the brotherhood of consolation-第6章

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Chanterie　took；　as　did　the　rest；　a　single　peach　and　half　a　bunch　of
grapes；　but　she　told　her　new　lodger；　as　she　offered　him　the　various
dishes；　not　to　imitate　such　temperance。

Godefroid's　curiosity　was　excited　to　the　highest　degree　by　this　first
entrance　on　his　new　life。　When　they　returned　to　the　salon　after
breakfast；　he　was　left　alone；　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　retired　to　the
embrasure　of　a　window　and　held　a　little　private　council　with　her　four
friends。　This　conference；　entirely　devoid　of　animation；　lasted　half　an
hour。　They　spoke　together　in　a　low　voice；　exchanging　words　which　each
of　them　appeared　to　have　thought　over。　From　time　to　time　Monsieur
Alain　and　Monsieur　Joseph　consulted　a　note…book；　turning　over　its
leaves。

〃See　the　faubourg；〃　said　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　to　Monsieur　Joseph；
who　left　the　house。

That　was　the　only　word　Godefroid　distinguished。

〃And　you　the　Saint…Marceau　quarter；〃　she　continued；　addressing
Monsieur　Nicolas。　〃Hunt　through　the　faubourg　Saint…Germain　and　see　if
you　can　find　what　we　want；〃　this　to　the　Abbe　de　Veze；　who　went　away
immediately。　〃And　you；　my　dear　Alain；〃　she　added；　smiling　at　the
latter；　〃make　an　examination。　There；　those　important　matters　are　all
settled；〃　she　said；　returning　to　Godefroid。

She　seated　herself　in　her　armchair；　took　a　little　piece　of　linen　from
the　table　before　her；　and　began　to　sew　as　if　she　were　employed　to　do
so。

Godefroid；　lost　in　conjecture；　and　still　thinking　of　a　royalist
conspiracy；　took　his　landlady's　remark　as　an　opening；　and　he　began　to
study　her　as　he　seated　himself　beside　her。　He　was　struck　by　the
singular　dexterity　with　which　she　worked。　Although　everything　about
her　bespoke　the　great　lady；　she　showed　the　dexterity　of　a　workwoman；
for　every　one　can　see　at　a　glance；　by　certain　manipulations；　the　work
of　a　workman　or　an　amateur。

〃You　do　that；〃　said　Godefroid；　〃as　if　you　knew　the　trade。〃

〃Alas！〃　she　answered；　without　raising　her　head；　〃I　did　know　it　once
out　of　necessity。〃

Two　large　tears　came　into　her　eyes；　and　rolled　down　her　cheeks　to　the
linen　in　her　hand。

〃Forgive　me；　madame！〃　cried　Godefroid。

Madame　de　Chanterie　looked　at　her　new　lodger；　and　saw　such　an
expression　of　genuine　regret　upon　his　face；　that　she　made　him　a
friendly　sign。　After　drying　her　eyes；　she　immediately　recovered　the
calmness　that　characterized　her　face；　which　was　less　cold　than
chastened。

〃You　are　here；　Monsieur　Godefroid；for　you　know　already　that　we　shall
call　you　by　your　baptized　name；you　are　here　in　the　midst　of　ruins
caused　by　a　great　tempest。　We　have　each　been　struck　and　wounded　in　our
hearts；　our　family　interests；　or　our　fortunes；　by　that　whirlwind　of
forty　years；　which　overthrew　religion　and　royalty；　and　dispersed　the
elements　of　all　that　made　old　France。　Words　that　seem　quite　harmless
do　sometimes　wound　us　all；　and　that　is　why　we　are　so　silent。　We　speak
rarely　of　ourselves；　we　forget　ourselves；　and　we　have　found　a　way　to
substitute　another　life　for　our　lives。　It　is　because；　after　hearing
your　confidence　at　Monsieur　Mongenod's；　I　thought　there　seemed　a
likeness　between　your　situation　and　ours；　that　I　induced　my　four
friends　to　receive　you　among　us；　besides；　we　wanted　another　monk　in
our　convent。　But　what　are　you　going　to　do？　No　one　can　face　solitude
without　some　moral　resources。〃

〃Madame；　I　should　be　very　glad；　after　hearing　what　you　have　said；　if
you　yourself　would　be　the　guide　of　my　destiny。〃

