the village rector-第30章
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her father to let her go again to Limoges and take with her Louis…
Marie Tascheron； one of her brothers。
〃What more have you to do in that town？〃 asked her father； frowning。
〃Father；〃 she said； 〃not only must we pay the lawyer who defended him；
but we must also restore the money which he has hidden。〃
〃You are right；〃 said the honest man； pulling out a leathern pouch he
carried with him。
〃No； no；〃 said Denise； 〃he is no longer your son。 It is not for those
who cursed him； but for those who loved him； to reward the lawyer。〃
〃We will wait for you at Havre；〃 said the father。
Denise and her brother returned to Limoges before daylight。 When the
police heard； later； of this return they were never able to discover
where the brother and sister had hidden themselves。
Denise and Louis went to the upper town cautiously； about four o'clock
that afternoon； gliding along in the shadow of the houses。 The poor
girl dared not raise her eyes； fearing to meet the glances of those
who had seen her brother's execution。 After calling on Monsieur
Bonnet； who in spite of his weakness； consented to serve as father and
guardian to Denise in the matter； they all went to the lawyer's house
in the rue de la Comedie。
〃Good…morning； my poor children；〃 said the lawyer； bowing to Monsieur
Bonnet； 〃how can I be of service to you？ Perhaps you would like me to
claim your brother's body and send it to you？〃
〃No； monsieur；〃 replied Denise； weeping at an idea which had never yet
occurred to her。 〃I come to pay his debt to youso far； at least； as
money can pay an eternal debt。〃
〃Pray sit down；〃 said the lawyer； noticing that Denise and the rector
were still standing。
Denise turned away to take from her corset two notes of five hundred
francs each； which were fastened by a pin to her chemise； then she sat
down and offered them to her brother's defender。 The rector gave the
lawyer a flashing look which was instantly moistened by a tear。
〃Keep the money for yourself； my poor girl；〃 said the lawyer。 〃The
rich do not pay so generously for a lost cause。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said Denise； 〃I cannot obey you。〃
〃Then the money is not yours？〃 said the lawyer。
〃You are mistaken；〃 she replied； looking at Monsieur Bonnet as if to
know whether God would be angry at the lie。
The rector kept his eyes lowered。
〃Well； then；〃 said the lawyer； taking one note of five hundred francs
and offering the other to the rector； 〃I will share it with the poor。
Now； Denise； change this one； which is really mine；〃 he went on；
giving her the note； 〃for your velvet ribbon and your gold cross。 I
will hang the cross above my mantel to remind me of the best and
purest young girl's heart I have ever known in my whole experience as
a lawyer。〃
〃I will give it to you without selling it；〃 cried Denise； taking off
her /jeannette/ and offering it to him。
〃Monsieur；〃 said the rector； 〃I accept the five hundred francs to pay
for the exhumation of the poor lad's body and its transportation to
Montegnac。 God has no doubt pardoned him； and Jean will rise with my
flock on that last day when the righteous and the repentant will be
called together to the right hand of the Father。〃
〃So be it；〃 replied the lawyer。
He took Denise by the hand and drew her toward him to kiss her
forehead； but the action had another motive。
〃My child；〃 he whispered； 〃no one in Montegnac has five…hundred…franc
notes； they are rare even at Limoges； where they are only taken at a
discount。 This money has been given to you； you will not tell me by
whom； and I don't ask you； but listen to me： if you have anything more
to do in this town relating to your poor brother； take care！ You and
Monsieur Bonnet and your brother Louis will be followed by police…
spies。 Your family is known to have left Montegnac； and as soon as you
are seen here you will be watched and surrounded before you are aware
of it。〃
〃Alas！〃 she said。 〃I have nothing more to do here。〃
〃She is cautious；〃 thought the lawyer； as he parted from her。
〃However； she is warned； and I hope she will get safely off。〃
*****
During this last week in September； when the weather was as warm as in
summer； the bishop gave a dinner to the authorities of the place。
Among the guests were the /procureur…du…roi/ and the attorney…general。
Some lively discussions prolonged the party till a late hour。 The
company played whist and backgammon； a favorite game with the clergy。
Toward eleven o'clock the /procureur…du…roi/ walked out upon the upper
terrace。 From the spot where he stood he saw a light on that island to
which； on a certain evening； the attention of the bishop and the Abbe
Gabriel had been drawn；Veronique's 〃Ile de France；〃and the gleam
recalled to the /procureur's/ mind the unexplained mysteries of the
Tascheron crime。 Then； reflecting that there could be no legitimate
reason for a fire on that lonely island in the river at that time of
night； an idea； which had already struck the bishop and the secretary；
darted into his mind with the suddenness and brilliancy of the flame
itself which was shining in the distance。
〃We have all been fools！〃 he cried； 〃but this will give us the
accomplices。〃
He returned to the salon； sought out Monsieur de Grandville； said a
few words in his ear； after which they both took leave。 But the Abbe
de Rastignac accompanied them politely to the door； he watched them as
they departed； saw them go to the terrace； noticed the fire on the
island； and thought to himself； 〃She is lost！〃
The emissaries of the law got there too late。 Denise and Louis； whom
Jean had taught to dive； were actually on the bank of the river at a
spot named to them by Jean； but Louis Tascheron had already dived four
times； bringing up each time a bundle containing twenty thousand
francs' worth of gold。 The first sum was wrapped in a foulard
handkerchief knotted by the four corners。 This handkerchief； from
which the water was instantly wrung； was thrown into a great fire of
drift wood already lighted。 Denise did not leave the fire until she
saw every particle of the handkerchief consumed。 The second sum was
wrapped in a shawl； the third in a cambric handkerchief； these
wrappings were instantly burned like the foulard。
Just as Denise was throwing the wrapping of the fourth and last
package into the fire the gendarmes； accompanied by the commissary of
police； seized that incriminating article； which Denise let them take
without manifesting the least emotion。 It was a handkerchief； on
which； in spite of its soaking in the river； traces of blood could
still be seen。 When questioned as to what she was doing there； Denise
said she was taking the stolen gold from the river according to her
brother's instructions。 The commissary asked her why she was burning
certain articles； she said she was obeying her brother's last
directions。 When asked what those articles were she boldly answered；
without attempting to deceive： 〃A foulard； a shawl； a cambric
handkerchief； and the handkerchief now captured。〃 The latter had
belonged to her brother。
This discovery and its attendant circumstances made a great stir in
Limoges。 The shawl； more especially； confirmed the belief that
Tascheron had committed this crime in the interests of some love
affair。
〃He protects that woman after his death；〃 said one lady； hearing of
these last discoveries； rendered harmless by the criminal's
precautions。
〃There may be some husband in Limoges who will miss his foulard；〃 said
the /procureur…du…roi/； with a laugh； 〃but he will not dare speak of
it。〃
〃These matters of dress are really so compromising；〃 said old Madame
Perret； 〃that I shall make a search through my wardrobe this very
evening。〃
〃Whose pretty little footmarks could he have taken such pains to
efface while he left his own？〃 said Monsieur de Grandville。
〃Pooh！ I dare say she was an ugly woman；〃 said the /procureur…du…roi/。
〃She has paid dearly for her sin；〃 observed the Abbe de Grancour。
〃Do you know what this affair shows？〃 cried Monsieur de Grandville。
〃It shows what women have lost by the Revolution； which has levelled
all social ranks。 Passions of this kind are no longer met with except
i
