the brotherhood of consolation-第8章

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the　soul　of　your　mother。〃

Godefroid　colored　and　said　nothing。

〃Will　you　do　me　the　favor；〃　continued　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　〃to　go
to　your　room　and　not　come　into　the　salon　for　an　hour？　You　can
meditate；　if　you　love　me；　on　the　first　chapter　in　the　third　book　of
the　'Imitation'the　one　entitled：　'Of　inward　communing。'〃

Godefroid　bowed　stiffly　and　went　to　his　room。

〃The　devil　take　them！〃　he　exclaimed　to　himself；　giving　way　to
downright　anger。　〃What　do　they　want　with　me　here？　What　is　all　this
traffic　they　are　carrying　on？　Pooh！　all　women；　even　pious　ones；　are　up
to　the　same　tricks。　If　Madame〃　（giving　her　the　name　by　which　her
lodgers　spoke　of　her）　〃wants　me　out　of　the　way　it　is　probably　because
they　are　plotting　something　against　me。〃

With　that　thought　in　his　mind　he　tried　to　look　from　his　window　into
that　of　the　salon；　but　the　situation　of　the　rooms　did　not　allow　it。　He
went　down　one　flight；　and　then　returned；reflecting　that　according　to
the　rigid　principles　of　the　house　he　should　be　dismissed　if　discovered
spying。　To　lose　the　respect　of　those　five　persons　seemed　to　him　as
serious　as　public　dishonor。

He　waited　three　quarters　of　an　hour；　then　he　resolved　to　surprise
Madame　de　la　Chanterie　and　come　upon　her　suddenly　before　she　expected
him。　He　invented　a　lie　to　excuse　himself；　saying　that　his　watch　was
wrong；　for　which　purpose　he　set　it　on　twenty　minutes。　Then　he　went
downstairs；　making　no　noise；　reached　the　door　of　the　salon；　and　opened
it　abruptly。

He　saw　a　man；　still　young；　but　already　celebrated；　a　poet；　whom　he　had
frequently　met　in　society；　Victor　de　Vernisset；　on　his　knees　before
Madame　de　la　Chanterie　and　kissing　the　hem　of　her　dress。　If　the　sky
had　fallen；　and　shivered　to　atoms　like　glass；　as　the　ancients　thought
it　was；　Godefroid　could　not　have　been　more　astonished。　Shocking
thoughts　came　into　his　mind；　and　then　a　reaction　more　terrible　still
when；　before　the　sarcasm　he　was　about　to　utter　had　left　his　lips；　he
saw　Monsieur　Alain　in　a　corner　of　the　room　counting　out　bank…notes。

In　an　instant　Vernisset　was　on　his　feet；　and　the　worthy　Alain　looked
thunderstruck。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　on　her　part；　gave　Godefroid　a
look　which　petrified　him；　for　the　twofold　expression　on　the　face　of
the　visitor　had　not　escaped　him。

〃Monsieur　is　one　of　us；〃　she　said　to　the　young　poet；　with　a　sign
towards　Godefroid。

〃Then　you　are　a　happy　man；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　Vernisset；　〃you　are
saved！　But；　madame；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　〃if
all　Paris　had　seen　me；　I　should　rejoice　in　it。　Nothing　can　ever　mark
my　gratitude　to　you。　I　am　yours　forever；　I　belong　to　you　utterly。
Command　me　as　you　will　and　I　obey。　I　owe　you　my　life；　and　it　is
yours。〃

〃Well；　well；　young　man！〃　said　the　kind　Alain；　〃then　be　wise；　be
virtuous；only；　/work/；　but　do　not　attack　religion　in　your　books。
Moreover；　remember　that　you　owe　a　debt。〃

And　he　handed　him　an　envelope　thick　with　the　bank…notes　he　had　counted
out。　The　tears　were　in　Victor　de　Vernisset's　eyes；　he　kissed　Madame　de
la　Chanterie's　hand　respectfully；　and　went　away；　after　shaking　hands
with　Monsieur　Alain　and　Godefroid。

〃You　have　not　obeyed　madame；〃　said　the　goodman　Alain　solemnly；　with　a
sad　expression　on　his　face　that　Godefroid　had　never　before　seen　there；
〃and　that　is　a　great　wrong；　if　it　happens　again　we　must　part。　This　may
seem　hard　to　you　after　we　had　begun　to　give　you　our　confidence。〃

〃My　dear　Alain；〃　said　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　〃have　the　kindness　for
my　sake　to　say　no　more　about　this　piece　of　thoughtlessness。　We　ought
not　to　ask　too　much　a　new　arrival；　who　has　been　spared　great
misfortunes　and　knows　nothing　of　religion；　and　who；　moreover；　has　only
an　excessive　curiosity　about　our　vocation；　and　does　not　yet　believe　in
us。〃

