the village rector-第17节

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air；　all　contributed　to　plunge　the　prelate　into　the　condition　of
quietude　prescribed　by　medical　writers　on　digestion；　seemingly　his
eyes　were　resting　mechanically　on　the　right　bank　of　the　river；　just
where　the　long　shadows　of　the　island　poplars　touched　it　on　the　side
toward　Saint…Etienne；　near　the　field　where　the　twofold　murder　of　old
Pingret　and　his　servant　had　been　committed。　But　when　his　momentary
felicity　was　interrupted　by　the　arrival　of　the　two　grand　vicars；　and
the　difficulties　they　brought　to　him　to　solve；　it　was　seen　his　eyes
were　filled　with　impenetrable　thoughts。　The　two　priests　attributed
this　abstraction　to　the　fact　of　being　bored；　whereas；　on　the　contrary；
the　prelate　was　absorbed　in　seeing　in　the　sands　of　the　Vienne　the
solution　of　the　enigma　then　so　anxiously　sought　for　by　the　officers　of
justice；　the　des　Vanneaulx；　and　the　community　at　large。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　Abbe　de　Grancour；　approaching　the　bishop；　〃it　is
all　useless；　we　shall　certainly　have　the　distress　of　seeing　that
unhappy　Tascheron　die　an　unbeliever。　He　vociferates　the　most　horrible
imprecations　against　religion；　he　insults　that　poor　Abbe　Pascal；　he
spits　upon　the　crucifix；　and　means　to　die　denying　all；　even　hell。〃

〃He　will　shock　the　populace　on　the　scaffold；〃　said　the　Abbe　Dutheil。
〃The　great　scandal　and　horror　his　conduct　will　excite　may　hide　our
defeat　and　powerlessness。　In　fact；　as　I　have　just　been　saying　to
Monsieur　de　Grancour；　this　very　spectacle　may　drive　other　sinners　into
the　arms　of　the　Church。〃

Troubled　by　these　words；　the　bishop　laid　down　upon　a　rustic　wooden
table　the　bunch　of　grapes　at　which　he　was　picking；　and　wiped　his
fingers　as　he　made　a　sign　to　the　two　grand　vicars　to　be　seated。

〃The　Abbe　Pascal　did　not　take　a　wise　course；〃　he　said。

〃He　is　actually　ill　in　his　bed　from　the　effects　of　his　last　scene　with
the　man；〃　said　the　Abbe　de　Grancour。　〃If　it　were　not　for　that　we　might
get　him　to　explain　more　clearly　the　difficulties　that　have　defeated
all　the　various　efforts　monseigneur　ordered　him　to　make。〃

〃The　condemned　man　sings　obscene　songs　at　the　highest　pitch　of　his
voice　as　soon　as　he　sees　any　one　of　us；　so　as　to　drown　out　every　word
we　try　to　say　to　him；〃　said　a　young　priest　who　was　sitting　beside　the
bishop。

This　young　man；　who　was　gifted　with　a　charming　personality；　had　his
right　arm　resting　on　the　table；　while　his　white　hand　dropped
negligently　on　the　bunches　of　grapes；　seeking　the　ripest；　with　the
ease　and　assurance　of　an　habitual　guest　or　favorite。　He　was　both　to
the　prelate；　being　the　younger　brother　of　Baron　Eugene　de　Rastignac；
to　whom　ties　of　family　and　also　of　affection　had　long　bound　the　Bishop
of　Limoges。　Aware　of　the　want　of　fortune　which　devoted　this　young　man
to　the　Church；　the　bishop　took　him　as　his　private　secretary　to　give
him　time　to　wait　for　eventual　preferment。　The　Abbe　Gabriel　bore　a　name
which　would　lead　him　sooner　or　later　to　the　highest　dignities　of　the
Church。

