the village rector-第48章

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I；　the　cause　of　it！　Tascheron　was　maddened；　I　swear　it。〃

Here　Veronique　turned　her　eyes　upon　Monsieur　de　Grandville；　and　a　sob
was　heard　to　issue　from　Denise　Tascheron's　breast。

〃He　lost　his　mind　when　he　saw　what　he　thought　his　happiness　destroyed
by　unforeseen　circumstances。　The　unhappy　man；　misled　by　his　love；　went
headlong　from　a　delinquent　act　to　crimefrom　robbery　to　a　double
murder。　He　left　my　mother's　house　an　innocent　man；　he　returned　a
guilty　one。　I　alone　knew　that　there　was　neither　premeditation　nor　any
of　the　aggravating　circumstances　on　which　he　was　sentenced　to　death。　A
hundred　times　I　thought　of　betraying　myself　to　save　him；　a　hundred
times　a　horrible　and　necessary　restraint　stopped　the　words　upon　my
lips。　Undoubtedly；　my　presence　near　the　scene　had　contributed　to　give
him　the　odious；　infamous；　ignoble　courage　of　a　murderer。　Were　it　not
for　me；　he　would　have　fled。　I　had　formed　that　soul；　trained　that　mind；
enlarged　that　heart；　I　knew　it；　he　was　incapable　of　cowardice　or
meanness。　Do　justice　to　that　involuntarily　guilty　arm；　do　justice　to
him；　whom　God；　in　his　mercy；　has　allowed　to　sleep　in　his　quiet　grave；
where　you　have　wept　for　him；　suspecting；　it　may　be；　the　extenuating
truth。　Punish；　curse　the　guilty　creature　before　you！　Horrified　by　the
crime　when　once　committed；　I　did　my　best　to　hide　my　share　in　it。
Trusted　by　my　fatherI；　who　was　childlessto　lead　a　child　to　God；　I
led　him　to　the　scaffold！　Ah！　punish　me；　curse　me；　the　hour　has　come！〃

Saying　these　words；　her　eyes　shone　with　the　stoic　pride　of　a　savage。
The　archbishop；　standing　behind　her；　and　as　if　protecting　her　with　the
pastoral　cross；　abandoned　his　impassible　demeanor　and　covered　his　eyes
with　his　right　hand。　A　muffled　cry　was　heard；　as　though　some　one　were
dying。　Two　persons；　Gerard　and　Roubaud；　received　and　carried　away　in
their　arms；　Denise　Tascheron；　unconscious。　That　sight　seemed　for　an
instant　to　quench　the　fire　in　Veronique's　eyes；　she　was　evidently
uneasy；　but　soon　her　self…control　and　serenity　of　martyrdom　resumed
their　sway。

〃You　now　know；〃　she　continued；　〃that　I　deserve　neither　praise　or
blessing　for　my　conduct　here。　I　have　led　in　sight　of　Heaven；　a　secret
life　of　bitter　penance　which　Heaven　will　estimate。　My　life　before　men
has　been　an　immense　reparation　for　the　evils　I　have　caused；　I　have
marked　my　repentance　ineffaceably　on　the　earth；　it　will　last　almost
eternally　here　below。　It　is　written　on　those　fertile　fields；　in　the
prosperous　village；　in　the　rivulets　brought　from　the　mountains　to
water　the　plain　once　barren　and　fruitless；　now　green　and　fertile。　Not
a　tree　will　be　cut　for　a　hundred　years　to　come　but　the　people　of　this
region　will　know　of　the　remorse　that　made　it　grow。　My　repentant　soul
will　still　live　here　among　you。　What　you　will　owe　to　its　efforts；　to　a
fortune　honorably　acquired；　is　the　heritage　of　its　repentance；the
repentance　of　her　who　caused　the　crime。　All　has　been　repaired　so　far
as　society　is　concerned；　but　I　am　still　responsible　for　that　life；
crushed　in　its　bud；a　life　confided　to　me　and　for　which　I　am　now
required　to　render　an　account。〃

The　flame　of　her　eyes　was　veiled　in　tears。

〃There　is　here；　before　me；　a　man；〃　she　continued；　〃who；　because　he　did
his　duty　strictly；　has　been　to　me　an　object　of　hatred　which　I　thought
eternal。　He　was　the　first　inflictor　of　my　punishment。　My　feet　were
still　too　deep　in　blood；　I　was　too　near　the　deed；　not　to　hate　justice。
So　long　as　that　root　of　anger　lay　in　my　heart；　I　knew　there　was　still
a　lingering　remnant　of　condemnable　passion。　I　had　nothing　to　forgive
that　man；　I　have　only　had　to　purify　that　corner　of　my　heart　where　Evil
lurked。　However　hard　it　may　have　been　to　win　that　victory；　it　is　won。〃

