the brotherhood of consolation-第12章

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some　terrible　episode　in　the　life　of　a　corsair。

At　the　words　〃Come　in！〃　given　in　answer　to　two　raps　struck　discreetly
on　the　door；　Godefroid　turned　the　key　which　was　in　the　lock　and　found
Monsieur　Alain　sitting　by　the　fire　reading；　before　he　went　to　bed；　his
accustomed　chapter　in　the　〃Imitation　of　Jesus　Christ；〃　by　the　light　of
two　wax…candles；　each　protected　by　a　moveable　green　shade；　such　as
whist…players　use。

The　goodman　wore　trousers　/a　pied/　and　his　gray　camlet　dressing…gown。
His　feet　were　at　a　level　with　the　fire；　resting　on　a　cushion　done　in
worsted…work；　as　were　his　slippers；　by　Madame　de　la　Chanterie。　The
fine　head　of　the　old　man；　without　other　covering　than　its　crown　of
white　hair；　almost　like　that　of　a　monk；　stood　out　in　clear　relief
against　the　brown　background　of　an　enormous　armchair。

Monsieur　Alain　gently　laid　his　book；　which　was　much　worn　at　the
corners；　on　a　little　table　with　twisted　legs；　and　signed　to　the　young
man　to　take　another　chair；　removing　as　he　did　so　a　pair　of　spectacles
which　were　hanging　on　the　end　of　his　nose。

〃Are　you　ill；　that　you　have　left　your　room　at　this　hour？〃　he　asked。

〃Dear　Monsieur　Alain；〃　said　Godefroid；　frankly；　〃I　am　tortured　with　a
curiosity　which　one　word　from　you　will　make　very　harmless　or　very
indiscreet；　and　that　explains　clearly　enough　the　spirit　in　which　I
shall　ask　my　question。〃

〃Oh！　oh！　and　what　is　your　question？〃　said　the　good　soul；　looking　at
the　young　man　with　an　eye　that　was　half　mischievous。

〃What　was　it　that　brought　you　here　to　lead　the　life　that　you　live
here？　For；　surely；　to　accept　the　doctrines　of　such　total　renunciation
of　all　personal　interests；　a　man　must　have　been　disgusted　with　the
world；　or　else　have　injured　others。〃

〃Eh！　my　dear　lad；〃　replied　the　old　man；　letting　a　smile　flicker　on　his
large　lips；　which　gave　to　his　rosy　mouth　the　kindliest　expression　that
the　genius　of　a　painter　ever　imagined；　〃can　we　not　be　moved　to　the
deepest　pity　by　the　spectacle　of　human　wretchedness　which　Paris　holds
within　her　walls？　Did　Saint　Vincent　de　Paul　need　the　spur　of　remorse
or　wounded　vanity　to　make　him　devote　himself　to　outcast　children？〃

〃You　close　my　mouth；　for　if　ever　a　soul　resembled　that　of　the
Christian　hero；　it　is　yours；〃　said　Godefroid。

In　spite　of　the　hardness　which　age　had　given　to　the　wrinkled　yellow
skin　of　his　face；　the　old　man　blushed；　for　he　seemed　to　have　provoked
that　comparison；　though　any　one　who　knew　his　modesty　would　have　been
certain　he　never　dreamed　of　it。　Godefroid　was　aware　by　this　time　that
Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　inmates　had　no　taste　for　that　sort　of
incense。　Nevertheless；　the　extreme　simplicity　of　the　good　old　soul　was
more　disturbed　by　this　idea　than　a　young　girl　would　have　been　by　an
improper　thought。

〃Though　I　am　very　far　indeed　from　Saint　Vincent　de　Paul　morally；〃　said
Monsieur　Alain；　〃I　think　I　do　resemble　him　physically。〃

Godefroid　was　about　to　speak；　but　was　stopped　by　a　gesture　of　the　old
man；　whose　nose；　it　must　be　owned；　had　the　tuberous　appearance　of　that
of　the　Saint；　and　whose　face；　a　good　deal　like　that　of　an　old　vine…
dresser；　was　an　exact　duplicate　of　the　broad；　common　face　of　the
founder　of　Foundling　hospitals。

〃As　for　me；　you　are　right　enough；〃　he　went　on；　〃my　vocation　for　our
work　was　brought　about　by　repentance；　as　the　result　of　afolly。〃

〃A　folly；you！〃　Godefroid　exclaimed　softly；　the　word　entirely　putting
out　of　his　head　what　he　meant　to　say。

〃Ah！　dear　me；　what　I　am　going　to　tell　you　will　seem；　I　dare　say；　a
trifle　to　you；a　mere　bit　of　nonsense；　but　before　the　tribunal　of
conscience　it　was　another　thing。　If　you　persist　in　wishing　to　share
our　work　after　hearing　what　I　shall　tell　you；　you　will　understand　that
the　power　of　a　sentiment　is　according　to　the　nature　of　souls；　and　that
a　matter　which　would　not　in　the　least　trouble　a　strong　mind　may　very
well　torment　the　conscience　of　a　weak　Christian。〃

