雨果 悲惨世界 英文版1-第106部分

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　　Among　the　number　were　Madame　Beaufort　d'Hautpoul　and　Marquise　Dufresne。
　　Another　was　never　known　in　the　convent　except　by　the　formidable　noise　which　she　made　when　she　blew　her　nose。
　　The　pupils　called　her　Madame　Vacarmini　（hubbub）。
　　About　1820　or　1821；　Madame　de　Genlis；　who　was　at　that　time　editing　a　little　periodical　publication　called　l'Intrepide；　asked　to　be　allowed　to　enter　the　convent　of　the　Petit…Picpus　as　lady　resident。　The　Duc　d'Orleans　remended　her。
　　Uproar　in　the　hive；　the　vocal…mothers　were　all　in　a　flutter；　Madame　de　Genlis　had　made　romances。　But　she　declared　that　she　was　the　first　to　detest　them；　and　then；　she　had　reached　her　fierce　stage　of　devotion。
　　With　the　aid　of　God；　and　of　the　Prince；　she　entered。
　　She　departed　at　the　end　of　six　or　eight　months；　alleging　as　a　reason；　that　there　was　no　shade　in　the　garden。
　　The　nuns　were　delighted。
　　Although　very　old；　she　still　played　the　harp；　and　did　it　very　well。
　　When　she　went　away　she　left　her　mark　in　her　cell。
　　Madame　de　Genlis　was　superstitious　and　a　Latinist。
　　These　two　words　furnish　a　tolerably　good　profile　of　her。
A　few　years　ago；　there　were　still　to　be　seen；　pasted　in　the　inside　of　a　little　cupboard　in　her　cell　in　which　she　locked　up　her　silverware　and　her　jewels；　these　five　lines　in　Latin；　written　with　her　own　hand　in　red　ink　on　yellow　paper；　and　which；　in　her　opinion；　possessed　the　property　of　frightening　away　robbers：
　　Imparibus　meritis　pendent　tria　corpora　ramis：＇15＇　
　　Dismas　et　Gesmas；　media　est　divina　potestas；　
　　Alta　petit　Dismas；　infelix；　infima；　Gesmas；　
　　Nos　et　res　nostras　conservet　summa　potestas。　
　　Hos　versus　dicas；　ne　tu　furto　tua　perdas。
　　＇15＇　On　the　boughs　hang　three　bodies　of　unequal　merits：　Dismas　and　Gesmas；　between　is　the　divine　power。
　　Dismas　seeks　the　heights；　Gesmas；　unhappy　man；　the　lowest　regions；　the　highest　power　will　preserve　us　and　our　effects。
　　If　you　repeat　this　verse；　you　will　not　lose　your　things　by　theft。
　　These　verses　in　sixth　century　Latin　raise　the　question　whether　the　two　thieves　of　Calvary　were　named；　as　is　monly　believed；　Dismas　and　Gestas；　or　Dismas　and　Gesmas。
　　This　orthography　might　have　confounded　the　pretensions　put　forward　in　the　last　century　by　the　Vite　de　Gestas；　of　a　descent　from　the　wicked　thief。　However；　the　useful　virtue　attached　to　these　verses　forms　an　article　of　faith　in　the　order　of　the　Hospitallers。
　　The　church　of　the　house；　constructed　in　such　a　manner　as　to　separate　the　Great　Convent　from　the　Boarding…school　like　a　veritable　intrenchment；　was；　of　course；　mon　to　the　Boarding…school；　the　Great　Convent；　and　the　Little　Convent。
　　The　public　was　even　admitted　by　a　sort　of　lazaretto　entrance　on　the　street。
　　But　all　was　so　arranged；　that　none　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　cloister　could　see　a　face　from　the　outside　world。
　　Suppose　a　church　whose　choir　is　grasped　in　a　gigantic　hand；　and　folded　in　such　a　manner　as　to　form；　not；　as　in　ordinary　churches；　a　prolongation　behind　the　altar；　but　a　sort　of　hall；　or　obscure　cellar；　to　the　right　of　the　officiating　priest；　suppose　this　hall　to　be　shut　off　by　a　curtain　seven　feet　in　height；　of　which　we　have　already　spoken；　in　the　shadow　of　that　curtain；　pile　up　on　wooden　stalls　the　nuns　in　the　choir　on　the　left；　the　school…girls　on　the　right；　the　lay…sisters　and　the　novices　at　
the　bottom；　and　you　will　have　some　idea　of　the　nuns　of　the　Petit…Picpus　assisting　at　divine　service。
　　That　cavern；　which　was　called　the　choir；　municated　with　the　cloister　by　a　lobby。
　　The　church　was　lighted　from　the　garden。
　　When　the　nuns　were　present　at　services　where　their　rule　enjoined　silence；　the　public　was　warned　of　their　presence　only　by　the　folding　seats　of　the　stalls　noisily　rising　and　falling。


