the village rector-第23节

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expatriating　itself　to　other　lands　and　other　skies。　The　sons　were
half…seated　on　the　green　serge　bed。　The　mother；　busy　beside　the　fire；
was　beating　an　omelet。　The　grandchildren　crowded　the　doorway；　before
which　stood　the　incoming　family　of　the　purchaser。

The　old　smoky　room　with　its　blackened　rafters；　through　the　window　of
which　was　visible　a　well…kept　garden　planted　by　the　two　old　people；
seemed　in　harmony　with　the　pent…up　anguish　which　could　be　read　on　all
their　faces　in　diverse　expressions。　The　meal　was　chiefly　prepared　for
the　notary；　the　purchaser；　the　menkind；　and　the　children。　The　father
and　mother；　Denise　and　her　sisters；　were　too　unhappy　to　eat。　There　was
a　lofty；　stern　resignation　in　the　accomplishment　of　these　last　duties
of　rustic　hospitality。　The　Tascherons；　men　of　the　olden　time；　ended
their　days　in　that　house　as　they　had　begun　them；　by　doing　its　honors。
This　scene；　without　pretension；　though　full　of　solemnity；　met　the　eyes
of　the　bishop's　secretary　when　he　approached　the　village　rector　to
fulfil　the　prelate's　errand。

〃The　son　of　these　good　people　still　lives；〃　said　Gabriel。

At　these　words；　heard　by　all　in　the　deep　silence；　the　two　old　people
rose　to　their　feet　as　if　the　last　trump　had　sounded。　The　mother
dropped　her　pan　upon　the　fire；　Denise　gave　a　cry　of　joy；　all　the
others　stood　by　in　petrified　astonishment。

〃Jean…Francois　is　pardoned！〃　cried　the　whole　village；　now　rushing
toward　the　house；　having　heard　the　news　from　Ursule。　〃Monseigneur　the
bishop〃

〃I　knew　he　was　innocent！〃　cried　the　mother。

〃Will　it　hinder　the　purchase？〃　said　the　purchaser　to　the　notary；　who
answered　with　a　satisfying　gesture。

The　Abbe　Gabriel　was　now　the　centre　of　all　eyes；　his　sadness　raised　a
suspicion　of　mistake。　To　avoid　correcting　it　himself；　he　left　the
house；　followed　by　the　rector；　and　said　to　the　crowd　outside　that　the
execution　was　only　postponed　for　some　days。　The　uproar　subsided
instantly　into　dreadful　silence。　When　the　Abbe　Gabriel　and　the　rector
returned；　the　expression　on　the　faces　of　the　family　was　full　of
anguish；　the　silence　of　the　crowd　was　understood。

〃My　friends；　Jean…Francois　is　not　pardoned；〃　said　the　young　abbe；
seeing　that　the　blow　had　fallen；　〃but　the　state　of　his　soul　has　so
distressed　Monseigneur　that　he　has　obtained　a　delay　in　order　to　save
your　son　in　eternity。〃

〃But　he　lives！〃　cried　Denise。

The　young　abbe　took　the　rector　aside　to　explain　to　him　the　injurious
situation　in　which　the　impenitence　of　his　parishioner　placed　religion；
and　the　duty　the　bishop　imposed　upon　him。

〃Monseigneur　exacts　my　death；〃　replied　the　rector。　〃I　have　already
refused　the　entreaties　of　the　family　to　visit　their　unhappy　son。　Such
a　conference　and　the　sight　of　his　death　would　shatter　me　like　glass。
Every　man　must　work　as　he　can。　The　weakness　of　my　organs；　or　rather；
the　too　great　excitability　of　my　nervous　organization；　prevents　me
from　exercising　these　functions　of　our　ministry。　I　have　remained　a
simple　rector　expressly　to　be　useful　to　my　kind　in　a　sphere　in　which　I
can　really　accomplish　my　Christian　duty。　I　have　carefully　considered
how　far　I　could　satisfy　this　virtuous　family　and　do　my　pastoral　duty
to　this　poor　son；　but　the　very　idea　of　mounting　the　scaffold　with　him；
the　mere　thought　of　assisting　in　those　fatal　preparations；　sends　a
shudder　as　of　death　through　my　veins。　It　would　not　be　asked　of　a
mother；　and　remember；　monsieur；　he　was　born　in　the　bosom　of　my　poor
church。〃

