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第40章

  Therakeandwat’ring-potweredownAmongstthejonquilsoverthrown;
  Thebroken-branchedrosesrunningriot;
  Thedandelion,groundsell,allabout;
  Andthenicewalks,laidoutwithsomuchtaste,Nowcover’dwithneglectedweedsandwantonwaste。
  Oh!whathashappenedhere?Whereisthelivelymaid?
  Thelittlebirdsnowwhisperingsaid;
  Herhomeissparklingtherebeyond,Withtuftedbranchofhazelround;
  Let’sjustpeepin,thedoorisopen,Wemakenonoise,butletuslisten。
  Ah!there’sgrandmother,onherarm-chair,fastasleep!
  Andhere,besidethecasementdeep,ThemaidofEstanquet,insaddenedpainandgrief,Thetearsdown-fallingonherprettyhand;
  Towhomnojoynorhopecanevergiverelief!
  Ah!yes,’twasdarkenough!foritisFranconnette,Alreadyyou’vedivineditisourpet!
  Andseehernow,poormaiden,Bendingbeneaththefalsestblow,o’erladen;
  Shesobsandweepsalternately——
  Herheartisrentandempty,Oft,toconsoleherself,sherises,walks,andwalksagain;
  Alas!hertroubleissofullofpain——
  Awakeorsleeping——
  she’sonlysoothedbyweeping。
  DaughterofHuguenotaccursed,AndbanishedfromtheChurch!
  Soldtothedemon;she’sforevercursed!
  Grandmother,waking,said,”Child,’tisnottrue;
  Itmattersnot;’tisbutthyfatherfled,Noonecancontradictthatravingcrew;
  Theyknownotwhereheis,andcouldtheyseehim,Theywouldsofrightenedbe,they’dnotbelievetheireen!””Howchangedthingsare,”saidFranconnette,”beforeIwassohappy;
  ThenIwasvillagequeen,allfollowedloveinharmony;
  Andallthelads,topleaseme,Wouldcomebarefooted,e’enthroughserpents’nests,toblessme!
  Butnow,tobedespisedandcurst,I,whowasoncetheveryfirst!
  AndPascal,too,whomonceIthoughtthebest,Inallmymiseryshunsmelikeapest!
  Nowthatheknowsmyverysadmishaps,Hene’erconsoleswithmeatall——perhaps——”
  Shediddeceiveherself。Hergriefto-daywassoftenedByhearingthatPascal’gainstslandersherdefended;
  Suchmagichelp,itwasabalmHerachingsoultocalm;
  Andthen,tosweetenallherill,ShethoughtalwaysofPascal——didthissoftenedgirl。
  Whatisthatsound?Asuddenshriek!
  Grandmotherdreamt——shewasnowwideawake;
  Thegirlsprangtoher;shesaid,”Isn’tthehouseaflame?
  Ah!twasadream!ThankGod!”hermurmurcame。”Dearheart,”thegirlsaidsoftly;”whatwasthisdreamofthine?””Oh,love!’twasnight,andloudferociousmen,methoughtCamelightingfiresallroundourlittlecot,Andthoudid’stcryuntothem,daughtermine,Tosaveme,butdid’stvainlystrive,Forherewetoomustburnalive!
  ThetormentthatIbore!HowshallIcuremyfrightComehither,darling,letmeholdtheetight!”
  Thenthewhite-headeddame,inwitheredarmsoflove,Withyearningtendernessfoldedthebrown-hairedgirl,whostrove,Bymanyasmile,andmutecaress,Toheartenher,untilatlengthTheagedonecriedout,herlovegavevitalstrength,”SoldtotheDemon,thou?Itisahideouslie!
  Therefore,dearchild,weepnotsopiteously;
  Takecourage!Bethoubraveinheartoncemore,Thouartmorelovelythanbefore——
  Takegrannie’swordforthat!Arise!
  Goforth;whohidesfromenviouseyesMakeswickedpeoplespiteful;I’veheardthis,mypet;
  Iknowfullwellthere’sonewholovestheeyet——
  Marcelwouldguardtheewithhislove;
  Thoulik’stnothim?Ah!couldhemoveThyfeelings,hewouldshieldthee,dear,Andclaimtheeforhisown。
  ButIamalltoofeeblegrown;
  Yetstay,mydarling,stay!To-morrow’sEasterDay,GothoutoMass,andprayasne’erbefore!
