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With blinking eyes he was curiously observing the old man and nodding approvingly in order to induce him to talk. 'So you are a materialist, Jeanbernat? he said. 'Oh, I am only a poor man, replied the old fellow, relighting his pipe.
The old servant, however, was troubled by a suspicion, and taking her stand on her sound leg, she looked the young cure in the face. 'So you know the Paradou people? she said. Thereupon he simply told the truth, relating the visit he had paid to old Jeanbernat. La Teuse exchanged scandalised glances with Brother Archangias.
'Yes, I know, interrupted La Rousse. 'The Brother didn't want to let her be buried amongst Christians, but Monsieur le Cure said that eternity was for everybody. I was there. But all the same the Philosopher might have come. At that very moment Rosalie reduced them all to silence by murmuring: 'See! there he is, the Philosopher. Jeanbernat was, indeed, just entering the graveyard.
Uncle Pascal shuddered. Then he explained to the old man that it was not allowed for one to keep the dead in that fashion. 'What! it isn't allowed! cried Jeanbernat. 'Well, then, I will allow it myself! Doesn't she belong to me? Isn't she mine? Do you think I am going to let the priests walk off with her? Let them try, if they want to get a shot from my gun!
And then you, on your side, it seemed to me, would do something to reclaim the poor child from her wild ways; you would civilise her, and, between us, we should turn her into a young lady, for whom we should, by-and-by, find a suitable husband. It seemed such a perfect scheme. And then how was I to guess that old philosophising Jeanbernat would never stir an inch from his lettuce-beds? Well! well!
All around still prevailed that perfect silence amidst which Jeanbernat had been wont to smoke his pipe; but, to-day, the old man was no longer seated on his bench watching his lettuces. 'Jeanbernat! called the doctor. No one answered. Then, on entering the vestibule, he saw something that he had never seen before.
She lives in it; jumps out of the window when Jeanbernat locks the door, bolts off in spite of all, goes nobody knows whither, buries herself in some invisible burrows known only to herself. She must have a fine time in that wilderness. 'Hark, uncle! interrupted Abbe Mouret. 'Isn't that some animal running behind the wall? Uncle Pascal listened.
'It would do this scoundrel good to be well bled; but, since it seems to displease you, I'll wait a little longer; I shall be meeting him again in some quiet corner. And as the Brother broke out into a growl, Jeanbernat cried threateningly: 'If you don't keep still I will cut your ears off at once! 'But you are sitting on his chest, said the priest, 'get up and let him breathe.
Below, in the garden, Jeanbernat was still driving his spade into the ground in heavy, regular fashion. A quarter of an hour later, however, the old man came upstairs. He had completed his work. He found the doctor seated by the bedside, buried in such a deep reverie that he did not seem conscious of the heavy tears that were trickling down his cheeks. The two men only glanced at each other.
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