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第6部分

雨果 悲惨世界 英文版1-第6部分

小说: 雨果 悲惨世界 英文版1 字数: 每页4000字

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  At his window he had an antique curtain of a coarse woollen stuff; which finally became so old; that; in order to avoid the expense of a new one; Madame Magloire was forced to take a large seam in the very middle of it。
  This seam took the form of a cross。 The Bishop often called attention to it:
  〃How delightful that is!〃 he said。
  All the rooms in the house; without exception; those on the ground floor as well as those on the first floor; were white…washed; which is a fashion in barracks and hospitals。
  However; in their latter years; Madame Magloire discovered beneath the paper which had been washed over; paintings; ornamenting the apartment of Mademoiselle Baptistine; as we shall see further on。 Before being a hospital; this house had been the ancient parliament house of the Bourgeois。
  Hence this decoration。 The chambers were paved in red bricks; which were washed every week; with straw mats in front of all the beds。
  Altogether; this dwelling; which was attended to by the two women; was exquisitely clean from top to bottom。
  This was the sole luxury which the Bishop permitted。 He said; 〃That takes nothing from the poor。〃
  It must be confessed; however; that he still retained from his former possessions six silver knives and forks and a soup…ladle; which Madame Magloire contemplated every day with delight; as they glistened splendidly upon the coarse linen cloth。 And since we are now painting the Bishop of D as he was in reality; we must add that he had said more than once; 〃I find it difficult to renounce eating from silver dishes。〃
  To this silverware must be added two large candlesticks of massive silver; which he had inherited from a great…aunt。 These candlesticks held two wax candles; and usually figured on the Bishop's chimney…piece。 When he had any one to dinner; Madame Magloire lighted the two candles and set the candlesticks on the table。
  In the Bishop's own chamber; at the head of his bed; there was a small cupboard; in which Madame Magloire locked up the six silver knives and forks and the big spoon every night。 But it is necessary to add; that the key was never removed。
  The garden; which had been rather spoiled by the ugly buildings which we have mentioned; was posed of four alleys in cross…form; radiating from a tank。
  Another walk made the circuit of the garden; and skirted the white wall which enclosed it。
  These alleys left behind them four square plots rimmed with box。
  In three of these; Madame Magloire cultivated vegetables; in the fourth; the Bishop had planted some flowers; here and there stood a few fruit…trees。 Madame Magloire had once remarked; with a sort of gentle malice: 〃Monseigneur; you who turn everything to account; have; nevertheless; one useless plot。
  It would be better to grow salads there than bouquets。〃 〃Madame Magloire;〃 retorted the Bishop; 〃you are mistaken。 The beautiful is as useful as the useful。〃
  He added after a pause; 〃More so; perhaps。〃
  This plot; consisting of three or four beds; occupied the Bishop almost as much as did his books。
  He liked to pass an hour or two there; trimming; hoeing; and making holes here and there in the earth; into which he dropped seeds。
  He was not as hostile to insects as a gardener could have wished to see him。
  Moreover; he made no pretensions to botany; he ignored groups and consistency; he made not the slightest effort to decide between Tournefort and the natural method; he took part neither with the buds against the cotyledons; nor with Jussieu against Linnaeus。
  He did not study plants; he loved flowers。 He respected learned men greatly; he respected the ignorant still more; and; without ever failing in these two respects; he watered his flower…beds every summer evening with a tin watering…pot painted green。
  The house had not a single door which could be locked。
  The door of the dining…room; which; as we have said; opened directly on the cathedral square; had formerly been ornamented with locks and bolts like the door of a prison。
  The Bishop had had all this ironwork removed; and this door was never fastened; either by night or by day; with anything except the latch。
  All that the first passerby had to do at any hour; was to give it a push。
  At first; the two women had been very much tried by this door; which was never fastened; but Monsieur de D had said to them; 〃Have bolts put on your rooms; if that will please you。〃
  They had ended by sharing his confidence; or by at least acting as though they shared it。
  Madame Magloire alone had frights from time to time。
  As for the Bishop; his thought can be found explained; or at least indicated; in the three lines which he wrote on the margin of a Bible; 〃This is the shade of difference:
  the door of the physician should never be shut; the door of the priest should always be open。〃
  On another book; entitled Philosophy of the Medical Science; he had written this other note:
  〃Am not I a physician like them? I also have my patients; and then; too; I have some whom I call my unfortunates。〃
  Again he wrote:
  〃Do not inquire the name of him who asks a shelter of you。
  The very man who is embarrassed by his name is the one who needs shelter。〃
  It chanced that a worthy cure; I know not whether it was the cure of Couloubroux or the cure of Pompierry; took it into his head to ask him one day; probably at the instigation of Madame Magloire; whether Monsieur was sure that he was not mitting an indiscretion; to a certain extent; in leaving his door unfastened day and night; at the mercy of any one who should choose to enter; and whether; in short; he did not fear lest some misfortune might occur in a house so little guarded。
  The Bishop touched his shoulder; with gentle gravity; and said to him; 〃Nisi Dominus custodierit domum; in vanum vigilant qui custodiunt eam;〃 Unless the Lord guard the house; in vain do they watch who guard it。
  Then he spoke of something else。
  He was fond of saying; 〃There is a bravery of the priest as well as the bravery of a colonel of dragoons;only;〃 he added; 〃ours must be tranquil。〃


