914 Les Miserables
For a clever man like Fauchelevent, this allusion was an
awkward one. Fortunately, the prioress, completely absorbed
in her own thoughts, did not hear it. She continued:—
‘Father Fauvent?’
‘Reverend Mother?’
‘Saint Didorus, Archbishop of Cappadocia, desired that
this single word might be inscribed on his tomb: Acarus,
which signifies, a worm of the earth; this was done. Is this
true?’
‘Yes, reverend Mother.’
‘The blessed Mezzocane, Abbot of Aquila, wished to be
buried beneath the gallows; this was done.’
‘That is true.’
‘Saint Terentius, Bishop of Port, where the mouth of the
Tiber empties into the sea, requested that on his tomb might
be engraved the sign which was placed on the graves of par-
ricides, in the hope that passers-by would spit on his tomb.
This was done. The dead must be obeyed.’
‘So be it.’
‘The body of Bernard Guidonis, born in France near
Roche-Abeille, was, as he had ordered, and in spite of the
king of Castile, borne to the church of the Dominicans in
Limoges, although Bernard Guidonis was Bishop of Tuy in
Spain. Can the contrary be affirmed?’
‘For that matter, no, reverend Mother.’
‘The fact is attested by Plantavit de la Fosse.’
Several beads of the chaplet were told off, still in silence.
The prioress resumed:—
‘Father Fauvent, Mother Crucifixion will be interred in