the brotherhood of consolation-第31章
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〃I have added the number of Dr。 Berton's house in the rue d'Enfer； and
now； go and pray to God to help you。〃
＇*＇ The Country Doctor。 Little； Brown & Co。； Boston。
＇I assume the 〃Little； Brown & Co。〃 is a reference to a publisher。 I
will remove this in the finished version of the text。 Elsewhere she
has used a different method of indicating a reference to another work
in La Comedie。JB。＇
Godefroid took the old man's hands and pressed them tenderly； wishing
him good…night； and assuring him he would not neglect a single point
of his advice。
〃All that you have said to me；〃 he added； 〃is graven in my memory
forever。〃
The old man smiled； expressing no doubts； then he rose； to kneel in
his accustomed place。 Godefroid retired； joyful in at last sharing the
mysteries of that house and in having an occupation； which； feeling as
he did then； was to him an untold pleasure。
The next day at breakfast； Monsieur Alain's place was vacant； but no
one remarked upon it； Godefroid made no allusion to the cause of his
absence； neither did any one question him as to the mission the old
man had entrusted to him； he thus took his first lesson in
discreetness。 Nevertheless； after breakfast； he did take Madame de la
Chanterie apart and told her that he should be absent for some days。
〃That is good； my child；〃 replied Madame de la Chanterie； 〃try to do
honor to your godfather； who has answered for you to his brothers。〃
Godefroid bade adieu to the three remaining brethren； who made him an
affectionate bow； by which they seemed to bless his entrance upon a
painful career。
ASSOCIATION； one of the greatest social forces； and that which made
the Europe of the middle…ages； rests on principles which； since 1792；
no longer exist in France； where the Individual has now triumphed over
the State。 Association requires； in the first place； a self…devotion
that is not understood in our day； also a guileless faith which is
contrary to the spirit of the nation； and lastly； a discipline against
which men in these days revolt and which the Catholic religion alone
can enforce。 The moment an association is formed among us； each
member； returning to his own home from an assembly where noble
sentiments have been proclaimed； thinks of making his own bed out of
that collective devotion； that union of forces； and of milking to his
own profit the common cow； which； not being able to supply so many
individual demands； dies exhausted。
Who knows how many generous sentiments were blasted； how many fruitful
germs may have perished； lost to the nation through the infamous
deceptions of the French Carbonari； the patriotic subscriptions to the
Champ d'Asile； and other political deceptions which ought to have been
grand and noble dramas； and proved to be the farces and the melodramas
of police courts。 It is the same with industrial association as it is
with political association。 Love of self is substituted for the love
of collective bodies。 The corporations and the Hanse leagues of the
middle…ages； /to which we shall some day return/； are still
impossible。 Consequently； the only societies which actually exist are
those of religious bodies； against whom a heavy war is being made at
this moment； for the natural tendency of sick persons is to quarrel
with remedies and often with physicians。 France ignores self…
abnegation。 Therefore； no association can live except through
religious sentiment； the only sentiment that quells the rebellions of
mind； the calculations of ambition； and greeds of all kinds。 The
seekers of better worlds ignore the fact that ASSOCIATION has such
worlds to offer。
As he walked through the streets Godefroid felt himself another man。
Whoever could have looked into his being would have admired the
curious phenomenon of the communication of collective power。 He was no
longer a mere man； he was a tenfold force； knowing himself the
representative of persons whose united forces upheld his actions and
walked beside him。 Bearing that power in his heart； he felt within him
a plenitude of life； a noble might； which uplifted him。 It was； as he
afterwards said； one of the finest moments of his whole existence； he
was conscious of a new sense； an omnipotence more sure than that of
despots。 Moral power is； like thought； limitless。
〃To live for others；〃 he thought； 〃to act with others； all as one； and
act alone as all together； to have for leader Charity； the noblest；
the most living of those ideal figures Christianity has made for us；
this is indeed to live！Come； come； repress that petty joy； which
father Alain laughed at。 And yet； how singular it is that in seeking
to set myself aside from life I have found the power I have sought so
long！ Yes； the world of misery will belong to me！〃
XII
A CASE TO INVESTIGATE
Godefroid walked from the cloister of Notre…Dame to the avenue de
l'Observatoire in such a state of exaltation that he never noticed the
length of the way。
When he reached the rue Notre…Dame des Champs at the point where it
joins the rue de l'Ouest he was amazed to find （neither of these
streets being paved at the time of which we write） great mud…holes in
that fine open quarter。 Persons walked on planks laid down beside the
houses and along the marshy gardens； or on narrow paths flanked on
each side by stagnant water which sometimes turned them into rivulets。
By dint of searching he found the house he wanted； but he did not
reach it without difficulty。 It was evidently an abandoned factory。
The building was narrow and the side of it was a long wall with many
windows and no architectural decoration whatever。 None of these
windows； which were square； were on the lower floor； where there was
no opening but a very miserable entrance…door。
Godefroid supposed that the proprietor had turned the building into a
number of small tenements to make it profitable； for a written placard
above the door stated that there were 〃Several rooms to let。〃
Godefroid rang； but no one came。 While he was waiting； a person who
went by pointed out to him that the house had another entrance on the
boulevard where he might get admittance。
Godefroid followed this advice and saw at the farther end of a little
garden which extended along the boulevard a second door to the house。
The garden； rather ill…kept； sloped downward； for there was enough
difference in level between the boulevard and the rue Notre…Dame des
Champs to make it a sort of ditch。 Godefroid therefore walked along
one of the paths； at the end of which he saw an old woman whose
dilapidated garments were in keeping with the house。
〃Was it you who rang at the other door？〃 she asked。
〃Yes； madame。 Do you show the lodgings？〃
On the woman's replying that she did； Godefroid inquired if the other
lodgers were quiet persons； his occupations； he said； were such that
he needed silence and peace； he was a bachelor and would be glad to
arrange with the portress to do his housekeeping。
On this suggestion the portress assumed a gracious manner。
〃Monsieur has fallen on his feet in coming here； then；〃 she said；
〃except on the Chaumiere days the boulevard is as lonely as the
Pontine marshes。〃
〃Ah！ you know the Pontine marshes？〃 said Godefroid。
〃No； monsieur； I don't； but I've got an old gentleman upstairs whose
daughter seems to get her living by being ill； and he says that； I
only repeat it。 The poor old man will be glad to know that monsieur
likes quiet； for a noisy neighbor； he thinks； would kill his daughter。
On the second floor we have two writers； they don't come in till
midnight； and are off before eight in the morning。 They say they are
authors； but I don't know where or when they write。〃
While speaking； the portress was showing Godefroid up one of those
horrible stairways of brick and wood so ill put together that it is
hard to tell whether the wood is trying to get rid of the bricks or
the bricks are trying to get away from the wood； the gaps between them
were partly filled up by what was dust in summer and mud in winter。
The walls； of cracked and broken plaster； presented to the eye more
inscriptions than the Academy of Belles…lettres has yet composed。 The
portress stopped on
