the brotherhood of consolation-第9节

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life。　The　book　is　a　sure　friend。　It　speaks　to　all　passions；　all
difficulties；　even　worldly　ones；　it　solves　all　problems；　it　is　more
eloquent　than　any　preacher；　for　its　voice　is　your　own；　it　is　the　voice
within　your　soul；　you　hear　it　with　your　spirit。　It　is；　in　short；　the
Gospel　translated；　adapted　to　all　ages；　the　summit　and　crest　of　all
human　situations。　It　is　extraordinary　that　the　Church　has　never
canonized　John　Gersen；　for　the　Divine　Spirit　evidently　inspired　his
pen。

For　Godefroid；　the　hotel　de　la　Chanterie　now　held　a　woman　and　a　book；
day　by　day　he　loved　the　woman　more；　he　discovered　flowers　buried
beneath　the　snows　of　winter　in　her　heart；　he　had　glimpses　of　the　joys
of　a　sacred　friendship　which　religion　permits；　on　which　the　angels
smile；　a　friendship　which　here　united　these　five　persons　and　against
which　no　evil　could　prevail。

This　is　a　sentiment　higher　than　all　others；　a　love　of　soul　to　soul；
resembling　those　rarest　flowers　born　on　the　highest　peaks　of　earth；　a
love　of　which　a　few　examples　are　offered　to　humanity　from　age　to　age；
by　which　lovers　are　sometimes　bound　together　in　one　being；　and　which
explains　those　faithful　attachments　which　are　otherwise　inexplicable
by　the　laws　of　the　world。　It　is　a　bond　without　disappointment；　without
misunderstanding；　without　vanity；　without　strife；　without　even
contradictions；　so　completely　are　the　moral　natures　blended　into　one。

This　sentiment；　vast；　infinite；　born　of　Catholic　charity；　Godefroid
foresaw　with　all　its　joys。　At　times　he　could　not　believe　the　spectacle
before　his　eyes；　and　he　sought　for　reasons　to　explain　the　sublime
friendship　of　these　five　persons；　wondering　in　his　heart　to　find　true
Catholics；　true　Christians　of　the　early　Church；　in　the　Paris　of　1836。



VI

THE　BUSINESS　OF　THE　HOUSE　OF　CHANTERIE　AND　COMPANY

Within　a　week　after　his　arrival　Godefroid　had　seen　such　a　concourse　of
persons；　he　had　overheard　fragments　of　conversation　relating　to　so
many　serious　topics；　that　he　began　to　perceive　an　enormous　activity　in
the　lives　of　the　five　inmates　of　the　house。　He　noticed　that　none　of
them　slept　more　than　five　hours　at　the　most。

They　had　all　made；　in　some　sort；　a　first　day；　before　the　second
breakfast。　During　that　time　strangers　came　and　went；　bringing　or
carrying　away　money；　sometimes　in　considerable　sums。　A　messenger　from
the　Mongenod　counting…room　often　came；always　very　early　in　the
morning；　so　that　his　errand　might　not　interfere　with　the　business　of
the　bank。

One　evening　Monsieur　Mongenod　came　himself；　and　Godefroid　noticed　that
he　showed　to　Monsieur　Alain　a　certain　filial　familiarity　added　to　the
profound　respect　which　he　testified　to　the　three　other　lodgers　of
Madame　de　la　Chanterie。

On　that　evening　the　banker　merely　put　a　few　matter…of…fact　questions
to　Godefroid：　〃Was　he　comfortable？　Did　he　intend　to　stay？〃　etc。；at
the　same　time　advising　him　to　persevere　in　his　plan。

〃I　need　only　one　thing　to　make　me　contented；〃　said　Godefroid。

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　the　banker。

〃An　occupation。〃

〃An　occupation！〃　remarked　the　Abbe　de　Veze。　〃Then　you　have　changed
your　mind？　I　thought　you　came　to　our　cloister　for　rest。〃

〃Rest；　without　the　prayers　that　enlivened　monasteries；　without　the
meditation　which　peopled　the　Thebaids；　becomes　a　disease；〃　said
Monsieur　Joseph；　sententiously。

〃Learn　book…keeping；〃　said　Monsieur　Mongenod；　with　a　smile；　〃you　might
become　in　a　few　months　very　useful　to　my　friends　here。〃

〃Oh！　with　pleasure；〃　cried　Godefroid。

The　next　day　was　Sunday；　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　requested　him　to　give
her　his　arm　to　high　mass。

〃It　is；〃　she　said；　〃the　only　coercion　I　shall　put　upon　you。　Several
times　during　the　past　week　I　have　wished　to　speak　to　you　of　religion；
but　it　did　not　seem　to　me　that　the　time　had　come。　You　would　find
plenty　of　occupation　if　you　shared　our　beliefs；　for　then　you　would
share　our　labors　as　well。〃

During　mass　Godefroid　noticed　the　fervor　of　Messieurs　Nicolas；　Joseph；
and　Alain；　and　as　during　the　last　few　days　he　had　also　noticed　their
superiority　and　intelligence；　and　the　vast　extent　of　their　knowledge；
he　concluded；　when　he　saw　how　they　humbled　themselves；　that　the
Catholic　religion　had　secrets　which　had　hitherto　escaped　him。

〃After　all；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃it　is　the　religion　of　Bossuet；
Pascal；　Racine；　Saint…Louis；　Louis　XIV。；　Raffaelle；　Michel…Angelo；
Ximenes；　Bayard；　du　Guesclin；　and　how　could　I；　weakling　that　I　am；
compare　myself　to　those　intellects；　those　statesmen；　those　poets；
those　heroes？〃

