the lily of the valley-第48章

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believed　in　so　much　strength？　We　cannot　understand　how　she　can　have

lived　in　this　state　so　long。　This　is　the　forty…second　day　since　she

has　either　eaten　or　drunk。〃



Monsieur　Deslandes　called　for　Manette。　The　Abbe　Birotteau　took　me　to

the　gardens。



〃Let　us　leave　her　to　the　doctor；〃　he　said；　〃with　Manette's　help　he

will　wrap　her　in　opium。　Well；　you　have　heard　her　nowif　indeed　it　is

she　herself。〃



〃No；〃　I　said；　〃it　is　not　she。〃



I　was　stupefied　with　grief。　I　left　the　grounds　by　the　little　gate　of

the　lower　terrace　and　went　to　the　punt；　in　which　I　hid　to　be　alone

with　my　thoughts。　I　tried　to　detach　myself　from　the　being　in　which　I

lived；a　torture　like　that　with　which　the　Tartars　punish　adultery　by

fastening　a　limb　of　the　guilty　man　in　a　piece　of　wood　and　leaving　him

with　a　knife　to　cut　it　off　if　he　would　not　die　of　hunger。　My　life　was

a　failure；　too！　Despair　suggested　many　strange　ideas　to　me。　Sometimes

I　vowed　to　die　beside　her；　sometimes　to　bury　myself　at　Meilleraye

among　the　Trappists。　I　looked　at　the　windows　of　the　room　where

Henriette　was　dying；　fancying　I　saw　the　light　that　was　burning　there

the　night　I　betrothed　my　soul　to　hers。　Ah！　ought　I　not　to　have

followed　the　simple　life　she　had　created　for　me；　keeping　myself

faithfully　to　her　while　I　worked　in　the　world？　Had　she　not　bidden　me

become　a　great　man　expressly　that　I　might　be　saved　from　base　and

shameful　passions？　Chastity！　was　it　not　a　sublime　distinction　which　I

had　not　know　how　to　keep？　Love；　as　Arabella　understood　it；　suddenly

disgusted　me。　As　I　raised　my　humbled　head　asking　myself　where；　in

future；　I　could　look　for　light　and　hope；　what　interest　could　hold　me

to　life；　the　air　was　stirred　by　a　sudden　noise。　I　turned　to　the

terrace　and　there　saw　Madeleine　walking　alone；　with　slow　steps。　During

the　time　it　took　me　to　ascend　the　terrace；　intending　to　ask　the　dear

child　the　reason　of　the　cold　look　she　had　given　me　when　kneeling　at

the　foot　of　the　cross；　she　had　seated　herself　on　the　bench。　When　she

saw　me　approach　her；　she　rose；　pretending　not　to　have　seen　me；　and

returned　towards　the　house　in　a　significantly　hasty　manner。　She　hated

me；　she　fled　from　her　mother's　murderer。



When　I　reached　the　portico　I　saw　Madeleine　like　a　statue；　motionless

and　erect；　evidently　listening　to　the　sound　of　my　steps。　Jacques　was

sitting　in　the　portico。　His　attitude　expressed　the　same　insensibility

to　what　was　going　on　about　him　that　I　had　noticed　when　I　first　saw

him；　it　suggested　ideas　such　as　we　lay　aside　in　some　corner　of　our

mind　to　take　up　and　study　at　our　leisure。　I　have　remarked　that　young

persons　who　carry　death　within　them　are　usually　unmoved　at　funerals。　I

longed　to　question　that　gloomy　spirit。　Had　Madeleine　kept　her　thoughts

to　herself；　or　had　she　inspired　Jacques　with　her　hatred？



〃You　know；　Jacques；〃　I　said；　to　begin　the　conversation；　〃that　in　me

you　have　a　most　devoted　brother。〃



〃Your　friendship　is　useless　to　me；　I　shall　follow　my　mother；〃　he　said；

giving　me　a　sullen　look　of　pain。



〃Jacques！〃　I　cried；　〃you；　too；　against　me？〃



