common。
〃We keep the fasts；〃 said Monsieur Alain。 〃As we go to mass every
morning； you will not be surprised to find us blindly following all
the customs of the Church； even the severest。〃
〃And you shall begin by imitating us；〃 said Madame de la Chanterie；
with a glance at Godefroid； whom she had placed beside her。
Of the five persons present Godefroid knew the names of three；Madame
de la Chanterie； the Abbe de Veze； and Monsieur Alain。 He wished to
know those of the other two； but they kept silence and ate their food
with the attention which recluses appear to give to every detail of a
meal。
〃Does this fine fruit come also from your farm； madame？〃 asked
Godefroid。
〃Yes； monsieur；〃 she replied。 〃We have a little model farm； like the
government itself； we call it our country house； it is twelve miles
from here； on the road to Italy； near Villeneuve…Saint…Georges。〃
〃It is a property that belongs to us all； and is to go to the
survivor；〃 said the goodman Alain。
〃Oh； it is not very considerable！〃 added Madame de la Chanterie；
rather hastily； as if she feared that Godefroid might think these
remarks a bait。
〃There are thirty acres of tilled land；〃 said one of the two
personages still unknown to Godefroid； 〃six of meadow； and an
enclosure containing four acres； in which our house； which adjoins the
farmhouse； stands。〃
〃But such a property as that；〃 said Godefroid； 〃must be worth a
hundred thousand francs。〃
〃Oh； we don't get anything out of it but our provisions！〃 said the
same personage。
He was a tall； grave； spare man； with all the appearance of having
served in the army。 His white hair showed him to be past sixty； and
his face betrayed some violent grief controlled by religion。
The second unnamed person； who seemed to be something between a master
of rhetoric and a business agent； was of ordinary height； plump； but
active withal。 His face had the jovial expression which characterizes
those of lawyers and notaries in Paris。
The dress of these four personages revealed a neatness due to the most
scrupulous personal care。 The same hand； and it was that of Manon；
could be seen in every detail。 Their coats were perhaps ten years old；
but they were preserved； like the coats of vicars； by the occult power
of the servant…woman； and the constant care with which they were worn。
These men seemed to wear on their backs the livery of a system of
life； they belonged to one thought； their looks said the same word；
their faces breathed a gentle resignation； a provoking quietude。
〃Is it an indiscretion； madame；〃 said Godefroid； 〃to ask the names of
these gentlemen？ I am ready to explain my life； can I know as much of
theirs as custom will allow？〃
〃That gentleman；〃 said Madame de la Chanterie； motioning to the tall；
thin man； 〃is Monsieur Nicolas； he is a colonel of gendarmerie；
retired with the rank of brigadier…general。 And this；〃 she added；
looking towards the stout little man； 〃is a former councillor of the
royal courts of Paris； who retired from the magistracy in 1830。 His
name is Monsieur Joseph。 Though you have only been with us one day； I
will tell you that in the world Monsieur Nicolas once bore the name of
the Marquis de Montauran； and Monsieur Joseph that of Lecamus； Baron
de Tresnes； but for us； as for the world； those names no longer exist。
These gentlemen are without heirs； they only advance by a little the
oblivion which awaits their names； they are simply Monsieur Nicolas
and Monsieur Joseph； as you will be Monsieur Godefroid。〃
As he heard those names；one so celebrated in the annals of royalism
by the catastrophe which put an end to the uprising of the Chouans；
the other so revered in the halls of the old parliament of Paris；
Godefroid could not repress a quiver。 He looked at these relics of the
grandest things of the fallen monarchy；the /noblesse/ and the law；
and he could see no movement of the features； no change in the
countenance； that revealed the presence of a worldly thought。 Those
men no longer remembered； or did not choose to remember； what they had
been。 This was Godefroid's first lesson。
〃Each of your names； gentlemen； is a whole history in itself；〃 he said
respectfully。
〃Yes； the history of my time；ruins；〃 replied Monsieur Joseph。
〃You are in good company；〃 said Monsieur Alain。
The latter can be described in a word： he was the small bourgeois of
Paris； the worthy middle…class being with a kindly face； relieved by
pure white hair； but made insipid by an eternal smile。
As for the priest； the Abbe de Veze； his presence said all。 The priest
who fulfils his mission is known by the first glance he gives you； and
by the glance that others who know him give to him。
That which struck Godefroid most forcibly at first was the profound
respect which the four lodgers manifested for Madame de la Chanterie。
They all seemed； even the priest； in spite of the sacred character his
functions gave him； to regard her as a queen。 Godefroid also noticed
their sobriety。 Each seemed to eat only for nourishment。 Madame de la
Chanterie took； as did the rest； a single peach and half a bunch of