If　there　were　not　some　real　instruction　in　these　minor　details　it
would　be　imprudent　to　dwell　upon　them　in　these　days；　but　they　are
indispensable　to　the　interests　of　this　history；　in　which　the　present
public　will　be　none　too　ready　to　believe；　and　which　presents　at　the
outset　a　fact　that　is　almost　ridiculous；namely；　the　empire　which　a
woman　of　sixty　obtained　over　a　young　man　disappointed　with　the　world。

〃You　did　not　pray　at　all；〃　said　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　to　Godefroid　as
they　left　the　portal　of　Notre…Dame；　〃not　for　any　one；not　even　for
the　soul　of　your　mother。〃

Godefroid　colored　and　said　nothing。

〃Will　you　do　me　the　favor；〃　continued　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　〃to　go
to　your　room　and　not　come　into　the　salon　for　an　hour？　You　can
meditate；　if　you　love　me；　on　the　first　chapter　in　the　third　book　of
the　'Imitation'the　one　entitled：　'Of　inward　communing。'〃

Godefroid　bowed　stiffly　and　went　to　his　room。

〃The　devil　take　them！〃　he　exclaimed　to　himself；　giving　way　to
downright　anger。　〃What　do　they　want　with　me　here？　What　is　all　this
traffic　they　are　carrying　on？　Pooh！　all　women；　even　pious　ones；　are　up
to　the　same　tricks。　If　Madame〃　（giving　her　the　name　by　which　her
lodgers　spoke　of　her）　〃wants　me　out　of　the　way　it　is　probably　because
they　are　plotting　something　against　me。〃

With　that　thought　in　his　mind　he　tried　to　look　from　his　window　into
that　of　the　salon；　but　the　situation　of　the　rooms　did　not　allow　it。　He
went　down　one　flight；　and　then　returned；reflecting　that　according　to
the　rigid　principles　of　the　house　he　should　be　dismissed　if　discovered
spying。　To　lose　the　respect　of　those　five　persons　seemed　to　him　as
serious　as　public　dishonor。

He　waited　three　quarters　of　an　hour；　then　he　resolved　to　surprise
Madame　de　la　Chanterie　and　come　upon　her　suddenly　before　she　expected
him。　He　invented　a　lie　to　excuse　himself；　saying　that　his　watch　was
wrong；　for　which　purpose　he　set　it　on　twenty　minutes。　Then　he　went
downstairs；　making　no　noise；　reached　the　door　of　the　salon；　and　opened
it　abruptly。

He　saw　a　man；　still　young；　but　already　celebrated；　a　poet；　whom　he　had
frequently　met　in　society；　Victor　de　Vernisset；　on　his　knees　before
Madame　de　la　Chanterie　and　kissing　the　hem　of　her　dress。　If　the　sky
had　fallen；　and　shivered　to　atoms　like　glass；　as　the　ancients　thought
it　was；　Godefroid　could　not　have　been　more　astonished。　Shocking
thoughts　came　into　his　mind；　and　then　a　reaction　more　terrible　still
when；　before　the　sarcasm　he　was　about　to　utter　had　left　his　lips；　he
saw　Monsieur　Alain　in　a　corner　of　the　room　counting　out　bank…notes。

In　an　instant　Vernisset　was　on　his　feet；　and　the　worthy　Alain　looked
thunderstruck。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　on　her　part；　gave　Godefroid　a
look　which　petrified　him；　for　the　twofold　expression　on　the　face　of
the　visitor　had　not　escaped　him。

〃Monsieur　is　one　of　us；〃　she　said　to　the　young　poet；　with　a　sign
towards　Godefroid。

〃Then　you　are　a　happy　man；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　Vernisset；　〃you　are
saved！　But；　madame；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　〃if
all　Paris　had　seen　me；　I　should　rejoice　in　it。　Nothing　can　ever　mark
my　gratitude　to　you。　I　am　yours　forever；　I　belong　to　you　utterly。
Command　me　as　you　will　and　I　obey。　I　owe　you　my　life；　and　it　is
yours。〃

〃Well；　well；　young　man！〃　said　the　kind　Alain；　〃then　be　wise；　be
virtuous；only；　/work/；　but　do　not　attack　religion　in　your　books。
Moreover；　remember　that　you　owe　a　debt。〃

And　he　handed　him　an　envelope　thick　with　the　bank…notes　he　had　counted
out。　The　tears　were　in　Victor　de　Vernisset's　eyes；　he　kissed　Madame　de
la　Chanterie's　hand　respectfully；　and　went　away；　after　shaking　hands
with　Monsieur　Alain　and　Godefroid。

〃You　have　not　obeyed　madame；〃　said　the　goodman　Alain　solemnly；　with　a
sad　expression　on　his　face　that　Godefroid　had　never　before　seen　there；
〃and　that　is　a　great　wrong；　if　it　happens　again　we　must　part。　This　may
seem　hard　to　you　after　we　had　begun　to　give　you　our　confidence。〃

〃My　dear　Alain；〃　said　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　〃have　the　kindness　for
my　sake　to　say　no　more　about　this　piece　of　thoughtlessness。　We　ought
not　to　ask　too　much　a　new　arrival；　who　has　been　spared　great
misfortunes　and　knows　nothing　of　religion；　and　who；　moreover；　has　only
an　excessive　curiosity　about　our　vocation；　and　does　not　yet　believe　in
us。〃

〃Forgive　me；　madame；〃　said　Godefroid；　〃I　do　desire；　from　this　time
forth；　to　be　worthy　of　you。　I　will　submit　to　any　trial　you　think
necessary　before　initiating　me　into　the　secrets　of　your　work；　and　if
the　Abbe　de　Veze　will　undertake　to　instruct　me　I　will　listen　to　him；
soul　and　mind。〃

These　words　made　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　so　happy　that　a　faint　color
stole　upon