Monsieur　de　Grandville　turned　a　face　to　Veronique　that　was　bathed　in
tears。　Human　justice　seemed　at　that　moment　to　feel　remorse。　When　the
confessing　woman　raised　her　head　as　if　to　continue；　she　met　the
agonizing　look　of　old　man　Grossetete；　who　stretched　his　supplicating
hands　to　her　as　if　to　say；　〃Enough；　enough！〃　At　the　same　instant　a
sound　of　tears　and　sobs　was　heard。　Moved　by　such　sympathy；　unable　to
bear　the　balm　of　this　general　pardon；　she　was　seized　with　faintness。
Seeing　that　her　daughter's　vital　force　was　gone　at　last；　the　old
mother　summoned　the　vigor　of　her　youth　to　carry　her　away。

〃Christians；〃　said　the　archbishop；　〃you　have　heard　the　confession　of
that　penitent　woman；　it　confirms　the　sentence　of　human　justice。　You
ought　to　see　in　this　fresh　reason　to　join　your　prayers　to　those　of　the
Church　which　offers　to　God　the　holy　sacrifice　of　the　mass；　to　implore
his　mercy　in　favor　of　so　deep　a　repentance。〃

The　services　went　on。　Veronique；　lying　on　the　bed；　followed　them　with
a　look　of　such　inward　contentment　that　she　seemed；　to　every　eye；　no
longer　the　same　woman。　On　her　face　was　the　candid　and　virtuous
expression　of　the　pure　young　girl　such　as　she　had　been　in　her　parents'
home。　The　dawn　of　eternal　life　was　already　whitening　her　brow　and
glorifying　her　face　with　its　celestial　tints。　Doubtless　she　heard　the
mystic　harmonies；　and　gathered　strength　to　live　from　her　desire　to
unite　herself　once　more　with　God　in　the　last　communion。　The　rector
came　beside　the　bed　and　gave　her　absolution。　The　archbishop
administered　the　sacred　oils　with　a　fatherly　tenderness　that　showed　to
all　there　present　how　dear　the　lost　but　now　recovered　lamb　had　been　to
him。　Then；　with　the　sacred　anointing；　he　closed　to　the　things　of　earth
those　eyes　which　had　done　such　evil；　and　laid　the　seal　of　the　Church
upon　the　lips　that　were　once　too　eloquent。　The　ears；　by　which　so　many
evil　inspirations　had　penetrated　her　mind；　were　closed　forever。　All
the　senses；　deadened　by　repentance；　were　thus　sanctified；　and　the
spirit　of　evil　could　have　no　further　power　within　her　soul。

Never　did　assistants　of　this　ceremony　more　fully　understand　the
grandeur　and　profundity　of　the　sacrament　than　those　who　now　saw　the
acts　of　the　Church　justly　following　the　confession　of　that　dying
woman。

Thus　prepared；　Veronique　received　the　body　of　Jesus　Christ　with　an
expression　of　hope　and　joy　which　melted　the　ice　of　unbelief　against
which　the　rector　had　so　often　bruised　himself。　Roubaud；　confounded　in
all　his　opinions；　became　a　Catholic　on　the　spot。　The　scene　was
touching　and　yet　awesome；　the　solemnity　of　its　every　feature　was　so
great　that　painters　might　have　found　there　the　subject　of　a
masterpiece。

When　this　funeral　part　was　over；　and　the　dying　woman　heard　the　priests
begin　the　reading　of　the　gospel　of　Saint　John；　she　signed　to　her
mother　to　bring　her　son；　who　had　been　taken　from　the　room　by　his
tutor。　When　she　saw　Francis　kneeling　by　the　bedside　the　pardoned
mother　felt　she　had　the　right　to　lay　her　hand　upon　his　head　and　bless
him。　Doing　so；　she　died。