〃Did　you　go　to　see　him；　my　son？〃　asked　the　bishop。

〃Yes；　Monseigneur。　As　soon　as　I　entered　his　cell　the　wretched　man
hurled　the　most　disgusting　epithets　at　you　and　at　me。　He　behaved　in
such　a　manner　that　it　was　impossible　for　any　priest　to　remain　in　his
presence。　Might　I　give　Monseigneur　a　word　of　advice？〃

〃Let　us　listen　to　the　words　of　wisdom　which　God　Almighty　sometimes
puts　into　the　mouths　of　children；〃　said　the　bishop；　smiling。

〃Well；　you　know　he　made　Balaam's　ass　speak　out；〃　said　the　young　abbe
quickly。

〃But　according　to　some　commentators　she　did　not　know　what　she　was
saying；〃　replied　the　bishop；　laughing。

The　two　grand　vicars　smiled。　In　the　first　place；　the　joke　came　from
Monseigneur；　next；　it　bore　gently　on　the　young　abbe；　of　whom　the
dignitaries　and　other　ambitious　priests　grouped　around　the　bishop　were
somewhat　jealous。

〃My　advice　would　be；〃　resumed　the　young　man；　〃to　ask　Monsieur　de
Grandville　to　reprieve　the　man　for　the　present。　When　Tascheron　knows
that　he　owes　an　extension　of　his　life　to　our　intercession；　he　may
pretend　to　listen　to　us；　and　if　he　listens〃

〃He　will　persist　in　his　present　conduct；　finding　that　it　has　won　him
that　advantage；〃　said　the　bishop；　interrupting　his　favorite。
〃Messieurs；〃　he　said；　after　a　moment's　silence；　〃does　the　whole　town
know　of　these　details？〃

〃There　is　not　a　household　in　which　they　are　not　talked　over；〃　said　the
Abbe　de　Grancour。　〃The　state　in　which　our　good　Abbe　Pascal　was　put　by
his　last　efforts　is　the　present　topic　of　conversation　throughout　the
town。〃

〃When　is　Tascheron　to　be　executed？〃　asked　the　bishop。

〃To…morrow；　which　is　market…day〃；　replied　Monsieur　de　Grancour。

〃Messieurs；〃　exclaimed　the　bishop；　〃religion　must　not　be　overset　in
this　way。　The　more　public　attention　is　attracted　to　the　matter；　the
more　I　am　determined　to　obtain　a　notable　triumph。　The　Church　is　now　in
presence　of　a　great　difficulty。　We　are　called　upon　to　do　miracles　in
this　manufacturing　town；　where　the　spirit　of　sedition　against
religious　and　monarchical　principles　has　such　deep　root；　where　the
system　of　inquiry　born　of　protestantism　（which　in　these　days　calls
itself　liberalism；　prepared　at　any　moment　to　take　another　name）
extends　into　everything。　Go　at　once　to　Monsieur　de　Grandville；　he　is
wholly　on　our　side；　and　say　to　him　from　me　that　we　beg　for　a　few　days'
reprieve。　I　will　go　myself　and　see　that　unhappy　man。〃

〃You；　Monseigneur！〃　said　the　Abbe　de　Rastignac。　〃If　you　should　fail；
wouldn't　that　complicate　matters？　You　ought　not　to　go　unless　you　are
certain　of　success。〃

〃If　Monseigneur　will　permit　me　to　express　my　opinion；〃　said　the　Abbe
Dutheil；　〃I　think　I　can　suggest　a　means　which　may　bring　victory　to
religion　in　this　sad　case。〃

The　prelate　answered　with　a　sign　of　assent；　so　coldly　given　as　to　show
how　little　credit　he　gave　to　his　vicar…general。

〃If　any　one　can　influence　that　rebellious　soul　and　bring　it　back　to
God；〃　continued　the　Abbe　Dutheil；　〃it　is　the　rector　of　the　village　in
which　he　was　born；　Monsieur　Bonnet。〃

〃One　of　your　proteges；〃　remarked　the　bishop。

〃Monseigneur；　Monsieur　Bonnet　is　one　of　those　men　who　protect
themselves；　both　by　their　active　virtues　and　their　gospel　work。〃

