the village rector-第14节

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arrested；　his　face　did　not　change；　and　he　replied　ironically：

〃I　should　very　much　like　to　see　him。〃

When　the　public　were　informed　of　these　circumstances；　many　persons
adopted　the　suspicions　of　the　magistrates；　which　seemed　to　be
confirmed　by　Tascheron's　savage　obstinacy　in　giving　no　account　of
himself。　Increased　interest　was　felt　in　a　young　man　who　was　now　a
problem。　It　is　easy　to　see　how　these　elements　kept　public　curiosity　on
the　/qui　vive/；　and　with　what　eager　interest　the　trial　would　be
followed。　But　in　spite　of　every　effort　on　the　part　of　the　police；　the
prosecution　stopped　short　on　the　threshold　of　hypothesis；　it　did　not
venture　to　go　farther　into　the　mystery　where　all　was　obscurity　and
danger。　In　certain　judicial　cases　half…certainties　are　not　sufficient
for　the　judges　to　proceed　upon。　Nevertheless　the　case　was　ordered　for
trial；　in　hopes　that　the　truth　would　come　to　the　surface　when　the　case
was　brought　into　court；　an　ordeal　under　which　many　criminals
contradict　themselves。

Monsieur　Graslin　was　one　of　the　jury；　so　that　either　through　her
husband　or　through　Monsieur　de　Grandville；　the　public　prosecutor；
Veronique　knew　all　the　details　of　the　criminal　trial　which；　for　a
fortnight；　kept　the　department；　and　we　may　say　all　France；　in　a　state
of　excitement。　The　attitude　maintained　by　the　accused　seemed　to
justify　the　theory　of　the　prosecution。　More　than　once　when　the　court
opened；　his　eyes　turned　upon　the　brilliant　assemblage　of　women　who
came　to　find　emotions　in　a　real　drama；　as　though　he　sought　for　some
one。　Each　time　that　the　man's　glance；　clear；　but　impenetrable；　swept
along　those　elegant　ranks；　a　movement　was　perceptible；　a　sort　of
shock；　as　though　each　woman　feared　she　might　appear　his　accomplice
under　the　inquisitorial　eyes　of　judge　and　prosecutor。

The　hitherto　useless　efforts　of　the　prosecution　were　now　made　public；
also　the　precautions　taken　by　the　criminal　to　ensure　the　success　of
his　crime。　It　was　shown　that　Jean…Francois　Tascheron　had　obtained　a
passport　for　North　America　some　months　before　the　crime　was　committed。
Thus　the　plan　of　leaving　France　was　fully　formed；　the　object　of　his
passion　must　therefore　be　a　married　woman；　for　he　would　have　no　reason
to　flee　the　country　with　a　young　girl。　Possibly　the　crime　had　this　one
object　in　view；　namely；　to　obtain　sufficient　means　to　support　this
unknown　woman　in　comfort。

The　prosecution　had　found　no　passport　issued　to　a　woman　for　North
America。　In　case　she　had　obtained　one　in　Paris；　the　registers　of　that
city　were　searched；　also　those　of　the　towns　contingent　to　Limoges；　but
without　result。　All　the　shrewdest　minds　in　the　community　followed　the
case　with　deep　attention。　While　the　more　virtuous　dames　of　the
department　attributed　the　wearing　of　pumps　on　a　muddy　road　（an
inexplicable　circumstance　in　the　ordinary　lives　of　such　shoes）　to　the
necessity　of　noiselessly　watching　old　Pingret；　the　men　pointed　out
that　pumps　were　very　useful　in　silently　passing　through　a　houseup
stairways　and　along　corridorswithout　discovery。

So　Jean…Francois　Tascheron　and　his　mistress　（by　this　time　she　was
young；　beautiful；　romantic；　for　every　one　made　a　portrait　of　her）　had
evidently　intended　to　escape　with　only　one　passport；　to　which　they
would　forge　the　additional　words；　〃and　wife。〃　The　card　tables　were
deserted　at　night　in　the　various　social　salons；　and　malicious　tongues
discussed　what　women　were　known　in　March；　1829；　to　have　gone　to　Paris；
and　what　others　could　be　making；　openly　or　secretly；　preparations　for
a　journey。　Limoges　might　be　said　to　be　enjoying　its　Fualdes　trial；
with　an　unknown　and　mysterious　Madame　Manson　for　an　additional
excitement。　Never　was　any　provincial　town　so　stirred　to　its　depths　as
Limoges　after　each　day's　session。　Nothing　was　talked　of　but　the　trial；
all　the　incidents　of　which　increased　the　interest　felt　for　the
accused；　whose　able　answers；　learnedly　taken　up；　turned　and　twisted
and　commented　upon；　gave　rise　to　ample　discussions。　When　one　of　the
jurors　asked　Tascheron　why　he　had　taken　a　passport　for　America；　the
man　replied　that　he　had　intended　to　establish　a　porcelain　manufactory
in　that　country。　Thus；　without　committing　himself　to　any　line　of
defence；　he　covered　his　accomplice；　leaving　it　to　be　supposed　that　the
crime　was　committed；　if　at　all；　to　obtain　funds　for　this　business
venture。

