按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
icy brow of the woman he had tacitly made his sister。
All was silence。 Here death was neither terrible as in the churches；
nor pompous as it makes its way along the streets； no； it was death in
the home； a tender death； here were pomps of the heart； tears drawn
from the eyes of all。 Jules sat down beside Jacquet and pressed his
hand； then； without uttering a word； all these persons remained as
they were till morning。
When daylight paled the tapers； Jacquet； foreseeing the painful scenes
which would then take place； drew Jules away into another room。 At
this moment the husband looked at the father； and Ferragus looked at
Jules。 The two sorrows arraigned each other； measured each other； and
comprehended each other in that look。 A flash of fury shone for an
instant in the eyes of Ferragus。
〃You killed her；〃 thought he。
〃Why was I distrusted？〃 seemed the answer of the husband。
The scene was one that might have passed between two tigers
recognizing the futility of a struggle and； after a moment's
hesitation； turning away； without even a roar。
〃Jacquet；〃 said Jules； 〃have you attended to everything？〃
〃Yes； to everything；〃 replied his friend； 〃but a man had forestalled
me who had ordered and paid for all。〃
〃He tears his daughter from me！〃 cried the husband； with the violence
of despair。
Jules rushed back to his wife's room； but the father was there no
longer。 Clemence had now been placed in a leaden coffin； and workmen
were employed in soldering the cover。 Jules returned； horrified by the
sight； the sound of the hammers the men were using made him
mechanically burst into tears。
〃Jacquet；〃 he said； 〃out of this dreadful night one idea has come to
me； only one； but one I must make a reality at any price。 I cannot let
Clemence stay in any cemetery in Paris。 I wish to burn her；to gather
her ashes and keep her with me。 Say nothing of this； but manage on my
behalf to have it done。 I am going to /her/ chamber； where I shall
stay until the time has come to go。 You alone may come in there to
tell me what you have done。 Go； and spare nothing。〃
During the morning； Madame Jules； after lying in a mortuary chapel at
the door of her house； was taken to Saint…Roch。 The church was hung
with black throughout。 The sort of luxury thus displayed had drawn a
crowd； for in Paris all things are sights； even true grief。 There are
people who stand at their windows to see how a son deplores a mother
as he follows her body； there are others who hire commodious seats to
see how a head is made to fall。 No people in the world have such
insatiate eyes as the Parisians。 On this occasion； inquisitive minds
were particularly surprised to see the six lateral chapels at Saint…
Roch also hung in black。 Two men in mourning were listening to a
mortuary mass said in each chapel。 In the chancel no other persons but
Monsieur Desmarets； the notary； and Jacquet were present； the servants
of the household were outside the screen。 To church loungers there was
something inexplicable in so much pomp and so few mourners。 But Jules
had been determined that no indifferent persons should be present at
the ceremony。
High mass was celebrated with the sombre magnificence of funeral
services。 Beside the ministers in ordinary of Saint…Roch； thirteen
priests from other parishes were present。 Perhaps never did the /Dies
irae/ produce upon Christians； assembled by chance； by curiosity； and
thirsting for emotions； an effect so profound； so nervously glacial as
that now caused by this hymn when the eight voices of the precentors；
accompanied by the voices of the priests and the choir…boys； intoned
it alternately。 From the six lateral chapels twelve other childish
voices rose shrilly in grief； mingling with the choir voices
lamentably。 From all parts of the church this mourning issued； cries
of anguish responded to the cries of fear。 That terrible music was the
voice of sorrows hidden from the world； of secret friendships weeping
for the dead。 Never； in any human religion； have the terrors of the
soul； violently torn from the body and stormily shaken in presence of
the fulminating majesty of God； been rendered with such force。 Before
that clamor of clamors all artists and their most passionate
compositions must bow humiliated。 No； nothing can stand beside that
hymn； which sums all human passions； gives them a galvanic life beyond
the coffin； and leaves them； palpitating still； before the living and
avenging God。 These cries of childhood； mingling with the tones of
older voices； including thus in the Song of Death all human life and
its developments； recalling the sufferings of the cradle； swelling to
the griefs of other ages in the stronger male voices and the quavering
of the priests；all this strident harmony； big with lightning and
thunderbolts； does it not speak with equal force to the daring
imagination； the coldest heart； nay； to philosophers themselves？ As we
hear it； we think God speaks； the vaulted arches of no church are mere
material； they have a voice； they tremble； they scatter fear by the
might of their echoes。 We think we see unnumbered dead arising and
holding out their hands。 It is no more a father； a wife； a child；
humanity itself is rising from its dust。
It is impossible to judge of the catholic； apostolic； and Roman faith；
unless the soul has known that deepest grief of mourning for a loved
one lying beneath the pall； unless it has felt the emotions that fill
the heart； uttered by that Hymn of Despair； by those cries that crush
the mind； by that sacred fear augmenting strophe by strophe； ascending
heavenward； which terrifies； belittles； and elevates the soul； and
leaves within our minds； as the last sound ceases； a consciousness of
immortality。 We have met and struggled with the vast idea of the
Infinite。 After that； all is silent in the church。 No word is said；
sceptics themselves /know not what they are feeling/。 Spanish genius
alone was able to bring this untold majesty to untold griefs。
When the solemn ceremony was over； twelve men came from the six
chapels and stood around the coffin to hear the song of hope which the
Church intones for the Christian soul before the human form is buried。
Then； each man entered alone a mourning…coach； Jacquet and Monsieur
Desmarets took the thirteenth； the servants followed on foot。 An hour
later； they were at the summit of that cemetery popularly called Pere…
Lachaise。 The unknown twelve men stood in a circle round the grave；
where the coffin had been laid in presence of a crowd of loiterers
gathered from all parts of this public garden。 After a few short
prayers the priest threw a handful of earth on the remains of this
woman； and the grave…diggers； having asked for their fee； made haste
to fill the grave in order to dig another。
Here this history seems to end； but perhaps it would be incomplete if；
after giving a rapid sketch of Parisian life； and following certain of
its capricious undulations； the effects of death were omitted。 Death
in Paris is unlike death in any other capital； few persons know the
trials of true grief in its struggle with civilization； and the
government of Paris。 Perhaps； also； Monsieur Jules and Ferragus XXIII。
may have proved sufficiently interesting to make a few words on their
after life not entirely out of place。 Besides； some persons like to be
told all； and wish； as one of our cleverest critics has remarked； to
know by what chemical process oil was made to burn in Aladdin's lamp。
Jacquet； being a government employee； naturally applied to the
authorities for permission to exhume the body of Madame Jules and burn
it。 He went to see the prefect of police； under whose protection the
dead sleep。 That functionary demanded a petition。 The blank was
brought that gives to sorrow its proper administrative form； it was
necessary to employ the bureaucratic jargon to express the wishes of a
man so crushed that words； perhaps； were lacking to him； and it was
also necessary to coldly and briefly repeat on the margin the nature
of the request； which was done in these words： 〃The petitioner
respectfully asks for the incineration of his wife。〃
When the official charged with mak