He　coughed　and　walked　away；　when　he　returned　he　showed　me　his

handkerchief　stained　with　blood。



〃Do　you　understand　that？〃　he　said。



Thus　they　had　each　of　them　a　fatal　secret。　I　saw　before　long　that　the

brother　and　sister　avoided　each　other。　Henriette　laid　low；　all　was　in

ruins　at　Clochegourde。



〃Madame　is　asleep；〃　Manette　came　to　say；　quite　happy　in　knowing　that

the　countess　was　out　of　pain。



In　these　dreadful　moments；　though　each　person　knows　the　inevitable

end；　strong　affections　fasten　on　such　minor　joys。　Minutes　are

centuries　which　we　long　to　make　restorative；　we　wish　our　dear　ones　to

lie　on　roses；　we　pray　to　bear　their　sufferings；　we　cling　to　the　hope

that　their　last　moment　may　be　to　them　unexpected。



〃Monsieur　Deslandes　has　ordered　the　flowers　taken　away；　they　excited

Madame's　nerves；〃　said　Manette。



Then　it　was　the　flowers　that　caused　her　delirium；　she　herself　was　not

a　part　of　it。



〃Come；　Monsieur　Felix；〃　added　Manette；　〃come　and　see　Madame；　she　is

beautiful　as　an　angel。〃



I　returned　to　the　dying　woman　just　as　the　setting　sun　was　gilding　the

lace…work　on　the　roofs　of　the　chateau　of　Azay。　All　was　calm　and　pure。

A　soft　light　lit　the　bed　on　which　my　Henriette　was　lying；　wrapped　in

opium。　The　body　was；　as　it　were；　annihilated；　the　soul　alone　reigned

on　that　face；　serene　as　the　skies　when　the　tempest　is　over。　Blanche

and　Henriette；　two　sublime　faces　of　the　same　woman；　reappeared；　all

the　more　beautiful　because　my　recollection；　my　thought；　my

imagination；　aiding　nature；　repaired　the　devastation　of　each　dear

feature；　where　now　the　soul　triumphant　sent　its　gleams　through　the

calm　pulsations　of　her　breathing。　The　two　abbes　were　sitting　at　the

foot　of　the　bed。　The　count　stood；　as　though　stupefied　by　the　banners

of　death　which　floated　above　that　adored　being。　I　took　her　seat　on　the

sofa。　We　all　four　turned　to　each　other　looks　in　which　admiration　for

that　celestial　beauty　mingled　with　tears　of　mourning。　The　lights　of

thought　announced　the　return　of　the　Divine　Spirit　to　that　glorious

tabernacle。



The　Abbe　Dominis　and　I　spoke　in　signs；　communicating　to　each　other　our

mutual　ideas。　Yes；　the　angels　were　watching　her！　yes；　their　flaming

swords　shone　above　that　noble　brow；　which　the　august　expression　of　her

virtue　made；　as　it　were；　a　visible　soul　conversing　with　the　spirits　of

its　sphere。　The　lines　of　her　face　cleared；　all　in　her　was　exalted　and

became　majestic　beneath　the　unseen　incense　of　the　seraphs　who　guarded

her。　The　green　tints　of　bodily　suffering　gave　place　to　pure　white

tones；　the　cold　wan　pallor　of　approaching　death。　Jacques　and　Madeleine

entered。　Madeleine　made　us　quiver　by　the　adoring　impulse　which　flung

her　on　her　knees　beside　the　bed；　crying　out；　with　clasped　hand：　〃My

mother！　here　is　my　mother！〃　Jacques　smiled；　he　knew　he　would　follow

her　where　she　went。



〃She　is　entering　the　haven；〃　said　the　Abbe　Birotteau。



The　Abbe　Dominis　looked　at　me　as　if　to　say：　〃Did　I　not　tell　you　the

star　would　rise　in　all　its　glory？〃



Madeleine　knelt　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　her　mother；　breathing　when　she

