the village rector-第23章

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Gabriel；　his　feet　creaking　on　the　gravelly　paths　cut　in　stars　and
rounds　and　lozenges；　looked　down　upon　the　village；　where　some　of　the
inhabitants　were　already　gazing　up　at　him；　and　then　at　the　fresh；　cool
valley；　with　its　tangled　paths；　its　river　bordered　with　willows　in
delightful　contrast　to　the　endless　plain；　and　he　was　suddenly　seized
with　sensations　which　changed　the　nature　of　his　thoughts；　he　admired
the　sweet　tranquillity　of　the　place；　he　felt　the　influence　of　that
pure　air；　he　was　conscious　of　the　peace　inspired　by　the　revelation　of
a　life　brought　back　to　Biblical　simplicity；　he　saw；　confusedly；　the
beauties　of　this　old　parsonage；　which　he　now　re…entered　to　examine　its
details　with　greater　interest。

A　little　girl；　employed；　no　doubt；　to　watch　the　house；　though　she　was
picking　and　eating　fruit　in　the　garden；　heard　the　steps　of　a　man　with
creaking　shoes　on　the　great　square　flags　of　the　ground…floor　rooms。
She　ran　in　to　see　who　it　was。　Confused　at　being　caught　by　a　priest
with　a　fruit　in　one　hand　and　another　in　her　mouth；　she　made　no　answer
to　the　questions　of　the　handsome　young　abbe。　She　had　never　imagined
such　an　abbe；dapper　and　spruce　as　hands　could　make　him；　in　dazzling
linen　and　fine　black　cloth　without　spot　or　wrinkle。

〃Monsieur　Bonnet？〃　she　said　at　last。　〃Monsieur　Bonnet　is　saying　mass；
and　Mademoiselle　Ursule　is　at　church。〃

The　Abbe　Gabriel　did　not　notice　a　covered　way　from　the　house　to　the
church；　he　went　back　to　the　road　which　led　to　the　front　portal；　a
species　of　porch　with　a　sloping　roof　that　faced　the　village。　It　was
reached　by　a　series　of　disjointed　stone　steps；　at　the　side　of　which
lay　a　ravine　washed　out　by　the　mountain　torrents　and　covered　with
noble　elms　planted　by　Sully　the　Protestant。　This　church；　one　of　the
poorest　in　France　where　there　are　so　many　poor　churches；　was　like　one
of　those　enormous　barns　with　projecting　doors　covered　by　roofs
supported　on　brick　or　wooden　pillars。　Built；　like　the　parsonage；　of
cobblestones　and　mortar；　flanked　by　a　face　of　solid　rock；　and　roofed
by　the　commonest　round　tiles；　this　church　was　decorated　on　the　outside
with　the　richest　creations　of　sculpture；　rich　in　light　and　shade　and
lavishly　massed　and　colored　by　Nature；　who　understands　such　art　as
well　as　any　Michael　Angelo。　Ivy　clasped　the　walls　with　its　nervous
tendrils；　showing　stems　amid　its　foliage　like　the　veins　in　a　lay
figure。　This　mantle；　flung　by　Time　to　cover　the　wounds　he　made；　was
starred　by　autumn　flowers　drooping　from　the　crevices；　which　also　gave
shelter　to　numerous　singing　birds。　The　rose…window　above　the
projecting　porch　was　adorned　with　blue　campanula；　like　the　first　page
of　an　illuminated　missal。　The　side　which　communicated　with　the
parsonage；　toward　the　north；　was　not　less　decorated；　the　wall　was　gray
and　red　with　moss　and　lichen；　but　the　other　side　and　the　apse；　around
which　lay　the　cemetery；　was　covered　with　a　wealth　of　varied　blooms。　A
few　trees；　among　others　an　almond…treeone　of　the　emblems　of　hope
had　taken　root　in　the　broken　wall；　two　enormous　pines　standing　close
against　the　apsis　served　as　lightning…rods。　The　cemetery；　enclosed　by
a　low；　half…ruined　wall；　had　for　ornament　an　iron　cross；　mounted　on　a
pedestal　and　hung　with　box；　blessed　at　Easter；one　of　those　affecting
Christian　thoughts　forgotten　in　cities。　The　village　rector　is　the　only
priest　who；　in　these　days；　thinks　to　go　among　his　dead　and　say　to　them
each　Easter　morn；　〃Thou　shalt　live　again！〃　Here　and　there　a　few　rotten
wooden　crosses　stood　up　from　the　grassy　mounds。

The　interior　of　the　church　harmonized　perfectly　with　the　poetic　tangle
of　the　humble　exterior；　the　luxury　and　art　of　which　was　bestowed　by
Time；　for　once　in　a　way　charitable。　Within；　the　eye　first　went　to　the
roof；　lined　with　chestnut；　to　which　age　had　given　the　richest　tints　of
the　oldest　woods　of　Europe。　This　roof　was　supported　at　equal　distances
by　strong　shafts　resting　on　transversal　beams。　The　four　white…washed
walls　had　no　ornament　whatever。　Poverty　had　made　the　parish
iconoclastic；　whether　it　would　or　not。　The　church；　paved　and　furnished
with　benches；　was　lighted　by　four　arched　windows　with　leaded　panes。
The　altar；　shaped　like　a　tomb；　was　adorned　by　a　large　crucifix　placed
above　a　tabernacle　in　walnut　with　a　few　gilt　mouldings；　kept　clean　and
shining；　eight　candlesticks　economically　made　of　wood　painted　white；
and　two　china　vases　filled　with　artificial　flowers　such　as　the　drudge
of　a　money…changer　would　have　despised；　but　with　which　God　was
satisfied。

