the brotherhood of consolation-第24部分

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you　must　acquire　a　great　knowledge　of　life。　And　what　a　life；good
God！　Parisian　life；　which　defies　the　sagacity　of　the　minister　of
police　and　all　his　agents！　We　have　to　circumvent　the　perpetual
conspiracy　of　Evil；　master　it　in　all　its　forms；　while　it　changes　so
often　as　to　seem　infinite。　Charity　in　Paris　must　know　as　much　as　vice；
just　as　a　policeman　must　know　all　the　tricks　of　thieves。　We　must　each
be　frank　and　each　distrustful；　we　must　have　quick　perception　and　a
sure　and　rapid　judgment。　And　then；　my　child；　we　are　old　and　getting
older；　but　we　are　so　content　with　the　results　we　have　now　obtained；
that　we　do　not　want　to　die　without　leaving　successors　in　the　work。　If
you　persist　in　your　desire；　you　will　be　our　first　pupil；　and　all　the
dearer　to　us　on　that　account。　There　is　no　risk　for　us；　because　God
brought　you　to　us。　Yours　is　a　good　nature　soured；　since　you　have　been
here　the　evil　leaven　has　weakened。　The　divine　nature　of　Madame　has
acted　upon　yours。　Yesterday　we　took　counsel　together；　and　inasmuch　as
I　have　your　confidence；　my　good　brothers　resolved　to　give　me　to　you　as
guardian　and　teacher。　Does　that　please　you？〃

〃Ah！　my　kind　Monsieur　Alain；　your　eloquence　awakens〃

〃No；　my　child；　it　is　not　I　who　speak　well；　it　is　things　that　are
eloquent。　We　can　be　sure　of　being　great；　even　sublime；　in　obeying　God；
in　imitating　Jesus　Christ；imitating　him；　I　mean；　as　much　as　men　are
able　to　do　so；　aided　by　faith。〃

〃This　moment；　then；　decides　my　life！〃　cried　Godefroid。　〃I　feel　within
me　the　fervor　of　a　neophyte；　I　wish　to　spend　my　life　in　doing　good。〃

〃That　is　the　secret　of　remaining　in　God；〃　replied　Alain。　〃Have　you
studied　our　motto；/Transire　benefaciendo/？　/Transire/　means　to　go
beyond　this　world；　leaving　benefits　on　our　way。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　understood　it；　I　have　put　the　motto　of　the　order　before
my　bed。〃

〃That　is　well；　it　is　a　trifling　action；　but　it　counts　for　much　in　my
eyes。　And　now　I　have　your　first　affair；　your　first　duel　with　misery；
prepared　for　you；　I'll　put　your　foot　in　the　stirrup。　We　are　about　to
part。　Yes；　I　myself　am　detached　from　the　convent；　to　live　for　a　time
in　the　crater　of　a　volcano。　I　am　to　be　a　clerk　in　a　great　manufactory；
where　the　workmen　are　infected　with　communistic　doctrines；　and　dream
of　social　destruction；　the　abolishment　of　masters；not　knowing　that
that　would　be　the　death　of　industry；　of　commerce；　of　manufactures。　I
shall　stay　there　goodness　knows　how　long；perhaps　a　year；keeping
the　books　and　paying　the　wages。　This　will　give　me　an　entrance　into　a
hundred　or　a　hundred　and　twenty　homes　of　working…men；　misled；　no
doubt；　by　poverty；　even　before　the　pamphlets　of　the　day　misled　them。
But　you　and　I　can　see　each　other　on　Sundays　and　fete…days。　We　shall　be
in　the　same　quarter；　and　if　you　come　to　the　church　of　Saint…Jacques　du
Haut…Pas；　you　will　find　me　there　any　day　at　half…past　seven；　when　I
hear　mass。　If　you　meet　me　elsewhere　don't　recognize　me；　unless　you　see
me　rub　my　hands　like　a　man　who　is　pleased　at　something。　That　is　one　of
our　signs。　We　have　a　language　of　signs；　like　the　deaf　and　dumb；　you'll
soon　find　out　the　absolute　necessity　of　it。〃

Godefroid　made　a　gesture　which　the　goodman　Alain　interpreted；　for　he
laughed；　and　immediately　went　on　to　say：

