"Christians, all come here to listen a real speech" "And hear my ballad tell" "Of three inhuman monsters" "Who lived in bygone times" "They murdered passers-by in truly heinous crimes" "In the Ardèche, at Peyrebeill$ in the Vivarais" "They set up their trade on a lonely highway" "On this road stood the Red Inn" "The secret den of bloody sin" "These monsters had a daughter, apple oftheir eye" "But she had no lover though her charms ran h!" "igh" "Few inns in France, whether of repute or wild" "Can boast a maid as chaste as the Martin child" "Th$r$ wer$ so many victims that they remain beyond count" "At a hundred and thirty-three some put the amount" "But a thousand might well be closer to the mark" "Tr$mbl$, on$ and all to hear of crimes so da!" "rk" "Neighbours on this tranquil mountain scene" "Held Martin and his wife in high esteem" "Morally th$y rated a clean bill of health" "For esteem often follows in the wake of wealth" "An organ-grinder tramping the way" "One snowy night, all unaware" "Came to the inn with his monkey" "And fell victim to the snare" "finish it ofl, too!" "Let him go, he won't talk" "How do you know these brut$s don't talk?" "Just a minute..." "Shoot it!" "No gunfire, do it with a knife" " That do$s it!" " No, leave it to me" "I thought it was the organ-grinder!" "The monkey will think so, too." "Go and hide" "When w$ shar$ out, can I have the organ?" "I didn't steal it" " B$astly Blackamoor!" " It wasn't me, it was her I don't care!" "Give me that..." "nowjust you wait!" "Well, now... hunters" "Jugged hare is vey good" "Or even a bacon omelette I was talking to you about serious matters." "Aren't you hungy?" "Yes." "Is it far to the monastey?" "We won't be there before midnight" "Oh, f... for the love of God, my stafl!" "I can feel a t$rribl$ draught between my legs" "Where am I?" "Oh, Father... an abyss lt's the bridge, then lt's the bridge, w$'re not far from the inn" " What inn, Father?" " A nice inn, boy" "You've been there?" "Never inside, but it's renowned" "Now that I come to think of it  I wonder if God placed it in our path" "For God s$$s all, and He must know that we can go no further" "Suppose it should be a nic$ haunch of boar  cooked in red wine with a nice çhestnut sauçe?" "Will we be there soon?" "No, ther$'s at least four hours to go yet" "There's still tim$ for us to b$ attacked a hundred times" "Oh my God, what am I doing here among all the highwaymen?" "Ifyour so afraid, you shouldn't gad about flaunting your diamonds I'm not gadding about!" "I've attended a dearly loved sister's funeral" "And this is all I have leR of her" "Poor little Adelaide lt's $asy to b$ brave ifyou've nothing to loose I'd be happy to have what she has to loose!" "It would hardly make you wealthy, sir" "Mittens for moth$r, a snu_-box for father, a spelling-book for our servant I'm teaching him to read." "He's a black" "A black!" "But they're savages..." "Aren't you afraid?" "No, ours is vey gentle, vey sweet" "The monkey..." "look!" "Help!" "Your axe!" " What about my axe?" " Highwaymen!" "So what?" "I haven't any money. so they won't do anything to me" "He'll let us all be murder$d, just because he has no money" "Protect me, sir!" "Well?" "What is it?" "A vision from hell, with plumes and a long tail lt bit my nose and took to the skies." "Result: the sha_'s broken" "We are doomed!" "Keep you s$ats." "Ther$'s an inn where we can mend it" " It's quite near" " Could we sleep there?" "What do you think, sir?" "Alas, a painful duty urges me on my way" "My poor father is at death's door" "This inn will probably be cawling with vermin, anyway" "There are no vermin at our establishment, Madame" "If Mathild$ were here, it wouldn't have happened I don't like her being away, either" "The three of us are like children when she isn't here" "What's the use of complaining?" "There's work to be done" "Is that all?" " It wasn't worth the bother" " He said he'd done well" "Never believe a strolling player" " You know I don't smoke" " Stop grumbling all the time I've got too many knives already" "Don't take it, then" " What's this?" " Tarot cards" "God almighty!" "It's Death!" "H$'s dead isn't he?" "The cards never lie" "But I turned it up, not him" "Pick anoth$r on$ and you'll have better luck" "The Monkey!" "I knew it, that monkey's going to be the end of us" "Burn all this" "The organ, too" "Not the music, Madam$ promis$d. I'm bored. I need some amusement here" "All right, take it." "You can have it" "Don't wory, I'll get it back later" "Someone's knocking" "Mathilde!" "We didn't expect you until tomorrow I was dying to get home" " You're not alone?" " No, I've brought other travellers" "What a darling child!" "This is really too much, my dear" "We wer$ lam$nting our luck, too Well, you should never say die" " Are they armed?" " No, just an axe" " Shall we finish our game?" " Certainly" "There's time befor$ dinner, and I'm always ready to oblige" "Mulled wine for eveyone, Madame" "What a lovely fire" "But what a strange smell it has" "We were just burning some old cloths" "How sensible; one gets so attached to old things" "Did you know our coach was attacked?" "You weren't robbed, I hope" "No, thank God, or th$y'd have taken this I'm sure you've nev$r se$n one like it" "They don't grow on trees hereabouts" " Will you help me?" " With pleasure, Madame" "What now?" "Our shar's broken; can you lend us one?" "A shaft?" "I couldn't really say I'll have to look in the barn please God, let him find a shaft!" "We'll do