The　sanctuary　lamp　was　a　night…wick　placed　in　an　old　holy…water　basin
of　plated　copper　hanging　by　silken　cords；　the　spoil　of　some　demolished
chateau。　The　baptismal　fonts　were　of　wood；　so　were　the　pulpit　and　a
sort　of　cage　provided　for　the　church…wardens；　the　patricians　of　the
village。　An　altar　to　the　Virgin　presented　to　public　admiration　two
colored　lithographs　in　small　gilt　frames。　The　altar　was　painted　white；
adorned　with　artificial　flowers　in　gilded　wooden　vases；　and　covered　by
a　cloth　edged　with　shabby　and　discolored　lace。

At　the　farther　end　of　the　church　a　long　window　entirely　covered　by　a
red　calico　curtain　produced　a　magical　effect。　This　crimson　mantle　cast
a　rosy　tint　upon　the　whitewashed　walls；　a　thought　divine　seemed　to
glow　upon　the　altar　and　clasp　the　poor　nave　as　if　to　warm　it。　The
passage　which　led　to　the　sacristy　exhibited　on　one　of　its　walls　the
patron　saint　of　the　village；　a　large　Saint　John　the　Baptist　with　his
sheep；　carved　in　wood　and　horribly　painted。

But　in　spite　of　all　this　poverty　the　church　was　not　without　some
tender　harmonies　delightful　to　choice　souls；　and　set　in　charming
relief　by　their　own　colors。　The　rich　dark　tones　of　the　wood　relieved
the　white　of　the　walls　and　blended　with　the　triumphal　crimson　cast　on
the　chancel。　This　trinity　of　color　was　a　reminder　of　the　grand
Catholic　doctrine。

If　surprise　was　the　first　emotion　roused　by　this　pitiful　house　of　the
Lord；　surprise　was　followed　speedily　by　admiration　mingled　with　pity。
Did　it　not　truly　express　the　poverty　of　that　poor　region？　Was　it　not
in　harmony　with　the　naive　simplicity　of　the　parsonage？　The　building
was　perfectly　clean　and　well…kept。　The　fragrance　of　country　virtues
exhaled　within　it；　nothing　showed　neglect　or　abandonment。　Though
rustic　and　poor　and　simple；　prayer　dwelt　there；　those　precincts　had　a
soul；a　soul　which　was　felt；　though　we　might　not　fully　explain　to　our
own　souls　how　we　felt　it。



VIII

THE　RECTOR　OF　MONTEGNAC

The　Abbe　Gabriel　glided　softly　through　the　church　so　as　not　to　disturb
the　devotions　of　two　groups　of　persons　on　the　benches　near　the　high
altar；　which　was　separated　from　the　nave　at　the　place　where　the　lamp
was　hung　by　a　rather　common　balustrade；　also　of　chestnut　wood；　and
covered　with　a　cloth　intended　for　the　communion。　On　either　side　of　the
nave　a　score　of　peasants；　men　and　women；　absorbed　in　fervent　prayer；
paid　no　attention　to　the　stranger　when　he　passed　up　the　narrow　passage
between　the　two　rows　of　seats。

When　the　young　abbe　stood　beneath　the　lamp；　whence　he　could　see　the
two　little　transepts　which　formed　a　cross；　one　of　which　led　to　the
sacristy；　the　other　to　the　cemetery；　he　noticed　on　the　cemetery　side　a
family　clothed　in　black　kneeling　on　the　pavement；　the　transepts　having
no　benches。　The　young　priest　knelt　down　on　the　step　of　the　balustrade
which　separated　the　choir　from　the　nave　and　began　to　pray；　casting
oblique　glances　at　a　scene　which　was　soon　explained　to　him。　The　gospel
had　been　read。　The　rector；　having　removed　his　chasuble；　came　down　from
the　altar　and　stood　before　the　railing；　the　young　abbe；　who　foresaw
this　movement；　leaned　back　against　the　wall；　so　that　Monsieur　Bonnet
did　not　see　him。　Ten　o'clock　was　striking。

〃Brethren；〃　said　the　rector；　in　a　voice　of　emotion；　〃at　this　very
moment　a　child　of　this　parish　is　paying　his　debt　to　human　justice　by
enduring　its　last　penalty；　while　we　are　offering　the　sacrifice　of　the
mass　for　the　peace　of　his　soul。　Let　us　unite　in　prayer　to　God；
imploring　Him　not　to　turn　His　face　from　that　child　in　these　his　last
moments；　and　to　grant　to　his　repentance　the　pardon　in　heaven　which　is
denied　to　him　here　below。　The　sin　of　this