This　simple　and　modest　reply　was　received　in　a　silence　which　would
have　embarrassed　any　other　man　than　the　Abbe　Dutheil。　The　three
priests　chose　to　see　in　it　one　of　those　hidden　and　unanswerable
sarcasms　which　are　characteristic　of　ecclesiastics；　who　contrive　to
express　what　they　want　to　say　while　observing　the　strictest　decorum。
In　this　case　there　was　nothing　of　the　kind。　The　Abbe　Dutheil　never
thought　of　himself　and　had　no　double　meaning。

〃I　have　heard　of　Saint　Aristides　for　some　time；〃　said　the　bishop；
smiling。　〃If　I　have　left　his　light　under　a　bushel　I　may　have　been
unjust　or　prejudiced。　Your　liberals　are　always　crying　up　Monsieur
Bonnet　as　though　he　belonged　to　their　party。　I　should　like　to　judge
for　myself　of　this　rural　apostle。　Go　at　once；　messieurs；　to　Monsieur
de　Grandville；　and　ask　for　the　reprieve；　I　will　await　his　answer
before　sending　our　dear　Abbe　Gabriel　to　Montegnac　to　fetch　the　saintly
man。　We　will　give　his　Blessedness　a　chance　to　do　miracles。〃

As　he　listened　to　these　words　of　the　prelate　the　Abbe　Dutheil
reddened；　but　he　would　not　allow　himself　to　take　notice　of　the
incivilities　of　the　speech。　The　two　grand　vicars　bowed　in　silence　and
withdrew；　leaving　the　prelate　alone　with　his　secretary。

〃The　secrets　of　the　confession　we　are　so　anxious　to　obtain　from　the
unhappy　man　himself　are　no　doubt　buried　there；〃　said　the　bishop　to　his
young　abbe；　pointing　to　the　shadow　of　the　poplars　where　it　fell　on　a
lonely　house　between　the　island　and　Saint…Etienne。

〃I　have　always　thought　so；〃　replied　Gabriel。　〃I　am　not　a　judge　and　I
will　not　be　an　informer；　but　if　I　were　a　magistrate　I　should　have
known　the　name　of　that　woman　who　trembles　at　every　sound；　at　every
word；　while　forced　to　keep　her　features　calm　and　serene　under　pain　of
going　to　the　scaffold　with　her　lover。　She　has　nothing　to　fear；
however。　I　have　seen　the　man；　he　will　carry　the　secret　of　that
passionate　love　to　the　grave　with　him。〃

〃Ah！　you　sly　fellow！〃　said　the　bishop；　twisting　the　ear　of　his
secretary　as　he　motioned　to　the　space　between　the　island　and　the
suburb　of　Saint…Etienne　which　the　last　gleams　of　the　setting　sun　were
illuminating；　and　on　which　the　young　abbe's　eyes　were　fixed。　〃That　is
the　place　where　justice　should　have　searched；　don't　you　think　so？〃

〃I　went　to　see　the　criminal　to　try　the　effect　of　my　suspicions　upon
him；〃　replied　the　young　man。　〃I　could　not　speak　them　out；　for　fear　of
compromising　the　woman　for　whose　sake　he　dies。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　bishop；　〃we　will　hold　our　tongues；　we　are　not　the
servants　of　human　justice。　One　head　is　enough。　Besides；　sooner　or
later；　the　secret　will　be　given　to　the　Church。〃

The　perspicacity　which　the　habit　of　meditation　gives　to　priests　is　far
superior　to　that　of　lawyers　or　the　police。　By　dint　of　contemplating
from　those　terraces　the　scene　of　the　crime；　the　prelate　and　his
secretary　had　ended　by　perceiving　circumstances　unseen　by　others；　in
spite　of　all　the　investigations　before　and　during　the　trial　of　the
case。

Monsieur　de　Grandville　was　playing