〃You　speak　like　a　man　of　the　world；〃　she　answered；　〃and　are　trying　to
flatter　me；a　woman　of　sixty！　My　dear　child；〃　she　went　on；　〃let　me
tell　you　that　you　are　here　among　persons　who　believe　strongly　in　God；
who　have　all　felt　his　hand；　and　have　yielded　themselves　to　him　almost
as　though　they　were　Trappists。　Have　you　ever　remarked　the　profound
sense　of　safety　in　a　true　priest　when　he　has　given　himself　to　the
Lord；　when　he　listens　to　his　voice；　and　strives　to　make　himself　a
docile　instrument　in　the　hand　of　Providence？　He　has　no　longer　vanity
or　self…love；nothing　of　all　that　which　wounds　continually　the　hearts
of　the　world。　His　quietude　is　equal　to　that　of　the　fatalist；　his
resignation　does　truly　enable　him　to　bear　all。　The　true　priest；　such　a
one　as　the　Abbe　de　Veze；　lives　like　a　child　with　its　mother；　for　the
Church；　my　dear　Monsieur　Godefroid；　is　a　good　mother。　Well；　a　man　can
be　a　priest　without　the　tonsure；　all　priests　are　not　in　orders。　To　vow
one's　self　to　good；　that　is　imitating　a　true　priest；　it　is　obedience
to　God。　I　am　not　preaching　to　you；　I　am　not　trying　to　convert　you；　I
am　explaining　our　lives　to　you。〃

〃Instruct　me；　madame；〃　said　Godefroid；　deeply　impressed；　〃so　that　I
may　not　fail　in　any　of　your　rules。〃

〃That　would　be　hard　upon　you；　you　will　learn　them　by　degrees。　Never
speak　here　of　your　misfortunes；　they　are　slight　compared　to　the
catastrophes　by　which　the　lives　of　those　you　are　now　among　were
blasted。〃

While　speaking　thus；　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　drew　her　needle　and　let
her　stitches　with　unbroken　regularity；　but　here　she　paused；　raised　her
head；　and　looked　at　Godefroid。　She　saw　him　charmed　by　the　penetrating
sweetness　of　her　voice；　which　possessed；　let　us　say　it　here；　an
apostolic　unction。　The　sick　soul　contemplated　with　admiration　the
truly　extraordinary　phenomenon　presented　by　this　woman；　whose　face　was
now　resplendent。　Rosy　tints　were　spreading　on　the　waxen　cheeks；　her
eyes　shone；　the　youthfulness　of　her　soul　changed　the　light　wrinkles
into　gracious　lines；　and　all　about　her　solicited　affection。　Godefroid
in　that　one　moment　measured　the　gulf　that　separated　this　woman　from
common　sentiments。　He　saw　her　inaccessible　on　a　peak　to　which　religion
had　led　her；　and　he　was　still　too　worldly　not　to　be　keenly　piqued；　and
to　long　to　plunge　through　the　gulf　and　up　to　the　summit　on　which　she
stood；　and　stand　beside　her。　Giving　himself　up　to　this　desire；　he
related　to　her　all　the　mistakes　of　his　life；　and　much　that　he　could
not　tell　at　Mongenod's；　where　his　confidences　had　been　confined　to　his
actual　situation。

〃Poor　child！〃

That　exclamation；　falling　now　and　then　from　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's
lips　as　he　went　on；　dropped　like　balm　upon　the　heart　of　the　sufferer。

〃What　can　I　substitute　for　so　many　hopes　betrayed；　so　much　affection
wasted？〃　he　asked；　looking　at　his　hostess；　who　had　now　grown
thoughtful。　〃I　came　here；〃　he　resumed；　〃to　reflect　and　choose　a　course
of　action。　I　have　lost　my　mother；　will　you　replace　her？〃

〃Will　you；〃　she　said；　〃show　a　son's　obedience？〃

〃Yes；　if　you　will　have　the　tenderness　that　commands　it。〃

〃I　will　try；〃　she　said。

Godefroid　put　out　his　hand　to　take　that　of　his　hostess；　who　gave　it　to
him；　guessing　his　intentions。　He　carried　it　respectfully　to　his　lips。
Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　hand　was　exquisitely　beautiful；without　a
wrinkle；　neither　fat　nor　thin；　white　enough　to　be　the　envy　of　all
young　women；　and　shapely　enough　for　the　model　of　a　sculptor。　Godefroid
had　already　admired　those　hands；　conscious　of　their　harmony　with　the
spell　of　her　voice；　and　the　celestial　blue　of　her　glance。

〃Wait　a　moment；〃　said　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　rising　and　going　into
her　own　room。

Godefroid　was　keenly　excited；　he　did　not　know　to　what　class　of　ideas
her　movement　was　to　be　attributed。　His　perplexity　did　not　last　long；
for　she　presently　returned　with　a　book　in　her　hand。