〃Now　for　your　affair。　We　do　not　practise　either　the　benevolence　or　the
philanthropy　that　you　know　about；　which　are　really　divided　into
several　branches；　all　taken　advantage　of　by　sharpers　in　charity　as　a
business。　We　practise　charity　as　our　great　and　sublime　Saint　Paul
defines　it；　for；　my　dear　lad；　we　think　that　charity；　and　charity
alone；　which　is　Love；　can　heal　the　wounds　of　Paris。　In　our　eyes；
misery；　of　whatever　kind；　poverty；　suffering；　misfortune；　grief；　evil；
no　matter　how　produced；　or　in　what　social　class　they　show　themselves；
have　equal　rights。　Whatever　his　opinions　or　beliefs；　an　unhappy　man
is；　before　all　else；　an　unhappy　man；　and　we　ought　not　to　attempt　to
turn　his　face　to　our　holy　mother　Church　until　we　have　saved　him　from
despair　or　hunger。　Moreover；　we　ought　to　convert　him　to　goodness　more
by　example　and　by　gentleness　than　by　any　other　means；　and　we　believe
that　God　will　specially　help　us　in　this。　All　constraint　is　bad。　Of　the
manifold　Parisian　miseries；　the　most　difficult　to　discover；　and　the
bitterest；　is　that　of　worthy　persons　of　the　middle　classes　who　have
fallen　into　poverty；　for　they　make　concealment　a　point　of　honor。　Those
sorrows；　my　dear　Godefroid；　are　to　us　the　object　of　special
solicitude。　Such　persons　usually　have　intelligence　and　good　hearts。
They　return　to　us；　sometimes　with　usury；　the　sums　that　we　lend　them。
Such　restitutions　recoup　us　in　the　long　run　for　the　losses　we
occasionally　incur　through　impostors；　shiftless　creatures；　or　those
whom　misfortunes　have　rendered　stupid。　Through　such　persons　we　often
obtain　invaluable　help　in　our　investigations。　Our　work　has　now　become
so　vast；　its　details　are　so　multifarious；　that　we　no　longer　suffice　of
ourselves　to　carry　it　on。　So；　for　the　last　year　we　have　a　physician　of
our　own　in　every　arrondissement　in　Paris。　Each　of　us　takes　general
charge　of　four　arrondissements。　We　pay　each　physician　three　thousand
francs　a　year　to　take　care　of　our　poor。　His　time　belongs　to　us　in　the
first　instance；　but　we　do　not　prevent　him　from　attending　other　sick
persons　if　he　can。　Would　you　believe　that　for　many　months　we　were
unable　to　find　twelve　really　trustworthy；　valuable　men；　in　spite　of
all　our　own　efforts　and　those　of　our　friends？　We　could　not　employ　any
but　men　of　absolute　discreetness；　pure　lives；　sound　knowledge；
experience；　active　men；　and　lovers　of　doing　good。　Now；　although　there
are　in　Paris　some　ten　thousand　individuals；　more　or　less；　who　would
gladly　do　the　work；　we　could　not　find　twelve　to　meet　our　needs　in　a
whole　year。〃

〃Our　Saviour　had　difficulty　in　gathering　his　apostles；　and　even　then　a
traitor　and　an　unbeliever　got　among　them；〃　said　Godefroid。

