the village rector-第25章

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〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Ursule；　whose　tongue　itched　to　spread　the　news　about
the　village；　〃monsieur　has　plenty　of　time　to　carry　them　that　comfort
while　I　get　breakfast　ready。　The　Tascherons'　house　is　beyond　the
village；　follow　the　path　below　that　terrace　and　it　will　take　you
there。〃

As　soon　as　Ursule　lost　sight　of　the　abbe　she　went　down　into　the
village　to　disseminate　the　news；　and　also　to　buy　the　things　needed　for
the　breakfast。

The　rector　had　been　informed；　while　in　church；　of　a　desperate
resolution　taken　by　the　Tascherons　as　soon　as　they　heard　that　Jean…
Francois's　appeal　was　rejected　and　that　he　had　to　die。　These　worthy
souls　intended　to　leave　the　country；　and　their　worldly　goods　were　to
be　sold　that　very　morning。　Delays　and　formalities　unexpected　by　them
had　hitherto　postponed　the　sale。　They　had　been　forced　to　remain　in
their　home　until　the　execution；　and　drink　each　day　the　cup　of　shame。
This　determination　had　not　been　made　public　until　the　evening　before
the　day　appointed　for　the　execution。　The　Tascherons　had　expected　to
leave　before　that　fatal　day；　but　the　proposed　purchaser　of　their
property　was　a　stranger　in　those　parts；　and　was　prevented　from
clinching　the　bargain　by　a　delay　in　obtaining　the　money。　Thus　the
hapless　family　were　forced　to　bear　their　trouble　to　its　end。　The
feeling　which　prompted　this　expatriation　was　so　violent　in　these
simple　souls；　little　accustomed　to　compromise　with　their　consciences；
that　the　grandfather　and　grandmother；　the　father　and　the　mother；　the
daughters　and　their　husbands　and　the　sons；　in　short；　all　who　bore　and
had　borne　the　name　of　Tascheron　or　were　closely　allied　to　it　made
ready　to　leave　the　country。

This　emigration　grieved　the　whole　community。　The　mayor　entreated　the
rector　to　do　his　best　to　retain　these　worthy　people。　According　to　the
new　Code　the　father　was　not　responsible　for　the　son；　and　the　crime　of
the　father　was　no　disgrace　to　the　children。　Together　with　other
emancipations　which　have　weakened　paternal　power；　this　system　has　led
to　the　triumph　of　individualism；　which　is　now　permeating　the　whole　of
modern　society。　He　who　thinks　on　the　things　of　the　future　sees　the
spirit　of　family　destroyed；　where　the　makers　of　the　new　Code　have
introduced　freedom　of　will　and　equality。　The　Family　must　always　be　the
basis　of　society。　Necessarily　temporary；　incessantly　divided；
recomposed　to　dissolve　again；　without　ties　between　the　future　and　the
past；　it　cannot　fulfil　that　mission；　the　Family　of　the　olden　time　no
longer　exists　in　France。　Those　who　have　proceeded　to　demolish　the
ancient　edifice　have　been　logical　in　dividing　equally　the　family
property；　in　diminishing　the　authority　of　the　father；　in　suppressing
great　responsibilities；　but　is　the　reconstructed　social　state　as
solid；　with　its　young　laws　still　untried；　as　it　was　under　a　monarchy；
in　spite　of　the　old　abuses？　In　losing　the　solidarity　of　families；
society　has　lost　that　fundamental　force　which　Montesquieu　discovered
and　named　HONOR。　It　has　isolated　interests　in　order　to　subjugate　them；
it　has　sundered　all　to　enfeeble　all。　Society　reigns　over　units；　over
single　figures　agglomerated　like　grains　of　corn　in　a　heap。　Can　the
general　interests　of　all　take　the　place　of　Family？　Time　alone　can
answer　that　question。

Nevertheless；　the　old　law　still　exists；　its　roots　have　struck　so　deep
that　you　will　find　it　still　living；　as　we　find　perennials　in　polar
regions。　Remote　places　are　still　to　be　found　in　the　provinces　where
what　are　now　called　prejudices　exist；　where　the　family　suffers　in　the
crime　of　a　child　or　a　father。

This　sentiment　made　the　place　uninhabitable　any　longer　to　the
Tascherons。　Their　deep　religious　feeling　took　them　to　church　that
morning；　for　how　could　they　let　the　mass　be　offered　to　God　asking　Him
to　inspire　their　son　with　repentance　that　alone　could　restore　to　him
life　eternal；　and　not　share　in　it？　Besides；　they　wished　to　bid
farewell　to　the　village　altar。　But　their　minds　were　made　up　and　their
plans　already　carried　out。　When　the　rector　who　followed　them　from
church　reached　the　principal　house　he　found　their　bags　and　bundles
ready　for　the　journey。　The　purchaser　of　the　property　was　there　with
the　money。　The　notary　had　drawn　up　the　papers。　In　the　yard　behind　the
house　was　a　carriole　ready　harnessed　to　carry　away　the　older　couple
with　the　money；　and　the　mother　of　Jean…Francois。　The　remainder　of　the
family　were　to　go　on　foot　by　night。

