After the civilians, the clergy began to leave the church, the lower
orders coming first. All, in surplices, covered their heads with their
caps, under the porch; and each one held a large, lighted wax taper;
those at the right in their right hand, and those at the left in their
left hand, outside the rank, so there was a double row of flame, almost
deadened by the brightness of the day. First were representatives from
the great seminaries, the parishes, and then collegiate churches; then
came the beneficed clergymen and clerks of the Cathedral, followed by
the canons in white pluvials. In their midst were the choristers, in
capes of red silk, who chanted the anthem in full voice, and to whom all
the clergy replied in lower notes. The hymn, “Pange Lingua,” was grandly
given. The street was now filled with a rustling of muslin from the
flying winged sleeves of the surplices, which seemed pierced all over
with tiny stars of pale gold from the flames of the candles.
“Oh!” at last Angelique half sighed, “there is Saint Agnes!”
She smiled at the saint, borne by four clerks in white surplices, on a
platform of white velvet heavily ornamented with lace. Each year it was
like a new surprise to her, as she saw her guardian angel thus brought
out from the shadows where she had been growing old for centuries, quite
like another person under the brilliant sunshine, as if she were timid
and blushing in her robe of long, golden hair. She was really so old,
yet still very young, with her small hands, her little slender feet, her
delicate, girlish face, blackened by time.
But Monseigneur was to follow her. Already the swinging of the censers
could be heard coming from the depths of the church.
There was a slight murmuring of voices as Angelique repeated:
“Monseigneur, Monseigneur,” and with her eyes still upon the saint who
was going by, she recalled to mind at this moment the old histories.
The noble Marquesses d’Hautecœur delivering Beaumont from the plague,
thanks to the intervention of Agnes, then Jean V. and all those of his
race coming to kneel before her image, to pay their devotions to the
saint, and she seemed to see them all, the lords of the miracle, coming
one by one like a line of princes.
A large space had been left empty. Then the chaplain charged with the
care of the crozier advanced, holding it erect, the curved part being
towards him. Afterward came two censer-bearers, who walked backwards and
swung the censers gently from side to side, each one having near him
an acolyte charged with the incense-box. There was a little difficulty
before they succeeded in passing by one of the divisions of the door the
great canopy of royal scarlet velvet, decorated with a heavy fringe of
gold. But the delay was short, order was quickly re-established, and the
designated officials took the supports in hand. Underneath, between his
deacons of honour, Monseigneur walked, bareheaded, his shoulders covered
with a white scarf, the two ends of which enveloped his hands, which
bore the Holy Sacrament as high as possible, and without touching it.
Immediately the incense-bearers resumed their places, and the censers
sent out in haste, fell back again in unison with the little silvery
sound of their chains.
But Angelique started as she thought, where had she ever seen anyone
who looked like Monseigneur? She certainly knew his face before, but
had never been struck by it as to-day! All heads were bowed in solemn
devotion. But she was so uneasy, she simply bent down and looked at him.
He was tall, slight, and noble-looking; superb in his physical strength,
notwithstanding his sixty years. His eyes were piercing as those of
an eagle; his nose, a little prominent, only seemed to increase the
sovereign authority of his face, which was somewhat softened by his
white hair, that was thick and curly. She noticed the pallor of his
complexion, and it seemed to her as if he suddenly flushed from some
unknown reason. Perhaps, however, it was simply a reflection from the
great golden-rayed sun which he carried in his covered hands, and which
placed him in a radiance of mystic light.
Certainly, he to-day made her think of someone, but of whom? As soon as
he left the church, Monseigneur had commenced a psalm, which he recited
in a low voice, alternating the verses thereof with his deacons. And
Angelique trembled when she saw him turn his eyes towards their window,
for he seemed to her so severe, so haughty, and so cold, as if he were
condemning the vanity of all earthly affection. He turned his face
towards the three bands of ancient embroidery--Mary and the Angel,
Mary at the foot of the Cross, Mary being borne to Heaven--and his face
brightened. Then he lowered his eyes and fixed them upon her, but she
was so disturbed she could not tell whether his glance was harsh or
gentle; at all events it was only for a moment, for quickly regarding
the Holy Sacrament, his expression was lost in the light which came from
the great golden vessel. The censers still swung back and forth with a
measured rhythm, while a little blue cloud mounted in the air.
But Angelique’s heart now beat so rapidly she could scarcely keep still.
Behind the canopy she had just seen a chaplain, his fingers covered with
a scarf, who was carrying the mitre as devoutly as if it were a sacred
object, Saint Agnes flying heavenward with the two angels, the work of
her hands, and into each stitch of which she had put such deep love.
