the wandering jew, volume 10-第2部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


this　garret；　near　this　couch　of　misery；　where　I　and　my　sister　meant　to
diefor　you　assure　me；　lady；　that　Cephyse　was　succored　in　time。〃

〃Be　satisfied！　　I　was　told　just　now　that　she　was　recovering　her　senses。〃

〃And　they　told　her　I　was　living；　did　they　not；　lady？　　Otherwise；　she
would　perhaps　regret　having　survived　me。〃

〃Be　quite　easy；　my　dear　girl！〃　said　Adrienne；　pressing　the　poor　hands　in
her　own；　and　gazing　on　her　with　eyes　full　of　tears；　〃they　have　told　her
all　that　was　proper。　　Do　not　trouble　yourself　about　anything；　only　think
of　recoveringand　I　hope　you　will　yet　enjoy　that　happiness　of　which　you
have　known　so　little；　my　poor　child。〃

〃How　kind　you　are；　lady！　　After　flying　from　your　houseand　when　you　must
think　me　so　ungrateful！〃

〃Presently；　when　you　are　not　so　weak；　I　have　a　great　deal　to　tell　you。
Just　now；　it　would　fatigue　you　too　much。　　But　how　do　you　feel？〃

〃Better；　lady。　　This　fresh　airand　then　the　thought；　that；　since　you　are
comemy　poor　sister　will　no　more　be　reduced　to　despair；　for　I　will　tell
you　all；　and　I　am　sure　you　will　have　pity　on　Cephysewill　you　not；　lady？〃

〃Rely　upon　me；　my　child；　answered　Adrienne；　forced　to　dissemble　her
painful　embarrassment；　〃you　know　I　am　interested　in　all　that　interests
you。　　But　tell　me；〃　added　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　in　a　voice　of　emotion；
〃before　taking　this　desperate　resolution；　did　you　not　write　to　me？〃

〃Yes；　lady。〃

〃Alas！〃　resumed　Adrienne；　sorrowfully；　〃and　when　you　received　no　answer
how　cruel；　how　ungrateful　you　must　have　thought　me！〃

〃Oh！　never；　lady；　did　I　accuse　you　of　such　feelings；　my　poor　sister　will
tell　you　so。　　You　had　my　gratitude　to　the　last。〃

〃I　believe　youfor　I　knew　your　heart。　　But　how　then　did　you　explain　my
silence？〃

〃I　had　justly　offended　you　by　my　sudden　departure；　lady。〃

〃Offended！Alas！　　I　never　received　your　letter。〃

〃And　yet　you　know　that　I　wrote　to　you；　lady。〃

〃Yes；　my　poor　girl；　I　know；　also；　that　you　wrote　to　me　at　my　porter's
lodge。　　Unfortunately；　he　delivered　your　letter　to　one　of　my　women；　named
Florine；　telling　her　it　came　from　you。〃

〃Florine！　the　young　woman　that　was　so　kind　to　me！〃

〃Florine　deceived　me　shamefully；　she　was　sold　to　my　enemies；　and　acted　as
a　spy　on　my　actions。〃

〃She！Good　Heavens！〃　cried　Mother　Bunch。　　〃Is　it　possible？〃

〃She　herself；〃　answered　Adrienne；　bitterly；　〃but；　after　all；　we　must　pity
as　well　as　blame　her。　　She　was　forced　to　obey　by　a　terrible　necessity；
and　her　confession　and　repentance　secured　my　pardon　before　her　death。〃

〃Then　she　is　deadso　young！　so　fair！〃

〃In　spite　of　her　faults；　I　was　greatly　moved　by　her　end。　　She　confessed
what　she　had　done；　with　such　heart…rending　regrets。　　Amongst　her　avowals；
she　told　me　she　had　intercepted　a　letter；　in　which　you　asked　for　an
interview　that　might　save　your　sister's　life。〃

〃It　is　true；　lady；　such　were　the　terms　of　my　letter。　　What　interest　had
they　to　keep　it　from　you？〃

〃They　feared　to　see　you　return　to　me；　my　good　guardian　angel。　　You　loved
me　so　tenderly；　and　my　enemies　dreaded　your　faithful　affection；　so
wonderfully　aided　by　the　admirable　instinct　of　your　heart。　　Ah！　I　shall
never　forget　how　well…deserved　was　the　horror　with　which　you　were
inspired　by　a　wretch　whom　I　defended　against　your　suspicions。〃