breathed；　listening　to　the　soft　breath；　the　last　thread　by　which　she

held　to　life；　and　which　we　followed　in　terror；　fearing　that　every

effort　of　respiration　might　be　the　last。　Like　an　angel　at　the　gates　of

the　sanctuary；　the　young　girl　was　eager　yet　calm；　strong　but　reverent。

At　that　moment　the　Angelus　rang　from　the　village　clock…tower。　Waves　of

tempered　air　brought　its　reverberations　to　remind　us　that　this　was　the

sacred　hour　when　Christianity　repeats　the　words　said　by　the　angel　to

the　woman　who　has　redeemed　the　faults　of　her　sex。　〃Ave　Maria！〃

surely；　at　this　moment　the　words　were　a　salutation　from　heaven。　The

prophecy　was　so　plain；　the　event　so　near　that　we　burst　into　tears。　The

murmuring　sounds　of　evening；　melodious　breezes　in　the　leafage；　last

warbling　of　the　birds；　the　hum　and　echo　of　the　insects；　the　voices　of

the　waters；　the　plaintive　cry　of　the　tree…frog；all　country　things

were　bidding　farewell　to　the　loveliest　lily　of　the　valley；　to　her

simple；　rural　life。　The　religious　poesy　of　the　hour；　now　added　to　that

of　Nature；　expressed　so　vividly　the　psalm　of　the　departing　soul　that

our　sobs　redoubled。



Though　the　door　of　the　chamber　was　open　we　were　all　so　plunged　in

contemplation　of　the　scene；　as　if　to　imprint　its　memories　forever　on

our　souls；　that　we　did　not　notice　the　family　servants　who　were

kneeling　as　a　group　and　praying　fervently。　These　poor　people；　living

on　hope；　had　believed　their　mistress　might　be　spared；　and　this　plain

warning　overcame　them。　At　a　sign　from　the　Abbe　Birotteau　the　old

huntsman　went　to　fetch　the　curate　of　Sache。　The　doctor；　standing　by

the　bed；　calm　as　science；　and　holding　the　hand　of　the　still　sleeping

woman；　had　made　the　confessor　a　sign　to　say　that　this　sleep　was　the

only　hour　without　pain　which　remained　for　the　recalled　angel。　The

moment　had　come　to　administer　the　last　sacraments　of　the　Church。　At

nine　o'clock　she　awoke　quietly；　looked　at　us　with　surprised　but　gentle

eyes；　and　we　beheld　our　idol　once　more　in　all　the　beauty　of　former

days。



〃Mother！　you　are　too　beautiful　to　dielife　and　health　are　coming　back

to　you！〃　cried　Madeleine。



〃Dear　daughter；　I　shall　livein　thee；〃　she　answered；　smiling。



Then　followed　heart…rending　embraces　of　the　mother　and　her　children。

Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　kissed　his　wife　upon　her　brow。　She　colored　when

she　saw　me。



〃Dear　Felix；〃　she　said；　〃this　is；　I　think；　the　only　grief　that　I　shall

ever　have　caused　you。　Forget　all　that　I　may　have　said；I；　a　poor

creature　much　beside　myself。〃　She　held　out　her　hand；　I　took　it　and

kissed　it。　Then　she　said；　with　her　chaste　and　gracious　smile；　〃As　in

the　old　days；　Felix？〃



We　all　left　the　room　and　went　into　the　salon　during　the　last

confession。　I　approached　Madeleine。　In　presence　of　others　she　could

not　escape　me　without　a　breach　of　civility；　but；　like　her　mother；　she

looked　at　no　one；　and　kept　silence　without　even　once　turning　her　eyes

in　my　direction。



〃Dear　Madeleine；〃　I　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃What　have　you　against　me？

Why　do　you　show　such　coldness　in　the　presence　of　death；　which　ought　to

reconcile　us　all？〃



〃I　hear　in　my　heart　what　my　mother　is　saying　at　this　moment；〃　she

replied；　with　a　look　which　Ingres　gave　to　his　〃Mother　of　God；〃that

virgin；　already　sorrowful；　preparing　herself　to　protect　the　world　for

which　her　son　was　about　to　die。



〃And　you　condemn　me　at　the　moment　when　your　mother　absolves　me；if

indeed　I　am　guilty。〃



〃You；　YOU；〃　she　said；　〃always　YOUR　SELF！〃



The　tones　of　her　voice　revealed　the　determined　hatred　of　a　Corsican；

implacable　as　the　judgments　of　those　who；　not　having　studied　life；

admit　of　no　extenuation　of　faults　committed　against　the　laws　of　the

heart。



An　hour　went　by　in　deepest　silence。　The　Abbe　Birotteau　came　to　us

after　receiving　the　countess's　general　confession；　and　we　followed　him

back　to　the　room　where　Henriette；　under　one　of　those　impulses　which

often　come　to　noble　minds；　all　sisters　of　one　intent；　had　made　them

dress　her　in　the　long　white　garment　which　was　to　be　her　shroud。　We

found　her　sitting　up；　beautiful　from　expiation；　beautiful　in　hope。　I

saw　in　the　fireplace　the　black　ashes　of　my　letters　which　had　just　been

burned；　a　sacrifice　which；　as　her　confessor　afterwards　told　me；　she

had　not　been　willing　to　make　until　the　hour　of　her　death。　She　smiled

upon　us　all　with　the　smile　of　other　days。　Her　eyes；　moist　with　tears；

gave　evidence　of　inward　lucidity；　she　saw　the　celestial　joys　of　the

promised　land。



〃Dear　Felix；〃　she　said；　holding　out　her　hand　and　pressing　mine；　〃stay

with　us。　You　must　be　present　at　the　last　scene　of　my　life；　not　the

least　painful　among　many　such；　but　one　in　which　you　are　concerned。〃



She　made　a　sign　and　the　door　was　closed。　At　her　re