Tucking his cassock up above his violet stockings and warming his short, stout11 legs at the fire, Monseigneur was dictating12 a pastoral letter, whilst, seated at a large table of brass14 and tortoiseshell, on which stood an ivory crucifix, the vicar-general, M. de Goulet, was writing: So that nothing may occur to sadden for us the joys of our retreat.?…
Monseigneur dictated15 in a dry, colourless voice. He was a very short man, but the great head with its square face softened16 by age was carried erect17. Notwithstanding its coarse and homely18 lineaments, his face was expressive19 of subtlety20 and a kind of dignity born of habit and the love of command.
“The joys of our retreat.?… Here you will expound21 the ideas of harmony, of the subduing22 of the mind, of that submission23 to the powers that be which is so necessary, and which I have already dealt with in my previous pastoral letters.”
M. de Goulet raised his long, pale, refined head adorned24 by beautiful curled locks as though by a Louis Quatorze wig25.
“But this time,” said he, “would it not be expedient26, while repeating these declarations, to show that reserve appropriate to the position of the secular3 powers, shaken as they are by internal convulsions and henceforth incapable27 of imparting to their covenants28 what they themselves do not possess—I mean continuity and stability? For you must see, Monseigneur, that the decline of parliamentary predominance?…”
The Cardinal-Archbishop shook his head.
“Without reservation, Monsieur de Goulet, without any species of reservation. You are full of learning and piety29, Monsieur de Goulet, but your old pastor13 can still give you a few lessons in discretion30, before handing over the government of the diocese, at his death, to your youthful energy. Have we not to congratulate ourselves upon the attitude of M. le préfet Worms-Clavelin, who regards our schools and our labours with favour? And are we not welcoming to our table to-morrow the general in command of the division and the president-in-chief? And, à propos of that, let me see the menu.”
The Cardinal-Archbishop inspected it, made alterations31 and additions, and gave special directions that the game should be ordered from Rivoire, the poacher to the prefecture.
A servant entered and presented him with a card on a silver tray.
Having read the name of Abbé Lantaigne, head of the high seminary, on the card, Monseigneur turned towards his vicar-general.
4 “I’ll wager,” said he, “that M. Lantaigne is coming to complain to me again about M. Guitrel.”
Abbé de Goulet rose to leave the salon. But Monseigneur stopped him.
“Stay! I want you to share with me the pleasure of listening to M. Lantaigne, who, as you know, is spoken of as the finest preacher in the diocese. For, if one listened only to public opinion, it would seem that he preaches better than you, dear Monsieur de Goulet. But that is not my opinion. Between ourselves, I care neither for his inflated33 style nor for his involved scholarship. He is terribly wearisome, and I am keeping you here to help me to get rid of him as quickly as possible.”
A priest entered the salon and bowed. He was very tall and immensely corpulent, with a serious, simple, abstracted face.
“Ah! good-day, Monsieur l’abbé Lantaigne. At the very moment that you sent in your name the vicar-general and I were talking about you. We were saying that you are the most distinguished35 orator36 in the diocese, and that the Lenten course you preached at Saint-Exupère is proof positive of your great talents and profound scholarship.”
Abbé Lantaigne reddened. He was sensitive to praise, and it was by the door of pride alone that the Enemy could find entrance to his soul.
5 “Monseigneur,” he answered, his face lit up by a smile which quickly died away, “the approval of Your Eminence37 gives me a deep delight which comes felicitously38 to soothe39 the opening of an interview which is a painful one to me. For it is a complaint which the head of the high seminary has the misfortune to pour into your paternal40 ears.”
Monseigneur interrupted him:
“Tell me, Monsieur Lantaigne, has that Lenten course at Saint-Exupère been printed?”
“A synopsis41 of it appeared in the diocesan Semaine religieuse. I am moved, Monseigneur, by the marks of interest which you deign42 to show in my apostolic labours. Alas43! it is long enough ago since I first entered the pulpit. In 1880, when I had too many sermons, I gave them to M. Roquette, who has since been raised to a bishopric.”
“Ah!” cried Monseigneur, with a smile, “that good M. Roquette! When I went last year ad limina apostolorum I met M. Roquette for the first time just as he was gaily setting out for the Vatican. A week later I met him in Saint-Peter’s, where he was imbibing44 the solace45 that he much needed after being refused the cardinal’s hat.”
“And why,” demanded M. Lantaigne, in a voice that whistled like a whip-lash, “why should the purple have descended46 on the shoulders of this poor creature, a mediocrity in character, a nonentity47 in6 doctrine48, whose mental density49 has made him ridiculous, and whose sole recommendation is that he has sat at table with the President of the Republic at a masonic banquet? Could M. Roquette only rise above himself, he would be astonished at finding himself a bishop2. In these times of trial, when a future confronts us pregnant with awful menace as well as with gracious promise, it would be expedient to build up a body of clergy50 powerful both in character and in scholarship. And in fact, Monseigneur, I come to interview Your Eminence about another Roquette, about another priest who is unfitted to sustain the weight of his great duties. The professor of rhetoric51 at the high seminary, M. l’abbé Guitrel?…”
Monseigneur interrupted with a feigned52 jest, and asked, with a laugh, whether Abbé Guitrel were in a fair way to become a bishop in his turn.
“What an idea, Monseigneur!” cried Abbé Lantaigne. “If perchance this man were raised to a bishopric, we should behold53 once more the days of Cautinus, when an unworthy pontiff defiled54 the see of Saint Martin.”
“Cautinus, Bishop Cautinus” (it was the first time he had heard the name), “Cautinus who was a successor of Saint Martin. Are you quite sure that7 this Cautinus behaved as badly as they make out? It is an interesting point in the history of the Gallic Church concerning which I should much like to have the opinion of so learned a man as yourself, Monsieur Lantaigne.”
