the village rector-第29章

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〃Will　he；　indeed；　go　with　me？〃　asked　Jean；　looking　at　the　rector；　who
bowed　his　head　in　assent。　〃Well；　yes；　I　will　listen　to　him；　I　will　do
all　he　asks　of　me。〃

〃You　promise　it？〃　said　Denise。　〃The　saving　of　your　soul　is　what　we
seek。　Besides；　you　would　not　have　all　Limoges　and　the　village　say　that
a　Tascheron　knows　not　how　to　die　a　noble　death？　And　then；　too；　think
that　all　you　lose　here　you　will　regain　in　heaven；　where　pardoned　souls
will　meet　again。〃

This　superhuman　effort　parched　the　throat　of　the　heroic　girl。　She　was
silent　after　this；　like　her　mother；　but　she　had　triumphed。　The
criminal；　furious　at　seeing　his　happiness　torn　from　him　by　the　law；
now　quivered　at　the　sublime　Catholic　truth　so　simply　expressed　by　his
sister。　All　women；　even　young　peasant…women　like　Denise；　know　how　to
touch　these　delicate　chords；　for　does　not　every　woman　seek　to　make
love　eternal？　Denise　had　touched　two　chords；　each　most　sensitive。
Awakened　pride　called　on　the　other　virtues　chilled　by　misery　and
hardened　by　despair。　Jean　took　his　sister's　hand　and　kissed　it；　and
laid　it　on　his　heart　in　a　deeply　significant　manner；　he　applied　it
both　gently　and　forcibly。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　renounce　all；　this　is　the　last　beating　of　my
heart；　its　last　thought。　Keep　them；　Denise。〃

And　he　gave　her　one　of　those　glances　by　which　a　man　in　crucial　moments
tries　to　put　his　soul　into　the　soul　of　another　human　being。

This　thought；　this　word；　was；　in　truth；　a　last　testament；　an　unspoken
legacy；　to　be　as　faithfully　transmitted　as　it　was　trustfully　given。　It
was　so　fully　understood　by　mother；　sister；　and　priest；　that　they　all
with　one　accord　turned　their　faces　from　each　other；　to　hide　their
tears　and　keep　the　secret　of　their　thoughts　in　their　own　breasts。
Those　few　words　were　the　dying　agony　of　a　passion；　the　farewell　of　a
soul　to　the　glorious　things　of　earth；　in　accordance　with　true　Catholic
renunciation。　The　rector；　comprehending　the　majesty　of　all　great　human
things；　even　criminal　things；　judged　of　this　mysterious　passion　by　the
enormity　of　the　sin。　He　raised　his　eyes　to　heaven　as　if　to　invoke　the
mercy　of　God。　Thence　come　the　consolations；　the　infinite　tendernesses
of　the　Catholic　religion；so　humane；　so　gentle　with　the　hand　that
descends　to　man；　showing　him　the　law　of　higher　spheres；　so　awful；　so
divine；　with　that　other　hand　held　out　to　lead　him　into　heaven。

Denise　had　now　significantly　shown　the　rector　the　spot　by　which　to
strike　that　rock　and　make　the　waters　of　repentance　flow。　But　suddenly；
as　though　the　memories　evoked　were　dragging　him　backwards；　Jean…
Francois　gave　the　harrowing　cry　of　the　hyena　when　the　hunters　overtake
it。

〃No；　no！〃　he　cried；　falling　on　his　knees；　〃I　will　live！　Mother；　give
me　your　clothes；　I　can　escape！　Mercy；　mercy！　Go　see　the　king；　tell
him〃

He　stopped；　gave　a　horrible　roar；　and　clung　convulsively　to　the
rector's　cassock。

〃Go；〃　said　Monsieur　Bonnet；　in　a　low　voice；　to　the　agitated　women。

Jean　heard　the　words；　he　raised　his　head；　gazed　at　his　mother　and
sister；　then　he　stopped　and　kissed　their　feet。

〃Let　us　say　farewell　now；　do　not　come　back；　leave　me　alone　with
Monsieur　Bonnet。　You　need　not　be　uneasy　about　me　any　longer；〃　he　said；
pressing　his　mother　and　his　sister　to　him　with　a　strength　in　which　he
seemed　to　put　all　his　life。

〃How　is　it　we　do　not　die　of　this？〃　said　Denise　to　her　mother　as　they
passed　through　the　wicket。

It　was　nearly　eight　o'clock　when　this　parting　took　place。　At　the　gate
of　the　prison　the　two　women　met　the　Abbe　de　Rastignac；　who　asked　them
news　of　the　prisoner。

〃He　will　no　doubt　be　reconciled　with　God；〃　said　Denise。　〃If　repentance
has　not　yet　begun；　he　is　very　near　it。〃

