the brotherhood of consolation-第7章

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read　her　chapter　that　night。　When　he　reached　the　street　he　stood　a
moment　near　the　door；　uncertain　which　way　to　take　and　debating　in　what
direction　he　was　likely　to　find　a　bookseller。　As　he　stood　there　he
heard　the　heavy　sound　of　the　massive　porte…cochere　closing。

Two　men　were　leaving　the　hotel　de　la　Chanterie。　If　the　reader　has
fully　understood　the　character　of　this　old　house　he　will　know　that　it
was　one　of　the　ancient　mansions　of　the　olden　time。　Manon；　herself；
when　she　called　Godefroid　that　morning；　had　asked　him；　smiling；　how　he
had　slept　in　the　hotel　de　la　Chanterie。

Godefroid　followed　the　two　men　without　the　slightest　intention　of
watching　them；　they　took　him　for　an　accidental　passer；　and　spoke　in
tones　which　enabled　him　to　hear　distinctly　in　those　lonely　streets。

The　two　men　passed　along　the　rue　Massillon　beside　the　church　and
crossed　the　open　space　in　front　of　it。

〃Well；　you　see；　old　man；　it　is　easy　enough　to　catch　their　sous。　Say
what　they　want　you　to　say；　that's　all。〃

〃But　we　owe　money。〃

〃To　whom？〃

〃To　that　lady〃

〃I'd　like　to　see　that　old　body　try　to　get　it；　I'd〃

〃You'd　pay　her。〃

〃Well；　you're　right；　for　if　I　paid　her　I'd　get　more　another　time。〃

〃Wouldn't　it　be　better　to　do　as　they　advise；　and　build　up　a　good
business？〃

〃Pooh！〃

〃But　she　said　she　would　get　some　one　to　lend　us　the　money。〃

〃Then　we　should　have　to　give　up　the　life　of〃

〃Well；　I'd　rather；　I'm　sick　of　it；　it　isn't　being　a　man　at　all　to　be
drunk　half　one's　time。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　know　the　abbe　turned　his　back　on　old　Marin　the　other
day；　he　refused　him　everything。〃

〃Because　old　Marin　tried　to　swindle；　and　nobody　can　succeed　in　that
but　millionnaires。〃

Just　then　the　two　men；　whose　dress　seemed　to　show　that　they　were
foremen　in　some　workshop；　turned　abruptly　round　towards　the　place
Maubert　by　the　bridge　of　the　Hotel…Dieu。　Godefroid　stepped　aside　to
let　them　pass。　Seeing　him　so　close　behind　them　they　looked　rather
anxiously　at　each　other；　and　their　faces　expressed　a　regret　for　having
spoken。

Godefroid　was　the　more　interested　by　this　conversation　because　it
reminded　him　of　the　scene　between　the　Abbe　de　Veze　and　the　workman　the
day　of　his　first　visit。

Thinking　over　this　circumstance；　he　went　as　far　as　a　bookseller's　in
the　rue　Saint…Jacques；　whence　he　returned　with　a　very　handsome　copy　of
the　finest　edition　published　in　France　of　the　〃Imitation　of　Jesus
Christ。〃　Walking　slowly　back；　in　order　that　he　might　arrive　exactly　at
the　dinner　hour；　he　recalled　his　own　sensations　during　this　morning
and　he　was　conscious　of　a　new　impulse　in　his　soul。　He　was　seized　by　a
sudden　and　deep　curiosity；　but　his　curiosity　paled　before　an
inexplicable　desire。　He　was　drawn　to　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　he　felt
the　keenest　desire　to　attach　himself　to　her；　to　devote　himself　to　her；
to　please　her；　to　deserve　her　praise：　in　short；　he　felt　the　first
emotions　of　platonic　love；　he　saw　glimpses　of　the　untold　grandeur　of
that　soul；　and　he　longed　to　know　it　in　its　entirety。　He　grew　impatient
to　enter　the　inner　lives　of　these　pure　Catholics。　In　that　small
company　of　faithful　souls；　the　majesty　of　practical　religion　was　so
thoroughly　blended　with　all　that　is　most　majestic　in　a　French　woman
that　Godefroid　resolved　to　leave　no　stone　unturned　to　make　himself
accepted　as　a　true　member　of　the　little　body。　These　feelings　would
have　been　unnaturally　sudden　in　a　busy　Parisian　eagerly　occupied　with
life；　but　Godefroid　was；　as　we　have　seen；　in　the　position　of　a
drowning　man　who　catches　at　every　floating　branch　thinking　it　a　solid
stay；　and　his　soul；　ploughed　and　furrowed　with　trial；　was　ready　to
receive　all　seed。

