the brotherhood of consolation-第8节

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Godefroid　turned　over　the　book　and　read　upon　its　back　in　gilt　letters；
IMITATION　OF　JESUS　CHRIST。　The　simplicity　of　this　old　woman；　her
youthful　candor；　her　certainty　of　doing　a　good　deed；　confounded　the
ex…dandy。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　face　wore　a　rapturous　expression；
and　her　attitude　was　that　of　a　woman　who　was　offering　a　hundred
thousand　francs　to　a　merchant　on　the　verge　of　bankruptcy。

〃I　have　used　that　volume；〃　she　said；　〃for　twenty…six　years。　God　grant
its　touch　may　be　contagious。　Go　now　and　buy　me　another　copy；　for　this
is　the　hour　when　persons　come　here　who　must　not　be　seen。〃

Godefroid　bowed　and　went　to　his　room；　where　he　flung　the　book　upon　the
table；　exclaiming；

〃Poor；　good　woman！　Well；　so　be　it！〃



V

THE　INFLUENCE　OF　BOOKS

The　book；　like　all　books　frequently　read；　opened　in　a　particular
place。　Godefroid　sat　down　as　if　to　put　his　ideas　in　order；　for　he　had
gone　through　more　emotion　during　this　one　morning　than　he　had　often
done　in　the　agitated　months　of　his　life；　but　above　all；　his　curiosity
was　keenly　excited。　Letting　his　eyes　fall　by　chance；　as　people　will
when　their　souls　are　launched　in　meditation；　they　rested　mechanically
on　the　two　open　pages　of　the　book；　almost　unconsciously　he　read　the
following　heading：


CHAPTER　XII。

THE　ROYAL　WAY　OF　THE　HOLY　CROSS

He　took　up　the　book；　a　sentence　of　that　noble　chapter　caught　his　eye
like　a　flash　of　light：

　　〃He　has　walked　before　thee；　bearing　his　cross；　he　died　for　thee；
　　that　thou　mightest　bear　thy　cross；　and　be　glad　to　die　upon　it。

　　〃Go　where　thou　wilt；　seek　what　thou　wilt；　never　canst　thou　find　a
　　nobler；　surer　path　than　the　royal　way　of　the　holy　cross。

　　〃Dispose　and　order　all　things　according　to　thy　desires　and　thine
　　own　judgment　and　still　thou　shalt　find　trials　to　suffer；　whether
　　thou　wilt　or　no；　and　so　the　cross　is　there；　be　it　pain　of　body　or
　　pain　of　mind。

　　〃Sometimes　God　will　seem　to　leave　thee；　sometimes　men　will　harass
　　thee。　But；　far　worse；　thou　wilt　find　thyself　a　burden　to　thyself；
　　and　no　remedy　will　deliver　thee；　no　consolation　comfort　thee：
　　until　it　pleases　God　to　end　thy　trouble　thou　must　bear　it；　for　it
　　is　God's　will　that　we　suffer　without　consolation；　that　we　may　go
　　to　him　without　one　backward　look；　humble　through　tribulation。〃

〃What　a　strange　book！〃　thought　Godefroid；　turning　over　the　leaves。
Then　his　eyes　lighted　on　the　following　words：

　　〃When　thou　hast　reached　the　height　of　finding　all　afflictions
　　sweet；　since　they　have　made　thee　love　the　love　of　Jesus　Christ；
　　then　know　thyself　happy；　for　thou　hast　found　thy　paradise　in　this
　　world。〃

Annoyed　by　this　simplicity　（the　characteristic　of　strength）；　angry　at
being　foiled　by　a　book；　he　closed　the　volume；　but　even　then　he　saw；　in
letters　of　gold　on　the　green　morocco　cover；　the　words：