In　the　midst　of　such　excitement　it　was　impossible　for　Veronique's
friends　to　refrain　from　discussing　in　her　presence　the　progress　of　the
case　and　the　reticence　of　the　criminal。　Her　health　was　extremely
feeble；　but　the　doctor　having　advised　her　going　out　into　the　fresh
air；　she　had　on　one　occasion　taken　her　mother's　arm　and　walked　as　far
as　Madame　Sauviat's　house　in　the　country；　where　she　rested。　On　her
return　she　endeavored　to　keep　about　until　her　husband　came　to　his
dinner；　which　she　always　served　him　herself。　On　this　occasion　Graslin；
being　detained　in　the　court…room；　did　not　come　in　till　eight　o'clock。
She　went　into　the　dining…room　as　usual；　and　was　present　at　a
discussion　which　took　place　among　a　number　of　her　friends　who　had
assembled　there。

〃If　my　poor　father　were　still　living；〃　she　remarked　to　them；　〃we
should　know　more　about　the　matter；　possibly　this　man　might　never　have
become　a　criminal。　I　think　you　have　all　taken　a　singular　idea　about
the　matter。　You　insist　that　love　is　at　the　bottom　of　the　crime；　and　I
agree　with　you　there；　but　why　do　you　think　this　unknown　person　is　a
married　woman？　He　may　have　loved　some　young　girl　whose　father　and
mother　would　not　let　her　marry　him。〃

〃A　young　girl　could；　sooner　or　later；　have　married　him　legitimately；〃
replied　Monsieur　de　Grandville。　〃Tascheron　has　no　lack　of　patience；　he
had　time　to　make　sufficient　means　to　support　her　while　awaiting　the
time　when　all　girls　are　at　liberty　to　marry　against　the　wishes　of
their　parents；　he　need　not　have　committed　a　crime　to　obtain　her。〃

〃I　did　not　know　that　a　girl　could　marry　in　that　way；〃　said　Madame
Graslin；　〃but　how　is　it　that　in　a　town　like　this；　where　all　things　are
known；　and　where　everybody　sees　everything　that　happens　to　his
neighbor；　not　the　slightest　clue　to　this　woman　has　been　obtained？　In
order　to　love；　persons　must　see　each　other　and　consequently　be　seen。
What　do　you　really　think；　you　magistrates？〃　she　added；　plunging　a
fixed　look　into　the　eyes　of　the　/procureur…general/。

〃We　think　that　the　woman　belongs　to　the　bourgeois　or　the　commercial
class。〃

〃I　don't　agree　with　you；〃　said　Madame　Graslin。　〃A　woman　of　that　class
does　not　have　elevated　sentiments。〃

This　reply　drew　all　eyes　on　Veronique；　and　the　whole　company　waited
for　an　explanation　of　so　paradoxical　a　speech。

〃During　the　hours　I　lie　awake　at　night　I　have　not　been　able　to　keep　my
mind　from　dwelling　on　this　mysterious　affair；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃and　I
think　I　have　fathomed　Tascheron's　motive。　I　believe　the　person　he
loves　is　a　young　girl；　because　a　married　woman　has　interests；　if　not
feelings；　which　partly　fill　her　heart　and　prevent　her　from　yielding　so
completely　to　a　great　passion　as　to　leave　her　home。　There　is　such　a
thing　as　a　love　proceeding　from　passion　which　is　half　maternal；　and　to
me　it　is　evident　that　this　man　was　loved　by　a　woman　who　wished　to　be
his　prop；　his　Providence。　She　must　have　put　into　her　passion　something
of　the　genius　that　inspires　the　work　of　artists　and　poets；　the
creative　force　which　exists　in　woman　under　another　form；　for　it　is　her
mission　to　create　men；　not　things。　Our　works　are　our　children；　our
children　are　the　pictures；　books；　and　statues　of　our　lives。　Are　we　not
artists　in　their　earliest　education？　I　say　that　this　unknown　woman；　if
she　is　not　a　young　girl；　has　never　been　a　mother　but　is　filled　with
the　maternal　instinct；　she　has　loved　this　man　to　form　him；　to　develop
him。　It　needs　a　feminine　element　in　you　men　of　law　to　detect　these
shades　of　motive；　which　too　often　escape　you。　If　I　had　been　your
deputy；〃　she　said；　looking　straight　at　the　/procureur…general/；　〃I
should　have　found　the　guilty　woman；　if　indeed　there　is　any　guilt　about
it。　I　agree　with　the　Abbe　Dutheil　that　these　lovers　meant　to　fly　to
America　with　the　money　of　old　Pingret。　The　theft　led　to　the　murder　by
the　fatal　logic　which　the　punishment　of　death　inspires。　And　so；〃　she
added　with　an　appealing　look　at　Monsieur　de　Grandville；　〃I　think　it
would　be　merciful　in　you　to　abandon　the　theory　of　premeditation；　for
in　so　doing　you　would　save　the　man's　life。　He　is　evidently　a　fine　man
in　spite　of　his　crime；　he　might；　perhaps；　repair　that　crime　by　a　great
repentance　if　you　gave　him　time。　The　works　of　repentance　ought　to
count　for　something　in　the　judgment　of　the　law。　In　these　days　is　there
nothing　better　for　a　human　being　to　do　than　to　give　his　life；　or
build；　as　in　former　times；　a　cathedral　of　Milan；　to　expiate　his
crimes？〃

〃Your　ideas　are　noble；　madame；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Grandville；　〃but；
premeditation　apart；　Tascheron　would　still　be　liable　to　the　penalty　of
death　on　account　of　the　other　serious　and　proved　circumstances
attending　the　crime；such　as　forcible　entrance　and　burglary　at
night。〃

〃Then　you　think　that　he　will　certainly　be　found　guilty？〃　she　said；
lowering　her　eyelids。

〃I　am　certain　of　it；〃　he