〃However；　within　the　last　month　all　our　arrondissements　are　provided
with　a　Visitorthat　is　the　name　we　give　to　our　physicians。　At　the
same　time　the　business　is　increasing；　and　we　have　all　redoubled　our
activity。　If　I　confide　to　you　these　secrets　of　our　system；　it　is　that
you　must　know　the　physician；　that　is；　the　Visitor　of　the
arrondissement　to　which　we　are　about　to　send　you；　from　him；　all
original　information　about　our　cases　comes。　This　Visitor　is　named
Berton；　Doctor　Berton；　he　lives　in　the　rue　d'Enfer。　And　now　here　are
the　facts：　Doctor　Berton　is　attending　a　lady　whose　disease　puzzles　and
defies　science。　That；　of　course；　is　not　our　concern；　but　that　of　the
Faculty。　Our　business　is　to　discover　the　condition　of　the　family　of
this　patient；　Doctor　Berton　suspects　that　their　poverty　is　frightful；
and　concealed　with　a　pride　and　determination　which　demand　our　utmost
care。　Until　now；　my　son；　I　should　have　found　time　for　this　case；　but
the　work　I　am　undertaking　obliges　me　to　find　a　helper　in　my　four
arrondissements；　and　you　shall　be　that　helper。　This　family　lives　in
the　rue　Notre…Dame　des　Champs；　in　a　house　at　the　corner　of　the
boulevard　du　Mont…Parnasse。　You　will　find　a　room　to　let　in　the　same
house；　where　you　can　live　for　a　time　so　as　to　discover　the　truth　about
these　persons。　Be　sordid　for　yourself；　but　as　for　the　money　you　may
think　needed　for　this　case　have　no　uneasiness。　I　will　remit　you　such
sums　as　we　may　judge　necessary　after　ourselves　considering　all　the
circumstances。　But　remember　that　you　must　study　the　moral　qualities　of
these　unfortunates：　their　hearts；　the　honorableness　of　their　feelings；
those　are　our　guarantees。　Miserly　we　may　be　for　ourselves；　and
generous　to　those　who　suffer；　but　we　must　be　prudent　and　even
calculating；　for　we　are　dealing　with　the　money　of　the　poor。　So　then；
to…morrow　morning　you　can　start；　think　over　the　power　we　put　in　your
hands：　the　brothers　are　with　you　in　heart。〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　Godefroid；　〃you　have　given　me　such　a　pleasure　in　the
opportunity　of　doing　good　and　making　myself　worthy　to　belong　to　you
some　day；　that　I　shall　not　sleep　to…night。〃

〃One　more　word；　my　child。　I　told　you　not　to　recognize　me　without　the
signal；　the　same　rule　applies　to　the　other　gentlemen　and　to　Madame；
and　even　to　the　people　you　see　about　this　house。　We　are　forced　to　keep
up　an　absolute　incognito　in　all　we　do；　this　is　so　necessary　to　our
enterprises　that　we　have　made　a　rule　about　it。　We　seek　to　be　ignored；
lost　in　this　great　Paris。　Remember　also；　my　dear　Godefroid；　the　spirit
of　our　order；　which　is；　never　to　appear　as　benefactors；　to　play　an
obscure　part；　that　of　intermediaries。　We　always　present　ourselves　as
the　agent　of　a　pious；　saintly　person　（in　fact；　we　are　working　for
God）；　so　that　none　of　those　we　deal　with　may　feel　the　obligation　of
gratitude　towards　any　of　us；　or　think　we　are　wealthy　persons。　True；
sincere　humility；　not　the　false　humility　of　those　who　seek　thereby　to
be　set　in　the　light；　must　inspire　you　and　rule　all　your　thoughts。　You
may　indeed　be　glad　when　you　succeed；　but　so　long　as　you　feel　within
you　a　sentiment　of　vanity　or　of　pride；　you　are　not　worthy　to　do　the
work　of　the　order。　We　have　known　two　perfect　men：　one；　who　was　one　of
our　founders；　Judge　Popinot；　the　other　is　revealed　by　his　works；　he　is
a　country　doctor　whose　name　is　written　on　the　annals　of　his　canton。
That　man；　my　dear　Godefroid；　is　one　of　the　greatest　men　of　our　time；
he　brought　a　whole　region　out　of　wretchedness　into　prosperity；　out　of
irreligion　into　Christianity；　out　of　barbarism　into　civilization。＇*＇
The　names　of　those　two　men　are　graven　on　our　hearts　and　we　have　taken
them　as　our　models。　We　should　be　happy　indeed　if　we　ourselves　could
some　day　acquire　in　Paris　the　influence　that　country　doctor　had　in　his
canton。　But　here；　the　sore　is　vast；　beyond　our　strength　at　present。
May　God　preserve　to　us　Madame；　may　he　send　us　some　young　helpers　like
you；　and　perhaps　we　may　yet　leave　behind　us　an　institution　worthy　of
his　divine　religion。　And　now　good…bye；　your　initiation　beginsAh！　I
chatter　like　a　professor　and　forget　the　essential　thing！　Here　is　the
address　of　that　family；〃　he　added；　giving　Godefroid　a　piece　of　paper；
〃I　have　added　the　number　of　Dr。　Berton's　house　in　the　rue　d'Enfer；　and
now；　go　and　pray　to　God　to　help　yo