enlightened by the spirit of the Church； I wish to consult you as to
the manner in which I ought as a true Christian to leave this life。
You； austere and saintly spirits； think you that if God deigns to
pardon one whose repentance is the deepest； the most absolute； that
ever shook a human soul； think you that even then I have made my full
expiation here below？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the archbishop； 〃yes； my daughter。〃
〃No； my father； no！〃 she said rising in her bed； the lightning
flashing from her eyes。 〃Not far from here there is a grave； where an
unhappy man is lying beneath the weight of a dreadful crime； here in
this sumptuous home is a woman； crowned with the fame of benevolence
and virtue。 This woman is blessed； that poor young man is cursed。 The
criminal is covered with obloquy； I receive the respect of all。 I had
the largest share in the sin； he has a share； a large share in the
good which has won for me such glory and such gratitude。 Fraud that I
am； I have the honor； he； the martyr to his loyalty； has the shame。 I
shall die in a few hours； and the canton will mourn me； the whole
department will ring with my good deeds； my piety； my virtue； but he
died covered with insults； in sight of a whole population rushing；
with hatred to a murderer； to see him die。 You； my judges； you are
indulgent to me； yet I hear within myself an imperious voice which
will not let me rest。 Ah！ the hand of God； less tender than yours；
strikes me from day to day； as if to warn me that all is not expiated。
My sins cannot be redeemed except by a public confession。 He is happy！
criminal； he gave his life with ignominy in face of earth and heaven；
and I； I cheat the world as I cheated human justice。 The homage I
receive humiliates me； praise sears my heart。 Do you not see； in the
very coming of the /procureur…general/； a command from heaven echoing
the voice in my own soul which cries to me： Confess！〃
The two priests； the prince of the Church as well as the humble
rector； these two great lights； each in his own way； stood with their
eyes lowered and were silent。 Deeply moved by the grandeur and the
resignation of the guilty woman； the judges could not pronounce her
sentence。
〃My child；〃 said the archbishop at last； raising his noble head；
macerated by the customs of his austere life； 〃you are going beyond
the commandments of the Church。 The glory of the Church is to make her
dogma conform to the habits and manners of each age； for the Church
goes on from age to age in company with humanity。 According to her
present decision secret confession has taken the place of public
confession。 This substitution has made the new law。 The sufferings you
have endured suffice。 Die in peace： God has heard you。〃
〃But is not this desire of a guilty woman in conformity with the law
of the first Church； which has enriched heaven with as many saints and
martyrs and confessing souls as there are stars in the firmament？〃
persisted Veronique； vehemently。 〃Who said： /Confess yourselves to one
another/？ Was it not the disciples； who lived with the Saviour？ Let me
confess my shame publicly on my knees。 It will redeem my sin to the
world； to that family exiled and almost extinct through me。 The world
ought to know that my benefactions are not an offering； but the
payment of a debt。 Suppose that later； after my death； something tore
from my memory the lying veil which covers me。 Ah！ that idea is more
than I can bear； it is death indeed！〃
〃I see in this too much of calculation； my child；〃 said the
archbishop； gravely。 〃Passions are still too strong in you； the one I
thought extinct is〃
〃Oh！ I swear to you； Monseigneur；〃 she said； interrupting the prelate
and fixing her eyes； full of horror； upon him； 〃my heart is as
purified as that of a guilty and repentant woman can be； there is
nothing now within me but the thought of God。〃
〃Monseigneur；〃 said the rector in a tender voice； 〃let us leave
celestial justice to take its course。 It is now four years since I
have strongly opposed this wish； it is the only difference that has
ever come between my penitent and myself。 I have seen to the depths of
that soul； and I know this earth has no longer any hold there。 Though
the tears； the remorse； the contrition of fifteen years relate to the
mutual sin of those two persons； believe me there are no remains of
earthly passion in this long and terrible bewailing。 Memory no longer
mingles its flames with those of an ardent penitence。 Yes； tears have
at last extinguished that great fire。 I guarantee；〃 he said；
stretching his hand over Madame Graslin's head； and letting his
moistened eyes be seen； 〃I guarantee the purity of that angelic soul。
And also I see in this desire the thought of reparation to an absent
family； a member of which God has brought back here by one of those
events which reveal His providence。〃
Veronique took the trembling hand of the rector and kissed it。
〃You have often been very stern to me； dear pastor； but at this moment
I see where you keep your apostolic gentleness。 You；〃 she said；
