But what a sight, what a sight it is! It is certainly
the first beautiful thing that I have seen since I have been here!"
Thereupon he began to describe the procession as he had beheld it from
the Calvary height. "Imagine," said he, "another heaven, a heaven down
below reflecting that above, a heaven entirely filled by a single immense
constellation. The swarming stars seem to be lost, to lie in dim faraway
depths; and the trail of fire is in form like a monstrance--yes, a real
monstrance, the base of which is outlined by the inclined ways, the stem
by the two parallel paths, and the Host by the round lawn which crowns
them. It is a monstrance of burning gold, shining out in the depths of
the darkness with a perpetual sparkle of moving stars. Nothing else seems
to exist; it is gigantic, paramount. I really never saw anything so
extraordinary before!"
He was waving his arms, beside himself, overflowing with the emotion of
an artist.
"Father dear," said Marie, tenderly, "since you have come back you ought
to go to bed. It is nearly eleven o'clock, and you know that you have to
start at two in the morning." Then, to render him compliant, she added:
"I am so pleased that you are going to make that excursion! Only, come
back early to-morrow evening, because you'll see, you'll see--" She
stopped short, not daring to express her conviction that she would be
cured.
"You are right; I will go to bed," replied M. de Guersaint, quite calmed.
"Since Pierre will be with you I sha'n't feel anxious.
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