the village rector-第25节

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one　of　my　paternal　relations；　who　chanced　to　speak　to　me　of　the　then
condition　of　Montegnac。　A　thought　darted　into　my　mind　with　the
vividness　of　lightning；　and　I　said　to　myself　inwardly：　'Here　is　thy
vineyard！'　I　came　here；　and　you　see；　monsieur；　that　my　history　is　very
simple　and　uneventful。〃

At　this　instant　Limoges　came　into　sight；　bathed　in　the　last　rays　of
the　setting　sun。　When　the　women　saw　it　they　could　not　restrain　their
tears；　they　wept　aloud。



IX

DENISE

The　young　man　whom　these　two　different　loves　were　now　on　their　way　to
comfort；　who　excited　so　much　artless　curiosity；　so　much　spurious
sympathy　and　true　solicitude；　was　lying　on　his　prison　pallet　in　one　of
the　condemned　cells。　A　spy　watched　beside　the　door　to　catch；　if
possible；　any　words　that　might　escape　him；　either　in　sleep　or　in　one
of　his　violent　furies；　so　anxious　were　the　officers　of　justice　to
exhaust　all　human　means　of　discovering　Jean…Francois　Tascheron's
accomplice　and　recover　the　sums　stolen。

The　des　Vanneaulx　had　promised　a　reward　to　the　police；　and　the　police
kept　constant　watch　on　the　obstinate　silence　of　the　prisoner。　When　the
man　on　duty　looked　through　a　loophole　made　for　the　purpose　he　saw　the
convict　always　in　the　same　position；　bound　in　the　straight…jacket；　his
head　secured　by　a　leather　thong　ever　since　he　had　attempted　to　tear
the　stuff　of　the　jacket　with　his　teeth。

Jean…Francois　gazed　steadily　at　the　ceiling　with　a　fixed　and
despairing　eye；　a　burning　eye；　as　if　reddened　by　the　terrible　thoughts
behind　it。　He　was　a　living　image　of　the　antique　Prometheus；　the　memory
of　some　lost　happiness　gnawed　at　his　heart。　When　the　solicitor…general
himself　went　to　see　him　that　magistrate　could　not　help　testifying　his
surprise　at　a　character　so　obstinately　persistent。　No　sooner　did　any
one　enter　his　cell　than　Jean…Francois　flew　into　a　frenzy　which
exceeded　the　limits　known　to　physicians　for　such　attacks。　The　moment
he　heard　the　key　turn　in　the　lock　or　the　bolts　of　the　barred　door
slide；　a　light　foam　whitened　his　lips。

Jean…Francois　Tascheron；　then　twenty…five　years　of　age；　was　small　but
well…made。　His　wiry；　crinkled　hair；　growing　low　on　his　forehead；
indicated　energy。　His　eyes；　of　a　clear　and　luminous　yellow；　were　too
near　the　root　of　the　nose；a　defect　which　gave　him　some　resemblance
to　birds　of　prey。　The　face　was　round；　of　the　warm　brown　coloring　which
marks　the　inhabitants　of　middle　France。　One　feature　of　his　physiognomy
confirmed　an　assertion　of　Lavater　as　to　persons　who　are　destined　to
commit　murder；　his　front　teeth　lapped　each　other。　Nevertheless　his
face　bore　all　the　characteristics　of　integrity　and　a　sweet　and　artless
moral　nature；　there　was　nothing　surprising　in　the　fact　that　a　woman
had　loved　him　passionately。　His　fresh　mouth　with　its　dazzling　teeth
was　charming；　but　the　vermilion　of　the　lips　was　of　the　red…lead　tint
which　indicates　repressed　ferocity；　and；　in　many　human　beings；　a　free
abandonment　to　pleasure。　His　demeanor　showed　none　of　the　low　habits　of
a　workman。　In　the　eyes　of　the　women　who　were　present　at　the　trial　it
seemed　evident　that　one　of　their　sex　had　softened　those　muscles　used
to　toil；　had　ennobled　the　countenance　of　the　rustic；　and　given　grace
to　his　person。　Women　can　always　detect　the　traces　of　love　in　a　man；
just　as　men　can　see　in　a　woman　whether；　as　the　saying　is；　love　has
passed　that　way。