looking at the archbishop； 〃you； the supreme head of this corner of
God's kingdom； be to me； in this moment of ignominy； a support。 I must
bow down as the lowest of women； but you will lift me up pardoned and
possiblythe equal of those who never sinned。〃
The archbishop was silent； weighing no doubt all the considerations
his practised eye perceived。
〃Monseigneur；〃 said the rector； 〃religion has had some heavy blows。
This return to ancient customs； brought about by the greatness of the
sin and its repentance； may it not be a triumph we have no right to
refuse？〃
〃But they will say we are fanatics！ They will declare we have exacted
this cruel scene！〃
And again the archbishop was silent and thoughtful。
At this moment Horace Bianchon and Roubaud entered the room； after
knocking。 As the door opened Veronique saw her mother； her son； and
all the servants of the household on their knees praying。 The rectors
of the two adjacent parishes had come to assist Monsieur Bonnet； and
also； perhaps； to pay their respects to the great prelate； for whom
the French clergy now desired the honors of the cardinalate； hoping
that the clearness of his intellect； which was thoroughly Gallican；
would enlighten the Sacred College。
Horace Bianchon returned to Paris； before departing； he came to bid
farewell to the dying woman and thank her for her munificence。 Slowly
he approached； perceiving from the faces of the priests that the
wounds of the soul had been the determining cause of those of the
body。 He took Madame Graslin's hand； laid it on the bed and felt the
pulse。 The deep silence； that of a summer night in a country solitude；
gave additional solemnity to the scene。 The great salon； seen through
the double doors； was lighted up for the little company of persons who
were praying there； all were on their knees except the two priests who
were seated and reading their brevaries。 On either side of the grand
state bed were the prelate in his violet robes； the rector； and the
two physicians。
〃She is agitated almost unto death；〃 said Horace Bianchon； who； like
all men of great talent； sometimes used speech as grand as the
occasion that called it forth。
The archbishop rose as if some inward impulse drove him； he called to
Monsieur Bonnet； and together they crossed the room； passed through
the salon； and went out upon the terrace； where they walked up and
down for some moments。 When they returned； after discussing this case
of ecclesiastical discipline； Roubaud met them。
XXI
CONFESSION AT THE GATES OF THE TOMB
At ten o'clock in the morning the archbishop； wearing his pontifical
robes； came into Madame Graslin's chamber。 The prelate； as well as the
rector； had such confidence in this woman that they gave her no advice
or instructions as to the limits within which she ought to make her
confession。
Veronique now saw an assemblage of clergy from all the neighboring
districts。 Monseigneur was assisted by four vicars。 The magnificent
vessels she had bestowed upon her dear parish church were brought to
the house and gave splendor to the ceremony。 Eight choristers in their
white and red surplices stood in two rows from the bed to the door of
the salon； each holding one of the large bronze…gilt candelabra which
Veronique had ordered from Paris。 The cross and the church banner were
held on either side of the bed by white…haired sacristans。 Thanks to
the devotion of her servants； a wooden altar brought from the sacristy
had been erected close to the door of the salon； and so prepared and
decorated that Monseigneur could say mass upon it。
Madame Graslin was deeply touched by these attentions； which the
Church； as a general thing； grants only to royal personages。 The
folding doors between the salon and the dining…room were open； and she
could see a vista of the ground…floor rooms filled with the village
population。 Her friends had thought of everything； the salon was
occupied exclusively by themselves and the servants of the household。
In the front rank and grouped before the door of the bedroom were her
nearest friends； those on whose discretion reliance could be placed。
MM。 Grossetete； de Grandville； Roubaud； Gerard； Clousier； Ruffin； took
the first places。 They had arranged among themselves that they should
rise and stand in a group； thus preventing the words of the repentant
woman from being heard in the farther rooms； but their tears and sobs
would； in any case； have drowned her voice。
At this moment and before all else in that audience； two persons
presented； to an observer； a powerfully affecting sight。 One was
Denise Tascheron。 Her foreign garments； of Quaker simplicity； made her
unrecognizable by her former village acquaintance。 The other was quite
another personage； an acquaintance not to be forgotten； and his
apparition there was like a streak of lurid light。 The /procureur…
general/ came suddenly to a perception of the truth； the part that he
had played to Madame Graslin unrolled itself before him； he divined it
to its fullest extent。 Less influenced； as a son of the nineteenth
century； by the religious aspect of the matter； Monsieur de
Grandvi