the brotherhood of consolation-第47节

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Baron　Bourlac；　whom　Godefroid　now　saw　dressed　in　a　manner　suitable　for
a　man　of　his　rank　and　position；　rose　and　came　forward；　holding　out　his
hand　to　Godefroid；　saying　as　he　did　so：

〃I　was　sure　of　it。〃

Godefroid　made　a　gesture　denying　that　he　shared　in　this　noble
vengeance；　but　the　former　attorney…general　gave　him　no　chance　to
speak。

〃Ah！　monsieur；〃　he　said；　continuing；　〃Providence　could　not　be　more
powerful；　love　more　ingenious；　motherhood　more　clear…sighted　than　your
friends　have　been　for　us。　I　bless　the　chance　that　has　brought　you　here
to…day；　for　Monsieur　Joseph　has　disappeared　forever；　he　has　evaded　all
the　traps　I　set　to　discover　his　true　name　and　residence。　Here；　read
his　last　letter。　But　perhaps　you　already　know　it。〃

Godefroid　read　as　follows：

　　Monsieur　le　Baron　Bourlac；The　sums　which　we　have　spent　for　you；
　　under　the　orders　of　a　charitable　lady；　amount　to　fifteen　thousand
　　francs。　Take　note　of　this；　so　that　you　may　return　that　sum　either
　　yourself；　or　through　your　descendants；　whenever　the　prosperity　of
　　your　family　will　admit　of　it；for　that　money　is　the　money　of　the
　　poor。　When　you　or　your　family　are　able　to　make　this　restitution；
　　pay　the　sum　you　owe　into　the　hands　of　Messrs。　Mongenod　and
　　Company；　bankers。

　　May　God　forgive　you。

Five　crosses　formed　the　mysterious　signature　of　this　letter；　which
Godefroid　returned　to　the　baron。

〃The　five　crosses　are　there；〃　he　said　as　if　to　himself。

〃Ah！　monsieur；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃you　do　know　all；　you　were　sent　to
me　by　that　mysterious　ladytell　me　her　name！〃

〃Her　name！〃　exclaimed　Godefroid；　〃her　name！　Unhappy　man！　you　must　not
ask　it；　never　seek　to　find　it　out。　Ah！　madame；〃　he　cried；　taking
Madame　de　Mergi's　hand；　〃tell　your　father；　if　he　values　his　peace　of
mind；　to　remain　in　his　ignorance　and　make　no　effort　to　discover　the
truth。〃

〃No；　tell　it！〃　said　Vanda。

〃Well；　then；　she　who　saved　your　daughter；〃　said　Godefroid；　looking　at
the　old　man；　〃who　returns　her　to　you　young　and　beautiful　and　fresh　and
happy；　who　rescued　her　from　her　coffin；　she　who　saved　your　grandson
from　disgrace；　and　has　given　you　an　old　age　of　peace　and　honor〃　He
stopped　short〃is　a　woman　whom　you　sent　innocent　to　prison　for　twenty
years；　to　whom；　as　a　magistrate；　you　did　the　foulest　wrong；　whose
sanctity　you　insulted；　whose　beautiful　daughter　you　tore　from　her　arms
and　condemned　to　the　cruellest　of　all　deaths；　for　she　died　on　the
guillotine。〃

Godefroid；　seeing　that　Vanda　had　fallen　back　half　fainting　on　her
chair；　rushed　into　the　corridor　and　from　there　into　the　street；
running　at　full　speed。

〃If　you　want　your　pardon；〃　said　Baron　Bourlac　to　his　grandson；　〃follow
that　man　and　find　out　where　he　lives。〃

Auguste　was　off　like　an　arrow。

The　next　morning　at　eight　o'clock；　Baron　Bourlac　knocked　at　the　old
yellow　door　in　the　rue　Chanoinesse；　and　asked　for　Madame　de　la
Chanterie。　The　portress　showed　him　the　portico。　Happily　it　was　the
breakfast　hour。　Godefroid　saw　the　baron；　through　one　of　the　casements
on　the　stairs；　crossing　the　court…yard；　he　had　just　time　to　get　down
into　the　salon　where　the　friends　were　all　assembled　and　to　cry　out：

〃Baron　Bourlac　is　here！〃

Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　hearing　the　name；　rose；　supported　by　the　Abbe
de　Veze　she　went　to　her　room。

〃You　shall　not　come　in；　tool　of　Satan！〃　cried　Manon；　recognizing　their
former　prosecutor　and　preventing　his　entrance　through　the　door　of　the
salon。　〃Have　you　come　to　kill　Madame？〃

〃Manon；　let　the　gentleman　come　in；〃　said　Monsieur　Alain。

Manon　sat　down　on　a　chair　as　if　both　her　legs　had　given　way　at　once。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　baron　in　an　agitated　voice；　recognizing　Monsieur
Joseph　and　Godefroid；　and　bowing　to　Monsieur　Nicolas；　〃mercy　gives
rights　to　those　it　benefits。〃

〃You　owe　us　nothing；　monsieur；〃　said　the　good　old　Alain；　〃you　owe
everything　to　God。〃

〃You　are　saints；　and　you　have　the　calmness　of　saints；〃　said　the　former
magistrate；　〃you　will　therefore　listen　to　me。　I　know　that　the　vast
benefits　I　have　received　during　the　last　eighteen　months　have　come
from　the　hand　of　a　person　whom　I　grievously　injured　in　doing　my　duty。
It　was　fifteen　years　before　I　was　convinced　of　her　innocence；　and　that
case　is　the　only　one；　gentlemen；　for　which　I　feel　any　remorse　as　to
the　exercise　of　my　functions。　Listen　to　me！　I　have　but　a　short　time　to
live；　but　I　shall　lose　even　that　poor　remnant　of　a　life；　still　so
important　to　my　children　whom　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　has　saved；　unless
she　will　also　grant　me　her　pardon。　Yes；　I　will　stay　there　on　my　knees
on　the　pavement　of　Notre…Dame　until　she　says　to　me　that　word。　I；　who
cannot　weep；　whom　the　tortures　of　my　child　have　dried　like　stubble；　I
shall　find　tears　within　me　to　move　her〃

The　door　of　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　room　opened；　the　Abbe　de　Veze
glided　in　like　a　shadow　and　said　to　Monsieur　Joseph：

〃That　voice　is　torturing　Madame。〃

〃Ah！　she　is　there！〃　exclaimed　the　baron。

He　fell　on　his　knees　and　burst　into　tears；　crying　out　in　a　heart…
rending　voice：　〃In　the　name　of　Jesus　dying　on　the　cross；　forgive；
forgive　me；　for　my　daughter　has　suffered　a　thousand　deaths！〃

The　old　man　fell　forward　on　the　floor　so　prone　that　the　agitated
spectators　thought　him　dead。　At　that　instant　Madame　de　la　Chanterie
appeared　like　a　spectre　at　the　door　of　her　room；　against　the　frame　of
which　she　supported　herself。

〃In　the　name　of　Louis　XVI。　and　Marie…Antoinette　whom　I　see　on　their
scaffold；　in　the　name　of　Madame　Elisabeth；　in　the　name　of　my　daughter
and　of　yours；　and　for　Jesus'　sake；　I　forgive　you。〃

Hearing　those　words　the　old　man　raised　his　head。　〃It　is　the　vengeance
of　angels！〃　he　said。

Monsieur　Joseph　and　Monsieur　Nicolas　raised　him　and　led　him　to　the
courtyard；　Godefroid　went　to　fetch　a　carriage；　and　when　they　put　the
old　man　into　it　Monsieur　Nicolas　said　to　him　gravely：

〃Do　not　return　here；　monsieur；　the　power　of　God　is　infinite；　but　human
nature　has　its　limits。〃

On　that　day　Godefroid　was　admitted　to　the　order　of　the　Brotherhood　of
Consolation。










End