the village rector-第51部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


enlightened　by　the　spirit　of　the　Church；　I　wish　to　consult　you　as　to
the　manner　in　which　I　ought　as　a　true　Christian　to　leave　this　life。
You；　austere　and　saintly　spirits；　think　you　that　if　God　deigns　to
pardon　one　whose　repentance　is　the　deepest；　the　most　absolute；　that
ever　shook　a　human　soul；　think　you　that　even　then　I　have　made　my　full
expiation　here　below？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　archbishop；　〃yes；　my　daughter。〃

〃No；　my　father；　no！〃　she　said　rising　in　her　bed；　the　lightning
flashing　from　her　eyes。　〃Not　far　from　here　there　is　a　grave；　where　an
unhappy　man　is　lying　beneath　the　weight　of　a　dreadful　crime；　here　in
this　sumptuous　home　is　a　woman；　crowned　with　the　fame　of　benevolence
and　virtue。　This　woman　is　blessed；　that　poor　young　man　is　cursed。　The
criminal　is　covered　with　obloquy；　I　receive　the　respect　of　all。　I　had
the　largest　share　in　the　sin；　he　has　a　share；　a　large　share　in　the
good　which　has　won　for　me　such　glory　and　such　gratitude。　Fraud　that　I
am；　I　have　the　honor；　he；　the　martyr　to　his　loyalty；　has　the　shame。　I
shall　die　in　a　few　hours；　and　the　canton　will　mourn　me；　the　whole
department　will　ring　with　my　good　deeds；　my　piety；　my　virtue；　but　he
died　covered　with　insults；　in　sight　of　a　whole　population　rushing；
with　hatred　to　a　murderer；　to　see　him　die。　You；　my　judges；　you　are
indulgent　to　me；　yet　I　hear　within　myself　an　imperious　voice　which
will　not　let　me　rest。　Ah！　the　hand　of　God；　less　tender　than　yours；
strikes　me　from　day　to　day；　as　if　to　warn　me　that　all　is　not　expiated。
My　sins　cannot　be　redeemed　except　by　a　public　confession。　He　is　happy！
criminal；　he　gave　his　life　with　ignominy　in　face　of　earth　and　heaven；
and　I；　I　cheat　the　world　as　I　cheated　human　justice。　The　homage　I
receive　humiliates　me；　praise　sears　my　heart。　Do　you　not　see；　in　the
very　coming　of　the　/procureur…general/；　a　command　from　heaven　echoing
the　voice　in　my　own　soul　which　cries　to　me：　Confess！〃

The　two　priests；　the　prince　of　the　Church　as　well　as　the　humble
rector；　these　two　great　lights；　each　in　his　own　way；　stood　with　their
eyes　lowered　and　were　silent。　Deeply　moved　by　the　grandeur　and　the
resignation　of　the　guilty　woman；　the　judges　could　not　pronounce　her
sentence。

〃My　child；〃　said　the　archbishop　at　last；　raising　his　noble　head；
macerated　by　the　customs　of　his　austere　life；　〃you　are　going　beyond
the　commandments　of　the　Church。　The　glory　of　the　Church　is　to　make　her
dogma　conform　to　the　habits　and　manners　of　each　age；　for　the　Church
goes　on　from　age　to　age　in　company　with　humanity。　According　to　her
present　decision　secret　confession　has　taken　the　place　of　public
confession。　This　substitution　has　made　the　new　law。　The　sufferings　you
have　endured　suffice。　Die　in　peace：　God　has　heard　you。〃

〃But　is　not　this　desire　of　a　guilty　woman　in　conformity　with　the　law
of　the　first　Church；　which　has　enriched　heaven　with　as　many　saints　and
martyrs　and　confessing　souls　as　there　are　stars　in　the　firmament？〃
persisted　Veronique；　vehemently。　〃Who　said：　/Confess　yourselves　to　one
another/？　Was　it　not　the　disciples；　who　lived　with　the　Saviour？　Let　me
confess　my　shame　publicly　on　my　knees。　It　will　redeem　my　sin　to　the
world；　to　that　family　exiled　and　almost　extinct　through　me。　The　world
ought　to　know　that　my　benefactions　are　not　an　offering；　but　the
payment　of　a　debt。　Suppose　that　later；　after　my　death；　something　tore
from　my　memory　the　lying　veil　which　covers　me。　Ah！　that　idea　is　more
than　I　can　bear；　it　is　death　indeed！〃