this job and then retire to the county" " What are you looking at?" " The big one with the axe" "But look at the necklace." "My pig$on, I shalll give it to you lt will suit you well" "You really shouldn't, darling" "Don't wory about the man with the axe, he won't be around long" "Your mistake was not taking my six I did think of it, but too late" "Have you any money?" "No, only my axe" "So I saw I could pay you in work" "We don't need anybody, we do eveything ourselves." "Drink up and go" "Get going!" " Do I r$ally have to go?" " Right now I can't set ofi in the dark" "Now h$'s the one that's afraid of highwaymen!" "They won't harm you, you have no money!" "You were talking big in the coach." "Now it's our turn!" " In the hayloft, perhaps?" " There's no room" " l'll curl up small" " You'd still be too big" "You've nothing to wory about." "You're too big for thieves to attack" "Much too strong... you're lucky, you are" "B$ing strong comes in handy sometimes." "Goodbye, ofl you go" "What about the shar?" "No shaft... we haven't any shaft" "We'v$ look$d eveywhere, haven't we, Marie?" "No shar" "The ones we have are no use, you'd just have an accident" "Then we must spend the night here" "And you'll sleep the sleep ofthe dead" "How nice, I love this house" "Better to miss a business appointment than risk dying" " l'm a widower, so I'm in no hury" " My poor father is waiting..." "H$ won't mind hanging on one more night" "Our Christmas ham?" "Nothing is too good for them;" "we owe them that much" "Monsieur, two ofthem are playing cards" "One is taking all the other's money" "What diff$rence does it make?" "We're going to kill them all" "Which room are you giving me, child?" "Our Midas room" "You have many wealthy travellers?" "Not as wealthy as you, Madame I hope the bed's nice" "Oh, well, it will do for one night" "This room is already occupied, my girl" "This one is almost as nice" "Provided my neighbour doesn't snore" "Rest assured" "He should be in the garden by now I knew we'd forgotten something" " l hope he was sleeping" " Like a baby" "He was an artiste; h$ doesn't weigh much" "Where are you going?" "Not that way!" "Where should I put him?" "By the pear tree?" "No, that's where the pharmacist is" "True, there's little room left now" "Hury!" "I'm glad this one came along" "H$ had a lovely music-box..." "a box with a handle you turn" "You don't have to learn music, you just turn the handle lf learning to read was as easy... I've brought you a spelling-book" "You needn't have bothered I'm going to make music all the time now" "Where is he?" "We'll loose him if you leave him lying" "The ground's too hard to dig" "What are we going to do?" "Wait, do what I tell you" "We're saved, Janou!" "Do you see the light?" "I was afraid they'd be in bed" "The downstairs windows ar$ lit, which means they're still at table" "We're going to sit down with them and join in the conversation" "Should th$y prov$ to b$ rowdy company, with drunks or loose women there  well, in that case..." "We'll leave" "You're joking!" "We'll eat in our room, that's all" "Will they welcome us without money?" "You don't know how kind-hearted the local people are, Janou" "Did you hurt yourself, Father?" "It would n$ver $nt$r their minds to make a poor monk pay" "They know God will reward them by blessing their endeavours" "A pretty child making a snowman" "With a n$gro... all black against the white snow" "Isn't he handsome?" "I should say so" "And you are a vey pretty young lady I shall imagine my guardian angel as looking like you" "May I?" "You may, too" "Can I?" "It looks as if you can, all right" "That's enough for a novice" "That's got this Fellow laughing;" "I must kiss him, too" "Your snowman isn't finished, he lacks a nose" " Don't touch it!" " l'm only making him a nose" "He hasn't a pipe I've got his pipe" "Your poor snowman hasn't a hat, either" "Now that's a real snowman for you" "A bit fat; you can t$ll he ate at a good inn" "Now let us pray he won't melt tonight lt's getting milder" "Lead the way, Fetiche" " What's a novice?" " l am" "Vey nice, too." "And what does it do" "Becomes a monk" "Like him?" "Not right away; it takes time to become a monk" "You have to learn Latin, Greek, even Hebrew" "The Old and New Testaments, and all the prayers ls your heart broken?" "Why not wait until it is before becoming a monk?" "You have to have a girl to break your heart" "A girl is less hard to master than Latin I don't know..." "I don't know Latin, or girls, either" "Look, he's lost his pipe" "Well, Latin is something I can't teach you" "You mustn't catch cold, Father" "Some mulled win$ for the reverend Father" "What time is it?" "Have you dined already?" "No, don't wory, Father I saw you playing cards, you see I'm sure your Feet are soaked, Father." "Take ofl your shoes ls it all right, do you think?" "What pretty silks!" "Ah, but ifyou saw what lies beneath..." "a priceless treasure" "A tr$asur$ which the wealthiest men in the province  could not buy with all their gold and silver" "A fragment of the shinbon$ of Saint Francois Regis, patron ofthe Ardeche" "It's gold?" "OF course it's gold, with rubbies, opals, emeralds and a diamond or two" "Butwhat matters that compared with the humble little bone that lies within?" "If all the shinbones of St Francois you see in church were collected  he'd be a centipede, not a saint" "Better a hundred legs carying you to heaven, than two heading for hell" "Not so fast, w$ hav$n't had time to look I've always been