He　found　the　four　friends　in　the　salon；　and　he　presented　the　book　to
Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　saying：

〃I　did　not　like　to　deprive　you　of　it　to…night。〃

〃God　grant；〃　she　said；　smiling；　as　she　looked　at　the　magnificent
volume；　〃that　this　may　be　your　last　excess　of　elegance。〃

Looking　at　the　clothes　of　the　four　men　present　and　observing　how　in
every　particular　they　were　reduced　to　mere　utility　and　neatness；　and
seeing；　too；　how　rigorously　the　same　principle　was　applied　to　all　the
details　of　the　house；　Godefroid　understood　the　value　of　the　reproach
so　courteously　made　to　him。

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃the　persons　whom　you　obliged　this　morning　are
scoundrels；　I　overheard；　without　intending　it；　what　they　said　to　each
other　when　they　left　the　house；　it　was　full　of　the　basest
ingratitude。〃

〃They　were　the　two　locksmiths　of　the　rue　Mouffetard；〃　said　Madame　de
la　Chanterie　to　Monsieur　Nicolas；　〃that　is　your　affair。〃

〃The　fish　gets　away　more　than　once　before　it　is　caught；〃　said　Monsieur
Alain；　laughing。

The　perfect　indifference　of　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　on　hearing　of　the
immediate　ingratitude　of　persons　to　whom　she　had；　no　doubt；　given
money；　surprised　Godefroid；　who　became　thoughtful。

The　dinner　was　enlivened　by　Monsieur　Alain　and　Monsieur　Joseph；　but
Monsieur　Nicolas　remained　quiet；　sad；　and　cold；　he　bore　on　his
features　the　ineffaceable　imprint　of　some　bitter　grief；　some　eternal
sorrow。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　paid　equal　attentions　to　all。　Godefroid
felt　himself　observed　by　these　persons；　whose　prudence　equalled　their
piety；　his　vanity　led　him　to　imitate　their　reserve；　and　he　measured
his　words。

This　first　day　was　much　more　interesting　than　those　which　succeeded
it。　Godefroid；　who　found　himself　set　aside　from　all　the　serious
conferences；　was　obliged；　during　several　hours　in　mornings　and
evenings　when　he　was　left　wholly　to　himself；　to　have　recourse　to　the
〃Imitation　of　Jesus　Christ；〃　and　he　ended　by　studying　that　book　as　a
man　studies　a　book　when　he　has　but　one；　or　is　a　prisoner。　A　book　is
then　like　a　woman　with　whom　we　live　in　solitude；　we　must　either　hate
or　adore　that　woman；　and；　in　like　manner；　we　must　either　enter　into
the　soul　of　the　author　or　not　read　ten　lines　of　his　book。

Now；　it　is　impossible　not　to　be　impressed　by　the　〃Imitation　of　Jesus
Christ；〃　which　is　to　dogma　what　action　is　to　thought。　Catholicism
vibrates　in　it；　pulses；　breathes；　and　lives；　body　to　body；　with　human
life。　The　book　is　a　sure　friend。　It　speaks　to　all　passions；　all
difficulties；　even　worldly　ones；　it　solves　all　problems；　it　is　more
eloquent　than　any　preacher；　for　its　voice　is　your　own；　it　is　the　voice
within　your　soul；　you　hear　it　with　your　spirit。　It　is；　in　short；　the
Gospel　translated；　adapted　to　all　ages；　the　summit　and　crest　of　all
human　situations。　It　is　extraordinary　that　the　Church　has　never
canonized　John　Gersen；　for　the　Divine　Spirit　evidently　inspired　his
pen。

For　Godefroid；　the　hotel　de　la　Chanterie　now　held　a　woman　and　a　book；
day　by　day　he　loved　the　woman　more；　he　discovered　flowers　buried
beneath　the　snows　of　winter　in　her　heart；　he　had　glimpses　of　the　joys
of　a　sacred　friendship　which　religion　permits；　on　which　the　angels
smile；　a　friendship　which　here　united　these　five　persons　and　against
which　no　evil　could　prevail。

This　is　a　sentiment　higher　than　all　others；　a　love　of　soul　to　soul；
resembling　those　rarest　flowers　born　on　the　highest　peaks　of　earth；　a
love　of　which　a　few　examples　are　offered　to　humanity　from　age　to　age；
by　which　lovers　are　sometimes　bound　together　in　one　being；　and　which
explains　those　faithful　attachments　which　are　otherwise　inexplicable
by　the　laws　of　the　world。　It　is　a　bond　without　disappointment；　without
misunderstanding；　without　vanity；　without　strife；　without　even
contradictions；　so　completely　are　the　moral　natures　blended　into　one。

