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re。〃
Genestas and the cure; still in conversation; walked on together。 Butifer and Adrien followed them at a few paces distance。 They went in the direction of the little lake; and as soon as they were clear of the town; the lieutenant…colonel saw on the mountain…side a large piece of waste land enclosed by walls。
〃That is the cemetery;〃 the cure told him。 〃He is the first to be buried in it。 Only three months before he was brought here; it struck him that it was a very bad arrangement to have the churchyard round the church; so; in order to carry out the law; which prescribes that burial grounds should be removed a stated distance from human dwellings; he himself gave this piece of land to the commune。 We are burying a child; poor little thing; in the new cemetery to…day; so we shall have begun by laying innocence and virtue there。 Can it be that death is after all a reward? Did God mean it as a lesson for us when He took these two perfect natures to Himself? When we have been tried and disciplined in youth by pain; in later life by mental suffering; are we so much nearer to Him? Look! there is the rustic monument which has been erected to his memory。〃
Genestas saw a mound of earth about twenty feet high。 It was bare as yet; but dwellers in the district were already busily covering the sloping sides with green turf。 La Fosseuse; her face buried in her hands; was sobbing bitterly; she was sitting on the pile of stones in which they had planted a great wooden cross; made from the trunk of a pine…tree; from which the bark had not been removed。 The officer read the inscription; the letters were large; and had been deeply cut in the wood。
D。 O。 M。
HERE LIES
THE GOOD MONSIEUR BENASSIS
THE FATHER OF US ALL
PRAY FOR HIM。
〃Was it you; sir;〃 asked Genestas; 〃who?〃
〃No;〃 answered the cure; it is simply what is said everywhere; from the heights up there above us down to Grenoble; so the words have been carved here。〃
Genestas remained silent for a few moments。 Then he moved from where he stood and came nearer to La Fosseuse; who did not hear him; and spoke again to the cure。
〃As soon as I have my pension;〃 he said; 〃I will come to finish my days here among you。〃
ADDENDUM
The following personage appears in other stories of the Human Comedy。
Murat; Joachim; Prince The Vendetta The Gondreville Mystery Colonel Chabert Domestic Peace
End