the village rector-第63章

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candelabra　were　lighted。

〃It　is　ordained；〃　said　the　dying　woman；　smiling；　〃that　my　death　shall
be　what　that　of　a　Christian　should　bea　festival！〃

During　the　consultation　she　said：

〃The　/procureur…general/　has　done　his　professional　duty；　I　was　going；
and　he　has　pushed　me　on。〃

The　old　mother　looked　at　her　and　laid　a　finger　on　her　lips。

〃Mother；　I　shall　speak；〃　replied　Veronique。　〃See！　the　hand　of　God　is
in　all　this；　I　am　dying　in　a　red　room〃

Madame　Sauviat　went　out；　unable　to　bear　those　words。

〃Aline；〃　she　said；　〃she　will　speak！　she　will　speak！〃

〃Ah！　madame　is　out　of　her　mind；〃　cried　the　faithful　maid；　who　was
bringing　sheets。　〃Fetch　the　rector；　madame。〃

〃Your　mistress　must　be　undressed；〃　said　Bianchon　to　the　maid。

〃It　will　be　very　difficult　to　do　it；　monsieur；　madame　is　wrapped　in　a
hair…cloth　garment。〃

〃What！　in　the　nineteenth…century　can　such　horrors　be　revived？〃　said
the　great　doctor。

〃Madame　Graslin　has　never　allowed　me　to　touch　her　stomach；〃　said
Roubaud。　〃I　have　been　able　to　judge　of　the　progress　of　the　disease
only　from　her　face　and　her　pulse；　and　the　little　information　I　could
get　from　her　mother　and　the　maid。〃

Veronique　was　now　placed　on　a　sofa　while　the　bed　was　being　made。　The
doctors　spoke　together　in　a　low　voice。　Madame　Sauviat　and　Aline　made
the　bed。　The　faces　of　the　two　women　were　full　of　anguish；　their　hearts
were　wrung　by　the　thought；　〃We　are　making　her　bed　for　the　last　time
she　will　die　here！〃

The　consultation　was　not　long。　But　Bianchon　exacted　at　the　outset　that
Aline　should；　in　spite　of　the　patient's　resistance；　cut　off　the　hair
shirt　and　put　on　a　night…dress。　The　doctors　returned　to　the　salon
while　this　was　being　done。　When　Aline　passed　them　carrying　the
instrument　of　torture　wrapped　in　a　napkin；　she　said：

〃Madame's　body　is　one　great　wound。〃

The　doctors　returned　to　the　bedroom。

〃Your　will　is　stronger　than　that　of　Napoleon；　madame；〃　said　Bianchon；
after　asking　a　few　questions；　to　which　Veronique　replied　very　clearly。
〃You　keep　your　mind　and　your　faculties　in　the　last　stages　of　a　disease
which　robbed　the　Emperor　of　his　brilliant　intellect。　From　what　I　know
of　you　I　think　I　ought　to　tell　you　the　truth。〃

〃I　implore　you　to　do　so；〃　she　said。　〃You　are　able　to　estimate　what
strength　remains　to　me；　and　I　have　need　of　all　my　vigor　for　a　few
hours。〃

〃Think　only　of　your　salvation；〃　replied　Bianchon。

〃If　God　has　given　me　grace　to　die　in　possession　of　all　my　faculties；〃
she　said　with　a　celestial　smile；　〃be　sure　that　this　favor　will　be　used
to　the　glory　of　his　Church。　The　possession　of　my　mind　and　senses　is
necessary　to　fulfil　a　command　of　God；　whereas　Napoleon　had
accomplished　all　his　destiny。〃

The　doctors　looked　at　each　other　in　astonishment　at　hearing　these
words；　said　with　as　much　ease　as　though　Madame　Graslin　were　still
presiding　in　her　salon。

〃Ah！　here　is　the　doctor　who　is　to　cure　me；〃　she　said　presently；　when
the　archbishop；　summoned　by　Roubaud；　entered　the　room。

She　collected　all　her　strength　and　rose　to　a　sitting　posture；　in　order
to　bow　graciously　to　Monsieur　Bianchon；　and　beg　him　to　accept
something　else　than　money　for　the　good　news　he　gave　her。　She　said　a
few　words　in　her　mother's　ear；　and　Madame　Sauviat　immediately　led　away
the　doctors；　then　Veronique　requested　the　archbishop　to　postpone　their
interview　till　the　rector　could　come　to　her；　expressing　a　wish　to　rest
for　a　while。　Aline　watched　beside　her。

At　midnight　Madame　Graslin　awoke；　and　asked　for　the　archbishop　and
rector；　whom　Aline　silently　showed　her　close　at　hand；　praying　for　her。
She　made　a　sign　dismissing　her　mother　and　the　maid；　and；　at　another
sign；　the　two　priests　came　to　the　bedside。

