The episcopal palace of D---- adjoins the hospital.
The episcopal palace was a huge and beautiful house, built of stone at the beginning of the last century by M. Henri Puget, Doctor of Theology of the Faculty1 of Paris, Abbe of Simore, who had been Bishop2 of D---- in 1712. This palace was a genuine seignorial residence.
Everything about it had a grand air,--the apartments of the Bishop, the drawing-rooms, the chambers3, the principal courtyard, which was very large, with walks encircling it under arcades4 in the old Florentine fashion, and gardens planted with magnificent trees.
In the dining-room, a long and superb gallery which was situated5 on the ground-floor and opened on the gardens, M. Henri Puget had entertained in state, on July 29, 1714, My Lords Charles Brulart de Genlis, archbishop; Prince d'Embrun; Antoine de Mesgrigny, the capuchin, Bishop of Grasse; Philippe de Vendome, Grand Prior of France, Abbe of Saint Honore de Lerins; Francois de Berton de Crillon, bishop, Baron6 de Vence; Cesar de Sabran de Forcalquier, bishop, Seignor of Glandeve; and Jean Soanen, Priest of the Oratory7, preacher in ordinary to the king, bishop, Seignor of Senez.
The portraits of these seven reverend personages decorated this apartment; and this memorable8 date, the 29th of July, 1714, was there engraved9 in letters of gold on a table of white marble.
The hospital was a low and narrow building of a single story, with a small garden.
Three days after his arrival, the Bishop visited the hospital.
The visit ended, he had the director requested to be so good as to come to his house.
"Monsieur the director of the hospital," said he to him, "how many sick people have you at the present moment?"
"Twenty-six, Monseigneur."
"That was the number which I counted," said the Bishop.
"The beds," pursued the director, "are very much crowded against each other."
"That is what I observed."
"The halls are nothing but rooms, and it is with difficulty that the air can be changed in them."
"So it seems to me."
"And then, when there is a ray of sun, the garden is very small for the convalescents."
"That was what I said to myself."
"In case of epidemics,--we have had the typhus fever this year; we had the sweating sickness two years ago, and a hundred patients at times,--we know not what to do."
"That is the thought which occurred to me."
"What would you have, Monseigneur?" said the director. "One must resign one's self."
This conversation took place in the gallery dining-room on the ground-floor.
The Bishop remained silent for a moment; then he turned abruptly10 to the director of the hospital.
"Monsieur," said he, "how many beds do you think this hall alone would hold?"
"Monseigneur's dining-room?" exclaimed the stupefied director.
The Bishop cast a glance round the apartment, and seemed to be taking measures and calculations with his eyes.
"It would hold full twenty beds," said he, as though speaking to himself. Then, raising his voice:--
"Hold, Monsieur the director of the hospital, I will tell you something.
There is evidently a mistake here. There are thirty-six of you, in five or six small rooms. There are three of us here, and we have room for sixty. There is some mistake, I tell you; you have my house, and I have yours. Give me back my house; you are at home here."
On the following day the thirty-six patients were installed in the Bishop's palace, and the Bishop was settled in the hospital.
M. Myriel had no property, his family having been ruined by the Revolution. His sister was in receipt of a yearly income of five hundred francs, which sufficed for her personal wants at the vicarage. M. Myriel received from the State, in his quality of bishop, a salary of fifteen thousand francs. On the very day when he took up his abode11 in the hospital, M. Myriel settled on the disposition12 of this sum once for all, in the following manner. We transcribe13 here a note made by his own hand:--
NOTE ON THE REGULATION OF MY HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES.
For the little seminary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,500 livres
Society of the mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 "
For the Lazarists of Montdidier . . . . . . . . . . 100 "
Seminary for foreign missions in Paris . . . . . . 200 "
Congregation of the Holy Spirit . . . . . . . . . . 150 "
Religious establishments of the Holy Land . . . . . 100 "
Charitable maternity14 societies . . . . . . . . . . 300 "
Extra, for that of Arles . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 "
Work for the amelioration of prisons . . . . . . . 400 "
Work for the relief and delivery of prisoners . . . 500 "
To liberate15 fathers of families incarcerated16 for debt 1,000 "
Addition to the salary of the poor teachers of the
diocese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,000 "
Public granary of the Hautes-Alpes . . . . . . . . 100 "
Congregation of the ladies of D----, of Manosque, and of Sisteron, for the gratuitous17 instruction of poor girls . . . . . . . . . . 1,500 "
For the poor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,000 "
My personal expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 "
------
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,000 "
M. Myriel made no change in this arrangement during the entire period that he occupied the see of D---- As has been seen, he called it regulating his household expenses.