BOOK　SIXTH。LE　PETIT…PICPUS
CHAPTER　VII　
　　SOME　SILHOUETTES　OF　THIS　DARKNESS
　　During　the　six　years　which　separate　1819　from　1825；　the　prioress　of　the　Petit…Picpus　was　Mademoiselle　de　Blemeur；　whose　name；　in　religion；　was　Mother　Innocente。
　　She　came　of　the　family　of　Marguerite　de　Blemeur；　author　of　Lives　of　the　Saints　of　the　Order　of　Saint…Benoit。　She　had　been　re…elected。　She　was　a　woman　about　sixty　years　of　age；　short；　thick；　〃singing　like　a　cracked　pot；〃　says　the　letter　which　we　have　already　quoted；　an　excellent　woman；　moreover；　and　the　only　merry　one　in　the　whole　convent；　and　for　that　reason　adored。　She　was　learned；　erudite；　wise；　petent；　curiously　proficient　in　history；　crammed　with　Latin；　stuffed　with　Greek；　full　of　Hebrew；　and　more　of　a　Benedictine　monk　than　a　Benedictine　nun。
　　The　sub…prioress　was　an　old　Spanish　nun；　Mother　Cineres；　who　was　almost　blind。
　　The　most　esteemed　among　the　vocal　mothers　were　Mother　Sainte…Honorine；　the　treasurer；　Mother　Sainte…Gertrude；　the　chief　mistress　of　the　novices；　Mother…Saint…Ange；　the　assistant　mistress；　Mother　Annonciation；　the　sacristan；　Mother　Saint…Augustin；　the　nurse；　the　only　one　in　the　convent　who　was　malicious；　then　Mother　Sainte…Mechtilde　（Mademoiselle　Gauvain）；　very　young　and　with　a　beautiful　voice；　Mother　des　Anges　（Mademoiselle　Drouet）；　who　had　been　in　the　convent　of　the　Filles…Dieu；　and　in　the　convent　du　Tresor；　between　Gisors　and　Magny；　Mother　Saint…Joseph　（Mademoiselle　de　Cogolludo）；　Mother　Sainte…Adelaide　（Mademoiselle　d'Auverney）；　Mother　Misericorde　（Mademoiselle　de　Cifuentes；　who　could　not　resist　austerities）；　Mother　passion　（Mademoiselle　de　la　Miltiere；　received　at　the　age　of　sixty　in　defiance　of　the　rule；　and　very　wealthy）；　Mother　Providence　（Mademoiselle　de　Laudiniere）；　Mother　Presentation　（Mademoiselle　de　Siguenza）；　who　was　prioress　in　1847；　and　finally；　Mother　Sainte…Celigne　（sister　of　the　sculptor　Ceracchi）；　who　went　mad；　Mother　Sainte…Chantal　（Mademoiselle　de　Suzon）；　who　went　mad。
　　There　was　also；　among　the　prettiest　of　them；　a　charming　girl　of　three　and　twenty；　who　was　from　the　Isle　de　Bourbon；　a　descendant　of　the　Chevalier　Roze；　whose　name　had　been　Mademoiselle　Roze；　and　who　was　called　Mother　Assumption。
　　Mother　Sainte…Mechtilde；　intrusted　with　the　singing　and　the　choir；　was　fond　of　making　use　of　the　pupils　in　this　quarter。
　　She　usually　took　a　plete　scale　of　them；　that　is　to　say；　seven；　from　ten　to　sixteen　years　of　age；　inclusive；　of　assorted　voices　and　sizes；　whom　she　made　sing　standing；　drawn　up　in　a　line；　side　by　side；　according　to　age；　from　the　smallest　to　the　largest。
　　This　presented　to　the　eye；　something　in　the　nature　of　a　reed…pipe　of　young　girls；　a　sort　of　living　Pan…pipe　made　of　angels。
　　Those　of　the　lay…sisters　whom　the　scholars　loved　most　were　Sister　Euphrasie；　Sister　Sainte…Marguerite；　Sister　Sainte…Marthe；　who　was　in　her　dotage；　and　Sister　Sainte…Michel；　whose　long　nose　made　them　laugh。
　　All　these　women　were　gentle　with　the　children。
　　The　nuns　were　severe　only　towards　themselves。
　　No　fire　was　lighted　except　in　the　school；　and　the　food　was　choice　pared　to　that　in　the　convent。　Moreover；　they　lavished　a　thousand　cares　on　their　scholars。
　　Only；　when　a　child　passed　near　a　nun　and　addressed　her；　the　nun　never　replied。
　　This　rule　of　silence　had　had　this　effect；　that　throughout　the　whole　convent；　speech　had　been　withdrawn　from　human　creatures；　and　bestowed　on　inanimate　objects。
　　Now　it　was　the　church…bell　which　spoke；　now　it　was　the　gardener's　bell。
　　A　very　sonorous　bell；　placed　beside　the　portress；　and　which　was　audible　throughout　the　house；　indicated　by　its　varied　peals；　which　formed　a　sort　of　acoustic　telegraph；　all　the　actions　of　material　life　which　were　to　be　performed；　and　summoned　to　the　parlor；　in　case　of　need；　such　or　such　an　inhabitant　of　the　house。