After　a　preface　of　this　kind；　the　curiosity　of　the　disciple　of　course
knew　no　bounds。　What　could　be　the　crime　of　the　worthy　soul　whom　Madame
de　la　Chanterie　called　her　/paschal　lamb/？　The　thought　crossed
Godefroid's　mind　that　a　book　might　be　written　on　it；　called　〃The　Sins
of　a　Sheep。〃　Sheep　are　sometimes　quite　ferocious　towards　grass　and
flowers。　One　of　the　tenderest　republicans　of　those　days　was　heard　to
assert　that　the　best　of　human　beings　was　cruel　to　something。　But　the
kindly　Alain！he；　who　like　my　uncle　Toby；　wouldn't　crush　a　gnat　till
it　had　stung　him　twenty　times；that　sweet　soul　to　have　been　tortured
by　repentance！

This　reflection　in　Godefroid's　mind　filled　the　pause　made　by　the　old
man　after　saying；　〃Now　listen　to　me！〃a　pause　he　filled　himself　by
pushing　his　cushion　under　Godefroid's　feet　to　share　it　with　him。

〃I　was　then　about　thirty　years　of　age；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　the　year　'98；
if　I　remember　right；a　period　when　young　men　were　forced　to　have　the
experience　of　men　of　sixty。　One　morning；　a　little　before　my　breakfast
hour；　which　was　nine　o'clock；　my　old　housekeeper　ushered　in　one　of　the
few　friends　remaining　to　me　after　the　Revolution。　My　first　word　was　to
ask　him　to　breakfast。　My　friendhis　name　was　Mongenod；　a　fellow　about
twenty…eight　years　of　ageaccepted；　but　he　did　so　in　an　awkward
manner。　I　had　not　seen　him　since　1793！〃

〃Mongenod！〃　cried　Godefroid；　〃why；　that　is〃

〃If　you　want　to　know　the　end　before　the　beginning；　how　am　I　to　tell
you　my　history？〃　said　the　old　man；　smiling。

Godefroid　made　a　sign　which　promised　absolute　silence。

〃When　Mongenod　sat　down；〃　continued　Monsieur　Alain；　〃I　noticed　that
his　shoes　were　worn　out。　His　stockings　had　been　washed　so　often　that
it　was　difficult　to　say　if　they　were　silk　or　not。　His　breeches；　of
apricot…colored　cassimere；　were　so　old　that　the　color　had　disappeared
in　spots；　and　the　buckles；　instead　of　being　of　steel；　seemed　to　me　to
be　made　of　common　iron。　His　white；　flowered　waistcoat；　now　yellow　from
long　wearing；　also　his　shirt；　the　frill　of　which　was　frayed；　betrayed
a　horrible　yet　decent　poverty。　A　mere　glance　at　his　coat　was　enough　to
convince　me　that　my　friend　had　fallen　into　dire　distress。　That　coat
was　nut…brown　in　color；　threadbare　at　the　seams；　carefully　brushed；
though　the　collar　was　greasy　from　pomade　or　powder；　and　had　the　white
metal　buttons　now　copper…colored。　The　whole　was　so　shabby　that　I　tried
not　to　look　at　it。　The　hatan　opera　hat　of　a　kind　we　then　carried
under　the　arm；　and　not　on　the　headhad　seen　many　governments。
Nevertheless；　my　poor　friend　must　have　spent　a　few　sous　at　the
barber's；　for　he　was　neatly　shaved；　and　his　hair；　gathered　behind　his
head　with　a　comb　and　powdered　carefully；　smelt　of　pomade。　I　saw　two
chains　hanging　down　on　his　breeches；two　rusty　steel　chains；but　no
appearance　of　a　watch　in　his　pocket。　I　tell　you　all　these　details；　as
they　come　to　me；〃　said　Monsieur　Alain；　〃I　seldom　think　of　this　matter
now；　but　when　I　do；　all　the　particulars　come　vividly　before　me。〃

He　paused　a　moment　and　then　resumed：

〃It　was　winter；　and　Mongenod　evidently　had　no　cloak；　for　I　noticed
that　several　lumps　of　snow；　which　must　have　dropped　from　the　roofs　as
he　walked　along；　were　sticking　to　the　collar　of　his　coat。　When　he　took
off　his　rabbit…skin　gloves；　and　I　saw　his　right　hand；　I　noticed　the
signs　of　labor；　and　toilsome　labor；　too。　Now　his　father；　the　advocate
of　the　Grand　Council；　had　left　him　some　property；about　five　or　six
thousand　francs　a　year。　I　saw　at　once　that　he　had　come　to　me　to　borrow
money。　I　had；　in　a　secret　hiding…place；　two　hundred　louis　d'or；an
enormous　hoard　at　that　time；　for　they　were　worth　I　couldn't　now　tell
you　how　many　hundred　thousand　francs　in　assignats。　Mongenod　and　I　had
studied　at　the　same　collage；that　of　Grassins；and　we　had　met　again
in　the　same　law…office；that　of　Bordin；a　truly　honest　man。　When　you
have　spent　your　boyhood　and　played　your　youthful　pranks　with　the　same
comrade；　the　sympathy　between　you　and　him　has　something　sacred　about
it；　his　voice；　his　glance；　stir　certain　chords　in　your　heart　which
only　vibrate　under　the　memories　that　he　brings　back。　Even　if　you　have
had　cause　of　complaint　against　such　a　comrade；　the　rights　of　the
friendship　between　you　can　never　be　effaced。　But　there　had