〃Forgive　me；　madame；〃　said　Godefroid；　〃I　do　desire；　from　this　time
forth；　to　be　worthy　of　you。　I　will　submit　to　any　trial　you　think
necessary　before　initiating　me　into　the　secrets　of　your　work；　and　if
the　Abbe　de　Veze　will　undertake　to　instruct　me　I　will　listen　to　him；
soul　and　mind。〃

These　words　made　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　so　happy　that　a　faint　color
stole　upon　her　cheeks。　She　took　Godefroid's　hand　and　pressed　it；　then
she　said；　with　strange　emotion；　〃It　is　well。〃

That　evening；　after　dinner；　visitors　came　in：　a　vicar…general　of　the
diocese　of　Paris；　two　canons；　two　former　mayors　of　Paris；　and　one　of
the　ladies　who　distributed　the　charities　of　Notre…Dame。　No　cards　were
played；　but　the　conversation　was　gay；　without　being　vapid。

A　visit　which　surprised　Godefroid　greatly　was　that　of　the　Comtesse　de
Cinq…Cygne；　one　of　the　highest　personages　in　aristocratic　society；
whose　salon　was　inaccessible　to　the　bourgeoisie　and　to　parvenus。　The
presence　of　this　great　lady　in　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　salon　was
sufficiently　surprising；　but　the　manner　in　which　the　two　women　met　and
treated　each　other　seemed　to　Godefroid　inexplicable；　for　it　showed　the
closest　intimacy　and　a　constant　intercourse　which　gave　Madame　de　la
Chanterie　an　added　value　in　his　eyes。　Madame　de　Cinq…Cygne　was
gracious　and　affectionate　in　manner　to　the　four　friends　of　her　friend；
and　showed　the　utmost　respect　to　Monsieur　Nicolas。

We　may　see　here　how　social　vanities　still　governed　Godefroid；　for　up
to　this　visit　of　Madame　de　Cinq…Cygne　he　was　still　undecided；　but　he
now　resolved　to　give　himself　up；　with　or　without　conviction；　to
whatever　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　and　her　friends　might　exact　of　him；　in
order　to　get　affiliated　with　their　order　and　initiated　into　their
secrets；　assuring　himself　that　in　that　way　he　should　find　a　career。

The　next　day　he　went　to　a　book…keeper　whom　Madame　de　la　Chanterie
recommended；　and　arranged　with　him　the　hours　at　which　they　should　work
together。　His　whole　time　was　now　employed。　The　Abbe　de　Veze　instructed
him　in　the　mornings；　he　was　two　hours　a　day　with　the　book…keeper；　and
he　spent　the　rest　of　his　time　between　breakfast　and　dinner　in　doing
imaginary　commercial　accounts　which　his　master　required　him　to　write
at　home。

Some　time　passed　thus；　during　which　Godefroid　felt　the　charm　of　a　life
in　which　each　hour　has　its　own　employment。　The　recurrence　of　a　settled
work　at　settled　moments；　regularity　of　action；　is　the　secret　of　many　a
happy　life；　and　it　proves　how　deeply　the　founders　of　religious　orders
had　meditated　on　the　nature　of　man。　Godefroid；　who　had　made　up　his
mind　to　listen　to　the　Abbe　de　Veze；　began　to　have　serious　thoughts　of
a　future　life；　and　to　find　how　little　he　knew　of　the　real　gravity　of
religious　questions。

Moreover；　from　day　to　day　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　with　whom　he　always
remained　for　an　hour　after　the　second　breakfast；　allowed　him　to
discover　the　treasures　that　were　in　her；　he　knew　then　that　he　never
could　have　imagined　a　loving…kindness　so　broad　and　so　complete。　A
woman　of　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　apparent　age　no　longer　has　the
pettiness　of　younger　women。　She　is　a　friend　who　offers　you　all
feminine　refinements；　who　displays　the　graces；　the　choice　attractions
which　nature　inspires　in　a　woman　for　man；　she　gives　them；　and　no
longer　sells　them。　Such　a　woman　is　either　detestable　or　perfect；　for
her　gifts　are　either　not　of　the　flesh　or　they　are　worthless。　Madame　de
la　Chanterie　was　perfect。　She　seemed　never　to　have　had　a　youth；　her
glance　never　told　of　a　past。　Godefroid's　curiosity　was　far　from　being
appeased　by　a　closer　and　more　intimate　knowledge　of　this　sublime
nature；　the　discoveries　of　each　succeeding　day　only　redoubled　his
desire　to　learn　the　anterior　life　of　a　woman　whom　he　now　thought　a
saint。　Had　she　ever　loved？　Had　she　been　a　wife；a　mother？　Nothing
about　her　was　characteristic　of　an　old　maid；　she　displayed　all　the
graces　of　a　well…born　woman；　and　an　observer　would　perceive　in　her
robust　health；　in　the　extraordinary　phenomena　of　her　physical
preservation；　a　divine　life；　and　a　species　of　ignorance　of　the　earthly
existence。