particuarly devoted to St Francois Règis" "Thank you for your kind words" "Especially displayed like that" "You may kiss it, as may all Christians present here" "That'll do, Martin I'm definitely not in form tonight" "You shall have your revenge after supper" "You, too" "Allow me to precede him" "I know what you're thinking..." "No!" "I'd give eveything those travellers have for his little gold church" "We've never killed churchmen and we're not going to start now" "He'd get us o_to a good start, though" " Have you no religion?" " Have you?" "Yes, I respect priests, and I'd like to have one with me when I die I'll find another For you there's no shortage of them" "Have you forgotten the tarot card you drew?" "You shouldn't have r$minded me of it, Marie" "The death card!" "It will bring you misfortune" "All right, let him clear out right now." "Otherwise, he gets it, too" "The good St. Francois Regis ln his youth he tended goats, as I did." "We're from the same region" "When I talk to him, its in dial$ct, and he answers me the same way" "He watches over me..." "I may say ... in a vey special way" "Have you any money, Father?" "What would I do with mon$y?" "I belong to a mendicant order" "As an inn-k$eper, you must know the dessert they call "mendicants"" "Nuts, almonds, figs and raisins" "The Four colours ofthe four mendicant orders." "And I am the raisin" "No money?" "Not a sou." "It's against the rules of our order to possess a sou" "Then you must go" " Go?" "When?" " Right now" " Without eating?" " This is an inn, not a charity I'm notjoking, Father." "Take your shoes and leave here ln the night?" "In the storm?" "Among wolves hungering for human flesh?" " l'm sure if your wife..." " She thinks as I do" "Vey well" "May God will that th$re b$ hearts here less hard than yours" "My Friends, the harshness of the world is a inconceivable thing" "When I think that poor St. Francois, who did so much for this area  has no church to bear his nam$, not even a chapel" "Not even the tinest chapel." "Nothing... he has nothing" "It çan't be true!" "Not true, Madam$?" "But h$ hims$lf told me so" "One night he came to me as I slept" "He looked like a poor vagabond, and that indeed is what he is, Madame" "A saint without a church is a poor devil without hearth or home l couldnt' believe it when he said:" ""l am St. Francois Règis"" "If I'd had money, I'd had given it to him" ""Broth$r, " he said "l have no home:" "build me a church"" "This he asked of a poor monk who cannon even buy a meal at an inn" ""Great Saint, " l told him "you do me great honour, appearing to me" ""But you would b$ bett$r advised to appear at Rothschild's"" ""Thou of litte faith, " he said." ""trust in the generosity of believers"" "Y$s, but it costs money to build a church, and that money  must com$ from somewhere; it can't come from the pockets of poor monks" "Actually, we have no pockets;" "we must rely on yours I shall begin with the sceptic" "You'd accept my money?" "God does not r$fuse the sinner's money; he purifies it" " Do not forg$t me, Father" " Don't wory, Madame, I am coming I visit churches, I don't build them" "I shall pray that your fath$r meets a happy end I gave for both of us" ", You see?" "A few sous, a little silver only gold is lacking" "It's too much!" "I want a church bell to bear my name lt's a promise" " What is you name?" " Caroline" "A beautiful name for a bell" "Your monk's taking their mon$y;" "there'll be none left for us" "Even our good inn-keepers are hastening to contribute their mite" "They will benefit from the crowds our church attracts" "How lovely." "This, I think  should suflice to pay for our meal" "Vey well." "Father, so be it" "Since he insists, Mari$, w$ must treat him like the rest" "is it true that monks sleep on a board?" "And dig their own graves?" "A little evey day" " Even in winter?" " Yes, why not?" "The ground is so hard to dig in winter ls it also true you get up in the middle of the night to sing?" "You must love music lt isn't so much the music" "Why are you entering a monastey, then?" "Why do you ask me that?" "Because it seems strange at your age to say:" "I'll sleep on a board, dig my own grave, get up in the night to sing lfyou were ugly, or humpbacked, or lame... in that case..." "Maybe it's my soul that is ugly, or humpbacked, or lame I doubt it" "One mustn't go by appearances lt's not how one looks that matters..." "not how one looks" "I am Jean de Mzillac." "Get thee behind me, Satan!" " A little more?" " No, I've had enough" "Oh, do, it will warm you up, Father" "Y$s, but it ruins th$ appetite, and I want to have a good appetite tonight" "We must go!" "Go where?" "Tothe monastey..." "what for?" " l want to sl$ep on my board" " It's a wonde_ul thing, a vacation lt can wait till tomorrow." "No one's going to steal it" " l won't stay at this inn" " God will wait another day for you" " l don't want to make Him wait - l'll make your excuses" "Hell, I'll go alone, then!" "I'll have to be ruthless." "Take off your boots, your feet are soaked" " l should know - l know better than you" "All right, on your head be it, then" " Wher$ shall I put the soup?" " In front of me, my child" "Mademoiselle, would you be so kind?" "Don't let him have thes$ back." "Then he won't be able to leave" "Now, let's all sit down to eat" "You com$ and sit beside the good Father, Janou" "These stools look vey hard." "Shall I fetch you a cushion?" "I think you may hav$ di_iculty finding one in this place" "Take you napkin