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him； whom God； in his mercy； has allowed to sleep in his quiet grave；
where you have wept for him； suspecting； it may be； the extenuating
truth。 Punish； curse the guilty creature before you！ Horrified by the
crime when once committed； I did my best to hide my share in it。
Trusted by my fatherI； who was childlessto lead a child to God； I
led him to the scaffold！ Ah！ punish me； curse me； the hour has come！〃
Saying these words； her eyes shone with the stoic pride of a savage。
The archbishop； standing behind her； and as if protecting her with the
pastoral cross； abandoned his impassible demeanor and covered his eyes
with his right hand。 A muffled cry was heard； as though some one were
dying。 Two persons； Gerard and Roubaud； received and carried away in
their arms； Denise Tascheron； unconscious。 That sight seemed for an
instant to quench the fire in Veronique's eyes； she was evidently
uneasy； but soon her self…control and serenity of martyrdom resumed
their sway。
〃You now know；〃 she continued； 〃that I deserve neither praise or
blessing for my conduct here。 I have led in sight of Heaven； a secret
life of bitter penance which Heaven will estimate。 My life before men
has been an immense reparation for the evils I have caused； I have
marked my repentance ineffaceably on the earth； it will last almost
eternally here below。 It is written on those fertile fields； in the
prosperous village； in the rivulets brought from the mountains to
water the plain once barren and fruitless； now green and fertile。 Not
a tree will be cut for a hundred years to come but the people of this
region will know of the remorse that made it grow。 My repentant soul
will still live here among you。 What you will owe to its efforts； to a
fortune honorably acquired； is the heritage of its repentance；the
repentance of her who caused the crime。 All has been repaired so far
as society is concerned； but I am still responsible for that life；
crushed in its bud；a life confided to me and for which I am now
required to render an account。〃
The flame of her eyes was veiled in tears。
〃There is here； before me； a man；〃 she continued； 〃who； because he did
his duty strictly； has been to me an object of hatred which I thought
eternal。 He was the first inflictor of my punishment。 My feet were
still too deep in blood； I was too near the deed； not to hate justice。
So long as that root of anger lay in my heart； I knew there was still
a lingering remnant of condemnable passion。 I had nothing to forgive
that man； I have only had to purify that corner of my heart where Evil
lurked。 However hard it may have been to win that victory； it is won。〃
Monsieur de Grandville turned a face to Veronique that was bathed in
tears。 Human justice seemed at that moment to feel remorse。 When the
confessing woman raised her head as if to continue； she met the
agonizing look of old man Grossetete； who stretched his supplicating
hands to her as if to say； 〃Enough； enough！〃 At the same instant a
sound of tears and sobs was heard。 Moved by such sympathy； unable to
bear the balm of this general pardon； she was seized with faintness。
Seeing that her daughter's vital force was gone at last； the old
mother summoned the vigor of her youth to carry her away。
〃Christians；〃 said the archbishop； 〃you have heard the confession of
that penitent woman； it confirms the sentence of human justice。 You
ought to see in this fresh reason to join your prayers to those of the
Church which offers to God the holy sacrifice of the mass； to implore
his mercy in favor of so deep a repentance。〃
The services went on。 Veronique； lying on the bed； followed them with
a look of such inward contentment that she seemed； to every eye； no
longer the same woman。 On her face was the candid and virtuous
expression of the pure young girl such as she had been in her parents'
home。 The dawn of eternal life was already whitening her brow and
glorifying her face with its celestial tints。 Doubtless she heard the
mystic harmonies； and gathered strength to live from her desire to
unite herself once more with God in the last communion。 The rector
came beside the bed and gave her absolution。 The archbishop
administered the sacred oils with a fatherly tenderness that showed to
all there present how dear the lost but now recovered lamb had been to
him。 Then； with the sacred anointing； he closed to the things of earth
those eyes which had done such evil； and laid the seal of the Church
upon the lips that were once too eloquent。 The ears； by which so many
evil inspirations had penetrated her mind； were closed forever。 All
the senses； deadened by repentance； were thus sanctified； and the
spirit of evil could have no further power within her soul。
Never did assistants of this ceremony more fully understand the
grandeur and profundity of the sacrament than those who now saw the
acts of the Church justly following the confession of that dying
woman。
Thus prepared； Veronique received the body of Jesus Christ with an
expression of hope and joy which melted the ice of unbelief against
which the rector had so often bruised himself。 Roubaud； confounded in
all his opinions； became a Catholic on the spot。 The scene was
touching and yet awesome； the solemnity of its every feature was so
great that painters might have found there the subject of a
masterpiece。
When this funeral part was over； and the dying woman heard the priests
begin the reading of the gospel of Saint John； she signed to her
mother to bring her son； who had been taken from the room by his
tutor。 When she saw Francis kneeling by the bedside the pardoned
mother felt she had the right to lay her hand upon his head and bless
him。 Doing so； she died。
Old Madame Sauviat was there； at her post； erect as she had been for
twenty years。 This woman； heroic after her fashion； closed her
daughter's eyesthose eyes that had wept so muchand kissed them。
All the priests； followed by the choristers； surrounded the bed。 By
the flaming light of the torches they chanted the terrible /De
Profundis/； the echoes of which told the population kneeling before
the chateau； the friends praying in the salon； the servants in the
adjoining rooms； that the mother of the canton was dead。 The hymn was
accompanied with moans and tears。 The confession of that grand woman
had not been audible beyond the threshold of the salon； and none but
loving ears had heard it。
When the peasants of the neighborhood； joining with those of
Montegnac； came； one by one； to lay upon their benefactress the
customary palm； together with their last farewell mingled with prayers
and tears； they saw the man of justice； crushed by grief； holding the
hand of the woman whom； without intending it； he had so cruelly but so
justly stricken。
Two days later the /procureur…general/； Grossetete； the archbishop；
and the mayor； holding the corners of the black pall； conducted the
body of Madame Graslin to its last resting…place。 It was laid in the
grave in deep silence； not a word was said； no one had strength to
speak； all eyes were full of tears。 〃She is now a saint！〃 was said by
the peasants as they went away along the roads of the canton to whic