　company　of　persons　who
were　praying　there；　all　were　on　their　knees　except　the　two　priests　who
were　seated　and　reading　their　brevaries。　On　either　side　of　the　grand
state　bed　were　the　prelate　in　his　violet　robes；　the　rector；　and　the
two　physicians。

〃She　is　agitated　almost　unto　death；〃　said　Horace　Bianchon；　who；　like
all　men　of　great　talent；　sometimes　used　speech　as　grand　as　the
occasion　that　called　it　forth。

The　archbishop　rose　as　if　some　inward　impulse　drove　him；　he　called　to
Monsieur　Bonnet；　and　together　they　crossed　the　room；　passed　through
the　salon；　and　went　out　upon　the　terrace；　where　they　walked　up　and
down　for　some　moments。　When　they　returned；　after　discussing　this　case
of　ecclesiastical　discipline；　Roubaud　met　them。



XXI

CONFESSION　AT　THE　GATES　OF　THE　TOMB

At　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　archbishop；　wearing　his　pontifical
robes；　came　into　Madame　Graslin's　chamber。　The　prelate；　as　well　as　the
rector；　had　such　confidence　in　this　woman　that　they　gave　her　no　advice
or　instructions　as　to　the　limits　within　which　she　ought　to　make　her
confession。

Veronique　now　saw　an　assemblage　of　clergy　from　all　the　neighboring
districts。　Monseigneur　was　assisted　by　four　vicars。　The　magnificent
vessels　she　had　bestowed　upon　her　dear　parish　church　were　brought　to
the　house　and　gave　splendor　to　the　ceremony。　Eight　choristers　in　their
white　and　red　surplices　stood　in　two　rows　from　the　bed　to　the　door　of
the　salon；　each　holding　one　of　the　large　bronze…gilt　candelabra　which
Veronique　had　ordered　from　Paris。　The　cross　and　the　church　banner　were
held　on　either　side　of　the　bed　by　white…haired　sacristans。　Thanks　to
the　devotion　of　her　servants；　a　wooden　altar　brought　from　the　sacristy
had　been　erected　close　to　the　door　of　the　salon；　and　so　prepared　and
decorated　that　Monseigneur　could　say　mass　upon　it。

Madame　Graslin　was　deeply　touched　by　these　attentions；　which　the
Church；　as　a　general　thing；　grants　only　to　royal　personages。　The
folding　doors　between　the　salon　and　the　dining…room　were　open；　and　she
could　see　a　vista　of　the　ground…floor　rooms　filled　with　the　village
population。　Her　friends　had　thought　of　everything；　the　salon　was
occupied　exclusively　by　themselves　and　the　servants　of　the　household。
In　the　front　rank　and　grouped　before　the　door　of　the　bedroom　were　her
nearest　friends；　those　on　whose　discretion　reliance　could　be　placed。
MM。　Grossetete；　de　Grandville；　Roubaud；　Gerard；　Clousier；　Ruffin；　took
the　first　places。　They　had　arranged　among　themselves　that　they　should
rise　and　stand　in　a　group；　thus　preventing　the　words　of　the　repentant
woman　from　being　heard　in　the　farther　rooms；　but　their　tears　and　sobs
would；　in　any　case；　have　drowned　her　voice。

At　this　moment　and　before　all　else　in　that　audience；　two　persons
presented；　to　an　observer；　a　powerfully　affecting　sight。　One　was
Denise　Tascheron。　Her　foreign　garments；　of　Quaker　simplicity；　made　her
unrecognizable　by　her　former　village　acquaintance。　The　other　was　quite
another　personage；　an　acquaintance　not　to　be　forgotten；　and　his
apparition　there　was　like　a　streak　of　lurid　light。　The　/procureur…
general/　came　suddenly　to　a　perception　of　the　truth；　the　part　that　he
had　played　to　Madame　Graslin　unrolled　itself　before　him；　he　divined　it
to　its　fullest　extent。　Less　influenced；　as　a　son　of　the　nineteenth
century；　by　the　religious　aspect　of　the　matter；　Monsieur　de
Grandville's　heart　was　filled　with　an　awful　dread；　for　he　saw　before
him；　he　contemplated　the　drama　of　that　woman's　hidden　self　at　the
hotel　Graslin　during　the　trial　of　Jean…Francois　Tascheron。　That　tragic
period　came　back　distinctly　to　his　memory；lighted　even　now　by　the
mother's　eyes；　shining　with　hatred；　which　fell　upon　him　where　he
stood；　like　drops　of　molten　lead。　That　old　woman；　standing　ten　feet
from　him；　forgave　nothing。　That　man；　representing　human　justice；
trembled。　Pale；　struck　to　the　heart；　he　dared　not　cast　his　eyes　upon
the　bed　where　lay　the　woman　he　had　loved　so　well；　now　livid　beneath
the　hand　of　death；　gathering　strength　to　conquer　agony　from　the
greatness　of　her　sin　and　its　repentance。　The　mere　sight　of　Veronique's
thin　profile；　sharply　defined　in　white　upon　the　crimson　damask；　caused
him　a　vertigo。