and put it around your neck." "And do sit up straight" "Be polite and pass it along." "Do ty to be a credit to your family" "Forgive m$." "I haven't made the introductions" "This young man is Jean de Mèzillac, from one of our leading families" "The high courtjudge, you know" "Legal robes are a family tradition, but Jean has chosen a diflerent robe  old, worn and patched, yet the most glorious ofthem all  the robe of poverty and mortification" "Lovely chestnut soup" "Not now, I've alr$ady started my soup" "It took her all of a sudden?" "My sevices are required to minister to someone" "See, Janou, I was right to stay" "What's the matter?" "I like it kept hot, too" "A priest, like a doctor, is not his own master I've n$ver been out of France, but let me tell you." "You, Englishmen..." "Your homeland is so gloomy" " It isn't exactly jolly here, $ith$r - l always did so want to be a sailor" "Are you resting?" "You're not worri$d about dying, surely" "Not personally" "Not personally?" "Who, then?" "Hear my conf$ssion, th$n you'll understand" "Confessions arn't that $asy." "I haven't the things I need" " What do you need?" " A confessional, or some sort of grill" "So we can't see eachother" "Why?" "So many questions!" "I'm a monk, I don't ask why" "So on$ doesn't know who one's talking to, I suppose" "But you know it's me I won't when the grill's there" "You seem to be feeling better" "Fètiche!" "Bring the little chestnut grill" "Will that do?" "You're suddenly religious; you hav$ a sin on your conscience  in having tried to throw a poor priest out into the storm lFthat sin troulbes you, don't augment it by delaying his supper" "I hope God will be satisfied" "First tell m$ if it's true that priests  never reveal what they h$ar in confession" "Listen, daughter  in two thousand years, and God knows that means many sins confessed  the secret ofthe confessional has never been violated" "St. Anselm I$t th$m t$ar his tongu$ out with red-hot pincers  rather than reveal an unimportant secret entrusted to him" " How did they find that out?" " l don't know" "St. Chysostom was even worse;" "they cut ofl..." "Enough, Father, I believe you" "Butwould you let yourtongue be taken out?" "No special credit to me; evemhing goes in one ear and out the other" "Do$sn't anything remain between your ears?" "V$y little, and by God's grace it vanishes when the penitent is gone" ", Otherwise, with all w$ h$ar you can imagine..." "Say your confiteor I don't remember it" "Then start your confession" "For twenty years, Father..." "You haven't made confession for twenty years?" "We'll be here a long time" "Even longer if you interrupt me" "For twenty years, Father, my husband and I have run this inn" "We used to be pedlars" "Then my husband decided we should settle down" "So we set ourselves up here I was suprised. "Martin, " l said, "lt doesn't seem vey busy here" ""Don't wory, Mari$, " h$ said, "there won't be any dead season"" ""But we won't get vey many customers"" ""Maybe not, " he said, "but they'll never go elsewhere"" "I didn't know then what he meant" " l don't, either" " Wait I thought it was just fun..." "he liked a laugh in those days" "Then came our first customer, and I understood" "He was a fat lac$-merchant, who came on horseback" "We kept the horse a long time" "The merchant, too; he's still here I remember where, becaus$ he was the first" "In the garden, under the chestnut tree" "Under the chestnut tre$?" "In the ground?" "Yes, of course, as he was dead" "Dead?" "Oh, the poor soul!" "It must have b$en a shock, your first customer" "The second was a Parisian, a nice fellow" "A bachelor, which was much better" "Yes?" "Why?" "Becaus$ th$re's no one to mourn a bachelor you mean he died, too?" "You didn't have much luck, did you?" "That one didn't sufler much" "The third su_ered ev$n l$ss." "My husband was aquiring the knack" "Your husband was aquiring the knack..." "yes, I see..." "My God, I'm beginning to understand lt's so easy here, you see." "You noticed the staircase?" "The little recess." "We were almost driven to it" " That's where it happ$n$d?" " The first three, yes" " There were more?" " We've lost count" "Lost count?" "Surely not more than..." "ten?" "Closer to twenty?" "If it were only twenty!" "What... thirty?" "Thirty-one?" "Really, Father, I did say "for twenty years"" "Thirty-one wouldn't ev$n make two a year" "What's two a year?" "Then... how many?" "Ifyou must know, tonight's was the hundred and second" "My God, what have I walked into?" "I've been telling you, Father; an inn where eveybody gets killed lt's quit$ a cemetey around here, though they arn't all under ground" "You can see the latest..." "from the window" "I don't see anything at all" "Where?" "In the snowman" "H$'s not badly o_there." "Just think, he might be inside a pig's stomach" "You feed Christian souls to pigs?" "They enjoy them all right" "Do you eat pork?" "I must say I'm not r$ally vey fond of pork" " They want mor$ pork" " Good, its salty, they'll drink more" " Where's Mari$?" " In her bedroom with the monk" " What are they doing?" " Roasting chestnuts I've been so worried sinc$ you came;" "you see, my husband is an unbeliever" "When he saw your little church  he said: "There is no God." "He's in for it, too"" "On the stairs?" "Eitherthere or in the bedroom" "On the stairs, its a hamm$r." "In the rooms, a knife" "But don't wory, Father, th$ br$w we give them ensures they feel nothing" "This is not a vey serious matter" "Your husband is behind the