the village rector-第21节

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with　benches；　was　lighted　by　four　arched　windows　with　leaded　panes。
The　altar；　shaped　like　a　tomb；　was　adorned　by　a　large　crucifix　placed
above　a　tabernacle　in　walnut　with　a　few　gilt　mouldings；　kept　clean　and
shining；　eight　candlesticks　economically　made　of　wood　painted　white；
and　two　china　vases　filled　with　artificial　flowers　such　as　the　drudge
of　a　money…changer　would　have　despised；　but　with　which　God　was
satisfied。

The　sanctuary　lamp　was　a　night…wick　placed　in　an　old　holy…water　basin
of　plated　copper　hanging　by　silken　cords；　the　spoil　of　some　demolished
chateau。　The　baptismal　fonts　were　of　wood；　so　were　the　pulpit　and　a
sort　of　cage　provided　for　the　church…wardens；　the　patricians　of　the
village。　An　altar　to　the　Virgin　presented　to　public　admiration　two
colored　lithographs　in　small　gilt　frames。　The　altar　was　painted　white；
adorned　with　artificial　flowers　in　gilded　wooden　vases；　and　covered　by
a　cloth　edged　with　shabby　and　discolored　lace。

At　the　farther　end　of　the　church　a　long　window　entirely　covered　by　a
red　calico　curtain　produced　a　magical　effect。　This　crimson　mantle　cast
a　rosy　tint　upon　the　whitewashed　walls；　a　thought　divine　seemed　to
glow　upon　the　altar　and　clasp　the　poor　nave　as　if　to　warm　it。　The
passage　which　led　to　the　sacristy　exhibited　on　one　of　its　walls　the
patron　saint　of　the　village；　a　large　Saint　John　the　Baptist　with　his
sheep；　carved　in　wood　and　horribly　painted。

But　in　spite　of　all　this　poverty　the　church　was　not　without　some
tender　harmonies　delightful　to　choice　souls；　and　set　in　charming
relief　by　their　own　colors。　The　rich　dark　tones　of　the　wood　relieved
the　white　of　the　walls　and　blended　with　the　triumphal　crimson　cast　on
the　chancel。　This　trinity　of　color　was　a　reminder　of　the　grand
Catholic　doctrine。

If　surprise　was　the　first　emotion　roused　by　this　pitiful　house　of　the
Lord；　surprise　was　followed　speedily　by　admiration　mingled　with　pity。
Did　it　not　truly　express　the　poverty　of　that　poor　region？　Was　it　not
in　harmony　with　the　naive　simplicity　of　the　parsonage？　The　building
was　perfectly　clean　and　well…kept。　The　fragrance　of　country　virtues
exhaled　within　it；　nothing　showed　neglect　or　abandonment。　Though
rustic　and　poor　and　simple；　prayer　dwelt　there；　those　precincts　had　a
soul；a　soul　which　was　felt；　though　we　might　not　fully　explain　to　our
own　souls　how　we　felt　it。



VIII

THE　RECTOR　OF　MONTEGNAC

The　Abbe　Gabriel　glided　softly　through　the　church　so　as　not　to　disturb
the　devotions　of　two　groups　of　persons　on　the　benches　near　the　high
altar；　which　was　separated　from　the　nave　at　the　place　where　the　lamp
was　hung　by　a　rather　common　balustrade；　also　of　chestnut　wood；　and
covered　with　a　cloth　intended　for　the　communion。　On　either　side　of　the
nave　a　score　of　peasants；　men　and　women；　absorbed　in　fervent　prayer；
paid　no　attention　to　the　stranger　when　he　passed　up　the　narrow　passage
between　the　two　rows　of　seats。

When　the　young　abbe　stood　beneath　the　lamp；　whence　he　could　see　the
two　little　transepts　which　formed　a　cross；　one　of　which　led　to　the
sacristy；　the　other　to　the　cemetery；　he　noticed　on　the　cemetery　side　a
family　clothed　in　black　kneeling　on　the　pavement；　the　transepts　having
no　benches。　The　young　priest　knelt　down　on　the　step　of　the　balustrade
which　separated　the　choir　from　the　nave　and　began　to　pray；　casting
oblique　glances　at　a　scene　which　was　soon　explained　to　him。　The　gospel
had　been　read。　The　rector；　having　removed　his　chasuble；　came　down　from
the　altar　and　stood　before　the　railing；　the　young　abbe；　who　foresaw
this　movement；　leaned　back　against　the　wall；　so　that　Monsieur　Bonnet
did　not　see　him。　Ten　o'clock　was　striking。

〃Brethren；〃　said　the　rector；　in　a　voice　of　emotion；　〃at　this　very
moment　a　child　of　this　parish　is　paying　his　debt　to　human　justice　by
enduring　its　last　penalty；　while　we　are　offering　the　sacrifice　of　the
mass　for　the　peace　of　his　soul。　Let　us　unite　in　prayer　to　God；
imploring　Him　not　to　turn　His　face　from　that　child　in　these　his　last
moments；　and　to　grant　to　his　repentance　the　pardon　in　heaven　which　is
denied　to　him　here　below。　The　sin　of　this　unhappy　man；　one　of　those　on
whom　we　most　relied　for　good　examples；　can　only　be　explained　by　his
disregard　of　religious　principles。〃

