CHAPTER XXXIV. MALEVOLA.

thisstormhadgatheredimmediatelyaboveVilletteitseemedtohaveburstatthezenithitrusheddownpronetheforked,slantboltspiercedathwartverticaltorrentsredzigzagsinterlacedadescentblanchedaswhitemetal:andallbrokefromaskyheavilyblackinitsswollenabundance. LeavingMadameWalravens’inhospitablesalon,Ibetookmyselftohercoldstaircasetherewasaseatonthelanding—thereIwaited.Somebodycameglidingalongthegalleryjustaboveitwastheoldpriest. “IndeedMademoiselleshallnotsitthere,”saidhe.“Itwoulddispleasureourbenefactorifheknewastrangerwassotreatedinthishouse.” Andhebeggedmesoearnestlytoreturntothesalon,that,withoutdiscourtesy,Icouldnotbutcomply.Thesmallerroomwasbetterfurnishedandmorehabitablethanthelargerthitherheintroducedme.Partiallywithdrawingtheblind,hedisclosedwhatseemedmorelikeanoratorythanaboudoir,averysolemnlittlechamber,lookingasifitwereaplaceratherdedicatedtorelicsandremembrance,thandesignedforpresentuseandcomfort. Thegoodfathersatdown,asiftokeepmecompanybutinsteadofconversing,hetookoutabook,fastenedonthepagehiseyes,andemployedhislipsinwhispering—whatsoundedlikeaprayerorlitany.Ayellowelectriclightfromtheskygildedhisbaldheadhisfigureremainedinshade—deepandpurplehesatstillassculptureheseemedtoforgetmeforhisprayersheonlylookedupwhenafiercerbolt,oraharsher,closerrattletoldofnearingdangereventhen,itwasnotinfear,butinseemingawe,heraisedhiseyes.Itoowasawe-struckbeing,however,undernopressureofslavishterror,mythoughtsandobservationswerefree. Tospeaktruth,IwasbeginningtofancythattheoldpriestresembledthatPèreSilas,beforewhomIhadkneeledinthechurchoftheBéguinage.Theideawasvague,forIhadseenmyconfessoronlyinduskandinprofile,yetstillIseemedtotracealikeness:IthoughtalsoIrecognizedthevoice.WhileIwatchedhim,hebetrayed,byoneliftedlook,thathefeltmyscrutinyIturnedtonotetheroomthattoohaditshalfmysticinterest. Besideacrossofcuriouslycarvedoldivory,yellowwithtime,andslopedaboveadark-redprie-dieu,furnishedduly,withrichmissalandebonrosary—hungthepicturewhosedimoutlinehaddrawnmyeyesbefore—thepicturewhichmoved,fellawaywiththewallandletinphantoms.Imperfectlyseen,IhadtakenitforaMadonnarevealedbyclearerlight,itprovedtobeawoman’sportraitinanun’sdress.Theface,thoughnotbeautiful,waspleasingpale,young,andshadedwiththedejectionofgrieforillhealth.Isayagainitwasnotbeautifulitwasnotevenintellectualitsveryamiabilitywastheamiabilityofaweakframe,inactivepassions,acquiescenthabits:yetIlookedlongatthatpicture,andcouldnotchoosebutlook. Theoldpriest,whoatfirsthadseemedtomesodeafandinfirm,mustyethaveretainedhisfacultiesintolerablepreservationabsorbedinhisbookasheappeared,withoutonceliftinghishead,or,asfarasIknew,turninghiseyes,heperceivedthepointtowardswhichmyattentionwasdrawn,and,inaslowdistinctvoice,dropped,concerningit,thesefourobservations:— “Shewasmuchbeloved. “ShegaveherselftoGod. “Shediedyoung. “Sheisstillremembered,stillwept.” “Bythatagedlady,MadameWalravens?”Iinquired,fancyingthatIhaddiscoveredintheincurablegriefofbereavement,akeytothatsameagedlady’sdesperateill-humour. Thefathershookhisheadwithhalfasmile. “No,no,”saidhe“agrand-dame’saffectionforherchildren’schildrenmaybegreat,andhersorrowfortheirloss,livelybutitisonlytheaffiancedlover,towhomFate,Faith,andDeathhavetreblydeniedtheblissofunion,whomournswhathehaslost,asJustineMarieisstillmourned.” Ithoughtthefatherratherwishedtobequestioned,andthereforeIinquiredwhohadlostandwhostillmourned“JustineMarie.”Igot,inreply,quitealittleromanticnarrative,toldnotunimpressively,withtheaccompanimentofthenowsubsidingstorm.Iamboundtosayitmighthavebeenmademuchmoretrulyimpressive,iftherehadbeenlessFrench,Rousseau-likesentimentalizingandwire-drawingandrathermorehealthfulcarelessnessofeffect.ButtheworthyfatherwasobviouslyaFrenchmanbornandbred(Ibecamemoreandmorepersuadedofhisresemblancetomyconfessor)—hewasatruesonofRomewhenhedidlifthiseyes,helookedatmeoutoftheircorners,withmoreandsharpersubtletythan,onewouldhavethought,couldsurvivethewearandtearofseventyyears.Yet,Ibelieve,hewasagoodoldman. Theheroofhistalewassomeformerpupilofhis,whomhenowcalledhisbenefactor,andwho,itappears,hadlovedthispaleJustineMarie,thedaughterofrichparents,atatimewhenhisownworldlyprospectsweresuchastojustifyhisaspiringtoawell-doweredhand.Thepupil’sfather—oncearichban