door" "You must not torm$nt yours$lf;" "you are not in need of purification" "Nor must you ask for absolution;" "to do so would be a waste of time  and to squander God's good grace;" "a humble benediction will suflice" "Depart in peace, my child I need you downstairs" "Arn't you at table yet?" "I'll go at once" "Now you'll forget all I said lt's forgotten; you never said a word" " Don't you feel well?" " Not vey, my legs are giving way" "A drop of Arquebuse..." "Thank you, this should steady them enough to send me on my way" "You mean you won't be staying with us?" "No, I think I'd better not" "The weather seems to be improving." "The storm is abating" "Your inn is thoroughly respectable, of course  but I think my young novice should sleep at the monastey" "Vey well, Father" "W$ shall be sory to loose you, but if you think best..." "May I light your way, Father?" "Be careful!" "The stairs are dangerous" "So I see." "An accid$nt would not surprise me" " Don't tempt Fate" " Just a passing thought" "A sweet child" "She is almost engaged, you know" " To whom?" " A gendarme... a sergeant, in fact" "You see why, of course ln a business like ours  it helps" "Right?" "You doubtless refer to matters about which my mind is a blank, as I recall" "A pleasantjourney, Father" "Thank you, and good health to you" "Thank you, and good health to you and all yours" "This is not goodbye" "You are always welcome here" "Thank you, I'll remember that..." "yes, I'll remember..." "At last!" "Where has he been?" "Aren't you hungy?" "Had you forgotten us?" "Join us, Father!" "Yes, I had indeed Forgotten you." "My God... how frightful" " What's frightful?" " Nothing, nothing..." "Then do sit down, Father." "We've kept your soup hot" "No... no soup" "A nice piece of pork, then" "No pork... especially no pork" "These ladies and gentlemen found it to their taste" "You are making a mistake. I assure you" "Such flavour, these local pigs" "Really, you must taste it" "You've come to the wrong place if you don't like pork" "That's literally all we've $aten:" "sausages, ham, roasted..." "My friends... all of you eating together around this table..." "Eat well" "Eat well, too, Father" "It won't go down" "But you were starving." "What happened?" "What's wrong?" "My eyes are bigger than my b$lly, that's what's wrong" "But you seem unhappy lt's not that I'm unhappy I'm uneasy" "Not so much noise." "Can't you see I've got an ear to the dining-room?" "What's he saying?" "He doesn't feel w$ll and he wants to leave for the monastey right away" "See?" "AII it took was a word from me" "So you'll go part ofthe way with me?" "The fresh air will do us good" " Will you, Milord?" " If eveyone else is going" "Mari$, he's taking them away with him" "What did you tell him in that bedroom?" "You spilled the beans." "You sold me out for a monk I'm plagued by priests" "We need lanterns!" "The good Father is carying us off... it's such fun!" "Leave this to me" "You shall have your lanterns" "Have you com$ for your boots?" "I've hidden them" " Where?" " You're vey curious for a monk I dont' care, anyway, because that's not what I came for" "You're not vey curious for a girl" "Come on, they're in the barn" "God led us to this place" "You're always talking about God" "Suppose it was the devil?" "God or the devil, I don't care either way" "You'd go to hell with me, little monk?" "This vey moment" "Not this vey moment, but some day I'll go to hell with you, and it won't be hell lfthe good Father could hear you... I won't tell him like that." "Poor soul, it would grieve him too much" "What will you tell him?" "I'll say: forgive me, Father  but when I wanted to be a monk, I didn't know I'd meet Mathilde I knew nothing, and now I know too much to be a monk" "The wisest monk of all knows I$ss than I do" "Yes, I feel a little tired I don't want to die here, so I'd best get back" "Taking our customers" "You know why" "Yes, they'r$ going to se$ m$ on my way, not far, just to the monastey" "But that's at least seven leagues" "You told us it was just a stone's throw I didn't say what sort ofthrow" "Using a sling isn't the same as throwing by hand; and a cannon..." "Seven leagues in the snow?" "At my age!" "But you can't miss the way" "On your right you'll hear the wolves howling, on the forest side" "On your le_ you'll hear the torrent, on the precipice side" "Wretch, don't you want them saved" "Even more to be feared  are unpleasant encounters  with miscreants lurking, ready to rob unfortunate travellers" "Come now, that's an old wives' tale;" "there are no highwaymen these days" "Follow me, rebellious flock" "I'd rather die!" "Foolish woman, If only you knew lf only one knew what, Father?" "Nothing..." "Janou... where is Janou?" "The priest might leave, all the same" "Madmen must be protected against themselves" "Take this, and keep it safe" "Wanton boy!" "A momentay weakness is pardonable;" "we shall speak of it later" "Now, to the monastey" "You refuse to return?" "Wretched boy!" "Don't, he's mine now, not yours!" "But your vocation..." "My vocation is to lov$ her until I die" "Which may not be long l shall love her ev$n aft$r, if that is permitted to the dead" "Come, Janou, I must talk to you" "Think of your father; you can't bring a high courtjudge into such a family" "He can stay away if he prefers I hardly recogoniz$ you." "Your face has become harder  your voic$ mor$ cruel..." "Ifthat is what you call love... I didn't say I loved you" "Goodbye, Janou." "Your sin will be your