Old　Madame　Sauviat　was　there；　at　her　post；　erect　as　she　had　been　for
twenty　years。　This　woman；　heroic　after　her　fashion；　closed　her
daughter's　eyesthose　eyes　that　had　wept　so　muchand　kissed　them。
All　the　priests；　followed　by　the　choristers；　surrounded　the　bed。　By
the　flaming　light　of　the　torches　they　chanted　the　terrible　/De
Profundis/；　the　echoes　of　which　told　the　population　kneeling　before
the　chateau；　the　friends　praying　in　the　salon；　the　servants　in　the
adjoining　rooms；　that　the　mother　of　the　canton　was　dead。　The　hymn　was
accompanied　with　moans　and　tears。　The　confession　of　that　grand　woman
had　not　been　audible　beyond　the　threshold　of　the　salon；　and　none　but
loving　ears　had　heard　it。

When　the　peasants　of　the　neighborhood；　joining　with　those　of
Montegnac；　came；　one　by　one；　to　lay　upon　their　benefactress　the
customary　palm；　together　with　their　last　farewell　mingled　with　prayers
and　tears；　they　saw　the　man　of　justice；　crushed　by　grief；　holding　the
hand　of　the　woman　whom；　without　intending　it；　he　had　so　cruelly　but　so
justly　stricken。

Two　days　later　the　/procureur…general/；　Grossetete；　the　archbishop；
and　the　mayor；　holding　the　corners　of　the　black　pall；　conducted　the
body　of　Madame　Graslin　to　its　last　resting…place。　It　was　laid　in　the
grave　in　deep　silence；　not　a　word　was　said；　no　one　had　strength　to
speak；　all　eyes　were　full　of　tears。　〃She　is　now　a　saint！〃　was　said　by
the　peasants　as　they　went　away　along　the　roads　of　the　canton　to　which
she　had　given　prosperity；saying　the　words　to　her　creations　as　though
they　were　animate　beings。

No　one　thought　it　strange　that　Madame　Graslin　was　buried　beside　the
body　of　Jean…Francois　Tascheron。　She　had　not　asked　it；　but　the　old
mother；　as　the　last　act　of　her　tender　pity；　had　requested　the　sexton
to　make　the　grave　there；putting　together　those　whom　earth　had　so
violently　parted；　and　whose　souls　were　now　reunited　through　repentance
in　purgatory。

Madame　Graslin's　will　was　found　to　be　all　that　was　expected　of　it。　She
founded　scholarships　and　hospital　beds　at　Limoges　solely　for　working…
men；　she　assigned　a　considerable　sumthree　hundred　thousand　francs　in
six　yearsfor　the　purchase　of　that　part　of　the　village　called　Les
Tascherons；　where　she　directed　that　a　hospital　should　be　built。　This
hospital；　intended　for　the　indigent　old　persons　of　the　canton；　for　the
sick；　for　lying…in　women　if　paupers；　and　for　foundlings；　was　to　be
called　the　Tascheron　Hospital。　Veronique　ordered　it　to　be　placed　in
charge　of　the　Gray　Sisters；　and　fixed　the　salaries　of　the　surgeon　and
the　physician　at　four　thousand　francs　for　each。　She　requested　Roubaud
to　be　the　first　physician　of　this　hospital；　placing　upon　him　the
choice　of　the　surgeon；　and　requesting　him　to　superintend　the　erection
of　the　building　with　reference　to　sanitary　arrangements；　conjointly
with　Gerard；　who　was　to　be　the　architect。　She　also　gave　to　the　village
of　Montegnac　an　extent　of　pasture　land　sufficient　to　pay　all　its
taxes。　The　church；　she　endowed　with　a　fund　to　be　used　for　a　special
purpose；　namely：　watch　was　to　be　kept　over　young　workmen；　and　cases
discovered　in　which　some　village　youth　might　show　a　disposition　for
art；　or　science；　or　manufactures；　the　interest　of　the　fund　was　then　to
be　used　in　fostering　it。　The　intelligent　benevolence　of　the　testatrix
named　the　sum　that　should　be　taken　for　each　of　these　encouragements。

The　news　of　Madame　Graslin's　death；　received　throughout　the　department
as　a　calamity；　was　not　accompanied　by　any　rumor　injurious　to　the
memory　of　this　woman。　This　discretion　was　a　homage　rendered　to　so　many
virtues　by　the　hard…working　Catholic　population；　which　renewed　in　this
little　corner　of　France　the　miracles　of　the　〃Lettres　Edifiantes。〃

Gerard；　appointed　guardian　of　Francis　Graslin；　and　obliged；　by　terms
of　the　will；　to　reside　at　the　chateau；　moved　there。　But　he　did　not
marry　Denise　Tascheron　until　three　months　after　Veronique's　death。　In
her；　Francis　found　a　second　mother。









End