the brotherhood of consolation-第29章

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increased　by　the　addition　of　our　own　available　property；　from　which　we
take　only　enough　for　our　actual　needs。〃

Tears　came　into　Godefroid's　eyes。

〃We　are　the　ministers　of　a　Christian　idea；　we　belong　body　and　soul　to
its　work；　the　spirit　of　which；　the　founder　of　which；　is　the　Baronne　de
la　Chanterie；　whom　you　hear　us　so　respectfully　call　'Madame。'〃

〃Ah！　let　me　belong　to　you！〃　cried　Godefroid；　stretching　out　his　hands
to　the　kind　old　man。

〃Now　you　understand　why　there　are　some　subjects　of　conversation　which
are　never　mentioned　here；　nor　even　alluded　to。　You　can　now　see　the
obligations　of　delicacy　that　all　who　live　in　this　house　contract
towards　one　who　seems　to　us　a　saint。　You　comprehenddo　you　not？the
influence　of　a　woman　made　sacred　by　such　sorrows；　who　knows　so　many
things；　to　whom　anguish　has　said　its　utmost　word；　who　from　each
adversity　has　drawn　instruction；　in　whom　all　virtues　have　the　double
strength　of　cruel　trial　and　of　constant　practice；　whose　soul　is
spotless　and　without　reproach；　whose　motherhood　knew　only　grief；　whose
married　love　knew　only　bitterness；　on　whom　life　smiled　for　a　brief
time　only；　but　for　whom　heaven　reserves　a　palm；　the　reward　of
resignation　and　of　loving…kindness　under　sorrow。　Ah！　does　she　not　even
triumph　over　Job　in　never　murmuring？　Can　you　wonder　that　her　words　are
so　powerful；　her　old　age　so　young；　her　soul　so　communicative；　her
glance　so　convincing？　She　has　obtained　extraordinary　powers　in　dealing
with　sufferers；　for　she　has　suffered　all　things。〃

〃She　is　the　living　image　of　Charity！〃　cried　Godefroid；　fervently。　〃Can
I　ever　be　one　of　you？〃

〃You　must　first　endure　the　tests；　and　above　all　BELIEVE！〃　said　the　old
man；　gently。　〃So　long　as　you　have　no　faith；　so　long　as　you　have　not
absorbed　into　your　heart　and　mind　the　divine　meaning　of　Saint　Paul's
epistle　upon　Charity；　you　cannot　share　our　work。〃




SECOND　EPISODE

THE　INITIATE



XI

THE　POLICE　OF　THE　GOOD　GOD

Like　evil；　good　is　contagious。　Therefore　when　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's
lodger　had　lived　in　that　old　and　silent　house　for　some　months　after
the　worthy　Alain's　last　confidence；　which　gave　him　the　deepest　respect
for　the　religious　lives　of　those　among　whom　his　was　cast；　he
experienced　that　well…being　of　the　soul　which　comes　of　a　regulated
existence；　gentle　customs；　and　harmony　of　nature　in　those　who　surround
us。　At　the　end　of　four　months；　during　which　time　Godefroid　heard
neither　a　loud　voice　nor　an　argument；　he　could　not　remember　that　he
had　ever　been；　if　not　as　happy；　at　least　as　tranquil　and　contented。　He
now　judged　soundly　of　the　world；　seeing　it　from　afar。　At　last；　the
desire　he　had　felt　for　months　to　be　a　sharer　in　the　work　of　these
mysterious　persons　became　a　passion。　Without　being　great　philosophers
we　can　all　understand　the　force　which　passions　acquire　in　solitude。

Thus　it　happened　that　one　daya　day　made　solemn　by　the　power　of　the
spirit　within　himGodefroid　again　went　up　to　see　the　good　old　Alain；
him　whom　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　called　her　〃lamb；〃　the　member　of　the
community　who　seemed　to　Godefroid　the　least　imposing；　the　most
approachable　member　of　the　fraternity；　intending　to　obtain　from　him
some　definite　light　on　the　conditions　of　the　sacred　work　to　which
these　brothers　of　God　were　dedicated。　The　allusions　made　to　a　period
of　trial　seemed　to　imply　an　initiation；　which　he　was　now　desirous　of
receiving。　His　curiosity　had　not　been　satisfied　by　what　the　venerable
old　man　had　already　told　him　as　to　the　causes　which　led　to　the　work　of
Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　he　wanted　to　know　more。

For　the　third　time　Godefroid　entered　Monsieur　Alain's　room；　just　as
the　old　man　was　beginning　his　evening　reading　of　the　〃Imitation　of
Jesus　Christ。〃　This　time　the　kindly　soul　did　not　restrain　a　smile　when
he　saw　the　young　man；　and　he　said　at　once；　without　allowing　Godefroid
to　speak：

〃Why　do　you　come　to　me；　my　dear　boy；　why　not　go　to　Madame？　I　am　the
most　ignorant；　the　most　imperfect；　the　least　spiritual　of　our　number。
For　the　last　three　days；〃　he　added；　with　a　shrewd　little　glance；
〃Madame　and　my　other　friends　have　read　your　heart。〃