undoing" "It's just too bad then" "Evidently there wasn't on$ virtuous soul worthy of salvation in this house" "Just one, and thats me." "Although even then  I'm not so sure of being deserving" "Open, I tell you!" "Tying to leave us?" "Caught like a rat!" "The key... where's the key?" "Hunt the key!" "I don't find it funny." "Let me leave" "No on$'s stopping you, Father." "Hunt the key!" "Stop it, you wicked people!" "You needn't go on looking." "We gav$ it to the black" "To him!" "Not that way!" " Where, then?" " This way" "Be sensible, Father, and go to bed I'm not sleepy." "Let me go." "I'm not sleepy" " How $lse will you get upstairs?" " l don't want to go upstairs!" "I want to go to the monastey; that's what St. Francois wants me to do lt's the best room" "And it's yours, Father" " l tell you I'm not sie$py" " Tell your beads, then" "I'm going to bed fully dressed;" "I'll just take ofl my shoes" "My God, it's cold!" "We'll be frozen stifl" " We'll catch our d$aths - l'm going to sleep downstairs lt is cold, but nice hot drinks are being prepared for you" "They'll be brought up when you're in bed" "Two cups for me" "I think your opium's a bit musty, Marie; double the dose" "I want them asleep" "The monk... his shaveling  the Marquise... the Milord  the big ox  the Parisienne... her popenjay" " What do you want?" " There's no key to my door?" " You won't need one" " Why is there a keyhole, then?" "Playing with wardrobes is dangerous;" "you might be crushed to death" " What's this?" " It's something to warm you up I'm not a bit cold" "My teeth aren't really chattering" "Yes, th$y are." "Drink this, it will make you feel better lt's hot... really hot..." "much too hot I'll drink it later" "No, now." "We need the bowls" "All right, I'll drink it, but it is hot" "It's hot, but good." "How do you make it?" "Let me have the recipe" "Another?" "No, that would be gluttony" "But I would like some light" "What for?" "You're going to sleep right away" "Close the door" "Between ourselves, what did you think of that hot drink?" "With plenty ofwhisky, it wasn't bad" " And how do you feel now?" " All right, thanks" "Absolutely all right?" "You're concerned about my health?" "I wouldn't like anything to happen to you" "Mind if I go to sleep?" "Wouldn't you like to talk for a while?" "A game of cards, perhaps?" "Cards?" "No, thats r$ally out of the question lt's Forbidden by our order, absolutely" "Good night, then" "Don't go to sleep!" " Wh$re are the cards?" " In my trousers" " Wh$re are your trousers?" " On my head" "What stakes?" "You know a mendicant friar has no money" "You were given some a little while ago" "But that isn't min$, it belongs to St. Francois Regis I only play cards for money" "Vey well, if needs must" "Forgive me, worthy saint" "No, I tell you, not for him" "Who hasn't had one?" "Misfortune has descended on this house." "Mademoiselle Mathilde is in love" "The shaveling; she prevented him from drinking" "You're not to touch Janou" "Howcan he be saved ifwe kill all the others?" "You know it's all or nothing." "Mathilde" "Then tonight it's going to be nothing" "What did I tell you?" "There'll be oth$r trav$l$rs, but I'll never find another Janou lt's a pity, but he's for it like all the rest I'll denounce you to the gendarmes" "Then I'll com$ and se$ you guillotined." "Don't touch me, or I'll shout" "They're all asleep" " Janou isn't asleep" " Then call him" "Fetiche, the axe" "Go on, call him" "He's not far away, he'll hear you" "I'll play you For your little piggy bank" "The reliquay?" "No, sir, never!" "Oh yes, indeed!" "I like your little church vey much" "Don't leave me alone... wake up!" "I'll reveal the secret." "If I'm damned, it can't be helped" "Terrible things are going on here" "It would take the trump of doom!" "Wake up, unhappy man!" "Your life is in danger... wake up!" "Darling..." "Oh Lord, the stat$ ofth$ir souls appearing before You" "Wake up!" " St. Francois Règis" " No, I'm not him, Madame" "What am I to do?" "I'll upend the bed" "You again!" "There must be a hole" "You com$, you go, Ferreting into eveything I'd love to go" "Not so Fast, we have an account to settle first I've done nothing" "Who emptied my travell$rs' pockets, then, like taking a church collection?" "For good works" "And who tried to get them to leave?" "Who brought along a little pri$stling to turn my daughter's head?" "She wants to mary your shaveling" "What's the use, now the harm is done?" "Let me ty, at least" "How can you mary a poor boy dedicated to God?" "He can't make a good husband lt's him I want, and nobody else" "Listen to your father, Mademoiselle I've made the best possible choice for her, a sergeant in the gendarmerie" "A most excellent choice, Mademoiselle" "I don't want him!" "You see?" "It's hopeless, a fin$job you've made of it" "Fetiche, take him back to his room" "To sleep while you are troubled?" "No, parental respect is my vocation" "Such fin$ p$opl$... a father who has made so many sacrifices for you" "Ty to put yourself in his place thinking to himself:" ""l've worked hard and w$ll, but you never know, tomorrow's another day" ""Suppose there's trouble, a travell$r complains... " Right, Monsieur Martin?" "You kill yourself tying, but people are never satisfied" "Now, a gendarme in the family means security in business" "People think twice before saying anything against you I'd even say it's unwis$ not to have a gendarme in a family like yours" "She's as stubborn as her mother" "Som$times a son-in-law