〃M。　Rodin？〃　said　Mother　Bunch；　with　a　shudder。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Adrienne；　〃but　we　will　not　talk　of　these　people　now。
Their　odious　remembrance　would　spoil　the　joy　I　feel　in　seeing　you
restored　to　lifefor　your　voice　is　less　feeble；　your　cheeks　are
beginning　to　regain　a　little　color。　　Thank　God！　　I　am　so　happy　to　have
found　you　once　more；if　you　knew　all　that　I　hope；　all　that　I　expect　from
our　reunionfor　we　will　not　part　againpromise　me　that；　in　the　name　of
our　friendship。〃

〃Iyour　friend！〃　said　Mother　Bunch；　timidly　casting　down　her　eyes。

〃A　few　days　before　your　departure　from　my　house；　did　I　not　call　you　my
friend；　my　sister？　　What　is　there　changed？　　Nothing；　nothing；〃　added
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　with　deep　emotion。　　〃One　might　say；　on　the
contrary；　that　a　fatal　resemblance　in　our　positions　renders　your
friendship　even　dearer　to　me。　　And　I　shall　have　it；　shall　I　not。　　Oh；　do
not　refuse　it　meI　am　so　much　in　want　of　a　friend！〃

〃You；　lady？　you　in　want　of　the　friendship　of　a　poor　creature　like　me？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Adrienne；　as　she　gazed　on　the　other　with　an　expression　of
intense　grief；　〃nay；　more；　you　are　perhaps　the　only　person；　to　whom　I
could　venture　to　confide　my　bitter　sorrows。〃　　So　saying；　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville　colored　deeply。

〃And　how　do　I　deserve　such　marks　of　confidence？〃　asked　Mother　Bunch；　more
and　more　surprised。

〃You　deserve　it　by　the　delicacy　of　your　heart；　by　the　steadiness　of　your
character；〃　answered　Adrienne；　with　some　hesitation；　〃thenyou　are　a
womanand　I　am　certain　you　will　understand　what　I　suffer；　and　pity　me。〃

〃Pity　you；　lady？〃　said　the　other；　whose　astonishment　continued　to
increase。　　〃You；　a　great　lady；　and　so　much　enviedI；　so　humble　and
despised；　pity　you？〃

〃Tell　me；　my　poor　friend；〃　resumed　Adrienne；　after　some　moments　of
silence；　〃are　not　the　worst　griefs　those　which　we　dare　not　avow　to　any
one；　for　fear　of　raillery　and　contempt？　　How　can　we　venture　to　ask
interest　or　pity；　for　sufferings　that　we　hardly　dare　avow　to　ourselves；
because　they　make　us　blush？〃

The　sewing…girl　could　hardly　believe　what　she　heard。　　Had　her
benefactress　felt；　like　her；　the　effects　of　an　unfortunate　passion；　she
could　not　have　held　any　other　language。　　But　the　sempstress　could　not
admit　such　a　supposition；　so；　attributing　to　some　other　cause　the　sorrows
of　Adrienne；　she　answered　mournfully；　whilst　she　thought　of　her　own　fatal
love　for　Agricola；　〃Oh！　yes；　lady。　　A　secret　grief；　of　which　we　are
ashamed；　must　be　frightfulvery　frightful！〃

〃But　then　what　happiness　to　meet；　not　only　a　heart　noble　enough　to
inspire　complete　confidence；　but　one　which　has　itself　been　tried　by　a
thousand　sorrows；　and　is　capable　of　affording　you　pity；　support　and
counsel！Tell　me；　my　dear　child；〃　added　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　as　she
looked　attentively　at　Mother　Bunch；　〃if　you　were　weighed　down　by　one　of
those　sorrows；　at　which　one　blushes；　would　you　not　be　happy；　very　happy；
to　find　a　kindred　soul；　to　whom　you　might　entrust　your　griefs；　and　half
relieve　them　by　entire　and　merited　confidence？〃

For　the　first　time　in　her　life；　Mother　Bunch　regarded　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville　with　a　feeling　of　suspicion　and　sadness。

The　last　words　of　the　young　lady　seemed　to　her　full　of　meaning
〃Doubtless；　she　knows　my　secret；〃　said　Mother　Bunch　to　herself；
〃doubtless；　my　journal　has　fallen　into　her　hands。She　knows　my　love　for
Agricola；　or　at　least　suspects　it。　　What　she　has　been　saying　to　me　is
intended　to　provoke　my　confidence；　and　to　assure　herself　if　she　has　been
rightly　informed。〃