〃So；〃　said　the　Abbe　Gabriel；　〃you　refuse　to　obey　Monseigneur？〃

〃Monseigneur　is　ignorant　of　the　state　of　my　health；　he　does　not　know
that　in　a　constitution　like　mine　nature　refuses〃　said　Monsieur
Bonnet；　looking　at　the　younger　priest。

〃There　are　times　when　we　ought；　like　Belzunce　at　Marseille；　to　risk
certain　death；〃　replied　the　Abbe　Gabriel；　interrupting　him。

At　this　moment　the　rector　felt　a　hand　pulling　at　his　cassock；　he　heard
sobs；　and　turning　round　he　saw　the　whole　family　kneeling　before　him。
Young　and　old；　small　and　great；　all　were　stretching　their　supplicating
hands　to　him。　One　sole　cry　rose　from　their　lips　as　he　turned　his　face
upon　them：

〃Save　his　soul；　at　least！〃

The　old　grandmother　it　was　who　had　pulled　his　cassock　and　was　wetting
it　with　her　tears。

〃I　shall　obey；　monsieur。〃

That　said；　the　rector　was　forced　to　sit　down；　for　his　legs　trembled
under　him。　The　young　secretary　explained　the　frenzied　state　of　the
criminal's　mind。

〃Do　you　think；〃　he　said；　as　he　ended　his　account；　〃that　the　sight　of
his　young　sister　would　shake　his　determination？〃

〃Yes；　I　do；〃　replied　the　rector。　〃Denise；　you　must　go　with　us。〃

〃And　I；　too；〃　said　the　mother。

〃No！〃　cried　the　father；　〃that　child　no　longer　exists　for　us；　and　you
know　it。　None　of　us　shall　see　him。〃

〃Do　not　oppose　what　may　be　for　his　salvation；〃　said　the　young　abbe。
〃You　will　be　responsible　for　his　soul　if　you　refuse　us　the　means　of
softening　it。　His　death　may　possibly　do　more　injury　than　his　life　has
done。〃

〃She　may　go；〃　said　the　father；　〃it　shall　be　her　punishment　for
opposing　all　the　discipline　I　ever　wished　to　give　her　son。〃

The　Abbe　Gabriel　and　Monsieur　Bonnet　returned　to　the　parsonage；　where
Denise　and　her　mother　were　requested　to　come　in　time　to　start　for
Limoges　with　the　two　ecclesiastics。

As　the　younger　man　walked　along　the　path　which　followed　the　outskirts
of　upper　Montegnac　he　was　able　to　examine　the　village　priest　so　warmly
commended　by　the　vicar…general　less　superficially　than　he　did　in
church。　He　felt　at　once　inclined　in　his　favor；　by　the　simple　manners；
the　voice　full　of　magic　power；　and　the　words　in　harmony　with　the　voice
of　the　village　rector。　The　latter　had　only　visited　the　bishop's　palace
once　since　the　prelate　had　taken　Gabriel　de　Rastignac　as　secretary。　He
had　hardly　seen　this　favorite；　destined　for　the　episcopate；　though　he
knew　how　great　his　influence　was。　Nevertheless；　he　behaved　with　a
dignified　courtesy　that　plainly　showed　the　sovereign　independence
which　the　Church　bestows　on　rectors　in　their　parishes。　But　the
feelings　of　the　young　abbe；　far　from　animating　his　face；　gave　it　a
stern　expression；　it　was　more　than　cold；　it　was　icy。　A　man　capable　of
changing　the　moral　condition　of　a　whole　population　must　surely　possess
some　powers　of　observation；　and　be　more　or　less　of　a　physiognomist；
and　even　if　the　rector　had　no　other　science　than　that　of　goodness；　he
had　just　given　proof　of　rare　sensibility。　He　was　therefore　struck　by
the　coldness　with　which　the　bishop's　secretary　met　his　courteous
advances。　Compelled　to　attribute　this　manner　to　some　secret　annoyance；
the　rector　sought　in　his　own　mind　to　discover　if　he　had　wounded　his
guest；　or　in　what　way　his　conduct　could　seem　blameworthy　in　the　eyes
of　his　superiors。

