the wandering jew, volume 10-第22部分

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the　top　stair；　listening。　　No　doubt；　to　calm　himself　entirely；　the
marshal　went　to　embrace　his　children；　for　I　heard　him　open　and　shut　their
door。　　Then　he　returned　to　his　room；　and　walked　about　for　a　long　time；
but　with　a　more　quiet　step。　　At　last；　I　heard　him　throw　himself　on　his
bed；　and　I　came　down　about　break　of　day。　　After　that；　all　remained
tranquil。〃

〃But　whatever　can　be　the　matter　with　him；　father？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　　When　I　went　up　to　him；　I　was　astonished　at　the　agitation
of　his　countenance；　and　the　brilliancy　of　his　eyes。　　He　would　have　looked
much　the　same；　had　he　been　delirious；　or　in　a　burning　feverso　that；
when　I　heard　him　say；　he　could　have　thrown　himself　out　of　the　window；　had
it　been　open；　I　thought　it　more　prudent　to　remove　the　caps　from　his
pistols。〃

〃I　cannot　understand　it！〃　said　Agricola。　　〃So　firm；　intrepid；　and　cool　a
man　as　the　marshal；　a　prey　to　such　violence！〃

〃I　tell　you　that　something　very　extraordinary　is　passing　within　him。　　For
two　days；　he　has　not　been　to　see　his　children；　which　is　always　a　bad　sign
with　himto　say　nothing　of　the　poor　little　angels　themselves；　who　are
miserable　at　the　notion　that　they　have　displeased　their　father。　　They
displease　him！　　If　you　only　knew　the　life　they　lead；　dear　creatures！　a
walk　or　ride　with　me　and　their　companion；　for　I　never　let　them　go　out
alone；　and；　the　rest　of　their　time；　at　their　studies；　reading；　or
needleworkalways　togetherand　then　to　bed。　　Yet　their　duenna；　who　is；
I　think；　a　worthy　woman；　tells　me　that　sometimes　at　night；　she　has　seen
them　shed　tears　in　their　sleep。　　Poor　children！　they　have　hitherto　known
but　little　happiness；〃　added　the　soldier；　with　a　sigh。

At　this　moment；　hearing　some　one　walk　hastily　across　the　courtyard；
Dagobert　raised　his　eyes；　and　saw　Marshal　Simon；　with　pale　face　and
bewildered　air；　holding　in　his　two　hands　a　letter；　which　he　seemed　to
read　with　devouring　anxiety。




CHAPTER　XLVII。

THE　GOLDEN　CITY。

While　Marshal　Simon　was　crossing　the　little　court　with　so　agitated　an
air；　reading　the　anonymous　letter；　which　he　had　received　by　Spoil…sport's
unexpected　medium；　Rose　and　Blanche　were　alone　together；　in　the　sitting…
room　they　usually　occupied；　which　had　been　entered　for　a　moment　by　Loony
during　their　absence。　　The　poor　children　seemed　destined　to　a　succession
of　sorrows。　　At　the　moment　their　mourning　for　their　mother　drew　near　its
close；　the　tragical　death　of　their　grandfather　had　again　dressed　them　in
funereal　weeds。　　They　were　seated　together　upon　a　couch；　in　front　of
their　work…table。　　Grief　often　produces　the　effect　of　years。　　Hence；　in　a
few　months；　Rose　and　Blanche　had　become　quite　young　women。　　To　the
infantine　grace　of　their　charming　faces；　formerly　so　plump　and　rosy；　but
now　pale　and　thin；　had　succeeded　an　expression　of　grave　and　touching
sadness。　　Their　large；　mild　eyes　of　limpid　azure；　which　always　had　a
dreamy　character；　were　now　never　bathed　in　those　joyous　tears；　with　which
a　burst　of　frank　and　hearty　laughter　used　of　old　to　adorn　their　silky
lashes；　when　the　comic　coolness　of　Dagobert；　or　some　funny　trick　of
Spoil…sport；　cheered　them　in　the　course　of　their　long　and　weary
pilgrimage。