These　thoughts　excited　in　the　workgirl's　mind　no　bitter　or　ungrateful
feeling　towards　her　benefactress；　but　the　heart　of　the　unfortunate　girl
was　so　delicately　susceptible　on　the　subject　of　her　fatal　passion；　that；
in　spite　of　her　deep　and　tender　affection　for　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　she
suffered　cruelly　at　the　thought　of　Adrienne's　being　mistress　of　her
secret。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

MORE　CONFESSIONS。

The　fancy；　at　first　so　painful；　that　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　was　informed　of
her　love　for　Agricola　was　soon　exchanged　in　the　hunchbacks　heart；　thanks
to　the　generous　instincts　of　that　rare　and　excellent　creature；　for　a
touching　regret；　which　showed　all　her　attachment　and　veneration　for
Adrienne。

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Mother　Bunch　to　herself；　〃conquered　by　the　influence　of
the　adorable　kindness　of　my　protectress；　I　might　have　made　to　her　a
confession　which　I　could　make　to　none　other；　and　revealed　a　secret　which
I　thought　to　carry　with　me　to　my　grave。　　It　would；　at　least；　have　been　a
mark　of　gratitude　to　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　but；　unfortunately；　I　am　now
deprived　of　the　sad　comfort　of　confiding　my　only　secret　to　my
benefactress。　　And　thenhowever　generous　may　be　her　pity　for　me；　however
intelligent　her　affection；　she　cannotshe；　that　is　so　fair　and　so　much
admiredshe　cannot　understand　how　frightful　is　the　position　of　a
creature　like　myself；　hiding　in　the　depth　of　a　wounded　heart；　a　love　at
once　hopeless　and　ridiculous。　　No；　noin　spite　of　the　delicacy　of　her
attachment；　my　benefactress　must　unconsciously　hurt　my　feelings；　even
whilst　she　pities　mefor　only　sympathetic　sorrows　can　console　each
other。　　Alas！　why　did　she　not　leave　me　to　die？〃

These　reflections　presented　themselves　to　the　thinker's　mind　as　rapidly
as　thought　could　travel。　　Adrienne　observed　her　attentively；　she　remarked
that　the　sewing…girl's　countenance；　which　had　lately　brightened　up；　was
again　clouded；　and　expressed　a　feeling　of　painful　humiliation。　　Terrified
at　this　relapse　into　gloomy　dejection；　the　consequences　of　which　might　be
serious；　for　Mother　Bunch　was　still　very　weak；　and；　as　it　were；　hovering
on　the　brink　of　the　grave；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　resumed　hastily：　〃My
friend；　do　not　you　think　with　me；　that　the　most　cruel　and　humiliating
grief　admits　of　consolation；　when　it　can　be　entrusted　to　a　faithful　and
devoted　heart？〃

〃Yes；　lady；〃　said　the　young　sempstress；　bitterly；　〃but　the　heart　which
suffers　in　silence；　should　be　the　only　judge　of　the　moment　for　making　so
painful　a　confession。　　Until　then；　it　would　perhaps　be　more　humane　to
respect　its　fatal　secret；　even　if　one　had　by　chance　discovered　it。〃

〃You　are　right；　my　child；〃　said　Adrienne；　sorrowfully；　〃if　I　choose　this
solemn　moment　to　entrust　you　with　a　very　painful　secret；　it　is　that；　when
you　have　heard　me；　I　am　sure　you　will　set　more　value　on　your　life；　as
knowing　how　much　I　need　your　tenderness；　consolation；　and　pity。〃

At　these　words；　the　other　half　raised　herself　on　the　mattress；　and　looked
at　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　in　amazement。　　She　could　scarcely　believe　what
she　heard；　far　from　designing　to　intrude　upon　her　confidence；　it　was　her
protectress　who　was　to　make　the　painful　confession；　and　who　came　to
implore　pity　and　consolation　from　her！

〃What！〃　stammered　she；　〃you；　lady！〃

〃I　come　to　tell　you　that　I　suffer；　and　am　ashamed　of　my　sufferings。
Yes；〃　added　the　young　lady；　with　a　touching　expression；　〃yesof　all
confessions；　I　am