第27章

WHO SHE WAS--WIFE AND MOTHER

The would-be disciple passed many days in observing more carefully than he had hitherto done the rare persons among whom fate had brought him; and he became the subject of a moral phenomenon which modern philosophers have despised,--possibly out of ignorance.

The sphere in which he lived had a positive action upon Godefroid.The laws which regulate the physical nature under relation to the atmospheric environment in which it is developed, rule also in the moral nature.Hence it follows that the assembling together of condemned prisoners is one of the greatest of social crimes; and also that their isolation is an experiment of doubtful success.Condemned criminals ought to be in religious institutions, surrounded by prodigies of Good, instead of being cast as they are into sight and knowledge of Evil only.The Church can be expected to show an absolute devotion in this matter.If it sends missionaries to heathen or savage nations, with how much greater joy would it welcome the mission of redeeming the heathen of civilization? for all criminals are atheists, and often without knowing they are so.

Godefroid found these five associated persons endowed with the qualities they required in him.They were all without pride, without vanity, truly humble and pious; also without any of the pretension which constitutes /devotion/, using that word in its worst sense.

These virtues were contagious; he was filled with a desire to imitate these hidden heroes, and he ended by passionately studying the book he had begun by despising.Within two weeks he reduced his views of life to its simplest lines,--to what it really /is/ when we consider it from the higher point of view to which the Divine spirit leads us.His curiosity--worldly at first, and excited by many vulgar and material motives--purified itself; if he did not renounce it altogether, the fault was not his; any one would have found it difficult to resign an interest in Madame de la Chanterie; but Godefroid showed, without intending it, a discretion which was appreciated by these persons, in whom the divine Spirit had developed a marvellous power of the faculties,--as, indeed, it often does among recluses.The concentration of the moral forces, no matter under what system it may be effected, increases the compass of them tenfold.

"Our friend is not yet converted," said the good Abbe de Veze, "but he is seeking to be."An unforeseen circumstance brought about the revelation of Madame de la Chanterie's history to Godefroid; and so fully was this made to him that the overpowering interest she excited in his soul was completely satisfied.

The public mind was at that time much occupied by one of those horrible criminal trials which mark the annals of our police-courts.

This trial had gathered its chief interest from the character of the criminals themselves, whose audacity, superior intelligence in evil, and cynical replies, had horrified the community.It is a matter worthy of remark that no newspaper ever found its way into the hotel de la Chanterie, and Godefroid only heard of the rejection of the criminals' appeal from his master in book-keeping; for the trial itself had taken place some time before he came to live in his new abode.

"Do you ever encounter," he said to his new friends, "such atrocious villains as those men? and if you do encounter them, how do you manage them?""In the first place," said Monsieur Nicolas, "there are no atrocious villains.There are diseased natures, to be cared for in asylums; but outside of those rare medical cases, we find only persons who are without religion, or who reason ill; and the mission of charity is to teach them the right use of reason, to encourage the weak, and guide aright those who go astray.""And," said the Abbe de Veze, "all is possible to such teachers, for God is with them.""If they were to send you those criminals, you could do nothing with them, could you?" asked Godefroid.

"The time would be too short," remarked Monsieur Alain.

"In general," said Monsieur Nicolas, "persons turn over to religion souls which have reached the last stages of evil, and leave it no time to do its work.The criminals of whom you speak were men of remarkable vigor; could they have been within our hands in time they might have become distinguished men; but as soon as they committed a murder, it was no longer possible to interfere; they then belonged to human justice.""That must mean," said Godefroid, "that you are against the penalty of death?"Monsieur Nicolas rose hastily and left the room.

"Do not ever mention the penalty of death again before Monsieur Nicolas," said Monsieur Alain."He recognized in a criminal at whose execution he was officially present his natural son.""And the son was innocent!" added Monsieur Joseph.

Madame de la Chanterie, who had been absent for a while, returned to the salon at this moment.

"But you must admit," said Godefroid, addressing Monsieur Joseph, "that society cannot exist without the death penalty, and that those persons who to-morrow morning will have their heads cut--"Godefroid felt his mouth suddenly closed by a vigorous hand, and he saw the abbe leading away Madame de la Chanterie in an almost fainting condition.

"What have you done?" Monsieur Joseph said to him."Take him away, Alain!" he added, removing the hand with which he had gagged Godefroid.Then he followed the Abbe de Veze into Madame de la Chanterie's room.

"Come!" said Monsieur Alain to Godefroid; "you have made it essential that I should tell you the secrets of Madame's life."They were presently sitting in the old man's room.

"Well?" said Godefroid, whose face showed plainly his regret for having been the cause of something which, in that peaceful home, might be called a catastrophe.

"I am waiting till Manon comes to reassure us," replied the goodman, listening to the steps of the maid upon the staircase.