This arrangement was accepted with absolute submission18 by Mademoiselle Baptistine. This holy woman regarded Monseigneur of D----as at one and the same time her brother and her bishop, her friend according to the flesh and her superior according to the Church. She simply loved and venerated19 him. When he spoke20, she bowed; when he acted, she yielded her adherence21. Their only servant, Madame Magloire, grumbled22 a little. It will be observed that Monsieur the Bishop had reserved for himself only one thousand livres, which, added to the pension of Mademoiselle Baptistine, made fifteen hundred francs a year. On these fifteen hundred francs these two old women and the old man subsisted23.
And when a village curate came to D----, the Bishop still found means to entertain him, thanks to the severe economy of Madame Magloire, and to the intelligent administration of Mademoiselle Baptistine.
One day, after he had been in D---- about three months, the Bishop said:--
"And still I am quite cramped24 with it all!"
"I should think so!" exclaimed Madame Magloire. "Monseigneur has not even claimed the allowance which the department owes him for the expense of his carriage in town, and for his journeys about the diocese. It was customary for bishops25 in former days." "Hold!" cried the Bishop, "you are quite right, Madame Magloire."
And he made his demand.
Some time afterwards the General Council took this demand under consideration, and voted him an annual sum of three thousand francs, under this heading: Allowance to M. the Bishop for expenses of carriage, expenses of posting, and expenses of pastoral visits.
This provoked a great outcry among the local burgesses; and a senator of the Empire, a former member of the Council of the Five Hundred which favored the 18 Brumaire, and who was provided with a magnificent senatorial office in the vicinity of the town of D----, wrote to M. Bigot de Preameneu, the minister of public worship, a very angry and confidential26 note on the subject, from which we extract these authentic27 lines:-- "Expenses of carriage? What can be done with it in a town of less than four thousand inhabitants? Expenses of journeys? What is the use of these trips, in the first place? Next, how can the posting be accomplished28 in these mountainous parts? There are no roads. No one travels otherwise than on horseback. Even the bridge between Durance and Chateau-Arnoux can barely support ox-teams. These priests are all thus, greedy and avaricious29. This man played the good priest when he first came. Now he does like the rest; he must have a carriage and a posting-chaise, he must have luxuries, like the bishops of the olden days. Oh, all this priesthood! Things will not go well, M. le Comte, until the Emperor has freed us from these black-capped rascals30. Down with the Pope! [Matters were getting embroiled31 with Rome.] For my part, I am for Caesar alone." Etc., etc.
On the other hand, this affair afforded great delight to Madame Magloire. "Good," said she to Mademoiselle Baptistine; "Monseigneur began with other people, but he has had to wind up with himself, after all. He has regulated all his charities. Now here are three thousand francs for us! At last!"
That same evening the Bishop wrote out and handed to his sister a memorandum32 conceived in the following terms:--
EXPENSES OF CARRIAGE AND CIRCUIT.
For furnishing meat soup to the patients in the hospital. 1,500 livres
For the maternity charitable society of Aix . . . . . . . 250 "
For the maternity charitable society of Draguignan . . . 250 "
For foundlings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500 "
For orphans33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500 "
-----
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000 "
Such was M. Myriel's budget.
As for the chance episcopal perquisites34, the fees for marriage bans, dispensations, private baptisms, sermons, benedictions35, of churches or chapels36, marriages, etc., the Bishop levied37 them on the wealthy with all the more asperity38, since he bestowed39 them on the needy40.
After a time, offerings of money flowed in. Those who had and those who lacked knocked at M. Myriel's door,--the latter in search of the alms which the former came to deposit. In less than a year the Bishop had become the treasurer41 of all benevolence42 and the cashier of all those in distress43. Considerable sums of money passed through his hands, but nothing could induce him to make any change whatever in his mode of life, or add anything superfluous44 to his bare necessities.
