the village rector-第18章

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Madame　des　Vanneaulx　（ignorant　of　Fualdes'　famous　complaint）；　when　she
received　word　of　the　failure　of　the　Abbe　Pascal's　efforts；　and　was
told　there　was　no　hope　of　a　reversal　of　the　sentence　by　the　court　of
appeals。

〃What　good　will　our　money　do　him　in　the　place　he　is　going　to？〃　said
her　husband。　〃Murder　can　be　conceived　of；　but　useless　theft　is
inconceivable。　What　days　we　live　in；　to　be　sure！　To　think　that　people
in　good　society　actually　take　an　interest　in　such　a　wretch！〃

〃He　has　no　honor；〃　said　Madame　des　Vanneaulx。

〃But　perhaps　the　restitution　would　compromise　the　woman　he　loves；〃
said　an　old　maid。

〃We　would　keep　his　secret；〃　returned　Monsieur　des　Vanneaulx。

〃Then　you　would　be　compounding　a　felony；〃　remarked　a　lawyer。

〃Oh；　the　villain！〃　was　Monsieur　des　Vanneaulx's　usual　conclusion。

One　of　Madame　Graslin's　female　friends　related　to　her　with　much
amusement　these　discussions　of　the　des　Vanneaulx。　This　lady；　who　was
very　intelligent；　and　one　of　those　persons　who　form　ideals　and　desire
that　all　things　should　attain　perfection；　regretted　the　violence　and
savage　temper　of　the　condemned；　she　would　rather　he　had　been　cold　and
calm　and　dignified；　she　said。

〃Do　you　not　see；〃　replied　Veronique；　〃that　he　is　thus　avoiding　their
temptations　and　foiling　their　efforts？　He　is　making　himself　a　wild
beast　for　a　purpose。〃

〃At　any　rate；〃　said　the　lady；　〃he　is　not　a　well…bred　man；　he　is　only　a
workman。〃

〃If　he　had　been　a　well…bred　man；〃　said　Madame　Graslin；　〃he　would　soon
have　sacrificed　that　unknown　woman。〃

These　events；　discussed　and　turned　and　twisted　in　every　salon；　every
household；　commented　on　in　a　score　of　ways；　stripped　bare　by　the
cleverest　tongues　in　the　community；　gave；　of　course；　a　cruel　interest
to　the　execution　of　the　criminal；　whose　appeal　was　rejected　after　two
months'　delay　by　the　upper　court。　What　would　probably　be　his　demeanor
in　his　last　moments？　Would　he　speak　out？　Would　he　contradict　himself？
How　would　the　bets　be　decided？　Who　would　go　to　see　him　executed；　and
who　would　not　go；　and　how　could　it　be　done？　The　position　of　the
localities；　which　in　Limoges　spares　a　criminal　the　anguish　of　a　long
distance　to　the　scaffold；　lessens　the　number　of　spectators。　The　law
courts　which　adjoin　the　prison　stand　at　the　corner　of　the　rue　du
Palais　and　the　rue　du　Pont…Herisson。　The　rue　du　Palais　is　continued　in
a　straight　line　by　the　short　rue　de　Monte…a…Regret；　which　leads　to　the
place　des　Arenes；　where　the　executions　take　place；　and　which　probably
owes　its　name　to　that　circumstances。　There　is　therefore　but　little
distance　to　go；　few　houses　to　pass；　and　few　windows　to　look　from。　No
person　in　good　society　would　be　willing　to　mingle　in　the　crowd　which
would　fill　the　streets。

But　the　expected　execution　was；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　the　whole
town；　put　off　from　day　to　day　for　the　following　reason：

The　repentance　and　resignation　of　great　criminals　on　their　way　to
death　is　one　of　the　triumphs　which　the　Church　reserves　for　itself；a
triumph　which　seldom　misses　its　effect　on　the　popular　mind。　Repentance
is　so　strong　a　proof　of　the　power　of　religious　ideastaken　apart　from
all　Christian　interest；　though　that；　of　course；　is　the　chief　object　of
the　Churchthat　the　clergy　are　always　distressed　by　a　failure　on　such
occasions。　In　July；　1829；　such　a　failure　was　aggravated　by　the　spirit
of　party　which　envenomed　every　detail　in　the　life　of　the　body　politic。
The　liberal　party　rejoiced　in　the　expectation　that　the　priest…party　（a
term　invented　by　Montlosier；　a　royalist　who　went　over　to　the
constitutionals；　and　was　dragged　by　them　far　beyond　his　wishes）；that
the　priests　would　fail　on　so　public　an　occasion　before　the　eyes　of　the
people。　Parties　/en　masse/　commit　infamous　actions　which　would　cover　a
single　man　with　shame　and　opprobrium；　therefore　when　one　man　alone
stands　in　his　guilt　before　the　eyes　of　the　masses；　he　becomes　a
Robespierre；　a　Jeffries；　a　Laubardemont；　a　species　of　expiatory　altar
on　which　all　secret　guilts　hang　their　/ex…votos/。

