CHAPTER XXXIV. MALEVOLA.

ellnighsuperfluousIwaserethisquitepreparedfortheanswerwhichactuallycame. “I,daughter,amPèreSilasthatunworthysonofHolyChurchwhomyouoncehonouredwithanobleandtouchingconfidence,showingmethecoreofaheart,andtheinnershrineofamindwhereof,insolemntruth,Icovetedthedirection,inbehalfoftheonlytruefaith.NorhaveIforadaylostsightofyou,norforanhourfailedtotakeinyouarootedinterest.PassedunderthedisciplineofRome,mouldedbyherhightraining,inoculatedwithhersalutarydoctrines,inspiredbythezealshealonegives—Irealizewhatthenmightbeyourspiritualrank,yourpracticalvalueandIenvyHeresyherprey.” Thisstruckmeasaspecialstateofthings—Ihalf-realizedmyselfinthatconditionalsopassedunderdiscipline,moulded,trained,inoculated,andsoon.“Notso,”thoughtI,butIrestraineddeprecation,andsatquietlyenough. “IsupposeM.Pauldoesnotlivehere?”Iresumed,pursuingathemewhichIthoughtmoretothepurposethananywildrenegadedreams. “Noheonlycomesoccasionallytoworshiphisbelovedsaint,tomakehisconfessiontome,andtopayhisrespectstoherhecallshismother.Hisownlodgingconsistsbutoftworooms:hehasnoservant,andyethewillnotsufferMadameWalravenstodisposeofthosesplendidjewelswithwhichyouseeheradorned,andinwhichshetakesapuerileprideastheornamentsofheryouth,andthelastrelicsofhersonthejeweller’swealth.” “Howoften,”murmuredItomyself,“hasthisman,thisM.Emanuel,seemedtometolackmagnanimityintrifles,yethowgreatheisingreatthings!” IownIdidnotreckonamongsttheproofsofhisgreatness,eithertheactofconfession,orthesaint-worship. “Howlongisitsincethatladydied?”Iinquired,lookingatJustineMarie. “Twentyyears.ShewassomewhatolderthanM.Emanuelhewasthenveryyoung,forheisnotmuchbeyondforty.” “Doesheyetweepher?” “Hisheartwillweepheralways:theessenceofEmanuel’snatureis—constancy.” Thiswassaidwithmarkedemphasis. Andnowthesunbrokeoutpallidandwaterishtherainyetfell,buttherewasnomoretempest:thathotfirmamenthadclovenandpouredoutitslightnings.Alongerdelaywouldscarceleavedaylightformyreturn,soIrose,thankedthefatherforhishospitalityandhistale,wasbenignantlyansweredbya“paxvobiscum,”whichImadekindlywelcome,becauseitseemedutteredwithatruebenevolencebutIlikedlessthemysticphraseaccompanyingit. “Daughter,youshallbewhatyoushallbe!”anoraclethatmademeshrugmyshouldersassoonasIhadgotoutsidethedoor.Fewofusknowwhatwearetocometocertainly,butforallthathadhappenedyet,Ihadgoodhopesoflivinganddyingasober-mindedProtestant:therewasahollownesswithin,andaflourisharound“HolyChurch”whichtemptedmebutmoderately.Iwentonmywayponderingmanythings.WhateverRomanismmaybe,therearegoodRomanists:thisman,Emanuel,seemedofthebesttouchedwithsuperstition,influencedbypriestcraft,yetwondrousforfondfaith,forpiousdevotion,forsacrificeofself,forcharityunbounded.ItremainedtoseehowRome,byheragents,handledsuchqualitieswhethershecherishedthemfortheirownsakeandforGod’s,orputthemouttousuryandmadebootyoftheinterest. BythetimeIreachedhome,itwassundown.Gotonhadkindlysavedmeaportionofdinner,whichindeedIneeded.Shecalledmeintothelittlecabinettopartakeofit,andthereMadameBecksoonmadeherappearance,bringingmeaglassofwine. “Well,”beganshe,chuckling,“andwhatsortofareceptiondidMadameWalravensgiveyou?Elleestdr?le,n’est-cepas?” Itoldherwhathadpassed,deliveringverbatimthecourteousmessagewithwhichIhadbeencharged. “Ohlasingulièrepetitebossue!”laughedshe.“Etfigurez-vousqu’ellemedéteste,parcequ’ellemecroitamoureusedemoncousinPaulcepetitdévotquin’osepasbouger,àmoinsquesonconfesseurneluidonnelapermission!Aureste”(shewenton),“ifhewantedtomarryeversomuch—soitmoi,soituneautre—hecouldnotdoithehastoolargeafamilyalreadyonhishands:MèreWalravens,PèreSilas,DameAgnes,andawholetroopofnamelesspaupers.Thereneverwasamanlikehimforlayingonhimselfburdensgreaterthanhecanbear,voluntarilyincurringneedlessresponsibilities.Besides,heharboursaromanticideaaboutsomepale-facedMarieJustine—personnageassezniaiseàcequejepense”(suchwasMadame’sirreverentremark),“whohasbeenanangelinheaven,orelsewhere,thisscoreofyears,andtowhomhemeanstogo,freefromallearthlyties,purecommeunlis,àcequ’ildit.Oh,youwouldlaughcouldyoubutknowhalfM.Emanuel’scrotchetsandeccentricities!ButIhinderyoufromtakingrefreshment,mabonneMeess,whichyoumustneedeatyoursupper,drinkyourwine,oubliezlesanges,lesbossues,etsurtout,lesProfesseurs—etbonsoir!”