Chapter 9 Seven Clarwater

There is, of course, an incident here which we should not overlook, for it speaks volumes of what the Bishop of Digne was like. The Gaspar White gang once ran rampant in the area of ​​the Allur Gorge. After being defeated, a general named Clavatt was still hiding in the forest.He led his disciples, the remnants of Gaspard White, for some time in hiding in the Counties of Nice, then turned to the Piedmont region, and suddenly appeared in France near Barcelonnette.He had been seen first at Rozier, and later at Jail.He hid in the eagle yoke cave, and came out from there, passing through the jade tablet and the small jade tablet canyon, towards the villages and towns.He even dared to approach Embrun, invaded the cathedral at night, and swept away the contents of the sacristy.His plunder made the people of that town uneasy.The police chase is useless.He escaped repeatedly, sometimes defiantly.He is a bold villain.Just when people were panicking, the bishop came.He is touring the city.The mayor rushed to Shastra to look for him and advised him to turn back.Clarwater had taken that hill by then, reaching as far as Ash and beyond.Even with escort, there are dangers.That's just taking three or four policemen to death for nothing.

"Then," said the bishop, "I intend to go without guards." "How can you think of that, Bishop?" said the mayor. "That's what I'm going to do. I absolutely refuse the guards, and I'm leaving in an hour." "Walk?" "Walk." "Are you going alone?" "one person." "Bishop, you can't do that." "There," continued the Bishop, "is a poor little village, just so big, I haven't seen them for three years. The people there are my good friends. Some kind and honest shepherds. They tend sheep, One out of every thirty ewes is their own. They can make wool ropes of all colors, which are very pretty. They play all kinds of folk songs on the flute. They need someone to talk to them about the merciful God from time to time. If the bishop is also afraid, what will they say? If I don't go there, what will they say?"

"But, Bishop, what will you do with those robbers, in case you meet them!" "Yes," said the Bishop, "I remember. You're right. I can meet them. They need someone to talk to them about God, too." "Bishop, that's a gang of bandits, a pack of wolves!" "Mr. Mayor, maybe Jesus is asking me to be the shepherd of the pack of wolves. Who knows the will of the Lord?" "Bishop, they'll take you all away." "I have nothing to grab." "They will kill you." "Kill an old priest passing by while reciting food? Speech! What's the use of that?"

"Oh! my God! if you ever meet them!" "I just ask them to donate a few pennies to my poor people." "Bishop, in the name of Heaven, don't go there! You risk your life." "Mr. Mayor," said the bishop, "is it just such a small matter? I am not here to live for my own life, but to protect the hearts of the world." Had to let him go.He left, accompanied only by a young child who volunteered to be his guide.His brute force caused a lot of discussion in the township, and everyone even sweated for him. He would not take his sister, nor Madame Magloire.He rode on a mule, crossed the mountain road without meeting anyone, and arrived safely at the home of his "good friend" - the shepherd.There he lived for two weeks, preaching, administering the sacraments, educating, and converting.When it was time to leave, he resolved to say High Mass with the bishop's rite.He consulted with the curate.But what to do?No bishop's attire.They had at his disposal only the humble country sacristy, a few battered sacristy brocades with fake gold thread.

"Never mind!" said the Bishop. "Monsieur Priest, we might as well announce the High Mass to the public at the next service, and there will be a way." Searched in several nearby cathedrals.All the best of those poor churches, put together, cannot properly adorn a choir boy in a great cathedral. When everyone was in a difficult situation, two strangers on horseback brought a large box to the bishop, who left the box at the curate's house and left immediately.When I opened the box, I found a cloak of gold thread, a bishop's miter with diamonds, an archbishop's cross, and a magnificent staff. A month ago, it was in the sacristy of Our Lady of Embron. All the robbed robes are there.Inside the box was a piece of paper on which it was written: "Clarwater presents Bishop Bienvenu."

"I said there would be a way!" said the bishop, and then he added with a smile, "God has given the mantle of the archbishop to the man who is content with the priest's white coat." "My Bishop," whispered the priest, nodding and smiling, "is either God or the devil." The bishop fixed his eyes on the priest and said solemnly: "It is God!" On the way back to Shastra, people came to see him, which was a strange story.At the abbe's house at Shastra, he met again the Baptistines and Madame Magloire, who were also longing for his return.He said to his sister:

"Well, my plan is correct, right? I, a poor priest, went to the homes of the poor people in the mountains empty-handed. Brought back a treasury of a cathedral." At night, before going to bed, he said: "Never be afraid of thieves and murderers. Those are dangers without us. We should be afraid of ourselves. Prejudice is the thief, vice is the murderer. The great danger is within ourselves. He who endangers our heads and purses Why mind? We have only to think of things that are dangerous to the soul." He turned to his sister again and said: "Sister, a priest should never be on guard against his neighbor. What the neighbor does is always permitted by God. When we are in danger, we should only pray to God. Pray to him, not for ourselves, but to prevent our Brothers sin because of us."

In short, there were not many special accidents in his life.Let's talk about what we know.But he did the same thing at the same moment all his life.The month of his year is like the hour of his day. As for the whereabouts of the "treasure" of the Embrun Catholic Church, it is somewhat difficult for us to answer this question.Those were beautiful, unbelievable things, well worth stealing for the poor.Besides, those things have already been stolen.The venture is half done, and the rest consists in changing the purpose of stealing and going a little way to the poor.We are not sure of anything on this question.However, someone once found in the bishop's papers a vague note, which may refer to that matter, and read: "The problem is to determine whether this thing should go to the Catholic Church or to the hospital."