In　a　word；　those　delightful　faces；　which　the　flowery　pencil　of　Greuze
could　alone　have　painted　in　all　their　velvet　freshness；　were　now　worthy
of　inspiring　the　melancholy　ideal　of　the　immortal　Ary　Scheffer；　who　gave
us　Mignon　aspiring　to　Paradise；　and　Margaret　dreaming　of　Faust。　　Rose；
leaning　back　on　the　couch；　held　her　head　somewhat　bowed　upon　her　bosom；
over　which　was　crossed　a　handkerchief　of　black　crape。　　The　light
streaming　from　a　window　opposite；　shone　softly　on　her　pure；　white
forehead；　crowned　by　two　thick　bands　of　chestnut　hair。　　Her　look　was
fixed；　and　the　open　arch　of　her　eyebrows；　now　somewhat　contracted；
announced　a　mind　occupied　with　painful　thoughts。　　Her　thin；　white　little
hands　had　fallen　upon　her　knees；　but　still　held　the　embroidery；　on　which
she　had　been　engaged。　　The　profile　of　Blanche　was　visible；　leaning　a
little　towards　her　sister；　with　an　expression　of　tender　and　anxious
solicitude；　whilst　her　needle　remained　in　the　canvas；　as　if　she　had　just
ceased　to　work。

〃Sister；〃　said　Blanche；　in　a　low　voice；　after　some　moments　of　silence；
during　which　the　tears　seemed　to　mount　to　her　eyes；　〃tell　me　what　you　are
thinking　of。　　You　look　so　sad。〃

〃I　think　of　the　Golden　City　of　our　dreams；〃　replied　Rose；　almost　in　a
whisper；　after　another　short　silence。

Blanche　understood　the　bitterness　of　these　words。　　Without　speaking；　she
threw　herself　on　her　sister's　neck；　and　wept。　　Poor　girls！　the　Golden
City　of　their　dreams　was　Paris；　with　their　father　in　itParis；　the
marvellous　city　of　joys　and　festivals；　through　all　of　which　the　orphans
had　beheld　the　radiant　and　smiling　countenance　of　their　sire！　　But；　alas！
the　Beautiful　City　had　been　changed　into　a　place　of　tears；　and　death；　and
mourning。　　The　same　terrible　pestilence　which　had　struck　down　their
mother　in　the　heart　of　Siberia；　seemed　to　have　followed　them　like　a　dark
and　fatal　cloud；　which；　always　hovering　above　them；　hid　the　mild　blue　of
the　sky；　and　the　joyous　light　of　the　sun。

The　Golden　City　of　their　dreams！　　It　was　the　place；　where　perhaps　one　day
their　father　would　present　to　them　two　young　lovers；　good　and　fair　as
themselves。　　〃They　love　you；〃　he　was　to　say；　〃　they　are　worthy　of　you。
Let　each　of　you　have　a　brother；　and　me　two　sons。〃　Then　what　chaste；
enchanting　confusion　for　those　two　orphans；　whose　hearts；　pure　as
crystal；　had　never　reflected　any　image　but　that　of　Gabriel；　the　celestial
messenger　sent　by　their　mother　to　protect　them！

We　can　therefore　understand　the　painful　emotion　of　Blanche；　when　she
heard　her　sister　repeat；　with　bitter　melancholy；　those　words　which
described　their　whole　situation：　〃I　think　of　the　Golden　City　of　our
dreams！〃

〃Who　knows？〃　proceeded　Blanche；　drying　her　sister's　tears；　〃perhaps；
happiness　may　yet　be　in　store　for　us。〃

〃Alas！　if　we　are　not　happy　with　our　father　by　usshall　we　ever　be　so？〃

〃Yes；　when　we　rejoin　our　mother；〃　said　Blanche；　lifting　her　eyes　to
heaven。

〃Then；　sister；　this　dream　may　be　a　warningit　is　so　like　that　we　had　in
Germany。〃

〃The　difference　being　that　then　the　Angel　Gabriel　came　down　from　heaven
to　us；　and　that　this　time　he　takes　us　from　earth；　to　our　mother。〃

〃And　this　dream　will　perhaps　come　true；　like　the　other；　my　sister。　　We
dreamt　that　the　Angel　Gabriel　would　protect　us；　and　he　came　to　save　us
from　the　shipwreck。〃

〃And；　this　time；　we　dream　that　he　will　lead　us　to　heaven。　　Why　should　not
that　happen　also？〃

〃But　to　bring　that　about；　sister；　our　Gabriel；　who　saved　us　from　the
shipwreck；　must　die　also。　　No；　no；　that　must　not　happen。　　Let　us　pray
that　it　may　not　happen。〃

〃No；　it　will　not　happenfor　it　is　only　Gabriel's　good　angel；　who　is　so
like　him；　that　we　saw　in　our　dreams。〃