　　Each　person　and　each　thing　had　its　own　peal。
　　The　prioress　had　one　and　one；　the　sub…prioress　one　and　two。
　　Six…five　announced　lessons；　so　that　the　pupils　never　said　〃to　go　to　lessons；〃　but　〃to　go　to　six…five。〃　Four…four　was　Madame　de　Genlis's　signal。
　　It　was　very　often　heard。
　　〃C'est　le　diable　a　quatre；it's　the　very　deucesaid　the　uncharitable。　Tennine　strokes　announced　a　great　event。
　　It　was　the　opening　of　the　door　of　seclusion；　a　frightful　sheet　of　iron　bristling　with　bolts　which　only　turned　on　its　hinges　in　the　presence　of　the　archbishop。
　　With　the　exception　of　the　archbishop　and　the　gardener；　no　man　entered　the　convent；　as　we　have　already　said。
　　The　schoolgirls　saw　two　others：
　　one；　the　chaplain；　the　Abbe　Banes；　old　and　ugly；　whom　they　were　permitted　to　contemplate　in　the　choir；　through　a　grating；　the　other　the　drawing…master；　M。　Ansiaux；　whom　the　letter；　of　which　we　have　perused　a　few　lines；　calls　M。　Anciot；　and　describes　as　a　frightful　old　hunchback。
　　It　will　be　seen　that　all　these　men　were　carefully　chosen。
　　Such　was　this　curious　house。


BOOK　SIXTH。LE　PETIT…PICPUS
CHAPTER　VIII　
　　POST　CORDA　LAPIDES
　　After　having　sketched　its　moral　face；　it　will　not　prove　unprofitable　to　point　out；　in　a　few　words；　its　material　configuration。　The　reader　already　has　some　idea　of　it。
　　The　convent　of　the　Petit…Picpus…Sainte…Antoine　filled　almost　the　whole　of　the　vast　trapezium　which　resulted　from　the　intersection　of　the　Rue　Polonceau；　the　Rue　Droit…Mur；　the　Rue　Petit…Picpus；　and　the　unused　lane；　called　Rue　Aumarais　on　old　plans。　These　four　streets　surrounded　this　trapezium　like　a　moat。　The　convent　was　posed　of　several　buildings　and　a　garden。　The　principal　building；　taken　in　its　entirety；　was　a　juxtaposition　of　hybrid　constructions　which；　viewed　from　a　bird's…eye　view；　outlined；　with　considerable　exactness；　a　gibbet　laid　flat　on　the　ground。　The　main　arm　of　the　gibbet　occupied　the　whole　of　the　fragment　of　the　Rue　Droit…Mur　prised　between　the　Rue　Petit…Picpus　and　the　Rue　Polonceau；　the　lesser　arm　was　a　lofty；　gray；　severe　grated　facade　which　faced　the　Rue　Petit…Picpus；　the　carriage　entrance　No。　62　marked　its　extremity。
　　Towards　the　centre　of　this　facade　was　a　low；　arched　door；　whitened　with　dust　and　ashes；　where　the　spiders　wove　their　webs；　and　which　was　open　only　for　an　hour　or　two　on　Sundays；　and　on　rare　occasions；　when　the　coffin　of　a　nun　left　the　convent。　This　was　the　public　entrance　of　the　church。
　　The　elbow　of　the　gibbet　was　a　square　hall　which　was　used　as　the　servants'　hall；　and　which　the　nuns　called　the　buttery。
　　In　the　main　arm　were　the　cells　of　the　mothers；　the　sisters；　and　the　novices。
　　In　the　lesser　arm　lay　the　kitchens；　the　refectory；　backed　up　by　the　cloisters　and　the　church。
　　Between　the　door　No。　62　and　the　corner　of　the　closed　lane　Aumarais；　was　the　school；　which　was　not　visible　from　without。　The　remainder　of　the　trapezium　formed　the　garden；　which　was　much　lower　than　the　level　of　the　Rue　Polonceau；　which　caused　the　walls　to　be　very　much　higher　on　the　inside　than　on　the　outside。　The　garden；　which　was　slightly　arched；　had　in　its　centre；　on　the　summit　of　a　hillock；　a　fine　pointed　and　conical　fir…tree；　whence　ran；　as　from　the　peaked　boss　of　a　shield；　four　grand　alleys；　and；　ranged　by　twos　in　between　the　branchings　of　these；　eight　small　ones；　so　that；　if　the　enclosure　had　been　circular；　the　geometrical　plan　of　the　alleys　would　have　resembled　a　cross　superposed　on　a　wheel。　As　the　alleys　all　ended　in　the　very　irregular　walls　of　the　garden；　they　were　of　unequal　length。
　　They　were　bordered　with　currant　bushes。　At　the　bottom；　an　alley　of　tall　pop