the village rector-第30节

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Graslin　and　her　mother　motionless　as　statues。　The　old　woman　was　wiping
her　eyes　with　a　handkerchief；　and　her　daughter　stood　with　both　hands
stretched　beyond　the　balustrade　as　though　she　were　pointing　to　the
church　below。

〃What　is　the　matter；　madame？〃　said　the　rector　to　Madame　Sauviat。

〃Nothing；〃　replied　Madame　Graslin；　turning　round　and　advancing　a　few
steps　to　meet　the　priests；　〃I　did　not　know　that　I　should　have　the
cemetery　under　my　eyes。〃

〃You　can　put　it　elsewhere；　the　law　gives　you　that　right。〃

〃The　law！〃　she　exclaimed　with　almost　a　cry。

Again　the　bishop　looked　fixedly　at　Veronique。　Disturbed　by　the　dark
glance　with　which　the　priest　had　penetrated　the　veil　of　flesh　that
covered　her　soul；　dragging　thence　a　secret　hidden　in　the　grave　of　that
cemetery；　she　said　to　him　suddenly：

〃Well；　/yes/！〃

The　priest　laid　his　hand　over　his　eyes　and　was　silent　for　a　moment　as
if　stunned。

〃Help　my　daughter；〃　cried　the　old　mother；　〃she　is　fainting。〃

〃The　air　is　so　keen；　it　overcomes　me；〃　said　Madame　Graslin；　as　she
fell　unconscious　into　the　arms　of　the　two　priests；　who　carried　her
into　one　of　the　lower　rooms　of　the　chateau。

When　she　recovered　consciousness　she　saw　the　priests　on　their　knees
praying　for　her。

〃May　the　angel　you　visited　you　never　leave　you！〃　said　the　bishop；
blessing　her。　〃Farewell；　my　daughter。〃

Overcome　by　those　words　Madame　Graslin　burst　into　tears。

〃Tears　will　save　her！〃　cried　her　mother。

〃In　this　world　and　in　the　next；〃　said　the　bishop；　turning　round　as　he
left　the　room。

The　room　to　which　they　had　carried　Madame　Graslin　was　on　the　first
floor　above　the　ground…floor　of　the　corner　tower；　from　which　the
church　and　cemetery　and　southern　side　of　Montegnac　could　be　seen。　She
determined　to　remain　there；　and　did　so；　more　or　less　uncomfortably；
with　Aline　her　maid　and　little　Francis。　Madame　Sauviat；　naturally；
took　another　room　near　hers。

It　was　several　days　before　Madame　Graslin　recovered　from　the　violent
emotion　which　overcame　her　on　that　first　evening；　and　her　mother
induced　her　to　stay　in　bed　at　least　during　the　mornings。　At　night；
Veronique　would　come　out　and　sit　on　a　bench　of　the　terrace　from　which
her　eyes　could　rest　on　the　church　and　cemetery。　In　spite　of　Madame
Sauviat's　mute　but　persistent　opposition；　Madame　Graslin　formed　an
almost　monomaniacal　habit　of　sitting　in　the　same　place；　where　she
seemed　to　give　way　to　the　blackest　melancholy。

〃Madame　will　die；〃　said　Aline　to　the　old　mother。

Appealed　to　by　Madame　Sauviat；　the　rector；　who　had　wished　not　to　seem
intrusive；　came　henceforth　very　frequently　to　visit　Madame　Graslin；　he
needed　only　to　be　warned　that　her　soul　was　sick。　This　true　pastor　took
care　to　pay　his　visits　at　the　hour　when　Veronique　came　out　to　sit　at
the　corner　of　the　terrace　with　her　child；　both　in　deep　mourning。



XI

THE　RECTOR　AT　WORK

It　was　now　the　beginning　of　October；　and　Nature　was　growing　dull　and
sad。　Monsieur　Bonnet；　perceiving　in　Veronique　from　the　moment　of　her
arrival　at　Montegnac　the　existence　of　an　inward　wound；　thought　it
wisest　to　wait　for　the　voluntary　and　complete　confidence　of　a　woman
who　would　sooner　or　later　become　his　penitent。