Far from it. As there is always more wretchedness below than there is brotherhood45 above, all was given away, so to speak, before it was received. It was like water on dry soil; no matter how much money he received, he never had any. Then he stripped himself.
The usage being that bishops shall announce their baptismal names at the head of their charges and their pastoral letters, the poor people of the country-side had selected, with a sort of affectionate instinct, among the names and prenomens of their bishop, that which had a meaning for them; and they never called him anything except Monseigneur Bienvenu [Welcome]. We will follow their example, and will also call him thus when we have occasion to name him. Moreover, this appellation46 pleased him.
"I like that name," said he. "Bienvenu makes up for the Monseigneur."
We do not claim that the portrait herewith presented is probable; we confine ourselves to stating that it resembles the original.
迪涅的主教院是和医院毗连的。
主教院是座广阔壮丽、石料建成的大厦，是巴黎大学神学博士，西摩尔修院院长，一七一二年的迪涅主教亨利·彼惹在前世纪初兴建的。那确是一座华贵的府第。其中一切都具有豪华的气派，主教的私邸，大小客厅，各种房间，相当宽敞的院子，具有佛罗伦萨古代风格的穹窿的回廊，树木苍翠的园子。楼下朝花园的一面，有间富丽堂皇的游廊式的长厅，一七一四年七月二十九日，主教亨利·彼惹曾在那餐厅里公宴过这些要人：
昂布伦亲王棗大主教查理·勃吕拉·德·让利斯；
嘉布遣会修士棗格拉斯主教安东尼·德·梅吉尼；
法兰西祈祷大师棗雷兰群岛圣奥诺雷修院院长菲力浦·德·旺多姆；
梵斯男爵棗主教佛朗沙·德·白东·德·格利翁；
格朗代夫贵人棗主教凯撒·德·沙白朗·德·福高尔吉尔；
经堂神甫棗御前普通宣道士棗塞内士贵人棗主教让·沙阿兰。
这七个德高望重的人物的画像一直点缀着那间长厅，“一七一四年七月二十九日”这个值得纪念的日子，也用金字刻在厅里的一张白大理石碑上。
那医院却是一所狭隘低陋的房子，只有一层楼，带个小小花园。
主教到任三天以后参观了医院。参观完毕，他恭请那位院长到他家里去。
“院长先生，”他说，“您现在有多少病人？”
“二十六个，我的主教。”
“正和我数过的一样。”主教说。
“那些病床，”院长又说，“彼此靠得太近了，一张挤着一张的。”
“那正是我注意到的。”
“那些病房都只是一些小间，里面的空气很难流通。”
“那正是我感觉到的。”
“并且，即使是在有一线阳光的时候，那园子对刚刚起床的病人们也是很小的。”
“那正是我所见到的。”
“传染病方面，今年我们有过伤寒，两年前，有过疹子，有时多到百来个病人，我们真不知道怎么办。”
“那正是我所想到的。”
“有什么办法呢，我的主教？”院长说，“我们总得将就些。”
那次谈话正是在楼下那间游廊式的餐厅里进行的。
主教沉默了一会，突然转向院长。
“先生，”他说，“您以为，就拿这个厅来说，可以容纳多少床位？”
“主教的餐厅！”惊惶失措的院长喊了起来。
主教把那间厅周围望了一遍，象是在用眼睛测算。
“此地足够容纳二十张病床！”他自言自语地说，随着又提高嗓子，“瞧，院长先生，我告诉您，这里显然有了错误。你们二十六个人住在五六间小屋子里，而我们这儿三个人，却有六十个人的地方。这里有了错误，我告诉您。您来住我的房子，我去住您的。您把我的房子还我。这儿是您的家。”
第二天，那二十六个穷人便安居在主教的府上，主教却住在医院里。
米里哀先生绝没有财产，因为他的家已在革命时期破落了。他的妹子每年领着五百法郎的养老金，正够她个人住在神甫家里的费用。米里哀先生以主教身份从政府领得一万五千法郎的薪俸。在他搬到医院的房子里去住的那天，米里哀先生就一次作出决定，把那笔款分作以下各项用途。我们把他亲手写的一张单子抄在下面。
我的家用分配单
教士培养所津贴一千五百利弗①
传教会津贴一百利弗
孟迪第圣辣匝禄会修士们津贴一百利弗
巴黎外方传教会津贴二百利弗
圣灵会津贴一百五十利弗
圣地宗教团体津贴一百利弗
各慈幼会津贴三百利弗
阿尔勒慈幼会补助费五十利弗
改善监狱用费四百利弗
囚犯抚慰及救济事业费五百利弗
赎免因债入狱的家长费一千利弗
补助本教区学校贫寒教师津贴二千利弗
捐助上阿尔卑斯省义仓一百利弗
迪涅，玛诺斯克，锡斯特龙等地妇女联合会，
贫寒女孩的义务教育费一千五百利弗
穷人救济费六千利弗
本人用费一千利弗
共计 一万五千利弗
①利弗（livre）当时的一种币制，等于一法郎。
米里哀先生在他当迪涅主教的任期中，几乎没有改变过这个分配办法。我们知道，他把这称作“分配了他的家用”。