〃Sister；　dear；　how　singular　is　this　dream！Here；　as　in　Germany；　we　have
both　dreamt　the　samethree　times；　the　very　same！〃

〃It　is　true。　　The　Angel　Gabriel　bent　over　us；　and　looked　at　us　with　so
mild　and　sad　an　air；　saying：　‘Come；　my　children！　come；　my　sisters！　　Your
mother　waits　for　you。　　Poor　children；　arrived　from　so　far！'　added　he　in
his　tender　voice：　‘You　have　passed　over　the　earth；　gentle　and　innocent　as
two　doves；　to　repose　forever　in　the　maternal　nest。'〃

〃Yes；　those　were　the　words　of　the　archangel；〃　said　the　other　orphan；　with
a　pensive　air；　〃we　have　done　no　harm　to　any　one；　and　we　have　loved　those
who　loved　uswhy　should　we　fear　to　die？〃

〃Therefore；　dear　sister；　we　rather　smiled　than　wept；　when　he　took　us　by
the　hand；　and；　spreading　wide　his　beautiful　white　wings；　carried　us　along
with　him　to　the　blue　depths　of　the　sky。〃

〃To　heaven；　where　our　dear　mother　waited　for　us　with　open　arms；　her　face
all　bathed　in　tears。〃

〃Oh；　sweet　sister！　one　has　not　dreams　like　ours　for　nothing。　　And　then；〃
added　she；　looking　at　Rose；　with　a　sad　smile　that　went　to　the　heart；　〃our
death　might　perhaps　end　the　sorrow；　of　which　we　have　been　the　cause。〃

〃Alas！　it　is　not　our　fault。　　We　love　him　so　much。　　But　we　are　so　timid
and　sorrowful　before　him；　that　he　may　perhaps　think　we　love　him　not。〃

So　saying；　Rose　took　her　handkerchief　from　her　workbasket；　to　dry　her
fears；　a　paper；　folded　in　the　form　of　a　letter；　fell　out。

At　this　sight；　the　two　shuddered；　and　pressed　close　to　one　mother；　and
Rose　said　to　Blanche；　in　a　trembling　voice：　〃Another　of　these　letters！
Oh；　I　am　afraid！　　It　will　doubtless　be　like　the　last。〃

〃We　must　pick　it　up　quickly；　that　it　may　not　be　seen；〃　said　Blanche；
hastily　stooping　to　seize　the　letter；　〃the　people　who　take　interest　in　us
might　otherwise　be　exposed　to　great　danger。〃

〃But　how　could　this　letter　come　to　us？〃

〃How　did　the　others　come　to　be　placed　right　under　our　hand；　and　always　in
the　absence　of　our　duenna？〃

〃It　is　true。　　Why　seek　to　explain　the　mystery？　　We　should　never　be　able
to　do　so。　　Let　us　read　the　letter。　　It　will　perhaps　be　more　favorable　to
us　than　the　last。〃　　And　the　two　sisters　read　as　follows：

〃Continue　to　love　your　father；　dear　children；　for　he　is　very　miserable；
and　you　are　the　involuntary　cause　of　his　distress。　　You　will　never　know
the　terrible　sacrifices　that　your　presence　imposes　on　him；　but；　alas！　he
is　the　victim　of　his　paternal　duties。　　His　sufferings　are　more　cruel　than
ever；　spare　him　at　least　those　marks　of　tenderness；　which　occasion　him　so
much　more　pain　than　pleasure。　　Each　caress　is　a　dagger…stroke；　for　he
sees　in　you　the　innocent　cause　of　his　misfortunes。　　Dear　children；　you
must　not　therefore　despair。　　If　you　have　enough　command　over　yourselves；
not　to　torture　him　by　the　display　of　too　warm　a　tenderness；　if　you　can
mingle　some　reserve　with　your　affection；　you　will　greatly　alleviate　his
sorrow。　　Keep　these　letters　a　secret　from　every　one；　even　from　good
Dagobert；　who　loves　you　so　much；　otherwise；　both　he　and　you；　your　father；
and　the　unknown　friend　who　is　writing　to　you；　will　be　exposed　to　the
utmost　peril；　for　your　enemies　are　indeed　formidable。　　Courage　and　hope！
May　your　father's　tenderness　be　once　more　free　from　sorrow　and　regret！
That　happy　day　is　perhaps　not　so　far　distant。　　Burn　this　letter　like　all
the