〃I　see　in　this　too　much　of　calculation；　my　child；〃　said　the
archbishop；　gravely。　〃Passions　are　still　too　strong　in　you；　the　one　I
thought　extinct　is〃

〃Oh！　I　swear　to　you；　Monseigneur；〃　she　said；　interrupting　the　prelate
and　fixing　her　eyes；　full　of　horror；　upon　him；　〃my　heart　is　as
purified　as　that　of　a　guilty　and　repentant　woman　can　be；　there　is
nothing　now　within　me　but　the　thought　of　God。〃

〃Monseigneur；〃　said　the　rector　in　a　tender　voice；　〃let　us　leave
celestial　justice　to　take　its　course。　It　is　now　four　years　since　I
have　strongly　opposed　this　wish；　it　is　the　only　difference　that　has
ever　come　between　my　penitent　and　myself。　I　have　seen　to　the　depths　of
that　soul；　and　I　know　this　earth　has　no　longer　any　hold　there。　Though
the　tears；　the　remorse；　the　contrition　of　fifteen　years　relate　to　the
mutual　sin　of　those　two　persons；　believe　me　there　are　no　remains　of
earthly　passion　in　this　long　and　terrible　bewailing。　Memory　no　longer
mingles　its　flames　with　those　of　an　ardent　penitence。　Yes；　tears　have
at　last　extinguished　that　great　fire。　I　guarantee；〃　he　said；
stretching　his　hand　over　Madame　Graslin's　head；　and　letting　his
moistened　eyes　be　seen；　〃I　guarantee　the　purity　of　that　angelic　soul。
And　also　I　see　in　this　desire　the　thought　of　reparation　to　an　absent
family；　a　member　of　which　God　has　brought　back　here　by　one　of　those
events　which　reveal　His　providence。〃

Veronique　took　the　trembling　hand　of　the　rector　and　kissed　it。

〃You　have　often　been　very　stern　to　me；　dear　pastor；　but　at　this　moment
I　see　where　you　keep　your　apostolic　gentleness。　You；〃　she　said；
looking　at　the　archbishop；　〃you；　the　supreme　head　of　this　corner　of
God's　kingdom；　be　to　me；　in　this　moment　of　ignominy；　a　support。　I　must
bow　down　as　the　lowest　of　women；　but　you　will　lift　me　up　pardoned　and
possiblythe　equal　of　those　who　never　sinned。〃

The　archbishop　was　silent；　weighing　no　doubt　all　the　considerations
his　practised　eye　perceived。

〃Monseigneur；〃　said　the　rector；　〃religion　has　had　some　heavy　blows。
This　return　to　ancient　customs；　brought　about　by　the　greatness　of　the
sin　and　its　repentance；　may　it　not　be　a　triumph　we　have　no　right　to
refuse？〃

〃But　they　will　say　we　are　fanatics！　They　will　declare　we　have　exacted
this　cruel　scene！〃

And　again　the　archbishop　was　silent　and　thoughtful。

At　this　moment　Horace　Bianchon　and　Roubaud　entered　the　room；　after
knocking。　As　the　door　opened　Veronique　saw　her　mother；　her　son；　and
all　the　servants　of　the　household　on　their　knees　praying。　The　rectors
of　the　two　adjacent　parishes　had　come　to　assist　Monsieur　Bonnet；　and
also；　perhaps；　to　pay　their　respects　to　the　great　prelate；　for　whom
the　French　clergy　now　desired　the　honors　of　the　cardinalate；　hoping
that　the　clearness　of　his　intellect；　which　was　thoroughly　Gallican；
would　enlighten　the　Sacred　College。

Horace　Bianchon　returned　to　Paris；　before　departing；　he　came　to　bid
farewell　to　the　dying　woman　and　thank　her　for　her　munificence。　Slowly
he　approached；　perceiving　from　the　faces　of　the　priests　that　the
wounds　of　the　soul　had　been　the　determining　cause　of　those　of　the
body。　He　took　Madame　Graslin's　hand；　laid　it　on　the　bed　and　felt　the
pulse。　The　deep　silence；　that　of　a　summer　night　in　a　country　solitude；
gave　additional　solemnity　to　the　scene。　The　great　salon；　seen　through
the　double　doors；　was　lighted　up　for　the　little　company　of　persons　who
were　praying　there；　all　were　on　their　knees　except　the　two　priests　who
were　seated　and　reading　their　brevaries。　On　either　side　of　the　grand
state　bed　were　the　prelate　in　his　violet　robes；　the　rector；　and　the
two　physicians。