Then, among the laymen who followed, in the midst of functionaries, of
officers, of magistrates, she recognised Felicien in the front rank,
slight and graceful, with his curly hair, his rather large but straight
nose, and his black eyes, the expression of which was at the same time
proud and gentle. She expected him; she was not at all surprised to find
him transformed into a prince; her heart simply was overflowing with
joy. To the anxious look which he gave her, as of imploring forgiveness
for his falsehood, she replied by a lovely smile.
“But look!” exclaimed Hubertine, astonished at what she saw, “is not
that the young man who came to our house about the mitre?”
She had also recognised him, and was much disturbed when, turning
towards the young girl, she saw the latter transfigured, in ecstacy,
avoiding a reply.
“Then he did not tell us the truth about himself? But why? Do you know
the reason? Tell me, my dear, do you know who this young man is?”
Yes, perhaps in reality she did know. An inner voice answered all these
questions. But she dared not speak; she was unwilling to ask herself
anything. At the right time and at the proper place the truth would
be made clear. She thought it was approaching, and felt an increase of
pride of spirit, and of great love.
“But what is it? What has happened?” asked Hubert, as he bent forward
and touched the shoulder of his wife.
He was never present at the moment of an occurrence, but always appeared
to come from a reverie to the realisation of what passed about him. When
the young man was pointed out to him, he did not recognise him at all.
“Is it he? I think not. No, you must be mistaken; it is not he.”
Then Hubertine acknowledged that she was not quite sure. At all events,
it was as well to talk no more about it, but she would inform herself
later on. But the procession, which had stopped again in order that
Monseigneur might incense the Holy Sacrament, which was placed among the
verdure of a temporary altar at the corner of the street, was now about
to move on again; and Angelique, whose hands seemed lost in the basket
on her lap, suddenly, in her delight and confusion, made a quick
movement, and carelessly threw out a great quantity of the perfumed
petals. At that instant Felicien approached. The leaves fell like a
little shower, and at last two of them fluttered, balanced themselves,
then quietly settled down on his hair.
It was over. The canopy had disappeared round the corner of the Grand
Rue, the end of the cortege went by, leaving the pavements deserted,
hushed as if quieted by a dreamy faith, in the rather strong exhalation
of crushed roses. Yet one could still hear in the distance, growing
weaker and weaker by degrees, the silvery sound of the little chains of
the swinging censers.
“Oh mother!” said Angelique, pleadingly, “do let us go into the church,
so as to see them all as they come back.”
Hubertine’s first impulse was to refuse. But she, for her own part, was
very anxious to ascertain what she could about Felicien, so she replied:
“Yes, after a while, if you really wish to do so.”
But they must, of course, wait a little. Angelique, after going to her
room for her hat, could not keep still. She returned every minute to the
great window, which was still wide open. She looked to the end of the
street inquiringly, then she lifted her eyes as if seeking something
in space itself; and so nervous was she that she spoke aloud, as she
mentally followed the procession step by step.
“Now they are going down the Rue Basse. Ah! see, they must be turning on
the square before the Sous Prefecture. There is no end to all the long
streets in Beaumont-la-Ville. What pleasure can they take in seeing
Saint Agnes, I would like to know. All these petty tradesmen!”
Above them, in the heavens, was a delicately rose-tinted cloud, with a
band of white and gold around it, and it seemed as if from it there
came a devotional peace and a hush of religious expectation. In the
immobility of the air one realised that all civil life was suspended, as
if God had left His house, and everyone was awaiting His return before
resuming their daily occupations. Opposite them the blue draperies of
the silversmith, and the red curtains of the wax-chandler, still barred
the interior of their shops and hid the contents from view. The streets
seemed empty; there was no reverberation from one to the other, except
that of the slow march of the clergy, whose progress could easily be
realised from every corner of the town.
“Mother! mother! I assure you that now they are at the corner of the Rue
Magloire. They will soon come up the hill.”
She was mistaken, for it was only half-past six, and the procession
never came back before a quarter-past seven. She should have known well,
had she not been over-impatient, that the canopy must be only at the
lower wharf of the Ligneul. But she was too excited to think.
“Oh! mother dear! _do_ hurry, or we may not find any places.”
“Come, make haste then, little one,” at last Hubertine said, smiling in
spite of herself. “We shall certainly be obliged to wait a great while,
but never mind.”
“As for me, I will remain at home,” said Hubert. “I can take down and
put away the embroidered panels, and then I will set the table for
dinner.”
The church seemed empty to them, as the Blessed Sacrament was no longer
there. All the doors were wide open, like those of a house in complete
disorder, where one is awaiting the return of the master. Very few
persons came in; the great altar alone, a sarcophagus of severe
Romanesque style, glittered as if burning at the end of the nave,
covered as it was with stars from the flame of many candles; all
the rest of the enormous building--the aisles, the chapels, and the
arches--seemed filled with shadow under the coming-on of the evening
darkness.
