the lily of the valley-第59节

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sofa。　We　all　four　turned　to　each　other　looks　in　which　admiration　for

that　celestial　beauty　mingled　with　tears　of　mourning。　The　lights　of

thought　announced　the　return　of　the　Divine　Spirit　to　that　glorious

tabernacle。



The　Abbe　Dominis　and　I　spoke　in　signs；　communicating　to　each　other　our

mutual　ideas。　Yes；　the　angels　were　watching　her！　yes；　their　flaming

swords　shone　above　that　noble　brow；　which　the　august　expression　of　her

virtue　made；　as　it　were；　a　visible　soul　conversing　with　the　spirits　of

its　sphere。　The　lines　of　her　face　cleared；　all　in　her　was　exalted　and

became　majestic　beneath　the　unseen　incense　of　the　seraphs　who　guarded

her。　The　green　tints　of　bodily　suffering　gave　place　to　pure　white

tones；　the　cold　wan　pallor　of　approaching　death。　Jacques　and　Madeleine

entered。　Madeleine　made　us　quiver　by　the　adoring　impulse　which　flung

her　on　her　knees　beside　the　bed；　crying　out；　with　clasped　hand：　〃My

mother！　here　is　my　mother！〃　Jacques　smiled；　he　knew　he　would　follow

her　where　she　went。



〃She　is　entering　the　haven；〃　said　the　Abbe　Birotteau。



The　Abbe　Dominis　looked　at　me　as　if　to　say：　〃Did　I　not　tell　you　the

star　would　rise　in　all　its　glory？〃



Madeleine　knelt　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　her　mother；　breathing　when　she

breathed；　listening　to　the　soft　breath；　the　last　thread　by　which　she

held　to　life；　and　which　we　followed　in　terror；　fearing　that　every

effort　of　respiration　might　be　the　last。　Like　an　angel　at　the　gates　of

the　sanctuary；　the　young　girl　was　eager　yet　calm；　strong　but　reverent。

At　that　moment　the　Angelus　rang　from　the　village　clock…tower。　Waves　of

tempered　air　brought　its　reverberations　to　remind　us　that　this　was　the

sacred　hour　when　Christianity　repeats　the　words　said　by　the　angel　to

the　woman　who　has　redeemed　the　faults　of　her　sex。　〃Ave　Maria！〃

surely；　at　this　moment　the　words　were　a　salutation　from　heaven。　The

prophecy　was　so　plain；　the　event　so　near　that　we　burst　into　tears。　The

murmuring　sounds　of　evening；　melodious　breezes　in　the　leafage；　last

warbling　of　the　birds；　the　hum　and　echo　of　the　insects；　the　voices　of

the　waters；　the　plaintive　cry　of　the　tree…frog；all　country　things

were　bidding　farewell　to　the　loveliest　lily　of　the　valley；　to　her

simple；　rural　life。　The　religious　poesy　of　the　hour；　now　added　to　that

of　Nature；　expressed　so　vividly　the　psalm　of　the　departing　soul　that

our　sobs　redoubled。



Though　the　door　of　the　chamber　was　open　we　were　all　so　plunged　in

contemplation　of　the　scene；　as　if　to　imprint　its　memories　forever　on

our　souls；　that　we　did　not　notice　the　family　servants　who　were

kneeling　as　a　group　and　praying　fervently。　These　poor　people；　living

on　hope；　had　believed　their　mistress　might　be　spared；　and　this　plain

warning　overcame　them。　At　a　sign　from　the　Abbe　Birotteau　the　old

huntsman　went　to　fetch　the　curate　of　Sache。　The　doctor；　standing　by

the　bed；　calm　as　science；　and　holding　the　hand　of　the　still　sleeping

woman；　had　made　the　confessor　a　sign　to　say　that　this　sleep　was　the

only　hour　without　pain　which　remained　for　the　recalled　angel。　The

moment　had　come　to　administer　the　last　sacraments　of　the　Church。　At

nine　o'clock　she　awoke　quietly；　looked　at　us　with　surprised　but　gentle

eyes；　and　we　beheld　our　idol　once　more　in　all　the　beauty　of　former

days。



〃Mother！　you　are　too　beautiful　to　dielife　and　health　are　coming　back

to　you！〃　cried　Madeleine。



〃Dear　daughter；　I　shall　livein　thee；〃　she　answered；　smiling。



Then　followed　heart…rending　embraces　of　the　mother　and　her　children。

Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　kissed　his　wife　upon　her　brow。　She　colored　when

she　saw　me。



〃Dear　Felix；〃　she　said；　〃this　is；　I　think；　the　only　grief　that　I　shall

ever　have　caused　you。　Forget　all　that　I　may　have　said；I；　a　poor

creature　much　beside　myself。〃　She　held　out　her　hand；　I　took　it　and

kissed　it。　Then　she　said；　with　her　chaste　and　gracious　smile；　〃As　in

the　old　days；　Felix？〃



We　all　left　the　room　and　went　into　the　salon　during　the　last

confession。　I　approached　Madeleine。　In　presence　of　others　she　could

not　escape　me　without　a　breach　of　civility；　but；　like　her　mother；　she

looked　at　no　one；　and　kept　silence　without　even　once　turning　her　eyes

in　my　direction。



〃Dear　Madeleine；〃　I　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃What　have　you　against　me？

