首页 >出版文学> Jasmin>第41章

第41章

  Sweetloveisnotforher!ThedreadedsorcererHathsaidshe’sfore-soldforaprice——amurderer!
  Withheartofdev’lishwrath,whichwhosodarestobraveToliewithheronenight,thereinshallfindhisgrave。
  She,toseePascalperishatherside!”OhGod!havepityonmenow!”shecried。
  So,rentwithcruelagonies,Andweepingverysore,Fellthepoorchilduponherknees,Herlittleshrinebefore。”Oh,HolyVirgin!”——sighing——”ontheealonerelying,Icome;I’mallastray!FatherandmothertooAredeadlangsyne,andIaccursed!AlltonguesarecryingThishideoustale!Yetsavemeif’tbetrue;
  Iftheyhavefalselysworn,beitontheirsoulsborneWhenIshallbringmytaperonthefete-daymorn[6]
  Oh!blessedMother,letmeseeThatIamnotdeniedofthee!”
  Briefprayer,Though’tissincere,ToHeavenmountsquickly,Suretohavewonagraciousear;
  Themaidherpurposeholds,andpondersmomently,Andoftentimesgrowssick,andcannotspeakforfear,Butsometimestakethheart,andsuddenhopeandstrongShinesinhersoul,asbrightestmeteorgleamstheskyalong。
  FOURTHPART。
  TheFeteatNotreDame——OfferingtotheVirgin——ThunderstrokeandTaperExtinguished——TheStormatRoquefort——
  FireatEstanquet——TriumphofPascal——FuryofMarcel——
  PowerofaMother——BadHeadandGoodHeart——Conclusion。
  Atlast,beholdthedayshelongedfor,yetsofearfully,Butlo!thesunrosecheerfully;
  Andlong,longlinesofwhite-robedvillagegirlsFromallthecountryround,walkedtow’rdsthetinklingbells,Andsoon,proudNotreDameappearedinsight,As’midstacloudofperfume!
  ’TwasifthethirtyhamletsintheirmightWerepiledtogetherintoone。
  Whatpriests!Whatcandles!Crucifixes!Garlands!
  WhatAngels,[7]andwhatbanners!
  YouseethereArtigues,Puymiral,Astafort,Saint-Cirq,Cardonnet,Lusignan,Brax,Roquefort,Butthisyear,Roquefortfirst,o’erleapethall。
  Whatcrowdsthereareofcuriouspeople,TowatchthegirlsoldtotheDevil!
  Thenewshastravelledeverywhere;
  Theyknowthatshe,insilentprayer,ImplorestheVirgintoprotectherthere!
  Herneighboursscoff,andhermenace,Butsaddenedfriendsgrieveathersoredisgrace,Love,throughtheirheart,infervourrills,Eachonerespectsthisplaintivestofgirls;
  Andmanyapityingsoulaprayersaid,ThatsomegreatmiraclemightyetbemadeInfavourofthispoorandsuppliantmaid。
  Shesaw,rejoiced,morehopewithherabode;
  ThoughvoiceofpeopleisthevoiceofGod!
  Oh!howherheartbeatasthechurchsheneared,’TwasfortheVirgin’sindulgenceshecared。
  Motherswithheartaches;youngunfortunates;
  Theorphangirls;thewomenwithoutmates;
  Allkneltbefore,withtaperswaxen,TheimageoftheVirgin;
  Andtheretheagedpriest,insurplicedressed,Placedthecrossesattheirlips,andafterwardsthemblessed。
  Nosignofsorrowdidonanysuppliantfall,Butwiththeirhappyhearts,theirwayswentoneandall,SoFranconnettegrewhappytoo,AndmostbecausePascalprayedferventinherview;
  Shedaredt’raisehereyestotheholyfather’sface,Itseemedtoherthatlove,hymns,lights,andtheincenseUnited,criedout,”Grace!””Grace,gracedivine,”shesighed,”andlove!Letthembemine!”
  Thenstretchingouthertaperlit,andfollowedtotheshrine,Bearingagarlandinherhand;andallaboutherstroveTogiveaplacetoher,andbadeherforwardmove。
  Theyfixedtheireyesuponthesacredpriestandher,Andscarceabreathwasdrawn,andnotasouldidstir;
  Butwhenthepriest,holdingtheimageofredeeminglove,Hadlaiditontheorphan’slips;beforeherkisswasgiven,Burstaterrificthunderpeal,asif’twouldrendtheheaven,Blowinghertaperout,andallthealtarlightsabove。
  Oh,whatisthis?Thecrashingthunder!
  Herprayerdenied,thelightsputout!