Slowly, in order to gain a little patience, Angelique and Hubertine
walked round the edifice. Low down, it seemed as if crushed, thickset
columns supported the semicircular arches of the side-aisles. They
walked the whole length of the dark chapels, which were buried almost
as if they were crypts. Then, when they crossed over, before the great
entrance portal, under the triforium of the organ, they had a feeling of
deliverance as they raised their eyes towards the high, Gothic windows
of the nave, which shot up so gracefully above the heavy Romanesque
coursed work. But they continued by the southern side-aisle, and the
feeling of suffocation returned again. At the cross of the transept four
enormous pillars made the four corners, and rose to a great height, then
struck off to support the roof. There was still to be found a delicate
purple-tinted light, the farewell of the day, through the rose windows
of the side fronts. They had crossed the three steps which led to the
choir, then they turned by the circumference of the apse, which was
the very oldest part of the building, and seemed most sepulchral.
They stopped one moment and leaned against the ancient grating, which
entirely surrounded the choir, and which was most elaborately wrought,
that they might look at the flaming altar, where each separate light was
reflected in the old polished oak of the stalls, most marvellous stalls,
covered with rare sculptures. So at last they came back to the point
from which they started, lifting up their heads as if they breathed more
freely from the heights of the nave, which the growing shades at night
drove farther away, and enlarged the old walls, on which were faint
remains of paintings and of gold.
“I know perfectly well that we are altogether too early,” said
Hubertine.
Angelique, without replying, said, as if to herself:
“How grand it is!”
It really seemed to her as if she had never known the church before, but
that she had just seen it for the first time. Her eyes wandered over the
motionless sea of chairs, then went to the depth of the chapels, where
she could only imagine were tombs and old funereal stones, on account
of the increased darkness therein. But she saw at last the Chapel
Hautecœur, where she recognised the window that had been repaired, with
its Saint George, that now looked vague as a dream, in the dusk. She was
unusually happy.
At last there was a gentle shaking through the whole building, and the
great clock struck. Then the bell began to ring.
“Ah! now,” she said, “look, for they are really coming up the Rue
Magloire.”
This time it was indeed so. A crowd invaded the church, the aisles were
soon filled, and one realised that each minute the procession approached
nearer and nearer. The noise increased with the pealing of the bells,
with a certain rushing movement of air by the great entrance, the portal
of which was wide open.
Angelique, leaning on Hubertine’s shoulder, made herself as tall as
possible by standing upon the points of her feet, as she looked towards
this arched open space, the roundness of whose top was perfectly defined
in the pale twilight of the Place du Cloître. The first to appear was,
of course, the bearer of the Cross, accompanied by his two acolytes with
their candelabra; and behind them the Master of the Ceremonies hurried
along--the good Abbé Cornille, who now seemed quite out of breath and
overcome by fatigue. At the threshold of the door, the silhouette of
each new arrival was thrown out for a second, clear and strong, then
passed quickly away in the darkness of the interior. There were the
laymen, the schools, the associations, the fraternities, whose banners,
like sails, wavered for an instant, then suddenly vanished in the shade.
One saw again the pale “daughters of Mary,” who, as they entered, still
sang with their voices like those of seraphim.
The Cathedral had room for all. The nave was slowly filled, the men
being at the right and the women at the left. But night had come. The
whole place outside was dotted with bright points, hundreds of moving
lights, and soon it was the turn for the clergy, the tapers that were
held outside the ranks making a double yellow cord as they passed
through the door. The tapers seemed endless as they succeeded each other
and multiplied themselves; the great seminary, the parishes, and the
Cathedral; the choristers still singing the anthem, and the canons in
their white pluvials. Then little by little the church became lighted
up, seemed inhabited, illuminated, overpowered by hundreds of stars,
like a summer sky.
Two chairs being unoccupied, Angelique stood upon one of them.
“Get down, my dear,” whispered Hubertine, “for that is forbidden.”
But she tranquilly remained there, and did not move.
“Why is it forbidden? I must see, at all events. Oh! how exquisite all
this is!”
At last she prevailed upon her mother to get upon the other chair.
Now the whole Cathedral was glowing with a reddish yellow light. This
billow of candles which crossed it illuminated the lower arches of the
side-aisles, the depth of the chapels, and glittered upon the glass
of some shrine or upon the gold of some tabernacle. The rays even
penetrated into the apse, and the sepulchral crypts were brightened
up by them. The choir was a mass of flame, with its altar on fire, its
glistening stalls, and its old railing, whose ornamentation stood out
boldly. And the flight of the nave was stronger marked than ever, with
the heavy curved pillars below, supporting the round arches, while
above, the numbers of little columns grew smaller and smaller as they
burst forth among the broken arches of the ogives, like an inexpressible
declaration of faith and love which seemed to come from the lights.
