the village rector-第55章

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advent　of　Catherine　Curieux；　who　had　come　from　Paris　to　Limoges　by　the
diligence。　Grossetete　now　brought　her　with　him　to　Montegnac。　He　found
Madame　Graslin　just　starting　for　church。　Monsieur　Bonnet　was　to　say　a
mass　to　implore　the　blessing　of　heaven　on　the　works　that　were　then
beginning。　All　the　laborers　with　their　wives　and　children　were
present。

〃Here　is　your　protegee；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　presenting　to
Veronique　a　feeble；　suffering　woman；　apparently　about　thirty　years　of
age。

〃Are　you　Catherine　Curieux？〃　asked　Madame　Graslin。

〃Yes；　madame。〃

Veronique　looked　at　Catherine　for　a　moment。　She　was　rather　tall；　well…
made；　and　fair；　her　features　wore　an　expression　of　extreme　gentleness
which　the　beautiful　gray　tones　of　the　eyes　did　not　contradict。　The
outline　of　the　face；　the　shape　of　the　brow　had　a　nobility　both　simple
and　august；　such　as　we　sometimes　meet　with　in　country　regions　among
very　young　girls；a　sort　of　flower　of　beauty；　which　field　labors；　the
constant　cares　of　the　household；　the　burning　of　the　sun；　and　want　of
personal　care；　remove　with　terrible　rapidity。　Her　movements　had　that
ease　of　motion　characteristic　of　country　girls；　to　which　certain
habits　unconsciously　contracted　in　Paris　gave　additional　grace。　If
Catherine　had　remained　in　the　Correze　she　would　by　this　time　have
looked　like　an　old　woman；　wrinkled　and　withered；　her　complexion；　once
rosy；　would　have　coarsened；　but　Paris；　though　it　paled　her；　had
preserved　her　beauty。　Illness；　toil；　and　grief　had　endowed　her　with
the　mysterious　gifts　of　melancholy；　the　inward　vitalizing　thought；
which　is　lacking　to　poor　country…folk　whose　lives　are　almost　animal。
Her　dress；　full　of　that　Parisian　taste　which　all　women；　even　the　least
coquettish；　contract　so　readily；　distinguished　her　still　further　from
an　ordinary　peasant…woman。　In　her　ignorance　as　to　what　was　before　her；
and　having　no　means　of　judging　Madame　Graslin；　she　appeared　very　shy
and　shame…faced。

〃Do　you　still　love　Farrabesche？〃　asked　Veronique；　when　Grossetete　left
them　for　a　moment。

〃Yes；　madame；〃　she　replied　coloring。

〃Why；　then；　having　sent　him　a　thousand　francs　during　his　imprisonment；
did　you　not　join　him　after　his　release？　Have　you　any　repugnance　to
him？　Speak　to　me　as　though　I　were　your　mother。　Are　you　afraid　he　has
become　altogether　corrupt；　or　did　you　fear　he　no　longer　wanted　you？〃

〃Neither；　madame；　but　I　do　not　know　how　to　read　or　write；　and　I　was
serving　a　very　exacting　old　lady；　she　fell　ill　and　I　had　to　nurse　her。
Though　I　knew　the　time　when　Jacques　would　be　released；　I　could　not　get
away　from　Paris　until　after　the　lady's　death。　She　did　not　leave　me
anything；　notwithstanding　my　devotion　to　her　interests　and　to　her
personally。　After　that　I　wanted　to　be　cured　of　an　ailment　caused　by
night…watching　and　hard　work；　and　as　I　had　used　up　my　savings；　I
resolved　to　go　to　the　hospital　of　Saint…Louis；　which　I　have　just　left；
cured。〃

〃Very　good；　my　child；〃　said　Madame　Graslin；　touched　by　this　simple
explanation。　〃But　tell　me　now　why　you　abandoned　your　parents　so
abruptly；　why　you　left　your　child　behind　you；　and　why　you　did　not　send
any　news　of　yourself；　or　get　some　one　to　write　for　you。〃

For　all　answer　Catherine　wept。

〃Madame；〃　she　said　at　last；　reassured　by　the　pressure　of　Madame
Graslin's　hand；　〃I　may　have　done　wrong；　but　I　hadn't　the　strength　to
stay　here。　I　did　not　fear　myself；　but　others；　I　feared　gossip；
scandal。　So　long　as　Jacques　was　in　danger；　I　was　necessary　to　him　and
I　stayed；　but　after　he　had　gone　I　had　no　strength　left；a　girl　with　a
child　and　no　husband！　The　worst　of　creatures　was　better　than　I。　I
don't　know　what　would　have　become　of　me　had　I　stayed　to　hear　a　word
against　my　boy　or　his　father；　I　should　have　gone　mad；　I　might　have
killed　myself。　My　father　or　my　mother　in　a　moment　of　anger　might　have
reproached　me。　I　am　too　sensitive　to　bear　a　quarrel　or　an　insult；
gentle　as　I　am。　I　have　had　my　punishment　in　not　seeing　my　child；　I　who
have　never　passed　a　day　without　thinking　of　him　in　all　these　years！　I
wished　to　be　forgotten；　and　I　have　been。　No　one　thought　of　me；they
believed　me　dead；　and　yet；　many　a　time；　I　thought　of　leaving　all　just
to　come　here　for　a　day　and　see　my　child。〃