grapes； but she told her new lodger； as she offered him the various
dishes； not to imitate such temperance。
Godefroid's curiosity was excited to the highest degree by this first
entrance on his new life。 When they returned to the salon after
breakfast； he was left alone； Madame de la Chanterie retired to the
embrasure of a window and held a little private council with her four
friends。 This conference； entirely devoid of animation； lasted half an
hour。 They spoke together in a low voice； exchanging words which each
of them appeared to have thought over。 From time to time Monsieur
Alain and Monsieur Joseph consulted a note…book； turning over its
leaves。
〃See the faubourg；〃 said Madame de la Chanterie to Monsieur Joseph；
who left the house。
That was the only word Godefroid distinguished。
〃And you the Saint…Marceau quarter；〃 she continued； addressing
Monsieur Nicolas。 〃Hunt through the faubourg Saint…Germain and see if
you can find what we want；〃 this to the Abbe de Veze； who went away
immediately。 〃And you； my dear Alain；〃 she added； smiling at the
latter； 〃make an examination。 There； those important matters are all
settled；〃 she said； returning to Godefroid。
She seated herself in her armchair； took a little piece of linen from
the table before her； and began to sew as if she were employed to do
so。
Godefroid； lost in conjecture； and still thinking of a royalist
conspiracy； took his landlady's remark as an opening； and he began to
study her as he seated himself beside her。 He was struck by the
singular dexterity with which she worked。 Although everything about
her bespoke the great lady； she showed the dexterity of a workwoman；
for every one can see at a glance； by certain manipulations； the work
of a workman or an amateur。
〃You do that；〃 said Godefroid； 〃as if you knew the trade。〃
〃Alas！〃 she answered； without raising her head； 〃I did know it once
out of necessity。〃
Two large tears came into her eyes； and rolled down her cheeks to the
linen in her hand。
〃Forgive me； madame！〃 cried Godefroid。
Madame de Chanterie looked at her new lodger； and saw such an
expression of genuine regret upon his face； that she made him a
friendly sign。 After drying her eyes； she immediately recovered the
calmness that characterized her face； which was less cold than
chastened。
〃You are here； Monsieur Godefroid；for you know already that we shall
call you by your baptized name；you are here in the midst of ruins
caused by a great tempest。 We have each been struck and wounded in our
hearts； our family interests； or our fortunes； by that whirlwind of
forty years； which overthrew religion and royalty； and dispersed the
elements of all that made old France。 Words that seem quite harmless
do sometimes wound us all； and that is why we are so silent。 We speak
rarely of ourselves； we forget ourselves； and we have found a way to
substitute another life for our lives。 It is because； after hearing
your confidence at Monsieur Mongenod's； I thought there seemed a
likeness between your situation and ours； that I induced my four
friends to receive you among us； besides； we wanted another monk in
our convent。 But what are you going to do？ No one can face solitude
without some moral resources。〃
〃Madame； I should be very glad； after hearing what you have said； if
you yourself would be the guide of my destiny。〃
〃You speak like a man of the world；〃 she answered； 〃and are trying to
flatter me；a woman of sixty！ My dear child；〃 she went on； 〃let me
tell you that you are here among persons who believe strongly in God；
who have all felt his hand； and have yielded themselves to him almost
as though they were Trappists。 Have you ever remarked the profound
sense of safety in a true priest when he has given himself to the
Lord； when he listens to his voice； and strives to make himself a
docile instrument in the hand of Providence？ He has no longer vanity
or self…love；nothing of all that which wounds continually the hearts
of the world。 His quietude is equal to that of the fatalist； his
resignation does truly enable him to bear all。 The true priest； such a
one as the Abbe de Veze； lives like a child with its mother； for the
Church； my dear Monsieur Godefroid； is a good mother。 Well； a man can
be a priest without the tonsure； all priests are not in orders。 To vow
one's self to good； that is imitating a true priest； it is obedience
to God。 I am not preaching to you； I am not trying to convert you； I
am explaining our lives to you。〃
〃Instruct me； madame；〃 said Godefroid； deeply impressed； 〃so that I
may not fail in any of your rules。〃
〃That would be hard upon you； you will learn them by degrees。 Never
speak here of your misfortunes； they are slight compared to the
catastrophes by which the lives of those you are now among were
blasted。〃
While speaking thus； Madame de la Chanterie drew her needle and let
her stitches with unbroken regularity； but here she paused； raised her
head； and looked at Godefroid。 She saw him charmed by the penetrating
sweetness of her voice； which possessed； let us say i