BOOK FIRSTA JUST MAN
CHAPTER VII 
  CRAVATTE 
   It is here that a fact falls naturally into place; which we must not omit; because it is one of the sort which show us best what sort of a man the Bishop of D was。
  After the destruction of the band of Gaspard Bes; who had infested the gorges of Ollioules; one of his lieutenants; Cravatte; took refuge in the mountains。
  He concealed himself for some time with his bandits; the remnant of Gaspard Bes's troop; in the county of Nice; then he made his way to Piedmont; and suddenly reappeared in France; in the vicinity of Barcelonette。
  He was first seen at Jauziers; then at Tuiles。
  He hid himself in the caverns of the Joug…de…l'Aigle; and thence he descended towards the hamlets and villages through the ravines of Ubaye and Ubayette。
  He even pushed as far as Embrun; entered the cathedral one night; and despoiled the sacristy。
  His highway robberies laid waste the country…side。 The gendarmes were set on his track; but in vain。 He always escaped; sometimes he resisted by main force。
  He was a bold wretch。
  In the midst of all this terror the Bishop arrived。 He was making his circuit to Chastelar。
  The mayor came to meet him; and urged him to retrace his steps。
  Cravatte was in possession of the mountains as far as Arche; and beyond; there was danger even with an escort; it merely exposed three or four unfortunate gendarmes to no purpose。
  〃Therefore;〃 said the Bishop; 〃I intend to go without escort。〃
  〃You do not really mean that; Monseigneur!〃 exclaimed the mayor。
  〃I do mean it so thoroughly that I absolutely refuse any gendarmes; and shall set out in an hour。〃
  〃Set out?〃
  〃Set out。〃
  〃Alone?〃
  〃Alone。〃
  〃Monseigneur; you will not do that!〃
  〃There exists yonder in the mountains;〃 said the Bishop; a tiny munity no bigger than that; which I have not seen for three years。 They are my good friends; those gentle and honest shepherds。
  They own one goat out of every thirty that they tend。
  They make very pretty woollen cords of various colors; and they play the mountain airs on little flutes with six holes。
  They need to be told of the good God now and then。
  What would they say to a bishop who was afraid? What would they say if I did not go?〃
  〃But the brigands; Monseigneur?〃
  〃Hold;〃 said the Bishop; 〃I must think of that。
  You are right。 I may meet them。
  They; too; need to be told of the good God。〃
  〃But; Monseigneur; there is a band of them!
  A flock of wolves!〃
  〃Monsieur le maire; it may be that it is of this very flock of wolves that Jesus has constituted me the shepherd。
  Who knows the ways of Providence?〃
  〃They will rob you; Monseigneur。〃
  〃I have nothing。〃
  〃They will kill you。〃
  〃An old goodman of a priest; who passes along mumbling his prayers? Bah!
  To what purpose?〃
  〃Oh; mon Dieu! what if you should meet them!〃
  〃I should beg alms of them for my poor。〃
  〃Do not go; Monseigneur。
  In the name of Heaven!
  You are risking your life!〃
  〃Monsieur le maire;〃 said the Bishop; 〃is that really all? I am not in the world to guard my own life; but to guard souls。〃
  They had to allow him to do as he pleased。
  He set out; acpanied only by a child who offered to serve as a guide。
  His obstinacy was bruited about the country…side; and caused great consternation。
  He would take neither his sister nor Madame Magloire。
  He traversed the mountain on mule…back; encountered no one; and arrived safe and sound at the residence of his 〃good friends;〃 the shepherds。 He remained there for a fortnight; preaching; administering the sacrament; teaching; exhorting。
  When the time of his departure approached; he resolved to chant a Te Deum pontifically。
  He mentioned it to the cure。
  But what was to be done?
  There were no episcopal ornaments。 They could only place at his disposal a wretched village sacristy; with a few ancient chasubles of threadbare damask adorned with imitation lace。
  〃Bah!〃 said the Bishop。

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