At　eleven　o'clock　the　mass　began。　After　the　epistle　had　been　read　by
the　rector　of　Vizay　the　archbishop　removed　his　dalmatic　and　advanced
to　the　threshold　of　the　bedroom　door。

〃Christians；　gather　here　to　assist　in　the　ceremony　of　extreme　unction
which　we　are　about　to　administer　to　the　mistress　of　this　house；〃　he
said；　〃you　who　join　your　prayers　to　those　of　the　Church　and　intercede
with　God　to　obtain　from　Him　her　eternal　salvation；　you　are　now　to
learn　that　she　does　not　feel　herself　worthy；　in　this；　her　last　hour；
to　receive　the　holy　viaticum　without　having　made；　for　the　edification
of　her　fellows；　a　public　confession　of　the　greatest　of　her　sins。　We
have　resisted　her　pious　wish；　although　this　act　of　contrition　was　long
in　use　during　the　early　ages　of　Christianity。　But；　as　this　poor　woman
tells　us　that　her　confession　may　serve　to　rehabilitate　an　unfortunate
son　of　this　parish；　we　leave　her　free　to　follow　the　inspirations　of
her　repentance。〃

After　these　words；　said　with　pastoral　unction　and　dignity；　the
archbishop　turned　aside　to　give　place　to　Veronique。　The　dying　woman
came　forward；　supported　by　her　old　mother　and　the　rector；the　mother
from　whom　she　derived　her　body；　the　Church；　the　spiritual　mother　of
her　soul。　She　knelt　down　on　a　cushion；　clasped　her　hands；　and　seemed
to　collect　herself　for　a　few　moments；　as　if　to　gather　from　some　source
descending　from　heaven　the　power　to　speak。　At　this　moment　the　silence
was　almost　terrifying。　None　dared　look　at　their　neighbor。　All　eyes
were　lowered。　And　yet　the　eyes　of　Veronique；　when　she　raised　them；
encountered　those　of　the　/procureur…general/；　and　the　expression　on
that　blanched　face　brought　the　color　to　hers。