〃Monseigneur；　and　you；　my　dear　rector；〃　she　said；　〃will　hear　nothing
you　do　not　already　know。　You　were　the　first；　Monseigneur；　to　cast　your
eyes　into　my　inner　self；　you　read　there　nearly　all　my　past；　and　what
you　read　sufficed　you。　My　confessor；　that　guardian　angel　whom　heaven
placed　near　me；　knows　more；　I　have　told　him　all。　You；　whose　minds　are
enlightened　by　the　spirit　of　the　Church；　I　wish　to　consult　you　as　to
the　manner　in　which　I　ought　as　a　true　Christian　to　leave　this　life。
You；　austere　and　saintly　spirits；　think　you　that　if　God　deigns　to
pardon　one　whose　repentance　is　the　deepest；　the　most　absolute；　that
ever　shook　a　human　soul；　think　you　that　even　then　I　have　made　my　full
expiation　here　below？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　archbishop；　〃yes；　my　daughter。〃

〃No；　my　father；　no！〃　she　said　rising　in　her　bed；　the　lightning
flashing　from　her　eyes。　〃Not　far　from　here　there　is　a　grave；　where　an
unhappy　man　is　lying　beneath　the　weight　of　a　dreadful　crime；　here　in
this　sumptuous　home　is　a　woman；　crowned　with　the　fame　of　benevolence
and　virtue。　This　woman　is　blessed；　that　poor　young　man　is　cursed。　The
criminal　is　covered　with　obloquy；　I　receive　the　respect　of　all。　I　had
the　largest　share　in　the　sin；　he　has　a　share；　a　large　share　in　the
good　which　has　won　for　me　such　glory　and　such　gratitude。　Fraud　that　I
am；　I　have　the　honor；　he；　the　martyr　to　his　loyalty；　has　the　shame。　I
shall　die　in　a　few　hours；　and　the　canton　will　mourn　me；　the　whole
department　will　ring　with　my　good　deeds；　my　piety；　my　virtue；　but　he
died　covered　with　insults；　in　sight　of　a　whole　population　rushing；
with　hatred　to　a　murderer；　to　see　him　die。　You；　my　judges；　you　are
indulgent　to　me；　yet　I　hear　within　myself　an　imperious　voice　which
will　not　let　me　rest。　Ah！　the　hand　of　God；　less　tender　than　yours；
strikes　me　from　day　to　day；　as　if　to　warn　me　that　all　is　not　expiated。
My　sins　cannot　be　redeemed　except　by　a　public　confession。　He　is　happy！
criminal；　he　gave　his　life　with　ignominy　in　face　of　earth　and　heaven；
and　I；　I　cheat　the　world　as　I　cheated　human　justice。　The　homage　I
receive　humiliates　me；　praise　sears　my　heart。　Do　you　not　see；　in　the
very　coming　of　the　/procureur…general/；　a　command　from　heaven　echoing
the　voice　in　my　own　soul　which　cries　to　me：　Confess！〃

The　two　priests；　the　prince　of　the　Church　as　well　as　the　humble
rector；　these　two　great　lights；　each　in　his　own　way；　stood　with　their
eyes　lowered　and　were　silent。　Deeply　moved　by　the　grandeur　and　the
resignation　of　the　guilty　woman；　the　judges　could　not　pronounce　her
sentence。

〃My　child；〃　said　the　archbishop　at　last；　raising　his　noble　head；
macerated　by　the　customs　of　his　austere　life；　〃you　are　going　beyond
the　commandments　of　the　Church。　The　glory　of　the　Church　is　to　make　her
dogma　conform　to　the　habits　and　manners　of　each　age；　for　the　Church
goes　on　from　age　to　age　in　company　with　humanity。　According　to　her
present　decision　secret　confession　has　taken　the　place　of　public
confession。　This　substitution　has　made　the　new　law。　The　sufferings　you
have　endured　suffice。　Die　in　peace：　God　has　heard　you。〃

〃But　is　not　this　desire　of　a　guilty　woman　in　conformity　with　the　law
of　the　first　Church；　which　has　enriched　heaven　with　as　many　saints　and
martyrs　and　confessing　souls　as　there　are　stars　in　the　firmament？〃
persisted　Veronique；　vehemently。　〃Who　said：　/Confess　yourselves　to　one
another/？　Was　it　not　the　disciples；　who　lived　with　the　Saviour？　Let　me
confess　my　shame　publicly　on　my　knees。　It　will　redeem　my　sin　to　the
world；　to　that　family　exiled　and　almost　extinct　through　me。　The　world
ought　to　know　that　my　benefactions　are　not　an　offering；　but　the
payment　of　a　debt。　Suppose　that　later；　after　my　death；　something　tore
from　my　memory　the　lying　veil　which　covers　me。　Ah！　that　idea　is　more
than　I　can　bear；　it　is　death　indeed！〃

〃I　see　in　this　too　much　of　calculation；　my　child；〃　said　the
archbishop；　gravely。　〃Passions　are　still　too　strong　in　you；　the　one　I
thought　extinct　is〃

〃Oh！　I　swear　to　you；　Monseigneur；〃　she　said；　interrupting　the　prelate
and　fixing　her　eyes；　full　of　horror；　upon　him；　〃my　heart　is　as
purified　as　that　of　a　guilty　and　repentant　woman　can　be；　there　is
nothing　now　within　me　but　the　thought　of　God。〃

〃Monseigneur；〃　said　the　rector　in　a　tender　voice；　〃let　us　leave
celestial　justice　to　take　its　course。　It　is　now　four　years　since　I
have　strongly　opposed　this　wish；　it　is　the　only　difference　that　has
ever　come　between　my　penitent　and　myself。　I　have　seen　to　the　depths　of
that　soul