〃Your　childsee；　here　he　is。〃

Catherine　then　saw　Benjamin；　and　began　to　tremble　violently。

〃Benjamin；〃　said　Madame　Graslin；　〃come　and　kiss　your　mother。〃

〃My　mother！〃　cried　Benjamin；　surprised。　He　jumped　into　Catherine's
arms　and　she　pressed　him　to　her　breast　with　almost　savage　force。　But
the　boy　escaped　her　and　ran　off　crying　out：　〃I'll　go　and　fetch　/him/。〃

Madame　Graslin　made　Catherine；　who　was　almost　fainting；　sit　down。　At
this　moment　she　saw　Monsieur　Bonnet　and　could　not　help　blushing　as　she
met　a　piercing　look　from　her　confessor；　which　read　her　heart。

〃I　hope；〃　she　said；　trembling；　〃that　you　will　consent　to　marry
Farrabesche　and　Catherine　at　once。　Don't　you　recognize　Monsieur
Bonnet；　my　dear？　He　will　tell　you　that　Farrabesche；　since　his
liberation　has　behaved　as　an　honest　man；　the　whole　neighborhood　thinks
well　of　him；　and　if　there　is　a　place　in　the　world　where　you　may　live
happy　and　respected　it　is　at　Montegnac。　You　can　make；　by　God's　help；　a
good　living　as　my　farmers；　for　Farrabesche　has　recovered　citizenship。〃

〃That　is　all　true；　my　dear　child；〃　said　the　rector。

Just　then　Farrabesche　appeared；　pulled　along　by　his　son。　He　was　pale
and　speechless　in　presence　of　Catherine　and　Madame　Graslin。　His　heart
told　him　actively　benevolent　the　one　had　been；　and　how　deeply　the
other　had　suffered　in　his　absence。　Veronique　led　away　the　rector；　who；
on　his　side；　was　anxious　to　talk　with　her　alone。

As　soon　as　they　were　far　enough　away　not　to　be　overheard；　Monsieur
Bonnet　looked　fixedly　at　Veronique；　she　colored　and　dropped　her　eyes
like　a　guilty　person。

〃You　degrade　well…doing；〃　he　said；　sternly。

〃How？〃　she　asked；　raising　her　head。

〃Well…doing；〃　he　replied；　〃is　a　passion　as　superior　to　that　of　love　as
humanity　is　superior　to　the　individual　creature。　Now；　you　have　not
done　this　thing　from　the　sole　impulse　and　simplicity　of　virtue。　You
have　fallen　from　the　heights　of　humanity　to　the　indulgence　of　the
individual　creature。　Your　benevolence　to　Farrabesche　and　Catherine
carries　with　it　so　many　memories　and　forbidden　thoughts　that　it　has
lost　all　merit　in　the　eyes　of　God。　Tear　from　your　heart　the　remains　of
the　javelin　evil　planted　there。　Do　not　take　from　your　actions　their
true　value。　Come　at　last　to　that　saintly　ignorance　of　the　good　you　do
which　is　the　grace　supreme　of　human　actions。〃

Madame　Graslin　had　turned　away　to　wipe　the　tears　that　told　the　rector
his　words　had　touched　the　bleeding　wound　that　was　still　unhealed　in
her　heart。

Farrabesche；　Catherine；　and　Benjamin　now　came　up　to　thank　their
benefactress；　but　she　made　them　a　sign　to　go　away　and　leave　her　alone
with　the　rector。

〃See　how　that　grieves　them；〃　she　said　to　him　as　they　sadly　walked
away。　The　rector；　whose　heart　was　tender；　recalled　them　by　a　sign。

〃You　shall　be　completely　happy；〃　she　then　said；　giving　to　Farrabesche
a　paper　which　she　was　holding　in　her　hand。　〃Here　is　the　ordinance
which　gives　you　back　your　rights　of　citizenship　and　exempts　you　from
humiliating　inspection。〃

Farrabesche　respectfully　kissed　the　hand　held　toward　him　and　looked　at
Veronique　with　an　eye　both　tender　and　submissive；　calm　and　devoted；
the　expression　of　a　devotion　which　nothing　could　ever　change；　the　look
of　a　dog　to　his　master。

〃If　Jacques　has　suffered；　madame；〃　said　Catherine；　her　fine　eyes
lighting　with　pleasure；　〃I　hope　I　can　give　him　enough　happiness　to
make　up　for　his　pain；　for；　no　matter　what　he　has　done；　he　is　not　bad。〃

Madame　Graslin　turned　away　her　head；　she　seemed　overcome　by　the　sight
of　that　happy　family。　The　rector　now　left　her　to　enter　the　church；
whither　she　dragged　herself　presently　on　the　arm　of　Monsieur
Grossetete。

After　breakfast　every　one；　even　the　aged　people　of　the　village；
assembled　to　see　the　beginning　of　the　great　work。　From　the　slope
leading　up　to　the　chateau；　Monsieur　Grossetete　and　Monsieur　Bonnet；
between　whom　was　Veronique；　could　see　the　direction　of　the　four　first
cuttings　marked　out　by　piles　of