〃She　is　agitated　almost　unto　death；〃　said　Horace　Bianchon；　who；　like
all　men　of　great　talent；　sometimes　used　speech　as　grand　as　the
occasion　that　called　it　forth。

The　archbishop　rose　as　if　some　inward　impulse　drove　him；　he　called　to
Monsieur　Bonnet；　and　together　they　crossed　the　room；　passed　through
the　salon；　and　went　out　upon　the　terrace；　where　they　walked　up　and
down　for　some　moments。　When　they　returned；　after　discussing　this　case
of　ecclesiastical　discipline；　Roubaud　met　them。



XXI

CONFESSION　AT　THE　GATES　OF　THE　TOMB

At　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　archbishop；　wearing　his　pontifical
robes；　came　into　Madame　Graslin's　chamber。　The　prelate；　as　well　as　the
rector；　had　such　confidence　in　this　woman　that　they　gave　her　no　advice
or　instructions　as　to　the　limits　within　which　she　ought　to　make　her
confession。

Veronique　now　saw　an　assemblage　of　clergy　from　all　the　neighboring
districts。　Monseigneur　was　assisted　by　four　vicars。　The　magnificent
vessels　she　had　bestowed　upon　her　dear　parish　church　were　brought　to
the　house　and　gave　splendor　to　the　ceremony。　Eight　choristers　in　their
white　and　red　surplices　stood　in　two　rows　from　the　bed　to　the　door　of
the　salon；　each　holding　one　of　the　large　bronze…gilt　candelabra　which
Veronique　had　ordered　from　Paris。　The　cross　and　the　church　banner　were
held　on　either　side　of　the　bed　by　white…haired　sacristans。　Thanks　to
the　devotion　of　her　servants；　a　wooden　altar　brought　from　the　sacristy
had　been　erected　close　to　the　door　of　the　salon；　and　so　prepared　and
decorated　that　Monseigneur　could　say　mass　upon　it。

Madame　Graslin　was　deeply　touched　by　these　attentions；　which　the
Church；　as　a　general　thing；　grants　only　to　royal　personages。　The
folding　doors　between　the　salon　and　the　dining…room　were　open；　and　she
could　see　a　vista　of　the　ground…floor　rooms　filled　with　the　village
population。　Her　friends　had　thought　of　everything；　the　salon　was
occupied　exclusively　by　themselves　and　the　servants　of　the　household。
In　the　front　rank　and　grouped　before　the　door　of　the　bedroom　were　her
nearest　friends；　those　on　whose　discretion　reliance　could　be　placed。
MM。　Grossetete；　de　Grandville；　Roubaud；　Gerard；　Clousier；　Ruffin；　took
the　first　places。　They　had　arranged　among　themselves　that　they　should
rise　and　stand　in　a　group；　thus　preventing　the　words　of　the　repentant
woman　from　being　heard　in　the　farther　rooms；　but　their　tears　and　sobs
would；　in　any　case；　have　drowned　her　voice。

At　this　moment　and　before　all　else　in　that　audience；　two　persons
presented；　to　an　observer；　a　powerfully　affecting　sight。　One　was
Denise　Tascheron。　Her　foreign　garments；　of　Quaker　simplicity；　made　her
unrecognizable　by　her　former　village　acquaintance。　The　other　was　quite
another　personage；　an　acquaintance　not　to　be　forgotten；　and　his
apparition　there　was　like　a　streak　of　lurid　light。　The　/procureur…
general/　came　suddenly　to　a　perception　of　the　truth；　the　part　that　he
had　played　to　Madame　Graslin　unrolled　itself　before　him；　he　divined　it
to　its　fullest　extent。　Less　influenced；　as　a　son　of　the　nineteenth
century；　by　the　religious　aspect　of　the　matter；　Monsieur　de
Grandvi