The　bishop　was　soon　after　informed　that　the　clergy　would　triumph　on
this　occasion；　and　that　the　criminal　would　go　to　the　scaffold　with　the
most　edifying　religious　sentiments。　The　prelate；　with　whom　was　the
attorney…general；　expressed　a　wish　to　see　the　rector。　Monsieur　Bonnet
did　not　reach　the　palace　before　midnight。　The　Abbe　Gabriel；　who　made
many　trips　between　the　palace　and　the　jail；　judged　it　necessary　to
fetch　the　rector　in　the　episcopal　coach；　for　the　poor　priest　was　in　a
state　of　exhaustion　which　almost　deprived　him　of　the　use　of　his　legs。
The　effect　of　his　day；　the　prospect　of　the　morrow；　the　sight　of　the
secret　struggle　he　had　witnessed；　and　the　full　repentance　which　had　at
last　overtaken　his　stubborn　lamb　when　the　great　reckoning　of　eternity
was　brought　home　to　him；all　these　things　had　combined　to　break　down
Monsieur　Bonnet；　whose　nervous；　electrical　nature　entered　into　the
sufferings　of　others　as　though　they　were　his　own。　Souls　that　resemble
that　noble　soul　espouse　so　ardently　the　impressions；　miseries；
passions；　sufferings　of　those　in　whom　they　are　interested；　that　they
actually　feel　them；　and　in　a　horrible　manner；　too；　for　they　are　able
to　measure　their　extent；a　knowledge　which　escapes　others　who　are
blinded　by　selfishness　of　heart　or　the　paroxysm　of　grief。　It　is　here
that　a　priest　like　Monsieur　Bonnet　becomes　an　artist　who　feels；　rather
than　an　artist　who　judges。

When　the　rector　entered　the　bishop's　salon　and　found　there　the　two
grand…vicars；　the　Abbe　de　Rastignac；　Monsieur　de　Grandville；　and　the
/procureur…general/；　he　felt　convinced　that　something　more　was
expected　of　him。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　bishop；　〃have　you　obtained　any　facts　which　you
can；　without　violating　your　duty；　confide　to　the　officers　of　the　law
for　their　guidance？〃

〃Monseigneur；　in　order　to　give　absolution　to　that　poor；　wandering
child；　I　waited　not　only　till　his　repentance　was　as　sincere　and　as
complete　as　the　Church　could　wish；　but　I　have　also　exacted　from　him
the　restitution　of　the　money。〃

〃This　restitution；〃　said　the　/procureur…general/；　〃brings　me　here
to…night；　it　will；　of　course；　be　made　in　such　a　way　as　to　throw　light
on　the　mysterious　parts　of　this　affair。　The　criminal　certainly　had
accomplices。〃

〃The　interests　of　human　justice；〃　said　the　rector；　〃are　not　those　for
which　I　act。　I　am　ignorant　of　how　the　restitution　will　be　made；　but　I
know　it　will　take　place。　In　sending　for　me　to　minister　to　my
parishioner；　Monseigneur　placed　me　under　the　conditions　which　give　to
rectors　in　their　parishes　the　same　powers　which　Monseigneur　exercises
in　his　diocese；barring；　of　course；　all　questions　of　discipline　and
ecclesiastical　obedience。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　bishop。　〃But　the　question　here　is　how　to
obtain　from　the　condemned　man　voluntary　information　which　may
enlighten　justice。〃

〃My　mission　is　to　win　souls　to　God；〃　said　Monsieur　Bonnet。

Monsieur　de　Grancour　shrugged　his　shoulders　slightly；　but　his
colleague；　the　Abbe　Dutheil　nodded　his　head　in　sign　of　approval。

〃Tascheron　is　no　doubt　endeavoring　to　shield　some　one；　whom　the
restitution　will　no　doubt　bring　to　light；〃　said　the　/procureur…
general/。

〃Monsieur；〃　replied　the　rector；　〃I　know　absolutely　nothing　which　would
either　confute　or　justify　your　suspicion。　Besides；　the　secrets　of
confession　are　inviolable。〃

〃Will　the　restitution　really　take　place？〃　asked　the　man　of　law。

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　replied　the　man　of　God。

〃That　is　enough　for　me；〃　said　the　/procureur…general/；　who　relied　on
the　police　to　obtain　the　required　information；　as　if　passions　and
personal　interests　were　not　tenfold　more　astute　than　the　police。

The　next　day；　this　being　market…day；　Jean…Francois　Tascheron　was　led
to　execution　in　a　manner　to　satisfy　both　the　pious　and　the　political
spirits　of　the　town。　Exemplary　in　behavior；　pious　and　humble；　he
kissed　the　crucifix；　which　Monsieur　Bonnet　held　to　his　lips　with　a
trembling　hand。　The　unhappy　man　was　watched　and　examined；　his　glance
was　particularly　spied　upon；　would　his　eyes　rove　in　search　of　some　one
in　the　crowd　or　in　a　house？　His　discretion　did；　as　a　matter　of　fact；
hold　firm　to　the　last。　He　died　as　a　Christian　should；　repentant　and
absolved。

The　poor　rector　was　carried　away　unconscious　from　the　foot　of　the
scaffold；　though　he　did　not　even　see　the　fatal　knife。

During　the　following　night；　on　the　high…road　fifteen　miles　from
Limoges；　Denise；　though　nearly　exhausted　by　fatigue　and　grief；　begged
her　father　to　let　her　go　again　to　Limoge