In the centre, under the roof, along the ribs of the nave, there was
a yellow cloud, a thick colour of wax, from the multitude of little
tapers.
But now, above the sound of feet and the moving of chairs, one heard
again the falling of the chains of the censers. Then the organ pealed
forth majestically, a glorious burst of music that filled to overflowing
the highest arches as if with the rumbling of thunder. It was at this
instant that Monseigneur arrived on the Place du Cloître. The statue of
Saint Agnes had reached the apse, still borne by the surpliced clerks,
and her face looked very calm under the light, as if she were more than
happy to return to her dreams of four centuries. At last, preceded by
the crosier, and followed by the mitre, Monseigneur entered with his
deacons under the canopy, still having his two hands covered with a
white scarf, and holding the Blessed Sacrament in the same position
as at first. The canopy, which was borne down the central aisle, was
stopped at the railing of the choir, and there, on account of a certain
unavoidable confusion, the Bishop was for a moment made to approach the
persons who formed his suite. Since Felicien had reappeared, Angelique
had looked at him constantly. It so happened that on account of the
pressure he was placed a little at the right of the canopy, and at that
moment she saw very near together the white head of Monseigneur and the
blonde head of the young man. That glance was a revelation; a sudden
light came to her eyes; she joined her hands together as she said aloud:
“Oh! Monseigneur, the son of Monseigneur!”
Her secret escaped her. It was an involuntary cry, the certainty which
revealed itself in this sudden fact of their resemblance. Perhaps, in
the depths of her mind, she already knew it, but she would never have
dared to have said so; whilst now it was self-evident, a fact of which
there could be no denial. From everything around her, from her own
soul, from inanimate objects, from past recollections, her cry seemed
repeated.
Hubertine, quite overcome, said in a whisper, “This young man is the son
of Monseigneur?”
Around these two the crowd had gradually accumulated. They were well
known and were greatly admired; the mother still adorable in her simple
toilette of linen, the daughter with the angelic grace of a cherubim, in
her gown of white foulard, as light as a feather. They were so handsome
and in such full view, as they stood upon their chairs, that from every
direction eyes were turned towards them, and admiring glances given
them.
“But yes, indeed, my good lady,” said the _mère_ Lemballeuse, who
chanced to be in the group; “but yes, he is the son of Monseigneur. But
how does it happen that you have not already heard of it? And not only
that, but he is a wonderfully handsome young man, and so rich! Rich!
Yes indeed, he could buy the whole town if he wished to do so. He has
millions and millions!”
Hubertine turned very pale as she listened.
“You must have heard his history spoken of?” continued the beggar-woman.
“His mother died soon after his birth, and it was on that account that
Monseigneur concluded to become a clergyman. Now, however, after all
these years, he sent for his son to join him. He is, in fact, Felicien
VII d’Hautecœur, with a title as if he were a real prince.”
Then Hubertine was intensely grieved. But Angelique beamed with joy
before the commencement of the realisation of her dream. She was not in
the slightest degree astonished, for she had always known that he would
be the richest, the noblest, and the handsomest of men. So her joy was
intense and perfect, without the slightest anxiety for the future, or
suspicion of any obstacle that could possibly come between them. In
short, he would in his turn now make himself known, and would tell
everything. As she had fancied, gold would stream down with the little
flickering flames of the candles. The organs would send forth their
most glorious music on the occasion of their betrothal. The line of
the Hautecœurs would continue royally from the beginning of the
legend--Norbert I., Jean V., Felicien III., Jean XII., then the last,
Felicien VII, who just turned towards her his noble face. He was the
descendant of the cousins of the Virgin, the master, the superb son,
showing himself in all his beauty at the side of his father.
Just then Felicien smiled sweetly at her, and she did not see the angry
look of Monseigneur, who had remarked her standing on the chair, above
the crowd, blushing in her pride and love.
“Oh, my poor dear child!” sighed Hubertine.
But the chaplain and the acolytes were ranged on the right and the left,
and the first deacon having taken the Holy Sacrament from the hands
of Monseigneur, he placed it on the altar. It was the final
Benediction--the _Tantum ergo_ sung loudly by the choristers, the
incenses of the boxes burning in the censers, the strange, brusque
silence during the prayer--and in the midst of the lighted church,
overflowing with clergy and with people, under the high, springing
arches, Monseigneur remounted to the altar, took again in his two hands
the great golden sun, which he waved back and forth in the air three
times, with a slow sign of the Cross.