the village rector-第24章

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denied　to　him　here　below。　The　sin　of　this　unhappy　man；　one　of　those　on
whom　we　most　relied　for　good　examples；　can　only　be　explained　by　his
disregard　of　religious　principles。〃

Here　the　rector　was　interrupted　by　sobs　from　the　kneeling　group　in
mourning　garments；　whom　the　Abbe　Gabriel　recognized；　by　this　show　of
affection；　as　the　Tascheron　family；　although　he　did　not　know　them。
First　among　them　was　an　old　couple　（septuagenarians）　standing　by　the
wall；　their　faces　seamed　with　deep…cut；　rigid　wrinkles；　and　bronzed
like　a　Florentine　medal。　These　persons；　stoically　erect　like　statues；
in　their　old　darned　clothes；　were　doubtless　the　grandfather　and　the
grandmother　of　the　criminal。　Their　glazed　and　reddened　eyes　seemed　to
weep　blood；　their　arms　trembled　so　that　the　sticks　on　which　they
leaned　tapped　lightly　on　the　pavement。　Next；　the　father　and　the
mother；　their　faces　in　their　handkerchiefs；　sobbed　aloud。　Around　these
four　heads　of　the　family　knelt　the　two　married　sisters　accompanied　by
their　husbands；　and　three　sons；　stupefied　with　grief。　Five　little
children　on　their　knees；　the　oldest　not　seven　years　old；　unable；　no
doubt；　to　understand　what　was　happening；　gazed　and　listened　with　the
torpid　curiosity　that　characterizes　the　peasantry；　and　is　really　the
observation　of　physical　things　pushed　to　its　highest　limit。　Lastly；
the　poor　unmarried　sister；　imprisoned　in　the　interests　of　justice；　now
released；　a　martyr　to　fraternal　affection；　Denise　Tascheron；　was
listening　to　the　priest's　words　with　a　look　that　was　partly　bewildered
and　partly　incredulous。　For　her；　her　brother　could　not　die。　She　well
represented　that　one　of　the　Three　Marys　who　did　not　believe　in　the
death　of　Christ；　though　she　was　present　at　the　last　agony。　Pale；　with
dry　eyes；　like　all　those　who　have　gone　without　sleep；　her　fresh
complexion　was　already　faded；　less　by　toil　and　field　labor　than　by
grief；　nevertheless；　she　had　many　of　the　beauties　of　a　country　maiden；
a　plump；　full　figure；　finely　shaped　arms；　rounded　cheeks；　and　clear；
pure　eyes；　lighted　at　this　instant　with　flashes　of　despair。　Below　the
throat；　a　firm；　fair　skin；　not　tanned　by　the　sun；　betrayed　the
presence　of　a　white　and　rosy　flesh　where　the　form　was　hidden。

The　married　daughters　wept；　their　husbands；　patient　farmers；　were
grave　and　serious。　The　three　brothers；　profoundly　sad；　did　not　raise
their　eyes　from　the　ground。　In　the　midst　of　this　dreadful　picture　of
dumb　despair　and　desolation；　Denise　and　her　mother　alone　showed
symptoms　of　revolt。

The　other　inhabitants　of　the　village　united　in　the　affliction　of　this
respectable　family　with　a　sincere　and　Christian　pity　which　gave　the
same　expression　to　the　faces　of　all；an　expression　amounting　to
horror　when　the　rector's　words　announced　that　the　knife　was　then
falling　on　the　neck　of　a　young　man　whom　they　all　knew　well　from　his
very　birth；　and　whom　they　had　doubtless　thought　incapable　of　crime。

The　sobs　which　interrupted　the　short　and　simple　allocution　which　the
pastor　made　to　his　flock　overcame　him　so　much　that　he　stopped　and　said
no　more；　except　to　invite　all　present　to　fervent　prayer。

Though　this　scene　was　not　of　a　nature　to　surprise　a　priest；　Gabriel　de
Rastignac　was　too　young　not　to　be　profoundly　touched　by　it。　As　yet　he
had　never　exercised　the　priestly　virtues；　he　knew　himself　called　to
other　functions；　he　was　not　forced　to　enter　the　social　breaches　where
the　heart　bleeds　at　the　sight　of　woes：　his　mission　was　that　of　the
higher　clergy；　who　maintain　the　spirit　of　devotion；　represent　the
highest　intellect　of　the　Church；　and　on　eminent　occasions　display　the
priestly　virtues　on　a　larger　stage；like　the　illustrious　bishops　of
Marseille　and　Meaux；　and　the　archbishops　of　Arles　and　Cambrai。

This　little　assemblage　of　country　people　weeping　and　praying　for　him
who；　as　they　supposed；　was　then　being　executed　on　a　public　square；
among　a　crowd　of　persons　come　from　all　parts　to　swell　the　shame　of
such　a　death；this　feeble　counterpoise　of　prayer　and　pity；　opposed　to
the　ferocious　curiosity　and　just　maledictions　of　a　multitude；　was
enough　to　move　any　soul；　especially　when　seen　in　that　poor　church。　The
Abbe　Gabriel　was　tempted　to　go　up　to　the　Tascherons　and　say；