Why　do　you　show　such　coldness　in　the　presence　of　death；　which　ought　to

reconcile　us　all？〃



〃I　hear　in　my　heart　what　my　mother　is　saying　at　this　moment；〃　she

replied；　with　a　look　which　Ingres　gave　to　his　〃Mother　of　God；〃that

virgin；　already　sorrowful；　preparing　herself　to　protect　the　world　for

which　her　son　was　about　to　die。



〃And　you　condemn　me　at　the　moment　when　your　mother　absolves　me；if

indeed　I　am　guilty。〃



〃You；　YOU；〃　she　said；　〃always　YOUR　SELF！〃



The　tones　of　her　voice　revealed　the　determined　hatred　of　a　Corsican；

implacable　as　the　judgments　of　those　who；　not　having　studied　life；

admit　of　no　extenuation　of　faults　committed　against　the　laws　of　the

heart。



An　hour　went　by　in　deepest　silence。　The　Abbe　Birotteau　came　to　us

after　receiving　the　countess's　general　confession；　and　we　followed　him

back　to　the　room　where　Henriette；　under　one　of　those　impulses　which

often　come　to　noble　minds；　all　sisters　of　one　intent；　had　made　them

dress　her　in　the　long　white　garment　which　was　to　be　her　shroud。　We

found　her　sitting　up；　beautiful　from　expiation；　beautiful　in　hope。　I

saw　in　the　fireplace　the　black　ashes　of　my　letters　which　had　just　been

burned；　a　sacrifice　which；　as　her　confessor　afterwards　told　me；　she

had　not　been　willing　to　make　until　the　hour　of　her　death。　She　smiled

upon　us　all　with　the　smile　of　other　days。　Her　eyes；　moist　with　tears；

gave　evidence　of　inward　lucidity；　she　saw　the　celestial　joys　of　the

promised　land。



〃Dear　Felix；〃　she　said；　holding　out　her　hand　and　pressing　mine；　〃stay

with　us。　You　must　be　present　at　the　last　scene　of　my　life；　not　the

least　painful　among　many　such；　but　one　in　which　you　are　concerned。〃



She　made　a　sign　and　the　door　was　closed。　At　her　request　the　count　sat

down；　the　Abbe　Birotteau　and　I　remained　standing。　Then　with　Manette's

help　the　countess　rose　and　knelt　before　the　astonished　count；

persisting　in　remaining　there。　A　moment　after；　when　Manette　had　left

the　room；　she　raised　her　head　which　she　had　laid　upon　her　husband's

knees。



〃Though　I　have　been　a　faithful　wife　to　you；〃　she　said；　in　a　faint

voice；　〃I　have　sometimes　failed　in　my　duty。　I　have　just　prayed　to　God

to　give　me　strength　to　ask　your　pardon。　I　have　given　to　a　friendship

outside　of　my　family　more　affectionate　care　than　I　have　shown　to　you。

Perhaps　I　have　sometimes　irritated　you　by　the　comparisons　you　may　have

made　between　these　cares；　these　thoughts；　and　those　I　gave　to　you。　I

have　had；〃　she　said；　in　a　sinking　voice；　〃a　deep　friendship；　which　no

one；　not　even　he　who　has　been　its　object；　has　fully　known。　Though　I

have　continued　virtuous　according　to　all　human　laws；　though　I　have

been　a　irreproachable　wife　to　you；　still　other　thoughts；　voluntary　or

involuntary；　have　often　crossed　my　mind　and；　in　this　hour；　I　fear　I

have　welcomed　them　too　warmly。　But　as　I　have　tenderly　loved　you；　and

continued　to　be　your　submissive　wife；　and　as　the　clouds　passing

beneath　the　sky　do　not　alter　its　purity；　I　now　pray　for　your　blessing

with　a　clean　heart。　I　shall　die　without　one　bitter　thought　if　I　can

hear　from　your　lips　a　tender　word　for　your　Blanche；　for　the　mother　of

your　children；if　I　know　that　you　forgive　her　those　things　for　which

she　did　not　forgive　herself　till　reassured　by　the　great　tribunal　which

pardons　all。〃



〃Blanche；　Blanche！〃　cried　the　broken　man；　shedding　tears　upon　his

wife's　head；　〃Would　you　kill　me？〃　He　raised　her　with　a　strength

unusual　to　him；　kissed　her　solemnly　on　the　forehead；　and　thus　holding

her　continued：　〃Have　I　no　forgiveness　to　ask　of　you？　Have　I　never　been

harsh？　Are　you　not　making　too　much　of　your　girlish　scruples？〃



〃Perhaps；〃　she　said。　〃But；　dear　friend；　indulge　the　weakness　of　a

dying　woman；　tranquillize　my　mind。　When　you　reach　this　hour　you　will

remember　that　I　left　you　with　a　blessing。　Will　you　grant　me　permission

to　leave　to　our　friend　now　here　that　pledge　of　my　affection？〃　she

continued；　showing　a　letter　that　was　on　the　mantelshelf。　〃He　is　now　my

adopted　son；　and　that　is　all。　The　heart；　dear　friend；　makes　its

bequests；　my　last　wishes　impose　a　sacred　duty　on　that　dear　Felix。　I

think　I　do　not　put　too　great　a　burden　on　him；　grant　that　I　do　not　ask

too　much　of　you　in　desiring　to　leave　him　these　last　words。　You　see；　I

am　always　a　woman；〃　she　said；　bending　her　head　with　mournful

sweetness；　〃after　obtaining　pardon　I　ask　a　giftRead　this；〃　she

added；　giving　me　the　letter；　〃but　not　until　after　my　death。〃



The　count　saw　her　color　change：　he　lifted　her　and　carried　her　himself

to　the　bed；　where　we　all　surrounded　her。



〃Felix；〃　she　said；　〃I　may　have　done　something　wrong　to　you。　Often　I

gave　you　pain　by　letting　you　hope　for　that　I　could　not　give　you；　b