The　authorities；　sympathizing　with　the　Church；　delayed　the　execution；
partly　in　the　hope　of　gaining　some　conclusive　information　for
themselves；　and　partly　to　allow　religion　an　opportunity　to　prevail。

Nevertheless；　their　power　was　not　unlimited；　and　the　sentence　must
sooner　or　later　be　carried　out。　The　same　liberals　who；　out　of　mere
opposition；　had　declared　Tascheron　innocent；　and　who　had　done　their
best　to　break　down　the　verdict；　now　clamored　because　the　sentence　was
not　executed。　When　the　opposition　is　consistent　it　invariably　falls
into　such　unreasonableness；　because　its　object　is　not　to　have　right　on
its　own　side；　but　to　harass　the　authorities　and　put　them　in　the　wrong。

Accordingly；　about　the　beginning　of　August；　the　government　officials
felt　their　hand　forced　by　that　clamor；　so　often　stupid；　called　〃public
opinion。〃　The　day　for　the　execution　was　named。　In　this　extremity　the
Abbe　Dutheil　took　upon　himself　to　propose　to　the　bishop　a　last
resource；　the　adoption　of　which　caused　the　introduction　into　this
judicial　drama　of　a　remarkable　personage；　who　serves　as　a　bond　between
all　the　figures　brought　upon　the　scene　of　it；　and　who；　by　ways
familiar　to　Providence；　was　destined　to　lead　Madame　Graslin　along　a
path　where　her　virtues　were　to　shine　with　greater　brilliancy　as　a
noble　benefactress　and　an　angelic　Christian　woman。

The　episcopal　palace　at　Limoges　stands　on　a　hill　which　slopes　to　the
banks　of　the　Vienne；　and　its　gardens；　supported　by　strong　walls　topped
with　a　balustrade；　descend　to　the　river　by　terrace　after　terrace；
according　to　the　natural　lay　of　the　land。　The　rise　of　this　hill　is
such　that　the　suburb　of　Saint…Etienne　on　the　opposite　bank　seems　to
lie　at　the　foot　of　the　lower　terrace。　From　there；　according　to　the
direction　in　which　a　person　walks；　the　Vienne　can　be　seen　either　in　a
long　stretch　or　directly　across　it；　in　the　midst　of　a　fertile
panorama。　On　the　west；　after　the　river　leaves　the　embankment　of　the
episcopal　gardens；　it　turns　toward　the　town　in　a　graceful　curve　which
winds　around　the　suburb　of　Saint…Martial。　At　a　short　distance　beyond
that　suburb　is　a　pretty　country　house　called　Le　Cluseau；　the　walls　of
which　can　be　seen　from　the　lower　terrace　of　the　bishop's　palace；
appearing；　by　an　effect　of　distance；　to　blend　with　the　steeples　of　the
suburb。　Opposite　to　Le　Cluseau　is　the　sloping　island；　covered　with
poplar　and　other　trees；　which　Veronique　in　her　girlish　youth　had　named
the　Ile　de　France。　To　the　east　the　distance　is　closed　by　an
ampitheatre　of　hills。

The　magic　charm　of　the　site　and　the　rich　simplicity　of　the　building
make　this　episcopal　palace　one　of　the　most　interesting　objects　in　a
town　where　the　other　edifices　do　not　shine；　either　through　choice　of
material　or　architecture。

Long　familiarized　with　the　aspects　which　commend　these　gardens　to　all
lovers　of　the　picturesque；　the　Abbe　Dutheil；　who　had　induced　the　Abbe
de　Grancour　to　accompany　him；　descended　from　terrace　to　terrace；
paying　no　attention　to　the　ruddy　colors；　the　orange　tones；　the　violet
tints；　which　the　setting　sun　was　casting　on　the　old　walls　and
balustrades　of　the　gardens；　on　the　river　beneath　them；　and；　in　the
distance；　on　the　houses　of　the　town。　He　was　in　search　of　the　bishop；
who　was　sitting　on　the　lower　terrace　under　a　grape…vine　arbor；　where
he　often　came　to　take　his　dessert　and　enjoy　the　charm　of　a　tranquil
evening。　The　poplars　on　the　island　seemed　at　this　moment　to　divide　the
waters　with　the　lengthening　shadow　of　their　yellowing　heads；　to　which
the　sun　was　lending　the　appearance　of　a　golden　foliage。　The　setting
rays；　diversely　reflected　on　masses　of　different　greens；　produced　a
magnificent　harmony　of　melancholy　tones。　At　the　farther　end　of　the
valley　a　sheet　of　sparkling　water　ruffled　by　the　breeze　brought　out
the　brown　stretch　of　roofs　in　the　suburb　of　Saint…Etienne。　The
steeples　and　roofs　of　Saint…Martial；　bathed　in　light；　showed　through
the　tracery　of　the　grape…vine　arbor。　The　soft　murmur　of　the　provincial
town；　half　hidden　by　the　bend　of　the　river；　the　sweetness　of　the　balmy
air；　all　contributed　to　plunge　the　prelate　into　the　condition　of
quietude　prescribed　by　medical　writers　on　d