〃What　have　they　read　there？〃　asked　Godefroid。

〃Ah！〃　replied　the　goodman；　without　evasion；　〃they　see　in　you　a　rather
artless　desire　to　belong　to　our　little　flock。　But　this　sentiment　is
not　yet　an　ardent　vocation。　Yes；〃　he　continued；　replying　to　a　gesture
of　Godefroid's；　〃you　have　more　curiosity　than　fervor。　You　are　not　yet
so　detached　from　your　old　ideas　that　you　do　not　look　forward　to
something　adventurous；　romantic；　as　they　say；　in　the　incidents　of　our
life。〃

Godefroid　could　not　keep　himself　from　blushing。

〃You　see　a　likeness　between　our　occupations　and　those　of　the　caliphs
of　the　'Arabian　Nights；'　and　you　are　thinking　about　the　satisfaction
you　will　have　in　playing　the　part　of　the　good　genii　in　the　tales　of
benevolence　you　are　inventing。　Ah；　my　dear　boy！　that　shame…faced　laugh
of　yours　proves　to　me　that　we　were　quite　right　in　that　conjecture。　How
do　you　expect　to　conceal　any　feeling　from　persons　whose　business　it　is
to　divine　the　most　hidden　motion　of　souls；　the　tricks　of　poverty；　the
calculations　of　indigence；honest　spies；　the　police　of　the　good　God；
old　judges；　whose　code　contains　nothing　but　absolutions；　doctors　of
suffering；　whose　only　remedy　is　oftentimes　the　wise　application　of
money？　But；　you　see；　my　child；　we　don't　wish　to　quarrel　with　the
motives　which　bring　us　a　neophyte；　provided　he　will　really　stay　and
become　a　brother　of　the　order。　We　shall　judge　you　by　your　work。　There
are　two　kinds　of　curiosity；that　of　good　and　that　of　evil；　just　at
this　moment　you　have　that　of　good。　If　you　should　work　in　our　vineyard；
the　juice　of　our　grapes　will　make　you　perpetually　thirsty　for　the
divine　fruit。　The　initiation　is；　as　in　that　of　all　natural　knowledge；
easy　in　appearance；　difficult　in　reality。　Benevolence　is　like　poesy；
nothing　is　easier　than　to　catch　the　appearance　of　it。　But　here；　as　in
Parnassus；　nothing　contents　us　but　perfection。　To　become　one　to　us；
you　must　acquire　a　great　knowledge　of　life。　And　what　a　life；good
God！　Parisian　life；　which　defies　the　sagacity　of　the　minister　of
police　and　all　his　agents！　We　have　to　circumvent　the　perpetual
conspiracy　of　Evil；　master　it　in　all　its　forms；　while　it　changes　so
often　as　to　seem　infinite。　Charity　in　Paris　must　know　as　much　as　vice；
just　as　a　policeman　must　know　all　the　tricks　of　thieves。　We　must　each
be　frank　and　each　distrustful；　we　must　have　quick　perception　and　a
sure　and　rapid　judgment。　And　then；　my　child；　we　are　old　and　getting
older；　but　we　are　so　content　with　the　results　we　have　now　obtained；
that　we　do　not　want　to　die　without　leaving　successors　in　the　work。　If
you　persist　in　your　desire；　you　will　be　our　first　pupil；　and　all　the
dearer　to　us　on　that　account。　There　is　no　risk　for　us；　because　God
brought　you　to　us。　Yours　is　a　good　nature　soured；　since　you　have　been
here　the　evil　leaven　has　weakened。　The　divine　nature　of　Madame　has
acted　upon　yours。　Yesterday　we　took　counsel　together；　and　inasmuch　as
I　have　your　confidence；　my　good　brothers　resolved　to　give　me　to　you　as
guardian　and　teacher。　Does　that　please　you？〃

〃Ah！　my　kind　Monsieur　Alain；　your　eloquence　awakens〃

〃No；　my　child；　it　is　not　I　who　speak　well；　it　is　things　that　are
eloquent。　We　can　be　sure　of　being　great；　even　sublime；　in　obeying　God；
in　imitating　Jesus　Christ；imitating　him；　I　mean；　as　much　as　men　are
able　to　do　so；　aided　by　faith。〃

〃This　moment；　then；　decides　my　life！〃　cried　Godefroid。　〃I　feel　within
me　the　fervor　of　a　neophyte；　I　wish　to　spend　my　life　in　doing　good。〃

〃That　is　the　secret　of　remaining　in　God；〃　replied　Alain。　〃Have　you
studied　our　motto；/Transire　benefaciendo/？　/Transire/　means　to　go
beyond　this　world；　leaving　benefits　on　our　way。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　understood　it；　I　have　put　the　motto　of　the　order　before
my　bed。〃

〃That　is　well；　it　is　a　trifling　action；　but　it　counts　for　much　in　my
eyes。　And　now　I　have　your　first　affair；　your　first　duel　with　misery；
prepared　for　you；　I'll　put　your　foot　in　the　stirrup。　We　are　about　to
part。　Yes；　I　myself　am　detached　from　the　convent；　to　live　for　a　time
in　the　crater　of　a　volcano。　I　am　to　be　a　clerk　in　a　gr