〃I　could　not　die　in　peace；〃　said　Veronique；　in　a　voice　of　deep
emotion；　〃if　I　suffered　the　false　impression　you　all　have　of　me　to
remain。　You　see　in　me　a　guilty　woman；　who　asks　your　prayers；　and　who
seeks　to　make　herself　worthy　of　pardon　by　this　public　confession　of
her　sin。　That　sin　was　so　great；　its　consequences　were　so　fatal；　that
perhaps　no　penance　can　atone　for　it。　But　the　more　humiliation　I　submit
to　here　on　earth；　the　less　I　may　have　to　dread　the　wrath　of　God　in　the
heavenly　kingdom　to　which　I　am　going。　My　father；　who　had　great
confidence　in　me；　commended　to　my　care　（now　twenty　years　ago）　a　son　of
this　parish；　in　whom　he　had　seen　a　great　desire　to　improve　himself；　an
aptitude　for　study；　and　fine　characteristics。　I　mean　the　unfortunate
Jean…Francois　Tascheron；　who　thenceforth　attached　himself　to　me　as　his
benefactress。　How　did　the　affection　I　felt　for　him　become　a　guilty
one？　I　think　myself　excused　from　explaining　this。　Perhaps　it　could　be
shown　that　the　purest　sentiments　by　which　we　act　in　this　world　were
insensibly　diverted　from　their　course　by　untold　sacrifices；　by　reasons
arising　from　our　human　frailty；　by　many　causes　which　might　appear　to
dismiss　the　evil　of　my　sin。　But　even　if　the　noblest　affections　moved
me；　was　I　less　guilty？　Rather　let　me　confess　that　I；　who　by　education；
by　position　in　the　world；　might　consider　myself　superior　to　the　youth
my　father　confided　to　me；　and　from　whom　I　was　separated　by　the　natural
delicacy　of　our　sex；I　listened；　fatally；　to　the　promptings　of　the
devil。　I　soon　found　myself　too　much　the　mother　of　that　young　man　to　be
insensible　to　his　mute　and　delicate　admiration。　He　alone；　he　first；
recognized　my　true　value。　But　perhaps　a　horrible　calculation　entered
my　mind。　I　thought　how　discreet　a　youth　would　be　who　owed　his　all　to
me；　and　whom　the　chances　of　life　had　put　so　far　away　from　me；　though
we　were　born　equals。　I　made　even　my　reputation　for　benevolence；　my
pious　occupations；　a　cloak　to　screen　my　conduct。　Alas！and　this　is
doubtless　one　of　my　greatest　sinsI　hid　my　passion　under　cover　of　the
altar。　The　most　virtuous　of　my　actionsthe　love　I　bore　my　mother；　the
acts　of　devotion　which　were　sincere　and　true　in　the　midst　of　my　wrong…
doingall；　all　were　made　to　serve　the　ends　of　a　desperate　passion；
and　were　links　in　the　chain　that　held　me。　My　poor　beloved　mother；　who
hears　me　now；　was　for　a　long　time；　ignorantly；　an　accomplice　in　my
sin。　When　her　eyes　were　opened；　too　many　dangerous　facts　existed　not
to　give　her　mother's　heart　the　strength　to　be　silent。　Silence　with　her
has　been　the　highest　virtue。　Her　love　for　her　daughter　has　gone　beyond
her　love　to　God。　Ah！　I　here　discharge　her　solemnly　from　the　heavy
burden　of　secrecy　which　she　has　borne。　She　shall　end　her　days　without
compelling　either　eyes　or　brow　to　lie。　Let　her　motherhood　stand　clear
of　blame；　let　that　noble；　sacred　old　age；　crowned　with　virtue；　shine
with　its　natural　lustre；　freed　of　that　link　which　bound　her　indirectly
to　infamy！〃

Tears　checked　the　dying　woman's　voice　for　an　instant；　Aline　gave　her
salts　to　inhale。

〃There　is　no　one　who　has　not　been　better　to　me　than　I　deserve；〃　she
went　on；〃even　the　devoted　servant　who　does　this　last　service；　she
has　feigned　ignorance　of　what　she　knew；　but　at　least　she　was　in　the
secret　of　the　penances　by　which　I　have　destroyed　the　flesh　that
sinned。　I　here　beg　pardon　of　the　world　for　the　long　deception　to　which
I　have　been　led　by　the　terrible　logic　of　society。　Jean…Francois
Tascheron　was　not　as　guilty　as　he　seemed。　Ah！　you　who　hear　me；　I
implore　you　to　remember　his　youth；　and　the　madness　excited　in　him
partly　by　the　remorse　that　seized　upon　me；　partly　by　involuntary
seductions。　More　than　that！　it　was　a　sense　of　honor；　though　a　mistaken
honor；　which　caused　the　most　awful　of　these　evils。　Neither　of　us　could
endure　our　perpetual　deceit。　He　appealed；　unhappy　man；　to　my　own　right
feeling；　he　sought　to　make　our　fatal　love　as　little　wounding　to　others
as　it　could　be。　We　meant　to　hide　ourselves　away　forever。　Thus　I　was
the　cause；　the　sole　cause；　of　his　crime。　Driven　by　necessity；　the
unhappy　man；　guilty　of　too　much　devotion　to　an　idol；　chose　from　all
evil　acts　the　one　which　might　be　hereafter　reparable。　I　knew　nothing
of　it　till　the　moment　of　execution。　At　that　moment　the　hand　of　God
threw　down　that　scaffolding　of　false　contrivancesI　heard　the　cries；
they　echo　in　my　ears！　I　divined　the　struggle；　which　I　could　not　stop；
I；　the　cause　of　it！　Tascheron　was　maddened；　I　swear　it。〃

Here　Veronique　turned　her　eyes　upon　Monsieur　de　Grandville；