The head of the high seminary drew himself up.
“The testimony56, Monseigneur, of Gregory of Tours is explicit57 in the passage touching58 Bishop Cautinus. This successor of the blessed Martin lived in such luxury and robbed the Church of its treasures to such an extent that, at the end of two years of his administration, all the sacred vessels59 were in the hands of the Jews of Tours. And if I have coupled the name of Cautinus with that of this unhappy M. Guitrel, it is not without reason. M. Guitrel carries off the artistic60 curios, wood-carvings, or finely chased vessels, which are still to be found in country churches, in the care of ignorant churchwardens, and it is for the benefit of the Jews that he devotes himself to this robbery.”
“For the benefit of the Jews?” demanded Monseigneur. “What is this that you are telling me?”
“For the benefit of the Jews,” returned Abbé Lantaigne, “and to embellish61 the drawing-rooms of M. le préfet Worms-Clavelin, Jew and freemason. Madame Worms-Clavelin is fond of antiquities62. Through the medium of M. Guitrel she has gained8 possession of the copes treasured for three hundred years in the vestry of the church at Lusancy, and she has, I am told, turned them into seats of the kind called poufs.”
Monseigneur shook his head.
“Poufs! But if the transfer of these disused vestments has been conducted legally, I do not see that Bishop Cautinus?… I mean M. Guitrel, has done wrong in taking part in this lawful63 transaction. There is no reason why these copes of the pious priests of Lusancy should be revered64 as relics65 of the saints. There is no sacrilege in selling their cast-off clothes to be turned into poufs.”
M. de Goulet, who had been nibbling66 his pen for some moments, could not refrain from a murmur67. He deplored68 the fact that the churches should be thus robbed of their artistic treasures by infidels. The head of the high seminary answered in firm tones:
“Let us, Monseigneur, if you please, drop the subject of the trade to which the friend of M. Worms-Clavelin, the Jewish préfet, devotes himself, and allow me to enumerate69 the only too definite complaints which I have to bring against the professor of rhetoric at the high seminary. I impugn70: first, his doctrine; second, his conduct. I say that I indict71 first his doctrine, and that on four grounds: first?…”
9 The Cardinal-Archbishop stretched out both his arms as though to ward32 off such a multitude of charges.
“Monsieur Lantaigne, I see that for some time the vicar-general has been biting his pen and making desperate signs to remind me that our printer is waiting for our pastoral letter, which has to be read on Sunday in the churches of our diocese. Allow me to finish dictating this charge, which, I trust, will bring some solace to our priests and faithful people.”
Abbé Lantaigne bowed, and very sadly withdrew. After his departure the Cardinal-Archbishop, turning to M. de Goulet, said:
“I did not know that M. Guitrel was so friendly with the préfet. And I am grateful to the head of the seminary for having warned me of it. M. Lantaigne is sincerity72 itself: I prize his frankness and straightforwardness73. With him, one knows where one is?…”
He corrected himself:
“Where one would be.”
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1
salon
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| n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室 | |
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bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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trophies
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| n.（为竞赛获胜者颁发的）奖品( trophy的名词复数 )；奖杯；（尤指狩猎或战争中获得的）纪念品；（用于比赛或赛跑名称）奖 | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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5
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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enamel
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| n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质 | |
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embroidery
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| n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品 | |
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8
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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12
dictating
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的现在分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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pastor
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| n.牧师，牧人 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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15
dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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16
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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17
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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18
homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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19
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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20
subtlety
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| n.微妙，敏锐，精巧；微妙之处，细微的区别 | |
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21
expound
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| v.详述；解释；阐述 | |
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22
subduing
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| 征服( subdue的现在分词 )； 克制； 制服； 色变暗 | |
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23
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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24
adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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wig
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| n.假发 | |
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expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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27
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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28
covenants
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| n.（有法律约束的）协议( covenant的名词复数 )；盟约；公约；（向慈善事业、信托基金会等定期捐款的）契约书 | |
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29
piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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30
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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31
alterations
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| n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变 | |
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32
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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33
inflated
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| adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨 | |
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34
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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35
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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36
orator
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| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
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37
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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38
felicitously
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| adv.恰当地，适切地 | |
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39
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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40
paternal
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| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
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41
synopsis
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| n.提要，梗概 | |
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42
deign
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| v. 屈尊, 惠允 ( 做某事) | |
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43
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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44
imbibing
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| v.吸收( imbibe的现在分词 )；喝；吸取；吸气 | |
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45
solace
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| n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和 | |
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46
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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47
nonentity
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| n.无足轻重的人 | |
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48
doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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49
density
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| n.密集，密度，浓度 | |
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50
clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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51
rhetoric
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| n.修辞学，浮夸之言语 | |
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52
feigned
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| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
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53
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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54
defiled
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| v.玷污( defile的过去式和过去分词 )；污染；弄脏；纵列行进 | |
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55
genially
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| adv.亲切地，和蔼地；快活地 | |
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56
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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57
explicit
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| adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的 | |
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58
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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59
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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60
artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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61
embellish
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| v.装饰，布置；给…添加细节，润饰 | |
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62
antiquities
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| n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 )；古迹；古人们；古代的风俗习惯 | |
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63
lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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64
revered
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| v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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65
relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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66
nibbling
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| v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的现在分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬 | |
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67
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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68
deplored
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69
enumerate
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| v.列举，计算，枚举，数 | |
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70
impugn
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| v.指责，对…表示怀疑 | |
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71
indict
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| v.起诉，控告，指控 | |
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72
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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73
straightforwardness
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| n.坦白，率直 | |
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