Except　the　gay　and　cheery　goodman　Alain；　all　these　persons　had
suffered；　but　Monsieur　Nicolas　himself　seemed　to　give　the　palm　of
martyrdom　to　Madame　de　la　Chanterie。　Nevertheless；　the　memory　of　her
sorrows　was　so　restrained　by　religious　resignation；　by　her　secret
avocations；　that　she　seemed　to　have　been　always　happy。

〃You　are　the　life　of　your　friends；〃　Godefroid　said　to　her　one　day；
〃you　are　the　tie　that　unites　them；the　house…mother；　as　it　were；　of
some　great　work；　and；　as　we　are　all　mortal；　I　ask　myself　sometimes
what　your　association　would　become　without　you。〃

〃That　is　what　frightens　the　others；　but　Providence；　to　whom　we　owe　our
new　book…keeper；〃　she　said；　smiling；　〃will　provide。　Besides；　I　am　on
the　look…out。〃

〃Will　your　new　book…keeper　soon　be　allowed　to　work　at　your　business？〃
asked　Godefroid。

〃That　depends　on　himself；〃　she　answered；　smiling。　〃He　must　be
sincerely　religious；　truly　pious；　without　the　least　self…interest；　not
concerned　about　the　riches　of　our　house；　able　to　rise　above　all　petty
social　considerations　on　the　two　wings　which　God　has　given　us。〃

〃What　are　they？〃

〃Singleness　of　mind　and　purity；〃　replied　Madame　de　la　Chanterie。　〃Your
ignorance　shows　that　you　have　neglected　the　reading　of　our　book。〃　she
added；　laughing　at　the　innocent　trick　she　had　played　to　know　if
Godefroid　had　read　the　〃Imitation　of　Jesus　Christ。〃　〃And；　lastly；〃　she
went　on；　〃fill　your　soul　with　Saint　Paul's　epistle　upon　Charity。　When
that　is　done；〃　she　added；　with　a　sublime　look；　〃it　will　not　be　you　who
belong　to　us；　we　shall　belong　to　you；　and　you　will　be　able　to　count　up
greater　riches　than　the　sovereigns　of　this　world　possess；　you　will
enjoy　as　we　enjoy；　yes；　let　me　tell　you　（if　you　remember　the　'Arabian
Nights'）　that　the　treasures　of　Aladdin　are　nothing　to　those　we
possess。　And　so　for　the　last　year　we　have　not　sufficed　for　our
affairs；　and　we　needed；　as　you　see；　a　book…keeper。〃

While　speaking；　she　studied　Godefroid's　face；　he；　on　his　part；　did　not
know　how　to　take　this　extraordinary　confidence。　But　as　the　scene　in
the　counting…room　at　Mongenod's　came　often　to　his　mind；　he　hovered
between　doubt　and　belief。

〃Ah；　you　will　be　very　happy！〃　she　said。

Godefroid　was　so　consumed　with　curiosity　that　from　this　moment　he
determined　to　break　through　the　reserve　of　one　of　the　four　friends　and
question　him。　Now；　the　one　to　whom　he　felt　the　most　drawn；　and　who
seemed　naturally　to　excite　the　sympathies　of　all　classes；　was　the
kind；　gay；　simple　Monsieur　Alain。　By　what　strange　path　could
Providence　have　led　a　being　so　guileless　into　this　monastery　without　a
lock；　where　recluses　of　both　sexes　lived　beneath　a　rule　in　the　midst
of　Paris；　in　absolute　freedom；　as　though　they　were　guarded　by　the
sternest　of　superiors？　What　drama；　what　event；　had　made　him　leave　his
own　road　in　life；　and　take　this　path　among　the　sorrows　of　the　great
city？

Godefroid　resolved　to　ask。



VII

MONSIEUR　ALAIN　TELLS　HIS　SECRETS

One　evening　Godefroid　determined　to　pay　a　visit　to　his　neighbor　on　the
floor　above　him；　with　the　intention　of　satisfying　a　curiosity　more
excited　by　the　apparent　impossibility　of　a　catastrophe　in　such　an
existence　than　it　would　have　been　under　the　expectation　of　discovering
some　terrible　episode　in　the　life　of　a　corsair。

At　the　words　〃Come　in！〃　given　in　answer　to　two　r