At　the　moment　when　the　young　abbe　entered　the　low　room　in　which　the
family　were　assembled　the　rector　of　Montegnac　had　exhausted　all　the
resources　of　his　eloquence。　The　old　pair；　now　insensible　to　the
violence　of　grief；　were　crouching　in　a　corner　on　their　bags　and
looking　round　on　their　old　hereditary　home；　its　furniture；　and　the　new
purchaser；　and　then　upon　each　other　as　if　to　say：

〃Did　we　ever　think　this　thing　could　happen？〃

These　old　people；　who　had　long　resigned　their　authority　to　their　son；
the　father　of　the　criminal；　were；　like　kings　on　their　abdication；
reduced　to　the　passive　role　of　subjects　and　children。　Tascheron；　the
father；　was　standing　up；　he　listened　to　the　pastor；　and　replied　to　him
in　a　low　voice　and　by　monosyllables。　This　man；　who　was　about　forty…
eight　years　of　age；　had　the　noble　face　which　Titian　has　given　to　so
many　of　his　Apostles；a　countenance　full　of　faith；　of　grave　and
reflective　integrity；　a　stern　profile；　a　nose　cut　in　a　straight　and
projecting　line；　blue　eyes；　a　noble　brow；　regular　features；　black；
crisp；　wiry　hair；　planted　on　his　head　with　that　symmetry　which　gives　a
charm　to　these　brown　faces；　bronzed　by　toil　in　the　open　air。　It　was
easy　to　see　that　the　rector's　appeals　were　powerless　against　that
inflexible　will。

Denise　was　leaning　against　the　bread…box；　looking　at　the　notary；　who
was　using　that　receptacle　as　a　writing…table；　seated　before　it　in　the
grandmother's　armchair。　The　purchaser　was　sitting　on　a　stool　beside
him。　The　married　sisters　were　laying　a　cloth　upon　the　table；　and
serving　the　last　meal　the　family　were　to　take　in　its　own　house　before
expatriating　itself　to　other　lands　and　other　skies。　The　sons　were
half…seated　on　the　green　serge　bed。　The　mother；　busy　beside　the　fire；
was　beating　an　omelet。　The　grandchildren　crowded　the　doorway；　before
which　stood　the　incoming　family　of　the　purchaser。

The　old　smoky　room　with　its　blackened　rafters；　through　the　window　of
which　was　visible　a　well…kept　garden　planted　by　the　two　old　people；
seemed　in　harmony　with　the　pent…up　anguish　which　could　be　read　on　all
their　faces　in　diverse　expressions。　The　meal　was　chiefly　prepared　for
the　notary；　the　purchaser；　the　menkind；　and　the　children。　The　father
and　mother；　Denise　and　her　sisters；　were　too　unhappy　to　eat。　There　was
a　lofty；　stern　resignation　in　the　accomplishment　of　these　last　duties
of　rustic　hospitality。　The　Tascherons；　men　of　the　olden　time；　ended
their　days　in　that　house　as　they　had　begun　them；　by　doing　its　honors。
This　scene；　without　pretension；　though　full　of　solemnity；　met　the　eyes
of　the　bishop's　secretary　when　he　approached　the　village　rector　to
fulfil　the　prelate's　errand。

〃The　son　of　these　good　people　still　lives；〃　said　Gabriel。

At　these　words；　heard　by　all　in　the　deep　silence；　the　two　old　people
rose　to　their　feet　as　if　the　last　trump　had　sounded。　The　mother
dropped　her　pan　upon　the　fire；　Denise　gave　a　cry　of　joy；　all　the
others　stood　by　in　petrified　astonishment。

〃Jean…Francois　is　pardoned！〃　cried　the　whole　village；　now　rushing
toward　the　house；　having　heard　the　news　from　Ursule。　〃Monseigneur　the
bishop〃

〃I　knew　he　was　innocent！〃　cried　the　mother。

〃Will　it　hinder　the　purchase？〃　said　the　purchaser　to　the　notary；　who
answered　with　a　satisfying　gesture。

The　Abbe　Gabriel　was　now　the　centre　of　all　eyes；　his　sadness　raised　a
suspicion　of　mistake。　To　avoid　correcting　it　himself；　he　left　the
house；　followed　by　the　rector；　and　said　to　the　crowd　outside　that　the
execution　was　only　postponed　for　some　days。　The　uproar　subsided
instantly　into　dreadful　silence。　When　the　Abbe　Gabriel　and　the　rector
returned；　the　expression　on　the　faces　of　the　family　was　full　of
anguish；　the　silence　of　the　crowd　was　understood。

〃My　friends；　Jean…Francois　is　not　pa