One　evening　Madame　Graslin　looked　at　the　rector　with　eyes　almost
glazed　with　that　fatal　indecision　often　observable　in　persons　who　are
cherishing　the　thought　of　death。　From　that　moment　Monsieur　Bonnet
hesitated　no　longer；　he　set　before　him　the　duty　of　arresting　the
progress　of　this　cruel　moral　malady。

At　first　there　was　a　brief　struggle　of　empty　words　between　the　priest
and　Veronique；　in　which　they　both　sought　to　veil　their　real　thoughts。
In　spite　of　the　cold；　Veronique　was　sitting　on　the　granite　bench
holding　Francis　on　her　knee。　Madame　Sauviat　was　standing　at　the　corner
of　the　terrace；　purposely　so　placed　as　to　hide　the　cemetery。　Aline　was
waiting　to　take　the　child　away。

〃I　had　supposed；　madame；〃　said　the　rector；　who　was　now　paying　his
seventh　visit；　〃that　you　were　only　melancholy；　but　I　see；〃　sinking　his
voice　to　a　whisper；　〃that　your　soul　is　in　despair。　That　feeling　is
neither　Christian　nor　Catholic。〃

〃But；〃　she　replied；　looking　to　heaven　with　piercing　eyes　and　letting　a
bitter　smile　flicker　on　her　lips；　〃what　other　feeling　does　the　Church
leave　to　a　lost　soul　unless　it　be　despair？〃

As　he　heard　these　words　the　rector　realized　the　vast　extent　of　the
ravages　in　her　soul。

〃Ah！〃　he　said；　〃you　are　making　this　terrace　your　hell；　when　it　ought
to　be　your　Calvary　from　which　to　rise　to　heaven。〃

〃I　have　no　pride　left　to　place　me　on　such　a　pedestal；〃　she　answered；
in　a　tone　which　revealed　the　self…contempt　that　lay　within　her。

Here　the　priest；　by　one　of　those　inspirations　which　are　both　natural
and　frequent　in　noble　souls；　the　man　of　God　lifted　the　child　in　his
arms　and　kissed　its　forehead；　saying；　in　a　fatherly　voice；　〃Poor
little　one！〃　Then　he　gave　it　himself　to　the　nurse；　who　carried　it
away。

Madame　Sauviat　looked　at　her　daughter；　and　saw　the　efficacy　of　the
rector's　words；　for　Veronique's　eyes；　long　dry；　were　moist　with　tears。
The　old　woman　made　a　sign　to　the　priest　and　disappeared。

〃Let　us　walk；〃　said　the　rector　to　Veronique　leading　her　along　the
terrace　to　the　other　end；　from　which　Les　Tascherons　could　be　seen。
〃You　belong　to　me；　I　must　render　account　to　God　for　your　sick　soul。〃

〃Give　me　time　to　recover　from　my　depression；〃　she　said　to　him。

〃Your　depression　comes　from　injurious　meditation；〃　he　replied；
quickly。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　with　the　simplicity　of　a　grief　which　has　reached　the
point　of　making　no　attempt　at　concealment。

〃I　see　plainly　that　you　have　fallen　into　the　gulf　of　apathy；〃　he
cried。　〃If　there　is　a　degree　of　physical　suffering　at　which　all　sense
of　modesty　expires；　there　is　also　a　degree　of　moral　suffering　in　which
all　vigor　of　soul　is　lost；　I　know　that。〃

