Page:Gilbert Parker--The Lane that had No Turning.djvu/184

168 free, and when de Governor at Quebec he hear de truth, he say it is all right. Also de English soldier die in peace and happy, becos’ he tink his sins are forgive. But den—dere is Mathurin and his sin to pretend he is a priest! The Curé he come back, and dere is a great trouble.

"Mathurin he is ver’ quiet and still. Nobody come near him in him house; nobody go near to de school. But he sit alone all day in de school, and he work on de blackboar’ and he write on de slate; but dere is no child come, becos’ de Curé has forbid any one to speak to Mathurin. Not till de next Sunday, den de Curé send for Mathurin to come to de church. Mathurin come to de steps of de altar; den de Curé say to him:

"‘Mathurin, you have sin a great sin. If it was two hunderd years ago you would be put to death for dat.’

"Mathurin he say ver’ soft: ‘Dat is no matter. I am ready to die now. I did it to save de fadders of de children and de husbands of de wives. I do it to make a poor sinner happy as he go from de world. De sin is mine.’

"Den de Curé he say: ‘De men are free, dat is good; de wives have dere husbands and de children dere fadders. Also de man who confess his sins—de English soldier—to whom you say de words of a priest of God, he is forgive. De Spirit of God it was upon him when he die, becos’ you speak in de name of de Church. But for you, blasphemer, who take upon you de holy ting, you shall suffer! For penance, all your life you shall teach a chile no more.’

"Ah, m’sieu’ le Curé he know dat is de greatest penance for de poor Mathurin! Den he set him other tings to do; and every month for a whole year