〃Your　son　and　brother　is　reprieved。〃

But　he　did　not　like　to　disturb　the　mass；　and；　moreover；　he　knew　that　a
reprieve　was　only　a　delay　of　execution。　Instead　of　following　the
service；　he　was　irresistibly　drawn　to　a　study　of　the　pastor　from　whom
the　clergy　in　Limoges　expected　the　conversion　of　the　criminal。

Judging　by　the　parsonage；　Gabriel　de　Rastignac　had　made　himself　a
portrait　of　Monsieur　Bonnet　as　a　stout；　short　man　with　a　strong　and
red　face；　framed　for　toil；　half　a　peasant；　and　tanned　by　the　sun。　So
far　from　that；　the　young　abbe　met　his　equal。　Slight　and　delicate　in
appearance；　Monsieur　Bonnet's　face　struck　the　eyes　at　once　as　the
typical　face　of　passion　given　to　the　Apostles。　It　was　almost
triangular；　beginning　with　a　broad　brow　furrowed　by　wrinkles；　and
carried　down　from　the　temples　to　the　chin　in　two　sharp　lines　which
defined　his　hollow　cheeks。　In　this　face；　sallowed　by　tones　as　yellow
as　those　of　a　church　taper；　shone　two　blue　eyes　that　were　luminous
with　faith；　burning　with　eager　hope。　It　was　divided　into　two　equal
parts　by　a　long　nose；　thin　and　straight；　with　well…cut　nostrils；
beneath　which　spoke；　even　when　closed　and　voiceless；　a　large　mouth；
with　strongly　marked　lips；　from　which　issued；　whenever　he　spoke　aloud；
one　of　those　voices　which　go　straight　to　the　heart。　The　chestnut　hair；
which　was　thin　and　fine；　and　lay　flat　upon　the　head；　showed　a　poor
constitution　maintained　by　a　frugal　diet。　WILL　made　the　power　of　this
man。

Such　were　his　personal　distinctions。　His　short　hands　might　have
indicated　in　another　man　a　tendency　to　coarse　pleasures；　and　perhaps
he　had；　like　Socrates；　conquered　his　temptations。　His　thinness　was
ungraceful；　his　shoulders　were　too　prominent；　his　knees　knocked
together。　The　body；　too　much　developed　for　the　extremities；　gave　him
the　look　of　a　hump…backed　man　without　a　hump。　In　short；　his　appearance
was　not　pleasing。　None　but　those　to　whom　the　miracles　of　thought；
faith；　art　are　known　could　adore　that　flaming　gaze　of　the　martyr；　that
pallor　of　constancy；　that　voice　of　love；distinctive　characteristics
of　this　village　rector。

This　man；　worthy　of　the　primitive　Church；　which　exists　no　longer
except　in　the　pictures　of　the　sixteenth　century　and　in　the　pages　of
Martyrology；　was　stamped　with　the　die　of　the　human　greatness　which
most　nearly　approaches　the　divine　greatness　through　Conviction；that
indefinable　something　which　embellishes　the　commonest　form；　gilds　with
glowing　tints　the　faces　of　men　vowed　to　any　worship；　no　matter　what；
and　brings　into　the　face　of　a　woman　glorified　by　a　noble　love　a　sort
of　light。　CONVICTION　is　human　will　attaining　to　its　highest　reach。　At
once　both　cause　and　effect；　it　impresses　the　coldest　natures；　it　is　a
species　of　mute　eloquence　which　holds　the　masses。

Coming　down　from　the　altar　the　rector　caught　the　eye　of　the　Abbe
Gabriel　and　recognized　him；　so　that　when　the　bishop's　secretary
reached　the　sacristy　Ursule；　to　whom　her　master　had　already　given
orders；　was　waiting　for　him　with　a　request　that　he　would　follow　her。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Ursule；　a　woman　of　canonical　age；　conducting　the　Abbe
de　Rastignac　by　the　gallery　through　the　garden；　〃Monsieur　Bonnet　told
me　to　ask　if　you　had　breakfasted。　You　must　have　left　Limoges　very
early　to　get　here　by　ten　o'clock。　I　will　soon　have　breakfast　ready　for
you。　Monsieur　l'abbe　will　not　find　a　table　like　that　of　Monseigneur
the　bishop　in　this　poor　village；　but　we　will　do　the　best　we　can。
Monsieur　Bonnet　will　soon　be　in；　he　has　gone　to　comfort　those　poor
people；　the　Tascherons。　Their　son　has　met　with　a　terrible　end　to…day。〃

〃But；〃　said　the　Abbe　Gabriel；　when　he　could　get　in　a　word；　〃where　is
the　house　of　those　worthy　persons？　I　must　take　Monsieur　Bonnet　at　once
to　Limoges　by　order　of　the　bishop。　That　unfortunate　man　will　not　be
executed　to…day；　Monseigneur　has　obtained　a　reprieve　for　him。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Ursule；　whose　tongue　itched　to　spread　the　news　about
the　village；　〃monsieur　has　plenty　of　time　to　car