　　SEEK　THAT　WHICH　IS　ETERNAL；　AND　THAT　ONLY。

〃Have　they　found　it　here？〃　he　asked　himself。

He　went　out　to　buy　the　handsomest　copy　he　could　find　of　the　〃Imitation
of　Jesus　Christ〃　thinking　that　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　would　wish　to
read　her　chapter　that　night。　When　he　reached　the　street　he　stood　a
moment　near　the　door；　uncertain　which　way　to　take　and　debating　in　what
direction　he　was　likely　to　find　a　bookseller。　As　he　stood　there　he
heard　the　heavy　sound　of　the　massive　porte…cochere　closing。

Two　men　were　leaving　the　hotel　de　la　Chanterie。　If　the　reader　has
fully　understood　the　character　of　this　old　house　he　will　know　that　it
was　one　of　the　ancient　mansions　of　the　olden　time。　Manon；　herself；
when　she　called　Godefroid　that　morning；　had　asked　him；　smiling；　how　he
had　slept　in　the　hotel　de　la　Chanterie。

Godefroid　followed　the　two　men　without　the　slightest　intention　of
watching　them；　they　took　him　for　an　accidental　passer；　and　spoke　in
tones　which　enabled　him　to　hear　distinctly　in　those　lonely　streets。

The　two　men　passed　along　the　rue　Massillon　beside　the　church　and
crossed　the　open　space　in　front　of　it。

〃Well；　you　see；　old　man；　it　is　easy　enough　to　catch　their　sous。　Say
what　they　want　you　to　say；　that's　all。〃

〃But　we　owe　money。〃

〃To　whom？〃

〃To　that　lady〃

〃I'd　like　to　see　that　old　body　try　to　get　it；　I'd〃

〃You'd　pay　her。〃

〃Well；　you're　right；　for　if　I　paid　her　I'd　get　more　another　time。〃

〃Wouldn't　it　be　better　to　do　as　they　advise；　and　build　up　a　good
business？〃

〃Pooh！〃

〃But　she　said　she　would　get　some　one　to　lend　us　the　money。〃

〃Then　we　should　have　to　give　up　the　life　of〃

〃Well；　I'd　rather；　I'm　sick　of　it；　it　isn't　being　a　man　at　all　to　be
drunk　half　one's　time。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　know　the　abbe　turned　his　back　on　old　Marin　the　other
day；　he　refused　him　everything。〃

〃Because　old　Marin　tried　to　swindle；　and　nobody　can　succeed　in　that
but　millionnaires。〃

Just　then　the　two　men；　whose　dress　seemed　to　show　that　they　were
foremen　in　some　workshop；　turned　abruptly　round　towards　the　place
Maubert　by　the　bridge　of　the　Hotel…Dieu。　Godefroid　stepped　aside　to
let　them　pass。　Seeing　him　so　close　behind　them　they　looked　rather
anxiously　at　each　other；　and　their　faces　expressed　a　regret　for　having
spoken。

Godefroid　was　the　more　interested　by　this　conversation　because　it
reminded　him　of　the　scene　between　the　Abbe　de　Veze　and　the　workman　the
day　of　his　first　visit。

Thinking　over　this　circumstance；　he　went　as　far　as　a　bookseller's　in
the　rue　Saint…Jacques；　whence　he　returned　with　a　very　handsome　copy　of
the　finest　edition　published　in　France　of　the　〃Imitation　of　Jesus
Christ。〃　Walking　slowly　back；　in　order　that　he　might　arrive　exactly　at
the　dinner　hour；　he　recalled　his　own　sensations　during　this　morning
and　he　was　conscious　of　a　new　impulse　in　his　soul。　He　was　seized　by　a
sudden　and　deep　curiosity；　but　his　curiosity　paled　before　an
inexplicable　desire。　He　was　drawn　to　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　he　felt
the　keenest　desire　to　attach　himself　to　her；　to　devote　himself　to　her；
to　please　her；　to　deserve　her　praise：　in　short；　he　felt　the　first
emotions　of　platonic　love；　he　saw　glimpses　of　the　untold　grandeur　of
that　soul；　and　he　longed　to　know　it　in　its　entirety。　He　grew　impatient
to　enter　the　inner　lives　of　these　pure　Catholics。　In　that　small
company　of　faithful　souls；　the　majesty　of　practical　religion　was　so
thoroughly　blended　with　all　that　is　most　majestic　in　a　French　woman
that　Godefroid　resolved　to　leave　no　stone　unturned　to　make　himself
accepted　as　a　true　member　of　the　little　body。　These　feelings　would
have　been　unnaturally　sudden　in　a　busy　Parisian　eagerly　occupied　with
life；　but　Godefroid　was；　as　we　have　seen；　in　the　position　of　a
drowning　man　who　catches　at　every　floating　branch　thinking　it　a　solid
stay；　and　his　soul；　ploughed　and　furrowed　with　trial；　was　ready　to
receive　all　seed。