An　awkward　silence　ensued；　which　the　Abbe　de　Rastignac　broke　by　a
speech　that　was　full　of　aristocratic　assumption。

〃You　have　a　very　poor　church；　monsieur；〃　he　said。

〃It　is　too　small；〃　replied　Monsieur　Bonnet。　〃On　the　great　fete…days
the　old　men　bring　benches　to　the　porch；　and　the　young　men　stand
outside　in　a　circle；　but　the　silence　is　so　great　that　all　can　hear　my
voice。〃

Gabriel　was　silent　for　some　moments。

〃If　the　inhabitants　are　so　religious　how　can　you　let　the　building
remain　in　such　a　state　of　nudity？〃　he　said　at　last。

〃Alas；　monsieur；　I　have　not　the　courage　to　spend　the　money　which　is
needed　for　the　poor　on　decorating　the　church；the　poor　are　the
church。　I　assure　I　should　not　be　ashamed　of　my　church　if　Monseigneur
should　visit　it　on　the　Fete…Dieu。　The　poor　return　on　that　day　what
they　have　received。　Did　you　notice　the　nails　which　are　placed　at
certain　distances　on　the　walls？　They　are　used　to　hold　a　sort　of
trellis　of　iron　wire　on　which　the　women　fasten　bouquets；　the　church　is
fairly　clothed　with　flowers；　and　they　keep　fresh　all　day。　My　poor
church；　which　you　think　so　bare；　is　decked　like　a　bride；　it　is　filled
with　fragrance；　even　the　floor　is　strewn　with　leaves；　in　the　midst　of
which　they　make　a　path　of　scattered　roses　for　the　passage　of　the　holy
sacrament。　That's　a　day　on　which　I　do　not　fear　comparison　with　the
pomps　of　Saint…Peter　at　Rome；　the　Holy　Father　has　his　gold；　and　I　my
flowers；to　each　his　own　miracle。　Ah！　monsieur；　the　village　of
Montegnac　is　poor；　but　it　is　Catholic。　In　former　times　the　inhabitants
robbed　travellers；　now　travellers　may　leave　a　sack　full　of　money　where
they　please　and　they　will　find　it　in　my　house。〃

〃That　result　is　to　your　glory；〃　said　Gabriel。

〃It　is　not　a　question　of　myself；〃　replied　the　rector；　coloring　at　this
labored　compliment；　〃but　of　God's　word；　of　the　blessed　bread〃

〃Brown　bread；〃　remarked　the　abbe；　smiling。

〃White　bread　only　suits　the　stomachs　of　the　rich；〃　replied　the　rector；
modestly。

The　young　abbe　took　the　hands　of　the　older　priest　and　pressed　them
cordially。

〃Forgive　me；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　suddenly　making　amends　with　a　look　in
his　beautiful　blue　eyes　which　went　to　the　depths　of　the　rector's　soul。
〃Monseigneur　told　me　to　test　your　patience　and　your　modesty；　but　I
can't　go　any　further；　I　see　already　how　much　injustice　the　praises　of
the　liberals　have　done　you。〃

Breakfast　was　ready；　fresh　eggs；　butter；　honey；　fruits；　cream；　and
coffee