那种分配是被巴狄斯丁姑娘以绝对服从的态度接受了的。米里哀先生对那位圣女来说，是她的阿哥，同时也是她的主教，是人世间的朋友和宗教中的上司。她爱他，并且极其单纯地敬服他。当他说话时，她俯首恭听；当他行动时，她追随伺候。只有那位女仆马格洛大娘，稍微有些噜苏。我们已经知道，主教只为自己留下一千利弗，和巴狄斯丁姑娘的养老金合并起来，每年才一千五百法郎。两个老妇人和老头儿都在那一千五百法郎里过活。
当镇上有教士来到迪涅时，主教先生还有办法招待他们。
那是由于马格洛大娘的极其节俭和巴狄斯丁姑娘的精打细算。
一天棗到迪涅约三个月时，主教说：
“这样下去，我真有些维持不了！”
“当然罗！”马格洛大娘说。“主教大人连省里应给的那笔城区车马费和教区巡视费都没有要来。对从前的那几位主教，原是照例有的。”
“对！”主教说。“您说得对，马格洛大娘。”
他提出了申请。
过了些时候，省务委员会审查了那申请，通过每年给他一笔三千法郎的款子，名义是“主教先生的轿车、邮车和教务巡视津贴”。
这件事使当地的士绅们大嚷起来。有一个帝国元老院①的元老，他从前当过五百人院②的元老，曾经赞助雾月十八日政变①，住在迪涅城附近一座富丽堂皇的元老宅第里，为这件事，他写了一封怨气冲天的密函给宗教大臣皮戈·德·普雷阿麦内先生。我们现在把它的原文节录下来：
“轿车津贴？在一个人口不到四千的城里，有什么用处？邮车和巡视津贴？首先要问这种巡视有什么好处，其次，在这样的山区，怎样走邮车？路都没有。只能骑着马走。从迪朗斯到阿尔努堡的那座桥也只能够走小牛车。所有的神甫全一样，又贪又吝。这一个在到任之初，还象个善良的宗徒。现在却和其他人一样了，他非坐轿车和邮车不行了，他非享受从前那些主教所享受的奢侈品不可了。咳！这些臭神甫！伯爵先生，如果皇上不替我们肃清这些吃教的坏蛋，一切事都好不了。打倒教皇！（当时正和罗马②发生磨擦。）至于我，我只拥护恺撒……”
①指拿破仑帝国的元老院，由二十四人组成，任期是终身的。
②一七九五年十月，代表新兴资产阶级的热月党，根据自己制定的新宪法，由有产者投票选举，成立了元老院（上院）和五百人院（下院）。
①法兰西共和国八年雾月十八日（一七九九年十一月九日），拿破仑发动政变，开始了独裁统治。
②教皇庇护七世于一八○四年到巴黎为拿破仑加冕，后被拘禁在法国，直到拿破仑失败。
在另一方面，这件事却使马格洛大娘大为高兴。
“好了！”她对巴狄斯丁姑娘说。“主教在开始时只顾别人，但结果也非顾自己不可了。他已把他的慈善捐分配停当，这三千法郎总算是我们的了。”
当天晚上，主教写了这样一张单子交给他的妹子。
车马费及巡视津贴
供给住院病人肉汤的津贴一千五百利弗
艾克斯慈幼会的津贴二百五十利弗
德拉吉尼昂慈幼会的津贴二百五十利弗
救济被遗弃的孩子五百利弗
救济孤儿五百利弗
共计三千利弗
以上就是米里哀先生的预算表。
至于主教的额外开支，以及请求提早婚礼费、特许开斋费、婴孩死前洗礼费、宣教费、为教堂或私立小堂祝圣费、行结婚典礼费等等，这位主教都到有钱人身上去取来给穷人；取得紧也给得急。
没有多久，各方捐赠的钱财源源而来。富有的和贫乏的人都来敲米里哀先生的门，后者来请求前者所留下的捐赠。不到一年功夫，主教便成了一切慈善捐的保管人和苦难的援助者。大笔大笔的款项都经过他的手，但没有任何东西能稍稍改变他的生活方式，或使他在他所必需的用品以外增添一点多余的东西。
不但如此，由于社会上层的博爱总敌不过下层的穷苦，我们可以说，所有的钱都早已在收入以前付出了，正好象旱地上的水一样；他白白地收进一些钱，却永远没有余款；于是他从自己身上搜刮起来。
主教们照例把自己的教名全部写在他们的布告和公函头上。当地的穷人，由于一种本能的爱戴，在这位主教的几个名字中，挑选了对他们具有意义的一个，称他为卞福汝①主教。我们也将随时照样用那名字称呼他。并且这个称呼很中他的意。
①卞福汝（Bienvenu）是“欢迎”的意思。
“我喜欢这名称，”他说，“卞福汝赛过主教大人。”
我们并不认为在此地所刻画的形象是逼真的，我们只说它近似而已。
收听单词发音 |
1
faculty
|
|
| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
bishop
|
|
| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
chambers
|
|
| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
arcades
|
|
| n.商场( arcade的名词复数 )；拱形走道（两旁有商店或娱乐设施）；连拱廊；拱形建筑物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
situated
|
|
| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
baron
|
|
| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
oratory
|
|
| n.演讲术；词藻华丽的言辞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
memorable
|
|
| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
engraved
|
|
| v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
abode
|
|
| n.住处，住所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
disposition
|
|
| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
transcribe
|
|
| v.抄写，誉写；改编(乐曲)；复制，转录 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
maternity
|
|