She　was　surprised　to　hear　that　subtle　observation　and　to　find　such
tender　pity　from　this　village　rector；　but；　as　we　have　seen　already；
the　exquisite　delicacy　which　no　passion　had　ever　touched　gave　him　the
true　maternal　spirit　for　his　flock。　This　/mens　devinior/；　this
apostolic　tenderness；　places　the　priest　above　all　other　men　and　makes
him；　in　a　sense；　divine。　Madame　Graslin　had　not　as　yet　had　enough
experience　of　Monsieur　Bonnet　to　know　this　beauty　hidden　in　his　soul
like　a　spring；　from　which　flowed　grace　and　purity　and　true　life。

〃Ah！　monsieur；〃　she　cried；　giving　herself　wholly　up　to　him　by　a
gesture；　a　look；　such　as　the　dying　give。

〃I　understand　you；〃　he　said。　〃What　is　to　be　done？　What　will　you
become？〃

They　walked　in　silence　the　whole　length　of　the　balustrade；　facing
toward　the　plain。　The　solemn　moment　seemed　propitious　to　the　bearer　of
good　tidings；　the　gospel　messenger；　and　he　took　it。

〃Suppose　yourself　now　in　the　presence　of　God；〃　he　said；　in　a　low
voice；　mysteriously；　〃what　would　you　say　to　Him？〃

Madame　Graslin　stopped　as　though　struck　by　a　thunderbolt；　she
shuddered；　then　she　said　simply；　in　tones　that　brought　tears　to　the
rector's　eyes：

〃I　should　say；　as　Jesus　Christ　said：　'Father；　why　hast　thou　forsaken
me？'〃

〃Ah！　Magdalen；　that　is　the　saying　I　expected　of　you；〃　cried　Monsieur
Bonnet；　who　could　not　help　admiring　her。　〃You　see　you　are　forced　to
appeal　to　God's　justice；　you　invoke　it！　Listen　to　me；　madame。　Religion
is；　by　anticipation；　divine　justice。　The　Church　claims　for　herself　the
right　to　judge　the　actions　of　the　soul。　Human　justice　is　a　feeble
image　of　divine　justice；　it　is　but　a　pale　imitation　of　it　applied　to
the　needs　of　society。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

〃You　are　not　the　judge　of　your　own　case；　you　are　dependent　upon　God；〃
said　the　priest；　〃you　have　neither　the　right　to　condemn　yourself　nor
the　right　to　absolve　yourself。　God；　my　child；　is　a　great　reverser　of
judgments。〃

〃Ah！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃He　/sees/　the　origin　of　things；　where　we　see　only　the　things
themselves。〃

Veronique　stopped　again；　struck　by　these　ideas；　that　were　new　to　her。

〃To　you；〃　said　the　brave　priest；　〃to　you　whose　soul　is　a　great　one；　I
owe　other　words　than　those　I　ought　to　give　to　my　humble　parishioners。
You；　whose　mind　and　spirit　are　so　cultivated；　you　can　rise　to　the
sense　divine　of　the　Catholic　religion；　expressed　by　images　and　words
to　the　poor　and　childlike。　Listen　to　me　attentively；　for　what　I　am
about　to　say　concerns　you；　no　matter　how　extensive　is　the　point　of
view　at　which　I　place　myself　for　a　moment；　the　case　is　yours。　/Law/；
invented　to　protect　society；　is　based　on　equality。　Society；　which　is
nothing　but　an　assemblage　of　acts；　is　based　on　inequality。　There　is
therefore　lack　of　harmony　between　act　and　law。　Ought　society　to　march
on　favored　or　repressed　by　law？　In　other　words；　ought　law　to　be　in
opposition　to　the　interior　social　movement　for　the　maintenance　of
society；　or　should　it　be　based　on　that　movement　in　order　to　guide　it？
All　legislators　have　contented　themselves　with　analyzing　acts；
indicating　those　that　seemed　to　them　blamable　or　criminal；　and
attaching　punishments　to　such　or　rewards　to　others。　That　is　human　law；
it　has　neither　the　means　to　prevent　sin；　nor　the　means　to　prevent　the
return　to　sinfulness　of　those　it　punishes。　Philanthropy　is　a　sublime
error；　it　tort