He　found　the　four　friends　in　the　salon；　and　he　presented　the　book　to
Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　saying：

〃I　did　not　like　to　deprive　you　of　it　to…night。〃

〃God　grant；〃　she　said；　smiling；　as　she　looked　at　the　magnificent
volume；　〃that　this　may　be　your　last　excess　of　elegance。〃

Looking　at　the　clothes　of　the　four　men　present　and　observing　how　in
every　particular　they　were　reduced　to　mere　utility　and　neatness；　and
seeing；　too；　how　rigorously　the　same　principle　was　applied　to　all　the
details　of　the　house；　Godefroid　understood　the　value　of　the　reproach
so　courteously　made　to　him。

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃the　persons　whom　you　obliged　this　morning　are
scoundrels；　I　overheard；　without　intending　it；　what　they　said　to　each
other　when　they　left　the　house；　it　was　full　of　the　basest
ingratitude。〃

〃They　were　the　two　locksmiths　of　the　rue　Mouffetard；〃　said　Madame　de
la　Chanterie　to　Monsieur　Nicolas；　〃that　is　your　affair。〃

〃The　fish　gets　away　more　than　once　before　it　is　caught；〃　said　Monsieur
Alain；　laughing。

The　perfect　indifference　of　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　on　hearing　of　the
immediate　ingratitude　of　persons　to　whom　she　had；　no　doubt；　given
money；　surprised　Godefroid；　who　became　thoughtful。

The　dinner　was　enlivened　by　Monsieur　Alain　and　Monsieur　Joseph；　but
Monsieur　Nicolas　remained　quiet；　sad；　and　cold；　he　bore　on　his
features　the　ineffaceable　imprint　of　some　bitter　grief；　some　eternal
sorrow。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　paid　equal　attentions　to　all。　Godefroid
felt　himself　observed　by　these　persons；　whose　prudence　equalled　their
piety；　his　vanity　led　him　to　imitate　their　reserve；　and　he　measured
his　words。

This　first　day　was　much　more　interesting　than　those　which　succeeded
it。　Godefroid；　who　found　himself　set　aside　from　all　the　serious
conferences；　was　obliged；　during　several　hours　in　mornings　and
evenings　when　he　was　left　wholly　to　himself；　to　have　recourse　to　the
〃Imitation　of　Jesus　Christ；〃　and　he　ended　by　studying　that　book　as　a
man　studies　a　book　when　he　has　but　one；　or　is　a　prisoner。　A　book　is
then　like　a　woman　with　whom　we　live　in　solitude；　we　must　either　hate
or　adore　that　woman；　and；　in　like　manner；　we　must　either　enter　into
the　soul　of　the　author　or　not　read　ten　lines　of　his　book。

Now；　it　is　impossible　not　to　be　impressed　by　the　〃Imitation　of　Jesus
Christ；〃　which　is　to　dogma　what　action　is　to　thought。　Catholicism
vibrates　in　it；　pulses；　breathes；　and　lives；　body　to　body；　with　human
life。　The　book　is　a　sure　friend。　It　speaks　to　all　pa