| n.母性，母道，妇产科病房；adj.孕妇的，母性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
liberate
|
|
| v.解放，使获得自由，释出，放出；vt.解放，使获自由 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
incarcerated
|
|
| 钳闭的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
gratuitous
|
|
| adj.无偿的，免费的；无缘无故的，不必要的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
submission
|
|
| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
venerated
|
|
| 敬重（某人或某事物），崇敬( venerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
adherence
|
|
| n.信奉，依附，坚持，固着 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
grumbled
|
|
| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
subsisted
|
|
| v.（靠很少的钱或食物）维持生活，生存下去( subsist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
cramped
|
|
| a.狭窄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
bishops
|
|
| （基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
confidential
|
|
| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
authentic
|
|
| a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
accomplished
|
|
| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
avaricious
|
|
| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
rascals
|
|
| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
embroiled
|
|
| adj.卷入的；纠缠不清的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
memorandum
|
|
| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
orphans
|
|
| 孤儿( orphan的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
perquisites
|
|
| n.（工资以外的）财务补贴( perquisite的名词复数 )；额外收入；（随职位而得到的）好处；利益 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
benedictions
|
|
| n.祝福( benediction的名词复数 )；（礼拜结束时的）赐福祈祷；恩赐；（大写）（罗马天主教）祈求上帝赐福的仪式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
36
chapels
|
|
| n.小教堂， （医院、监狱等的）附属礼拜堂( chapel的名词复数 )；（在小教堂和附属礼拜堂举行的）礼拜仪式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
levied
|
|
| 征（兵）( levy的过去式和过去分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
asperity
|
|
| n.粗鲁，艰苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
bestowed
|
|
| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
needy
|
|
| adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
treasurer
|
|
| n.司库，财务主管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
benevolence
|
|
| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
distress
|
|
| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
superfluous
|
|
| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
brotherhood
|
|
| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
appellation
|
|
| n.名称，称呼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |