eech as
it deserved; the result does not affect that. The young man fell sick,
faded from day to day, and died. 'But, Cure,' said I, 'in the place of
the father, what would you have done?' 'I would have called my son; I
would have said: Soulpse has been your name hitherto; never forget that
it is yours no more; and call yourself by what other name you please.
Here is your lawful share of our property; marry the woman you love, so
far from here that I may never hear speak of you again, and God bless
you. 'For my part,' said old Madame D'Esclavelles, 'if I had been the
mother of the young madman, I would have done exactly as his father did,
and let him die.' And upon this there was a tremendous division of
opinion, and an uproar that made the room ring again.

"The dispute lasted a long time, and would be going on now if the cure
had not broken it off by putting to us another case. A young priest,
discontented with his profession, flees to England, apostatises, marries
according to the law, and has children. After a certain time he longs
for his native country; he comes back to France with his children and
his wife. After that, again, he is stricken by remorse; he returns to
his religion, has scruples about his marriage, and thinks of separating
from his wife. He opens his heart to our cure, who finds the case very
embarrassing, and not venturing to decide it, refers him to casuists and
lawyers. They all decide that he cannot, with a sure conscience, remain
with his wife. When the separation, which the wife opposed with all her
might, was about to be legally effected--rather against the wishes of
our cure--the husband fell dangerously ill. When he knew that he could
not recover, he said to the cure: 'My friend, I wish to make public
amends for my backsliding, to receive the sacraments, and to die in the
hospital; be kind enough to have me taken there.' 'I will take care to
do no such thing,' the cure replied to him. 'This woman is innocent; she
married you according to law; she knew nothing of the obstacles that
existed. And these children, what share have they in your sin? You are
the only wrongdoer, and it is they who are to be punished! Your wife
will be disgraced, your children will be declared illegitimate, and what
is the gain of it all?' And the good cure stuck to his text. He
confessed his man, the illness grew worse, he administered the last
sacraments. The man died, and his wife and children remained in
possessi