the essays of montaigne, v1-第8章

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were　together；　so　unanimous　in　their　feelings；　and　loving　each　other　for
each　other's　sake。　　He　commended　us　one　to　the　other；　and　proceeded　thus：
〃My　worldly　matters　being　arranged；　I　must　now　think　of　the　welfare　of　my
soul。　　I　am　a　Christian；　I　am　a　Catholic。　　I　have　lived　one；　and　I　shall
die　one。　　Send　for　a　priest；　for　I　wish　to　conform　to　this　last　Christian
obligation。〃　　He　now　concluded　his　discourse；　which　he　had　conducted　with
such　a　firm　face　and　with　so　distinct　an　utterance；　that　whereas；　when　I
first　entered　his　room；　he　was　feeble；　inarticulate　in　his　speech；　his
pulse　low　and　feverish；　and　his　features　pallid；　now；　by　a　sort　of
miracle；　he　appeared　to　have　rallied；　and　his　pulse　was　so　strong　that
for　the　sake　of　comparison；　I　asked　him　to　feel　mine。

I　felt　my　heart　so　oppressed　at　this　moment；　that　I　had　not　the　power　to
make　him　any　answer；　but　in　the　course　of　two　or　three　hours；　solicitous
to　keep　up　his　courage；　and；　likewise；　out　of　the　tenderness　which　I　had
had　all　my　life　for　his　honour　and　fame；　wishing　a　larger　number　of
witnesses　to　his　admirable　fortitude；　I　said　to　him；　how　much　I　was
ashamed　to　think　that　I　lacked　courage　to　listen　to　what　he；　so　great　a
sufferer；　had　the　courage　to　deliver；　that　down　to　the　present　time　I　had
scarcely　conceived　that　God　granted　us　such　command　over　human
infirmities；　and　had　found　a　difficulty　in　crediting　the　examples　I　had
read　in　histories；　but　that　with　such　evidence　of　the　thing　before　my
eyes；　I　gave　praise　to　God　that　it　had　shown　itself　in　one　so　excessively
dear　to　me；　and　who　loved　me　so　entirely；　and　that　his　example　would　help
me　to　act　in　a　similar　manner　when　my　turn　came。　　Interrupting　me；　he
begged　that　it　might　happen　so；　and　that　the　conversation　which　had
passed　between　us　might　not　be　mere　words；　but　might　be　impressed　deeply
on　our　minds；　to　be　put　in　exercise　at　the　first　occasion；　and　that　this
was　the　real　object　and　aim　of　all　philosophy。

He　then　took　my　hand；　and　continued：　〃Brother；　friend；　there　are　many
acts　of　my　life；　I　think；　which　have　cost　me　as　much　difficulty　as　this
one　is　likely　to　do；　and；　after　all；　I　have　been　long　prepared　for　it；
and　have　my　lesson　by　heart。　　Have　I　not　lived　long　enough？　　I　am　just
upon　thirty…three。　　By　the　grace　of　God；　my　days　so　far　have　known
nothing　but　health　and　happiness；　but　in　the　ordinary　course　of　our
unstable　human　affairs；　this　could　not　have　lasted　much　longer；　it　would
have　become　time　for　me　to　enter　on　graver　avocations；　and　I　should　thus
have　involved　myself　in　numberless　vexations；　and；　among　them；　the
troubles　of　old　age；　from　which　I　shall　now　be　exempt。　　Moreover；　it　is
probable　that　hitherto　my　life　has　been　spent　more　simply；　and　with　less
of　evil；　than
if　God　had　spared　me；　and　I　had　survived　to　feel　the　thirst　for　riches
and　worldly　prosperity。　　I　am　sure；　for　my　part；　that　I　now　go　to　God　and
the　place　of　the　blessed。〃　　He　seemed　to　detect　in　my　expression　some
inquietude　at　his　words；　and　he　exclaimed；　〃What；　my　brother；　would　you
make　me　entertain　apprehensions？　　Had　I　any；　whom　would　it　become　so　much
as　yourself　to　remove　them？〃