Here　the　rector　was　interrupted　by　sobs　from　the　kneeling　group　in
mourning　garments；　whom　the　Abbe　Gabriel　recognized；　by　this　show　of
affection；　as　the　Tascheron　family；　although　he　did　not　know　them。
First　among　them　was　an　old　couple　（septuagenarians）　standing　by　the
wall；　their　faces　seamed　with　deep…cut；　rigid　wrinkles；　and　bronzed
like　a　Florentine　medal。　These　persons；　stoically　erect　like　statues；
in　their　old　darned　clothes；　were　doubtless　the　grandfather　and　the
grandmother　of　the　criminal。　Their　glazed　and　reddened　eyes　seemed　to
weep　blood；　their　arms　trembled　so　that　the　sticks　on　which　they
leaned　tapped　lightly　on　the　pavement。　Next；　the　father　and　the
mother；　their　faces　in　their　handkerchiefs；　sobbed　aloud。　Around　these
four　heads　of　the　family　knelt　the　two　married　sisters　accompanied　by
their　husbands；　and　three　sons；　stupefied　with　grief。　Five　little
children　on　their　knees；　the　oldest　not　seven　years　old；　unable；　no
doubt；　to　understand　what　was　happening；　gazed　and　listened　with　the
torpid　curiosity　that　characterizes　the　peasantry；　and　is　really　the
observation　of　physical　things　pushed　to　its　highest　limit。　Lastly；
the　poor　unmarried　sister；　imprisoned　in　the　interests　of　justice；　now
released；　a　martyr　to　fraternal　affection；　Denise　Tascheron；　was
listening　to　the　priest's　words　with　a　look　that　was　partly　bewildered
and　partly　incredulous。　For　her；　her　brother　could　not　die。　She　well
represented　that　one　of　the　Three　Marys　who　did　not　believe　in　the
death　of　Christ；　though　she　was　present　at　the　last　agony。　Pale；　with
dry　eyes；　like　all　those　who　have　gone　without　sleep；　her　fresh
complexion　was　already　faded；　less　by　toil　and　field　labor　than　by
grief；　nevertheless；　she　had　many　of　the　beauties　of　a　country　maiden；
a　plump；　full　figure；　finely　shaped　arms；　rounded　cheeks；　and　clear；
pure　eyes；　lighted　at　this　instant　with　flashes　of　despair。　Below　the
throat；　a　firm；　fair　skin；　not　tanned　by　the　sun；　betrayed　the
presence　of　a　white　and　rosy　flesh　where　the　form　was　hidden。

The　married　daughters　wept；　their　husbands；　patient　farmers；　were
grave　and　serious。　The　three　brothers；　profoundly　sad；　did　not　raise
their　eyes　from　the　ground。　In　the　midst　of　this　dreadful　picture　of
dumb　despair　and　desolation；　Denise　and　her　mother　alone　showed
symptoms　of　revolt。

The　other　inhabitants　of　the　village　united　in　the　affliction　of　this
respectable　family　with　a　sincere　and　Christian　pity　which　gave　the
same　expression　to　the　faces　of　all；an　expression　amounting　to
horror　when　the　rector's　words　announced　that　the　knife　was　then
falling　on　the　neck　of　a　young　man　whom　they　all　knew　well　from　his
very　birth；　and　whom　they　had　doubtless　thought　incapable　of　crime。

The　sobs　which　interrupted　the　short　and　simple　allocution　which　the
pastor　made　to　his　flock　overcame　him　so　much　that　he　stopped　and　said
no　more；　except　to　invite　all　present　to　fervent　prayer。

Though　this　scene　was　not　of　a　nature　to　surprise　a　priest；　Gabriel　de
Rastignac　was　too　young　not　to　be　profoundly　touched　by　it。　As　yet　he
had　never　exercised　the　priestly　virtues；　he　knew　himself　called　to
other　functions；　he　was　not　forced　to　enter　the　social　breaches　where
the　heart　bleeds　at　the　sight　of　woes：　his　mission　was　that　of　the
higher　clergy；　who　maintain　the　spirit　of　devotion；　represent　the
highest　intellect　of　the　Church；　and　on　eminent　occasions　display　the
priestly　virtues　on　a　larger　stage；like　the　illustrious　bishops　of
Marseille　and　Meaux；　and　the　archbishops　of　Arles　and　Cambrai。

This　little　assemblage　of　country　people　weeping　and　praying　for　him
who；　as　they　supposed；　was　then　being　executed　on　a　public　square；
among　a　crowd　of　persons　come　from　all　parts　to　swell　the　shame　of
such　a　death；this　feeble　counterpoise　of　prayer　and　pity；　opposed　to
the　ferocious　curiosity　and　just　maledictions　of　a　multitude；　was
enough　to　move　any　soul；　especially　when　seen　in　that　poor　church。　The
Abbe　Gabriel　was　tempted　to　go　up　to　the　Tascherons　and　say；

〃Your　son　and　brother　is　reprieved。〃

But　he　did　not　like　to　disturb　the　mass；　and；　moreover；　he　knew　that　a
reprieve　was　only　a　delay　of　execution。　Instead　of　following　the
service；　he　was　irresistibly　drawn　to　a　study　of　the　pastor　from　whom
the　clergy　in　Limoges　expected　the　conversion　of　the　criminal。

Judging　by　the　parsonage；　Gabriel　de　Rastignac　had　made　himself　a
portrait　of　Monsieur　Bonnet　as　a　stout；　short　man　with　a　strong　and
red　face；　framed　for　toil；　half　a　peasant；　and　tanned　by　the　sun。　So
far　from　that；　the　young　abbe　met　his　equal。　Slight　and　delicate　in
appearance；　Monsieur　Bonnet's　face　struck　the　eyes　at　once　as　the
typical　face　of　passion　given　to　the　Apostles。　It　was　almost
triangular；　beginning　with　a　broad　brow　furrowed　by　wrinkles；　and
carried　down　from　the　temples　to　the　chin　in　two　sharp　lines　which
defined　his　hollow　cheeks。　In　this　face；　sallowed　by　tones　as　yellow
as　those　of　a　church　tap