〃Here；　my　dear　child；〃　she　said；　〃are　the　prescriptions　of　a　great
physician　of　souls。　When　the　things　of　ordinary　life　have　not　given　us
the　happiness　we　expected　of　them；　we　must　seek　for　happiness　in　a
higher　life。　Here　is　the　key　of　a　new　world。　Read　night　and　morning　a
chapter　of　this　book；　but　bring　your　full　attention　to　bear　upon　what
you　read；　study　the　words　as　you　would　a　foreign　language。　At　the　end
of　a　month　you　will　be　another　man。　It　is　now　twenty　years　that　I　have
read　a　chapter　every　day；　and　my　three　friends；　Messieurs　Nicolas；
Alain；　and　Joseph；　would　no　more　fail　in　that　practice　than　they　would
fail　in　getting　up　and　going　to　bed。　Do　as　they　do　for　love　of　God；
for　love　of　me；〃　she　said；　with　a　divine　serenity；　an　august
confidence。

Godefroid　turned　over　the　book　and　read　upon　its　back　in　gilt　letters；
IMITATION　OF　JESUS　CHRIST。　The　simplicity　of　this　old　woman；　her
youthful　candor；　her　certainty　of　doing　a　good　deed；　confounded　the
ex…dandy。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　face　wore　a　rapturous　expression；
and　her　attitude　was　that　of　a　woman　who　was　offering　a　hundred
thousand　francs　to　a　merchant　on　the　verge　of　bankruptcy。

〃I　have　used　that　volume；〃　she　said；　〃for　twenty…six　years。　God　grant
its　touch　may　be　contagious。　Go　now　and　buy　me　another　copy；　for　this
is　the　hour　when　persons　come　here　who　must　not　be　seen。〃

Godefroid　bowed　and　went　to　his　room；　where　he　flung　the　book　upon　the
table；　exclaiming；

〃Poor；　good　woman！　Well；　so　be　it！〃



V

THE　INFLUENCE　OF　BOOKS

The　book；　like　all　books　frequently　read；　opened　in　a　particular
place。　Godefroid　sat　down　as　if　to　put　his　ideas　in　order；　for　he　had
gone　through　more　emotion　during　this　one　morning　than　he　had　often
done　in　the　agitated　months　of　his　life；　but　above　all；　his　curiosity
was　keenly　excited。　Letting　his　eyes　fall　by　chance；　as　people　will
when　their　souls　are　launched　in　meditation；　they　rested　mechanically
on　the　two　open　pages　of　the　book；　almost　unconsciously　he　read　the
following　heading：


CHAPTER　XII。

THE　ROYAL　WAY　OF　THE　HOLY　CROSS

He　took　up　the　book；　a　sentence　of　that　noble　chapter　caught　his　eye
like　a　flash　of　light：

　　〃He　has　walked　before　thee；　bearing　his　cross；　he　died　for　thee；
　　that　thou　mightest　bear　thy　cross；　and　be　glad　to　die　upon　it。

　　〃Go　where　thou　wilt；　seek　what　thou　wilt；　never　canst　thou　find　a
　　nobler；　surer　path　than　the　royal　way　of　the　holy　cross。

　　〃Dispose　and　order　all　things　according　to　thy　desires　and　thine
　　own　judgment　and　still　thou　shalt　find　trials　to　suffer；　whether
　　thou　wilt　or　no；　and　so　the　cross　is　there；　be　it　pain　of　body　or
　　pain　of　mind。

　　〃Sometimes　God　will　seem　to　leave　thee；　sometimes　men　will　harass
　　thee。　But；　far　worse；　thou　wilt　find　thyself　a　burden　to　thyself；
　　and　no　remedy　will　deliver　thee；　no　consolation　comfort　thee：
　　until　it　pleases　God　to　end　thy　trouble　thou　must　bear　it；　for　it
　　is　God's　will　that　we　suffer　without　consolation；　that　we　may　go
　　to　him　without　one　backward　look；　humble　through　tribulation。〃

〃What　a　strange　book！〃　thought　Godefroid；　turning　over　the　leaves。
Then　his　eyes　lighted　on　the　following　words：

　　〃When　thou　hast　reached　the　height　of　finding　all　afflictions
　　sweet；　since　they　have　made　thee　love　the　love　of　Jesus　Christ；
　　then　know　thyself　happy；　for　thou　hast　found　thy　paradise　in　this
　　world。〃

Annoyed　by　this　simplicity　（the　characteristic　of　strength）；　angry　at
being　foiled　by　a　book；　he　closed　the　volume；　but　even　then　he　saw；　in
letters　of　gold　on　the　green　morocco　cover；　the　words：

　　SEEK　THAT　WHICH　IS　ETERNAL；　AND　THAT　ONLY。

〃Have　they　found　it　here？〃　he　asked　himself。

He　went　out　to　buy　the　handsomest　copy　he　could　find　of　the　〃Imitation
of　Jesus　Christ〃　thinking　that　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　would　wish　to
read　her　chapter　that　night。　When　he　reached　the　street　he　stood　a
moment　n