This　sentiment；　vast；　infinite；　born　of　Catholic　charity；　Godefroid
foresaw　with　all　its　joys。　At　times　he　could　not　believe　the　spectacle
before　his　eyes；　and　he　sought　for　reasons　to　explain　the　sublime
friendship　of　these　five　persons；　wondering　in　his　heart　to　find　true
Catholics；　true　Christians　of　the　early　Church；　in　the　Paris　of　1836。



VI

THE　BUSINESS　OF　THE　HOUSE　OF　CHANTERIE　AND　COMPANY

Within　a　week　after　his　arrival　Godefroid　had　seen　such　a　concourse　of
persons；　he　had　overheard　fragments　of　conversation　relating　to　so
many　serious　topics；　that　he　began　to　perceive　an　enormous　activity　in
the　lives　of　the　five　inmates　of　the　house。　He　noticed　that　none　of
them　slept　more　than　five　hours　at　the　most。

They　had　all　made；　in　some　sort；　a　first　day；　before　the　second
breakfast。　During　that　time　strangers　came　and　went；　bringing　or
carrying　away　money；　sometimes　in　considerable　sums。　A　messenger　from
the　Mongenod　counting…room　often　came；always　very　early　in　the
morning；　so　that　his　errand　might　not　interfere　with　the　business　of
the　bank。

One　evening　Monsieur　Mongenod　came　himself；　and　Godefroid　noticed　that
he　showed　to　Monsieur　Alain　a　certain　filial　familiarity　added　to　the
profound　respect　which　he　testified　to　the　three　other　lodgers　of
Madame　de　la　Chanterie。

On　that　evening　the　banker　merely　put　a　few　matter…of…fact　questions
to　Godefroid：　〃Was　he　comfortable？　Did　he　intend　to　stay？〃　etc。；at
the　same　time　advising　him　to　persevere　in　his　plan。

〃I　need　only　one　thing　to　make　me　contented；〃　said　Godefroid。

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　the　banker。

〃An　occupation。〃

〃An　occupation！〃　remarked　the　Abbe　de　Veze。　〃Then　you　have　changed
your　mind？　I　thought　you　came　to　our　cloister　for　rest。〃

〃Rest；　without　the　prayers　that　enlivened　monasteries；　without　the
meditation　which　peopled　the　Thebaids；　becomes　a　disease；〃　said
Monsieur　Joseph；　sententiously。

〃Learn　book…keeping；〃　said　Monsieur　Mongenod；　with　a　smile；　〃you　might
become　in　a　few　months　very　useful　to　my　friends　here。〃

〃Oh！　with　pleasure；〃　cried　Godefroid。

The　next　day　was　Sunday；　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　requested　him　to　give
her　his　arm　to　high　mass。

〃It　is；〃　she　said；　〃the　only　coercion　I　shall　put　upon　you。　Several
times　during　the　past　week　I　have　wished　to　speak　to　you　of　religion；
but　it　did　not　seem　to　me　that　the　time　had　come。　You　would　find
plenty　of　occupation　if　you　shared　our　beliefs；　for　then　you　would
share　our　labors　as　well。〃

During　mass　Godefroid　noticed　the　fervor　of　Messieurs　Nicolas；　Joseph；
and　Alain；　and　as　during　the　last　few　days　he　had　also　noticed　their
superiority　and　intelligence；　and　the　vast　extent　of　their　knowledge；
he　concluded；　when　he　saw　how　they　humbled　themselves；　that　the
Catholic　religion　had　secrets　which　had　hitherto　escaped　him。

〃After　all；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃it　is　the　religion　of　Bossuet；
Pascal；　Racine；　Saint…Louis；　Louis　XIV。；　Raffaelle；　Michel…Angelo；
Ximenes；　Bayard；　du　Guesclin；　and　how　could　I；　weakling　that　I　am；
compare　myself　to　those　intellects；　those　statesmen；　those　poets；
those　heroes？〃

If　there　were　not　some　real　instruction　in　these　minor　details　it
would　be　imprudent　to　dwell　upon　them　in　these　days；　but　they　are
indispensable　to　the　interests　of　this　history；　in　which　the　present
public　will　be　none　too　ready　to　believe；　and　which　presents　at　the
outset　a　fact　that　is　almost　ridiculous；namely；　the　empire　which　a
woman　of　sixty　obtained　over　a　young　man　disappointed　with　the　world。

〃You　did　not　pray　at　all；〃　said　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　to　Godefroid　as
they　left　the　portal　of　Notre…Dame；　〃not　for　any　one；not　even　for
the　soul　of　your　mother。〃

Godefroid　colored　and　said　nothing。

〃Will