Toward　evening　of　the　day　we　are　now　relating　Jean…Francois　heard　the
sliding　of　bolts　and　the　noise　of　the　key　in　the　lock。　He　turned　his
head　violently　and　gave　vent　to　the　horrible　growl　with　which　his
frenzies　began；　but　he　trembled　all　over　when　the　beloved　heads　of　his
sister　and　his　mother　stood　out　against　the　fading　light；　and　behind
them　the　face　of　the　rector　of　Montegnac。

〃The　wretches！　is　this　why　they　keep　me　alive？〃　he　said；　closing　his
eyes。

Denise；　who　had　lately　been　confined　in　a　prison；　was　distrustful　of
everything；　the　spy　had　no　doubt　hidden　himself　merely　to　return　in　a
few　moments。　The　girl　flung　herself　on　her　brother；　bent　her　tearful
face　to　his　and　whispered：

〃They　may　be　listening　to　us。〃

〃Otherwise　they　would　not　have　let　you　come　here；〃　he　replied　in　a
loud　voice。　〃I　have　long　asked　the　favor　that　none　of　my　family　should
be　admitted　here。〃

〃Oh！　how　they　have　bound　him！〃　cried　the　mother。　〃My　poor　child！　my
poor　boy！〃　and　she　fell　on　her　knees　beside　the　pallet；　hiding　her
head　in　the　cassock　of　the　priest；　who　was　standing　by　her。

〃If　Jean　will　promise　me　to　be　quiet；〃　said　the　rector；　〃and　not
attempt　to　injure　himself；　and　to　behave　properly　while　we　are　with
him；　I　will　ask　to　have　him　unbound；　but　the　least　violation　of　his
promise　will　reflect　on　me。〃

〃I　do　so　want　to　move　as　I　please；　dear　Monsieur　Bonnet；〃　said　the
criminal；　his　eyes　moistening　with　tears；　〃that　I　give　you　my　word　to
do　as　you　wish。〃

The　rector　went　out；　and　returned　with　the　jailer；　and　the　jacket　was
taken　off。

〃You　won't　kill　me　to…night；　will　you？〃　said　the　turnkey。

Jean　made　no　answer。

〃Poor　brother！〃　said　Denise；　opening　a　basket　which　had　just　passed
through　a　rigorous　examination。　〃Here　are　some　of　the　things　you　like；
I　dare　say　they　don't　feed　you　for　the　love　of　God。〃

She　showed　him　some　fruit；　gathered　as　soon　as　the　rector　had　told　her
she　could　go　to　the　jail；　and　a　/galette/　his　mother　had　immediately
baked　for　him。　This　attention；　which　reminded　him　of　his　boyhood；　the
voice　and　gestures　of　his　sister；　the　presence　of　his　mother　and　the
rector；　brought　on　a　reaction　and　he　burst　into　tears。

〃Ah！　Denise；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　not　had　a　good　meal　for　six　months。　I
eat　only　when　driven　to　it　by　hunger。〃

The　mother　and　sister　went　out　and　then　returned；　with　the　natural
housekeeping　spirit　of　such　women；　who　want　to　give　their　men　material
comfort；　they　soon　had　a　supper　for　their　poor　child。　In　this　the
officials　helped　them；　for　an　order　had　been　given　to　do　all　that
could　with　safety　be　done　for　the　condemned　man。　The　des　Vanneaulx　had
contributed；　with　melancholy　hope；　toward　the　comfort　of　the　man　from
whom　they　still　expected　to　recover　their　inheritance。　Thus　poor　Jean…
Francois　had　a　last　glimpse　of　family　joys；　if　joys　they　could　be
called　under　such　circumstances。