like that, in troubled times... I don't want any gendarme!" "You see?" "But there's a reckoning to come" "Still, she's partly right" "Now he backs her up!" "I mean to speak no ill of g$ndarmes, but after all, what is a gendarme  in the vast system that is society?" "A gendarme is there to arrest people" "That's a good start" "Yes, but who gives the gendarmes their orders?" "Tell me who?" "The judges." "If I were in your position, you and Madame  I'd be wondering if I couldn't do better than a gendarme" "Ajudge!" "Even betterthan merely a judge" "Come now, have a little ambition for your daughter lf it com$s to th$ worst, who decides whether you go to the guillotine  or wh$th$r you don't go to the guillotine?" "The high court judge" "What's this about guillotines?" "Just a passing thought lt's b$tter to app$al to God than His saints, I've always been told" "Well, I$gally speaking, the high court judge is God" "You hear that, Marie?" "A high court judge!" "What nonsense" "Do you expect me to mary h$r to a high courtjudge?" "They're old men and she's a girl;" "it would be disgusting" "Yes, but high courtjudges  have eligible sons" "None that I know of" "There is one, though... in your barn" "What does your fath$r do?" "I asked how does your father spend his time" "He's probably asleep at this hour" "No, his profession, I mean" "He's the high courtjudge" "High courtjudge?" "The one who sits in the middle and is always right?" "You're sure he's still in business?" "Then take her... my daughter's yours" "Will his father agree?" "That's right, will he?" "No matter even if he doesn't" "Are you sure?" "God himself would be delighted to mary such a handsome young pair" "Will you mary them, then?" "Me?" "Oh, well, you see... I don't mind" "Let's loose no time, then" "Not in a stable at dead of night." "One would think you are ashamed I see a c$remony worthy of both families, with a large congregation" "W$ hav$ a congregation..." "the travellers" "You can't wake those poor people" "Why not?" "Some strong coflee will do it" " There ar$ only fiv$ ofth$m" " Seven, with the coachmen" "Even seven isn't vey many. I don't want to find any ofthem missing I shall count them." "Let's shake on it, Monsieur Martin" "It's a deal!" "Lord, what a long night that was" "The organ-grinder's monkey!" "W$ found th$ poor brute alone under a tree." "Have you seen its master?" "Y$sterday, heading for Peyrabeille with his organ and the monkey" "Look at your daughter" "That's your wedding gown. I remember it well; unpleasant memories die hard if I hadn't kept this, you'd lack music at your wedding" "Well... a wedding" "I don't know why they'r$ sl$$ping so." "I made them some nice coflee" "You see, its almost as nice as in a church" "Wretched woman, how did these objects of piety fall into your hands" "Did you kill a priest?" "No, not a priest." "He was a hawk$r selling devotional articles I see, a hawk$r." "That's reassuring to hear" "Listen, Janou..." "No, I won't listen" " Befor$ you d$cide..." " Eveything's settled, Father" " l must talk to you" " It's too late for talk" "You think so?" "V$y well, I shall speak in front of eveyone" "No whispering, now." "What are we waiting for?" "Before pronouncing the words which will make this man and this woman  one soul and one flesh  there is something I feel impelled to say ls a sermon necessay?" "lndispensable, I'd say" "No sermon could make these people sleep any more soundly" "So get on with the wedding and send them on their way without wasting time I'm not wasting their time;" "I'll show them a short cut" " Through the little wooden bridge?" " Yes, the bridge" "That's a rich thought..." "an excellent thought!" "Never have I solemnized a marriage without a sense of anxiety  sometimes even anguish... all too oren, alas, proven to be justified" "Our two young frinds, of course, seem destined for lasting happiness" "But it's said that the engagement is the happiest time of a marriage..." "That's not far wrong, either" "This marriage is costing us dear." "IF we'd at least kept the travellers..." "Who said we wouldn't?" "I promised that they'd attend the wedding" "But a_erwards... accidents happen so easily" "Marriag$ calls for love, and having expended your love in getting married  you realize that all you have ler is the marriage" "Two souls clinging to each other, advancing to..." "I won't say death  because, marri$d or not, we all come to death" "But married couples come to it Faster." "The proof being that priests buy them" "Where you are headed, my children  if you say "yes", which is no better a word than "no"  it's towards a world as grey as ashes  which they call the world of marriage" "There you watch eath other grow old, ill, ugly. "Will I be the first to go?"" "Some sermon!" "Don't... its all so true" "Children, you will say" "Yes, there are children, of course, and children are sweet" ""Suff$r th$ little children to come unto me", Jesus said" "But what children?" "Other people's children." "He wasn't married lf being married was so wond$rFul, wouldn't He haye been?" "Hear that?" "Woodcutters" "How sounds cary in th$ snow." "You'd think it was right close by" "Rotten job woodcutters have I'd rather be a gendarme" "That is why, considering all the dangers that threaten a young couple  the storm clouds gathering on the horizon of their marriage  and in which one hears the first rumbles of thunder  this is why one wond$rs wh$ath$r this sacrament, indissoluble contract..." "Remember that: once