  GoodGod!she’ssoldindeed!All,allistrue,nodoubt,Soalongmurmurroseofhorrorandofwonder;
  ForwhilethemaidenbreathlesslyCoweringlikesomelostsoul,theirshudderingglancesunder,Suddencreptforth,allshrunkaway,andletherpassthemby。
  Howbeit,thatgreatpealwastheopeningblowOfawildstormandterrible,ThatstraightwayuponRoquefortfell,ThespireofSaintPierre[8]layinruinslow,And,smittenbythesharpscourgeofthehail,Inalltheregionround,mencouldbutweepandwail。
  TheangelbandswhowalkedthatdayInfairprocession,hymnstosing,Turnedsorrowing,allsaveone,away,Orapronobischaunting。
  Yet,inthoseearlytimes,thoughnotasnow,Theangrywavestoclear;
  TootherjealoustownscouldAgenshowGreatbridgesthree,asshearoyalcitywere;
  Thenshehadonlybargestwo,bypolespropelledslow,Thatwaitedfortheminstrels,tobearthemtoRoquefort,Whosevillagersheardrumoursofthewidespreadwoe;
  Erelanding,theywererangedforsingingontheshore。
  Atfirstthetalebuthalftheyheed,Butsoontheyseeinverydeed,Vineyardsandhappyfieldswithhopelessruinsmit;
  Theneachletfallhisbannerfair,AndlamentationsinfiniteBentonallsidestheeveningair,Tillo’ertheswellingthrongrosedeadlyclearthecry,”AndstillwesparethisFranconnette!”Thensuddenly,Asmatchtopowderlaid,thewords”Setheronfire!ThatdaughteroftheHuguenot,Let’sburnherup,andletherashesrot。”
  Thenviolentcrieswereheard。
  Howlsof”Ay!Ay!thewretch!Nowlethermeetherfate!
  Sheisthecauseofall,’tisplain!
  Onceshehasmadeusdesolate,Butsheshallnevercurseagain!”
  Andnowthecrowdgrewangrier,wildertoo。”Huntherofffaceofearth!”oneshoutsanew;”Hunthertodeath!’Tismeet,”athousandtonguesrepeat,Thetempestintheskiescannotwiththiscompete。
  Oh,then,toseethemastheycame,Withclenchedfistsandeyesaflame,Helldidindeeditsdemonsallunchain。
  Andwhilethestormrecedes,thenightisgrowingclear,ButpoisonshootsthrougheveryveinOfthepossess’dmadmenthere。
  Thusgoadedtheythemselvestocrime;butwherewasshe,UnhappyFranconnette?Toherowncottagedriven——
  Worshippingheronerelic,sadanddreamily,AndwhisperedtothewitheredflowersPascalhadlovinggiven:”Dearnosegay,whenIsawtheefirst,Methoughtthysweetnesswasdivine,AndIdiddrinkit,heartathirst;
  Butnowthouartnotsweetaserst,BecausethosewickedthoughtsofmineHaveblightedallthybeautyrare;
  I’msoldtopowersofill,forHeav’nhathspurnedmyprayer;
  Myloveisdeadlylove!NohopeonearthhaveI!
  So,treasureofmyheart,flowersofthemeadowfair,BecauseIblessthehandthatgatheredthee,good-bye!
  PascalmustnotlovesuchasI!
  Hemustth’accursedmaidforswear,WhoyettoGodforhimdothcry!
  Inwantonmerrimentlastyear,EvenatlovelaughedFranconnette;
  Nowismycondemnationclear,NowwhomIlove,Imustforget;
  Soldtothedemonatmybirth!
  MyGod,howcanitbe?HaveInotfaithinThee?
  Oh!blessedblossomsoftheearth;
  Letmedrivewithmycrosstheevilonefromme!
  Andthou,mymother,inthestar-litskiesabove,Andthou,myguardian,oh!motherofourGod,Pityme:ForIblessPascal,butpartfromhimIlove!
  Pitythemaidaccursed,bytherodSoresmitten,totheearthdown-trod,Helpme,thyHeartDivinetomove!””Franconnette,littleone,whatmeansthyplaintivemoan?”
  Sospakethehoarydame。”DidstthounotsmilingsayOurLadydidreceivethyofferingto-day?
  Butsure,nohappyheartshouldmakesosadagroan。
  Thouhastdeceivedme?Somenewill,”shesaid,Hathfall’nuponus!””Nay,notso;becomforted。
  I——I’mquitehappy!””Somysweetestdeary,Godgrantthatsomegoodrespitewemayhave,Foryoursadsorrowdiggethupmygrave;
  Andthishathbeenalonesome,fearsomeday,andweary;
  ThatcrueldreamoffireIhadsometimeago,Howe’erIstrove,didalwayshauntmeso!
  Andthen,thouknow’stthestorm;oh,Iwasterrified,Sothat,to-night,mydear,Ishudderinmyfright!”