〃Is　my　appeal　rejected？〃　he　said　to　Monsieur　Bonnet。

〃Yes；　my　child；　nothing　is　left　for　you　to　do　but　to　make　a　Christian
end。　This　life　is　nothing　in　comparison　to　that　which　awaits　you；　you
must　think　now　of　your　eternal　happiness。　You　can　pay　your　debt　to　man
with　your　life；　but　God　is　not　content　with　such　a　little　thing　as
that。〃

〃Give　up　my　life！　Ah！　you　do　not　know　all　that　I　am　leaving。〃

Denise　looked　at　her　brother　as　if　to　warn　him　that　even　in　matters　of
religion　he　must　be　cautious。

〃Let　us　say　no　more　about　it；〃　he　resumed；　eating　the　fruit　with　an
avidity　which　told　of　his　inward　fire。　〃When　am　I〃

〃No；　no！　say　nothing　of　that　before　me！〃　said　the　mother。

〃But　I　should　be　easier　in　mind　if　I　knew；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice　to
the　rector。

〃Always　the　same　nature；〃　exclaimed　Monsieur　Bonnet。　Then　he　bent　down
to　the　prisoner's　ear　and　whispered；　〃If　you　will　reconcile　yourself
this　night　with　God　so　that　your　repentance　will　enable　me　to　absolve
you；　it　will　be　to…morrow。　We　have　already　gained　much　in　calming
you；〃　he　said；　aloud。

Hearing　these　last　words；　Jean's　lips　turned　pale；　his　eyes　rolled　up
in　a　violent　spasm；　and　an　angry　shudder　passed　through　his　frame。

〃Am　I　calm？〃　he　asked　himself。　Happily　his　eyes　encountered　the
tearful　face　of　Denise；　and　he　recovered　his　self…control。　〃So　be　it；〃
he　said　to　the　rector；　〃there　is　no　one　but　you　to　whom　I　would
listen；　they　have　known　how　to　conquer　me。〃

And　he　flung　himself　on　his　mother's　breast。

〃My　son；〃　said　the　mother；　weeping；　〃listen　to　Monsieur　Bonnet；　he
risks　his　life；　the　dear　rector；　in　going　to　you　to〃　she　hesitated；
and　then　said；　〃to　the　gate　of　eternal　life。〃

Then　she　kissed　Jean's　head　and　held　it　to　her　breast　for　some
moments。

〃Will　he；　indeed；　go　with　me？〃　asked　Jean；　looking　at　the　rector；　who
bowed　his　head　in　assent。　〃Well；　yes；　I　will　listen　to　him；　I　will　do
all　he　asks　of　me。〃

〃You　promise　it？〃　said　Denise。　〃The　saving　of　your　soul　is　what　we
seek。　Besides；　you　would　not　have　all　Limoges　and　the　village　say　that
a　Tascheron　knows　not　how　to　die　a　noble　death？　And　then；　too；　think
that　all　you　lose　here　you　will　regain　in　heaven；　where　pardoned　souls
will　meet　again。〃

This　superhuman　effort　parched　the　throat　of　the　heroic　girl。　She　was
silent　after　this；　like　her　mother；　but　she　had　triumphed。　The
criminal；　furious　at　seeing　his　happiness　torn　from　him　by　the　law；
now　quivered　at　the　sublime　Catholic　truth　so　simply　expressed　by　his
sister。　All　women；　even　young　peasant…women　like　Denise；　know　how　to
touch　these　delicate　chords；　for　does　not　every　woman　seek　to　make
love　eternal？　Denise　had　touched　two　chords；　each　most　sensitive。
Awakened　pride　called　on　the　other　virtues　chilled　by　misery　and
hardened　by　despair。　Jean　took　his　sister's　hand　and　kissed　it；　and
laid　it　on　his　heart　in　a　deeply　significant　manner；　he　applied　it
both　gently　and　forcibly。

〃Yes；〃　he