in, you're in for life... ls this sacrament absolutely necessay?" "Many do quite happily without it" "What's he saying?" "I'm putting the Freethinker's point of view." "The Christian, of course..." "Look at them, Monsieur Martin." "This isn't a wedding, its a dormitoy I can't talk in these conditions" "You've talked $nough." "Get on with it and mary them, at the double lt won't b$ a happy memoy for them to look back on." "However..." "Goodness gracious!" "My mind has gone blank. I can't remember the words ofthe ceremony" "So you can't remember the words?" "Wait, I think they're coming back to me" "The congregation must stand for the benediction" " Isn't the wedding finish$d y$t?" " It won't be long now" "Let's get it overwith" "My goodness, how stupid of me" "You rushed me so much that we forgot the rings" "Can't we do without?" "Of course one can do without" "But we have already done without a Mass  without a chruch, bridesmades or alter-boys" "V$y well, but don't call this a wedding; it's like... nothing on earth" "What's got into you?" "He scents his master" "Hold out you hands, Father" "Take these back" "What's wrong with the rings?" "They're burning my hands" "Haven't you chosen two yet?" "Jean de Mzillac, do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?" "Mathihlde Martin, do you take..." "Hide the barrel-organ!" "Thank you, Lord!" "What can we do for you?" "We have good news for the organ-grinder;" "we've found his monkey" "Where's that monkey got to?" "Its master will get it down" "He'll owe us a drink for all our trouble its master isn't here" "Not here?" "But we heard his organ" "He le_ last night" "Leaving his organ?" "He le_ it as security" "Organ, monkey, what else could he loose?" "Only his life" "Odd, though, a man leaving the tools of his trade behind" "Unusual, isn't it?" "Let's see the organ" "Where is it, fetiche?" "In the hay?" "I'm marying my daughter and the groom has said "Yes"." "Can we continue?" "No, go about your duty lt will give the bride tim$ to think things over" "A strange place to put an organ" "One would think you were hiding it" "We've nothing to hide here" "This must be worth a lot of money" " He paid d$arly For his dinner" " He ate and drank a great deal" "Enough to make him die ofapoplexy lt's strange he should leave in th$ middle ofthe night, don't you think?" "He can't have gone far in this cold" "W$ll, p$nding discovey of the corpse, my dear rogue  and o_ering no thanks For th$ sha_ you could have loaned us  had greed not overcome your Christian charity - let us take our leave ofyou" "And ofyour charming daught$r, who may make her vows without our aid" "L$t m$ kiss a hand as yet unadorned by a wedding ring" "My God, my snowman!" "Can't we get by?" "Don't touch my snowman!" "I set great store by my snowman" "That's not going to stop us taking the carriage out" "This is too much. I'm in charg$ here and I do as I want I've had enough, Monsieur Martin I warn you, I shall get really angy" "Aren't you asham$d to b$ playing with snowmen at your age, Monsieur Martin?" "What's so special about your snowman?" "I'll make you another, there's snow enough lfyou haven't moved this out of our coach's way in two minutes  whether by fire, sword, or your own two hands  my companions in misfortune and I are determined... lt's a souvenir" " It's where we met, Janou and I" " Can this leave your hearts unmoved?" "Enough!" "We've wasted one night already" "Couldn't we move it, if we're vey careful?" " What do you think, Ftiche?" " Four of us might do it" "L$av$ it to us; you'd just ruin it, you big brute" "Lord, you can't I$t them get away with it" "Oh Lord, you did!" "careful, it's toppling." "Couldn't you haye built it somewhere else?" "Can't you leave us alone?" "What have we done to you?" "Defend us!" "They don't mean any harm" "Aim at the head!" "He's having such fun" "You see, Marie?" "That'll t$ach you to protect priests" "I've told the coachman the way." "You'll be there in an hour." "Won't you come with us, Father?" "We'll all dine together in Privas" "At the Cloche d'Or" "I don't think I'll be staying in an inn for a while" "You're really departing this time I'll ride with you until our ways part" "Forthe last time, wretched boy..." " Until I die, I said" " But the girl isn't you wife lt's true, Janou. I never said "l will"" "You just did" "Murd$r$rs!" "W$'ll come and see you guillotined!" "Cursed priest!" "The secret of the confessional. "l'd rather have my tongue torn out"!" "And you believed him?" "That's what religion does to you, poor fool!" "I didn't use my tongue;" "I never said a word" "You should be seeking forgiveness in heaven" "You might be there, so I'd b$tter go to hell!" "Look, Marie, they'r$ heading straight forthe little bridge" "What a pity, it's such a waste" "Me betray the conf$ssional?" "It's unthinkable I simply thew a snowball at a snowman's hat" "That's all I did." "God did the rest" "You did give Him a helping hand, though" "You're not going to blame him for that?" "He was wonde_uI l only did my humble duty, a sil$nt presence, like a guardian angel lt wasn't always easy, keeping you from falling into traps" "However, the main thing is you're safe" "Here's th$ littl$ bridg$." "Goodbye, I'll leave you now" "Pray for us, Father" "Goodbye, my friends, goodbye" "May St. Francois Règis watch over you" "Depart in peace" "The moral:" "Hear this tale of bloody events" "And hearken to its dire portents" "Only those who obey virtue's call" "God's mercy is sure to fall"