The　notary；　who　had　been　summoned　to　draw　up　his　will；　came　in　the
evening；　and　when　he　had　the　documents　prepared；　I　inquired　of　La　Boetie
if　he　would　sign　them。　　〃Sign　them；〃　cried　he；　〃I　will　do　so　with　my　own
hand；　but　I　could　desire　more　time；　for　I　feel　exceedingly　timid　and
weak；　and　in　a　manner　exhausted。〃　　But　when　I　was　going　to　change　the
conversation；　he　suddenly　rallied；　said　he　had　but　a　short　time　to　live；
and　asked　if　the　notary　wrote　rapidly；　for　he　should　dictate　without
making　any　pause。　　The　notary　was　called；　and　he　dictated　his　will　there
and　then　with　such　speed　that　the　man　could　scarcely　keep　up　with　him；
and　when　he　had　done；　he　asked　me　to　read　it　out；　saying　to　me；　〃What　a
good　thing　it　is　to　look　after　what　are　called　our　riches。〃　　'Sunt　haec；
quoe　hominibus　vocantur　bona'。　　As　soon　as　the　will　was　signed；　the
chamber　being　full；　he　asked　me　if　it　would　hurt　him　to　talk。　　I
answered；　that　it　would　not；　if　he　did　not　speak　too　loud。　　He　then
summoned　Mademoiselle　de　Saint　Quentin；　his　niece；　to　him；　and　addressed
her　thus：　〃Dear　niece；　since　my　earliest　acquaintance　with　thee；　I　have
observed　the　marks　of；　great　natural　goodness　in　thee；　but　the　services
which　thou　rendered　to　me；　with　so　much　affectionate　diligence；　in　my
present　and　last　necessity；　inspire　me　with　high　hopes　of　thee；　and　I　am
under　great　obligations　to　thee；　and　give　thee　most　affectionate　thanks。
Let　me　relieve　my　conscience　by　counselling　thee　to　be；　in　the　first
place；　devout；　to　God：　for　this　doubtless　is　our　first　duty；　failing
which　all　others　can　be　of　little　advantage　or　grace；　but　which；　duly
observed；　carries　with　it　necessarily　all　other　virtues。　　After　God；　thou
shouldest　love　thy　father　and　motherthy　mother；　my　sister；　whom　I
regard　as　one　of　the　best　and　most　intelligent　of　women；　and　by　whom　I
beg　of　thee　to　let　thy　own　life　be　regulated。　　Allow　not　thyself　to　be
led　away　by　pleasures；　shun；　like　the　plague；　the　foolish　familiarities
thou　seest　between　some　men　and　women；　harmless　enough　at　first；　but
which　by　insidious　degrees　corrupt　the　heart；　and　thence　lead　it　to
negligence；　and　then　into　the　vile　slough　of　vice。　　Credit　me；　the
greatest　safeguard　to　female　chastity　is　sobriety　of　demeanour。　　I
beseech　and　direct　that　thou　often　call　to　mind　the　friendship　which　was
betwixt　us；　but　I　do　not　wish　thee　to　mourn　for　me　too　muchan
injunction　which；　so　far　as　it　is　in　my　power；　I　lay　on　all　my　friends；
since　it　might　seem　that　by　doing　so　they　felt　a　jealousy　of　that　blessed
condition　in　which　I　am　about　to　be　placed　by　death。　　I　assure　thee；　my
dear；　that　if　I　had　the　option　now　of　continuing　in　life　or　of　completing
the　voyage　on　which　I　have　set　out；　I　should　find　it　very　hard　to　choose。
Adieu；　dear　niece。〃

Mademoiselle　d'Arsat；　his　stepdaughter；　was　next　called。　　He　said　to　her：
〃Daughter；　you　stand　in　no　great　need　of　advice　from　me；　insomuch　as　you
have　a　mother；　whom　I　have　ever　found　most　sagacious；　and　entirely　in
conformity　with　my　own　opinions　and　wishes；　and　whom　I　have　never　found
faulty；　with　such　a　preceptress；　you　cannot　fail　to　be　properly
instructed。　　Do　not　account　it　singular　that　I；　with　no　tie　of　blood　to
you；　am　interested　in　you　；　for；　being　the　child　of　one　who　is　so　closely
allied　to　me；　I　am　necessarily　concerned　in　what　concerns　you；　and
consequently　the　affairs　of　your　brother；　M。　d'Arsat；　have　ever　been
watched　by　me　with　as　much　care　as　my　own；　nor　perhaps　will　it　be　to　your
disadvantage　that　you　were　my　step…daughter。　　You　enjoy　sufficient　store
of　wealth　and　beauty；　you　are　a　lady　of　good　family；　it　only　remains　for
you　to　add　to　these　possessions　the　cultivation　of　your　mind；　in　which　I
exhort　you　not　to　fail。　　I　do　not　think　necessary　to　warn　you　against
vice；　a　thing　so　odious　in　women；　for　I　would　not　even　suppose　that　you
could　harbour　any　inclination　for　itnay；　I　believe　that　you　hold　the
very　name　in　abhorrence。　　Dear　daughter；　farewell。〃

All　in　the　room　were　weeping　and　lamenting；　but　he　held　without
interruption　the　thread　of　his　discourse；　which　was　pretty　long。　　But
when　he　had　done；　he　directed　us　all　to　leave　the　room；　except　the　women
attendants；　whom　he　styled　his　garrison。　　But　first；　calling　to　him　my
brother；　M。　de　Beauregard；　he　said　to　him：　〃　M。　de　Beauregard；　you　have
my　best　thanks　for　all　the　care　you　have　taken　of　me。　　I　have　now　a　thing
which　I　am　very　anxious　indeed　to　mention　to　you；　and　with　your
permission　I　will　do　so。〃　　As　my　brother　gave　him　encouragement　to
proceed；　he　added：　〃I　assure　you　that　I　never　knew　any　man　who　engaged　in
the　reformation　of　our　Church　with　greater　sincerity；　earnestness；　and
single…heartedness　than　yourself。　　I　consider　that　you　were　led　to　it　by
observing　the　vicious　character　of　our　prelates；　which　no　doubt　much
requires　setting　in　order；　and　by　imperfections　which　time　has　brought
into　our　Church。　　It　is　not　my　desire　at　present　　discourage　you　from
this　course；　for　I　would　have　no　one　act　in　opposition　to　his　conscience；
b