CHAPTER XXXIV. MALEVOLA.

ker—hadfailed,died,andleftbehindhimonlydebtsanddestitution.ThesonwasthenforbiddentothinkofMarieespeciallythatoldwitchofagrand-dameIhadseen,MadameWalravens,opposedthematchwithalltheviolenceofatemperwhichdeformitymadesometimesdemoniac.ThemildMariehadneitherthetreacherytobefalse,northeforcetobequitestaunchtoherlovershegaveupherfirstsuitor,but,refusingtoacceptasecondwithaheavierpurse,withdrewtoaconvent,andtherediedinhernoviciate. Lastinganguish,itseems,hadtakenpossessionofthefaithfulheartwhichworshippedher,andthetruthofthatloveandgriefhadbeenshowninamannerwhichtouchedevenme,asIlistened. SomeyearsafterJustineMarie’sdeath,ruinhadcomeonherhousetoo:herfather,bynominalcallingajeweller,butwhoalsodealtagooddealontheBourse,hadbeenconcernedinsomefinancialtransactionswhichentailedexposureandruinousfines.Hediedofgrieffortheloss,andshamefortheinfamy.Hisoldhunchbackedmotherandhisbereavedwifewereleftpenniless,andmighthavediedtooofwantbuttheirlostdaughter’sonce-despised,yetmosttrue-heartedsuitor,hearingoftheconditionoftheseladies,camewithsingulardevotednesstotherescue.Hetookontheirinsolentpridetherevengeofthepurestcharity—housing,caringfor,befriendingthem,soasnosoncouldhavedoneitmoretenderlyandefficiently.Themother—onthewholeagoodwoman—diedblessinghimthestrange,godless,loveless,misanthropegrandmotherlivedstill,entirelysupportedbythisself-sacrificingman.Her,whohadbeenthebaneofhislife,blightinghishope,andawardinghim,forloveanddomestichappiness,longmourningandcheerlesssolitude,hetreatedwiththerespectagoodsonmightofferakindmother.Hehadbroughthertothishouse,“and,”continuedthepriest,whilegenuinetearsrosetohiseyes,“here,too,hesheltersme,hisoldtutor,andAgnes,asuperannuatedservantofhisfather’sfamily.Tooursustenance,andtoothercharities,Iknowhedevotesthree-partsofhisincome,keepingonlythefourthtoprovidehimselfwithbreadandthemostmodestaccommodations.Bythisarrangementhehasrendereditimpossibletohimselfevertomarry:hehasgivenhimselftoGodandtohisangel-brideasmuchasifhewereapriest,likeme.” Thefatherhadwipedawayhistearsbeforeheutteredtheselastwords,andinpronouncingthem,heforoneinstantraisedhiseyestomine.Icaughtthisglance,despiteitsveiledcharacterthemomentarygleamshotameaningwhichstruckme. TheseRomanistsarestrangebeings.Suchaoneamongthem—whomyouknownomorethanthelastIncaofPeru,orthefirstEmperorofChina—knowsyouandallyourconcernsandhashisreasonsforsayingtoyousoandso,whenyousimplythoughtthecommunicationsprangimpromptufromtheinstant’simpulse:hisplaninbringingitaboutthatyoushallcomeonsuchaday,tosuchaplace,undersuchandsuchcircumstances,whenthewholearrangementseemstoyourcrudeapprehensiontheordinanceofchance,orthesequelofexigency.MadameBeck’ssuddenly-recollectedmessageandpresent,myartlessembassytothePlaceoftheMagi,theoldpriestaccidentallydescendingthestepsandcrossingthesquare,hisinterpositiononmybehalfwiththebonnewhowouldhavesentmeaway,hisreappearanceonthestaircase,myintroductiontothisroom,theportrait,thenarrativesoaffablyvolunteered—alltheselittleincidents,takenastheyfellout,seemedeachindependentofitssuccessorahandfulofloosebeads:butthreadedthroughbythatquick-shotandcraftyglanceofaJesuit-eye,theydroppedpendentinalongstring,likethatrosaryontheprie-dieu.Wherelaythelinkofjunction,wherethelittleclaspofthismonasticnecklace?Isaworfeltunion,butcouldnotyetfindthespot,ordetectthemeansofconnection. Perhapsthemusing-fitintowhichIhadbythistimefallen,appearedsomewhatsuspiciousinitsabstractionhegentlyinterrupted:“Mademoiselle,”saidhe,“Itrustyouhavenotfartogothroughtheseinundatedstreets?” “Morethanhalfaleague.” “Youlive——?” “IntheRueFossette.” “Not”(withanimation),“notatthepensionnatofMadameBeck?” “Thesame.” “Donc”(clappinghishands),“donc,vousdevezconna?tremonnobleélève,monPaul?” “MonsieurPaulEmanuel,ProfessorofLiterature?” “Heandnoneother.” Abriefsilencefell.ThespringofjunctionseemedsuddenlytohavebecomepalpableIfeltityieldtopressure. “WasitofM.Paulyouhavebeenspeaking?”Ipresentlyinquired.“WasheyourpupilandthebenefactorofMadameWalravens?” “Yes,andofAgnes,theoldservant:andmoreover,(withacertainemphasis),hewasandisthelover,true,constantandeternal,ofthatsaintinheaven—JustineMarie.” “Andwho,father,areyou?”IcontinuedandthoughIaccentuatedthequestion,itsutterancewasw