  Thentaketheblessedbread,ifsothegoodGodmayThepreciousfavourofhisformersmilerestore,Andonthysweetface,clearasday,Ownthouartnumberedwithhischildrenevermore!”
  Thensuchagleamofhopelittheoldfaceagain,Furrowedsodeepwithyearsandpain,That,fallingonherneck,themaidenpromisedwell,Andoncemoreonthewhitecotsilencefell。
  When,therefore,onthemorrow,camethecountry-side,ToheartheHallelujasinthechurchofSaintPierre;
  GreatwasthewondermentofthosethatspiedThemaiden,Franconnette,silentlykneelingthere,Tellingherbeadswithdowncasteyesofprayer。
  Sheneeds,poorthing,Heaven’smercytoimplore,Forne’erawoman’swillshewin!
  Butthen,beholdinghersweetmien,WereMarvelandPascal,eyeingherfondlyo’er;
  Shesawthemwithherglances,darkasnight,Thenshrinkingback,theyleftherallalone,Midwayofagreatcircle,astheymightSomepoorcondemnedoneBearingsomestigmaonherbrowinsight。
  Thiswasnotall,poorchild!Itwaswellknown——
  Thewarden,uncletoMarcel,CarriedtheBlessedBread;
  Andlikeacouncillor,didswellInlong-tailedcoat,withpompoustread:
  Butwhenthetremblingmaid,makingacross,essayedTotakeadoubleportion,asherdearoldgrandamebade,Rightintheviewofeveryeye,Thesacredbaskethewithdrew,andpassedherwhollyAndso,deniedherportionofthebreadwherebywelive,She,ongladEaster,dothreceiveDismissalfromGod’shouseforaye。
  Themaid,tremblingwithfear,thoughtallwaslostindeed!
  Butno!shehathafriendatneed;
  ’TwasPascal,whohadseenherallthewhile——
  Pacal,whoseyoungfootwalkedalongtheaisle,Hemadethequest,andnothingloth,Inviewofuncleandofnephewboth,Dothquietlytoherpresent,Uponasilverplate,withflowersfairblossoming,Thecrown-piece[5]oftheHolySacrament——
  Andalltheworldbeholdsthepiousoffering。
  Oh!momentfullofjoy;herbloodsprangintofleetness;
  Warmthwasinallherframe,hersensesthrilledwithsweetness;
  ShesawthebreadofGodarisenOutofitsearthlyprison,Thuslifeuntoherownwasgiven:
  Butwhereforedidherbrowquiteblushinggrow?
  Becausetheangelbrightoflove,Itrow,DidwithherglowingbreathimpartLifetotheflamelongsmoulderinginherheart。
  Itdidbecomeasomethingstrange,andpassingalldesireAshoneysweet,andquickasfireDidhersadsoulilluminateWithanewbeing;and,thoughlate,Sheknewthewordforherdelight,Thefairenigmashecouldguess。
  Peopleandpriestallvanish’dfromhersight,Shesawinallthechurchonlyonemanaright——
  Hewhomshelovedatlast,withutmostgratefulness。
  ThenfromSaintPeter’schurchthethrongwidelydispersed,Andofthescandaltheyhadseen,noweagerlyconversed;
  ButlostnotsightofheratallWhoboretheBreadofHonourtotheancientdame,erethis,Shesittethnowalone,shutinherchambersmall,WhileFranconnettebeamsbrightlywithhernew-foundbliss。
  Ontheparchedearth,wherefallstheearliestdew,Asshinesthesun’sfirstrays,thewinterflown——
  Solove’sfirstsparkawakestolifeanew,Andfillsthestartledmindwithjoyunknown。
  Themaidenyieldedeverythoughttothis——
  Thetremblingcertaintyofrealbliss;
  Thelightningofajoybeforeimproved,Flash’dinherheart,andtoldherthatsheloved。
  Shefledfromenvy,andfromcuriouseyes,Anddreamed,asallhavedone,theirwakingdreams,BiddinginthoughtbrightfairyfabricsriseToshrinethelovedoneintheirgoldengleams。
  Alas!thesageisright,’tisthedistrestWhodreamthefondest,andwholovethebest。
  Butwhenthesaddenedheartcontrolsusquite,Itquicklyturnstogallthesweetsofourdelight。
  Thensherememberedall!Theopeningheaventurnedgrey,Dreadthoughtnowsmitesherheavily。
  Dreamssheoflove?Why,whatisshe?