按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
hurled the most disgusting epithets at you and at me。 He behaved in
such a manner that it was impossible for any priest to remain in his
presence。 Might I give Monseigneur a word of advice？〃
〃Let us listen to the words of wisdom which God Almighty sometimes
puts into the mouths of children；〃 said the bishop； smiling。
〃Well； you know he made Balaam's ass speak out；〃 said the young abbe
quickly。
〃But according to some commentators she did not know what she was
saying；〃 replied the bishop； laughing。
The two grand vicars smiled。 In the first place； the joke came from
Monseigneur； next； it bore gently on the young abbe； of whom the
dignitaries and other ambitious priests grouped around the bishop were
somewhat jealous。
〃My advice would be；〃 resumed the young man； 〃to ask Monsieur de
Grandville to reprieve the man for the present。 When Tascheron knows
that he owes an extension of his life to our intercession； he may
pretend to listen to us； and if he listens〃
〃He will persist in his present conduct； finding that it has won him
that advantage；〃 said the bishop； interrupting his favorite。
〃Messieurs；〃 he said； after a moment's silence； 〃does the whole town
know of these details？〃
〃There is not a household in which they are not talked over；〃 said the
Abbe de Grancour。 〃The state in which our good Abbe Pascal was put by
his last efforts is the present topic of conversation throughout the
town。〃
〃When is Tascheron to be executed？〃 asked the bishop。
〃To…morrow； which is market…day〃； replied Monsieur de Grancour。
〃Messieurs；〃 exclaimed the bishop； 〃religion must not be overset in
this way。 The more public attention is attracted to the matter； the
more I am determined to obtain a notable triumph。 The Church is now in
presence of a great difficulty。 We are called upon to do miracles in
this manufacturing town； where the spirit of sedition against
religious and monarchical principles has such deep root； where the
system of inquiry born of protestantism （which in these days calls
itself liberalism； prepared at any moment to take another name）
extends into everything。 Go at once to Monsieur de Grandville； he is
wholly on our side； and say to him from me that we beg for a few days'
reprieve。 I will go myself and see that unhappy man。〃
〃You； Monseigneur！〃 said the Abbe de Rastignac。 〃If you should fail；
wouldn't that complicate matters？ You ought not to go unless you are
certain of success。〃
〃If Monseigneur will permit me to express my opinion；〃 said the Abbe
Dutheil； 〃I think I can suggest a means which may bring victory to
religion in this sad case。〃
The prelate answered with a sign of assent； so coldly given as to show
how little credit he gave to his vicar…general。
〃If any one can influence that rebellious soul and bring it back to
God；〃 continued the Abbe Dutheil； 〃it is the rector of the village in
which he was born； Monsieur Bonnet。〃
〃One of your proteges；〃 remarked the bishop。
〃Monseigneur； Monsieur Bonnet is one of those men who protect
themselves； both by their active virtues and their gospel work。〃
This simple and modest reply was received in a silence which would
have embarrassed any other man than the Abbe Dutheil。 The three
priests chose to see in it one of those hidden and unanswerable
sarcasms which are characteristic of ecclesiastics； who contrive to
express what they want to say while observing the strictest decorum。
In this case there was nothing of the kind。 The Abbe Dutheil never
thought of himself and had no double meaning。
〃I have heard of Saint Aristides for some time；〃 said the bishop；
smiling。 〃If I have left his light under a bushel I may have been
unjust or prejudiced。 Your liberals are always crying up Monsieur
Bonnet as though he belonged to their party。 I should like to judge
for myself of this rural apostle。 Go at once； messieurs； to Monsieur
de Grandville； and ask for the reprieve； I will await his answer
before sending our dear Abbe Gabriel to Montegnac to fetch the saintly
man。 We will give his Blessedness a chance to do miracles。〃
As he listened to these words of the prelate the Abbe Dutheil
reddened； but he would not allow himself to take notice of the
incivilities of the speech。 The two grand vicars bowed in silence and
withdrew； leaving the prelate alone with his secretary。
〃The secrets of the confession we are so anxious to obtain from the
unhappy man himself are no doubt buried there；〃 said the bishop to his
young abbe； pointing to the shadow of the poplars where it fell on a
lonely house between the island and Saint…Etienne。
〃I have always thought so；〃 replied Gabriel。 〃I am not a judge and I
will not be an informer； but if I were a magistrate I should have
known the name of that woman who trembles at every sound； at every
word； while forced to keep her features calm and serene under pain of
going to the scaffold with her lover。 She has nothing to fear；
however。 I have seen the man； he will carry the secret of that
passionate love to the grave with him。〃
〃Ah！ you sly fellow！〃 said the bishop； twisting the ear of his
secretary as he motioned to the space between the island and the
suburb of Saint…Etienne which the last gleams of the setting sun were
illuminating； and on which the young abbe's eyes were fixed。 〃That is
the place where justice should have searched； don't you think so？〃
〃I went to see the criminal to try the effect of my suspicions upon
him；〃 replied the young man。 〃I could not speak them out； for fear of
compromising the woman for whose sake he dies。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the bishop； 〃we will hold our tongues； we are not the
servants of human justice。 One head is enough。 Besides； sooner or
later； the secret will be given to the Church。〃
The perspicacity which the habit of meditation gives to priests is far
superior to that of lawyers or the police。 By dint of contemplating
from those terraces the scene of the crime； the prelate and his
secretary had ended by perceiving circumstances unseen by others； in
spite of all the investigations before and during the trial of the
case。
Monsieur de Grandville was playing whist at Madame Graslin's house； it
was necessary to await his return； the bishop did not therefore
receive his answer till nearly midnight。 The Abbe Gabriel； to whom the
prelate lent his carriage； started at two in the morning for
Montegnac。 This region； which begins about twenty…five miles from the
town； is situated in that part of the Limousin which lies at the base
of the mountains of the Correze and follows the line of the Creuze。
The young abbe left Limoges all heaving with expectation of the
spectacle on the morrow； and still unaware that it would not take
place。
VII
MONTEGNAC
Priests and religious devotees have a tendency in the matter of
payments to keep strictly to the letter of the law。 Is this from
poverty； or from the selfishness to which their isolation condemns
them； thus encouraging the natural inclination of all men to avarice；
or is it from a conscientious parsimony which saves all it can for
deeds of charity？ Each nature will give a different answer to this
question。 The difficulty of putting the hand int