the wandering jew, volume 10-第23部分

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That　happy　day　is　perhaps　not　so　far　distant。　　Burn　this　letter　like　all
the　others！〃

The　above　note　was　written　with　so　much　cunning　that；　even　supposing　the
orphans　had　communicated　it　to　their　father　or　Dagobert；　it　would　at　the
worst　have　been　considered　a　strange；　intrusive　proceeding；　but　almost
excusable　from　the　spirit　in　which　it　was　conceived。　　Nothing　could　have
been　contrived　with　more　perfidious　art；　if　we　consider　the　cruel
perplexity　in　which　Marshal　Simon　was　struggling　between　the　fear　of
again　leaving　his　children　and　the　shame　of　neglecting　what　he　considered
a　sacred　duty。　　All　the　tenderness；　all　the　susceptibility　of　heart　which
distinguished　the　orphans；　had　been　called　into　play　by　these　diabolical
counsels；　and　the　sisters　soon　perceived　that　their　presence　was　in　fact
both　sweet　and　painful　to　their　father；　for　sometimes　he　felt　himself
incapable　of　leaving　them；　and　sometimes　the　thought　of　a　neglected　duty
spread　a　cloud　of　sadness　over　his　brow。　　Hence　the　poor　twins　could　not
fail　to　value　the　fatal　meaning　of　the　anonymous　letters　they　received。
They　were　persuaded　that；　from　some　mysterious　motive；　which　they　were
unable　to　penetrate；　their　presence　was　often　importunate　and　even
painful　to　their　father。　　Hence　the　growing　sadness　of　Rose　and　Blanche
hence　the　sort　of　fear　and　reserve　which　restrained　the　expression　of
their　filial　tenderness。　　A　most　painful　situation　for　the　marshal；　who
deceived　by　inexplicable　appearances；　mistook；　in　his　turn；　their　manner
of　indifference　to　himand　so；　with　breaking　heart；　and　bitter　grief
upon　his　face；　often　abruptly　quitted　his　children　to　conceal　his　tears！

And　the　desponding　orphans　said　to　each　other：　〃We　are　the　cause　of　our
father's　grief。　　It　is　our　presence　which　makes　him　so　unhappy。〃

The　reader　may　new　judge　what　ravages　such　a　thought；　when　fixed　and
incessant；　must　have　made　on　these　young；　loving；　timid；　and　simple
hearts。　　Haw　could　the　orphans　be　on　their　guard　against　such　anonymous
communications；　which　spoke　with　reverence　of　all　they　loved；　and　seemed
every　day　justified　by　the　conduct　of　their　father？　　Already　victims　of
numerous　plots；　and　hearing　that　they　were　surrounded　by　enemies；　we　can
understand；　how　faithful　to　the　advice　of　their　unknown　friend；　they
forbore　to　confide　to　Dagobert　these　letters；　in　which　he　was　so　justly
appreciated。　　The　object　of　the　proceeding　was　very　plain。　　By
continually　harassing　the　marshal　on　all　sides；　and　persuading　him　of　the
coldness　of　his　children；　the　conspirators　might　naturally　hope　to
conquer　the　hesitation　which　had　hitherto　prevented　his　again　quitting
his　daughters　to　embark　in　a　dangerous　enterprise。　　To　render　the
marshal's　life　so　burdensome　that　he　would　desire　to　seek　relief　from　his
torments　in　airy　project　of　daring　and　generous　chivalry；　was　one　of　the
ends　proposed　by　Rodinand；　as　we　have　seen；　it　wanted　neither　logic　nor
possibility。

After　having　read　the　letter；　the　two　remained　for　a　moment　silent　and
dejected。　　Then　Rose；　who　held　the　paper　in　her　hand；　started　up
suddenly；　approached　the　chimneypiece；　and　threw　the　letter　into　the
fire；　saying；　with　a　timid　air：　〃We　must　burn　it　quickly；　or　perhaps　some
great　danger　will　ensue。〃

〃What　greater　misfortune　can　happen　to　us；〃　said　Blanche；　despondingly；
〃than　to　cause　such　sorrow　to　our　father？　　What　can　be　the　reason　of　it？〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Rose；　whose　tears　were　slowly　trickling　down　her　cheek；
〃he　does　not　find　us　what　he　could　have　desired。　　He　may　love　us　well　as
the　children　of　our　poor　mother；　but　we　are　not　the　daughters　he　had
dreamed　of。　　Do　you　understand　me；　sister？〃

〃Yes；　yesthat　is　perhaps　what　occasioned　all　his　sorrow。　　We　are　so
badly　informed；　so　wild；　so　awkward；　that　he　is　no　doubt　ashamed　of　us；
and；　as　he　loves　us　in　spite　of　all；　it　makes　him　suffer。〃

〃Alas！　it　is　not　our　fault。　　Our　dear　mother　brought　us　up　in　the　deserts
of　Siberia　as　well　as　she　could。〃

〃Oh！　father　himself　does　not　reproach　us　with　it；　only　it　gives　him
pain。〃

〃Particularly　if　he　has　friends　whose　daughters　are　very　beautiful；　and
possessed　of　all　sorts　of　talents。　　Then　he　must　bitterly　regret　that　we
are　not　the　same。〃

〃Dost　remember　when　he　took　us　to　see　our　cousin；　Mdlle。　Adrienne；　who
was　so　affectionate　and　kind　to　us；　that　he　said　to　us；　with　admiration：
‘Did　you　notice　her；　my　children？　　How　beautiful　she　is；　and　what　talent；
what　a　noble　heart；　and　therewith　such　grace　and　elegance！'〃

〃Oh；　it　is　very　true！　　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　is　so　beautiful；　her　voice　is
so　sweet　and　gentle；　that；　when　we　saw　and　heard　her；　we　fancied　that　all
our　troubles　were　at　an　end。〃

〃And　it　is　because　of　such　beauty；　no　doubt；　that　our　father；　comparing
us　with　our　cousin　and　so　many　other　handsome　young　ladies；　cannot　be
very　proud　of　us。　　And　he；　who　is　so　loved　and　honored；　would　have　liked
to　have　been　proud　of　his　daughters。〃

Suddenly　Rose　laid　her　hand　on　her　sister's　arm；　and　said　to　her；　with
anxiety：　〃Listen！　listen！　they　are　talking　very　loud　in　father's
bedroom。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Blanche；　listening　in　her　turn；　〃and　I　can　hear　him　walking。
That　is　his　step。〃

〃Good　heaven！　how　he　raises　his　voice；　he　seems　to　be　in　a　great　passion；
he　will　perhaps　come　this　way。〃

And　at　the　thought　of　their　father's　comingthat　father　who　really
adored　themthe　unhappy　children　looked　in　terror　at　each　other。　　The
sound　of　a　loud　and　angry　voice　became　more　and　more　distinct；　and　Rose；
trembling　through　all　her　frame；　said　to　her　sister：　〃Do　not　let　us
remain　here！　Come　into　our　room。〃

〃Why？〃

〃We　should　hear；　without　designing　it；　the　words　of　our　fatherand　he
does　not　perhaps　know　that　we　are　so　near。〃

〃You　are　right。　　Come；　come！〃　answered　Blanche；　as　she　rose　hastily　from
her　seat。

〃Oh！　I　am　afraid。　　I　have　never　heard　him　speak　in　so　angry　a　tone。〃

〃Oh！　kind　heaven！〃　said　Blanche；　growing　pale；　as　she　stopped
involuntarily。　　〃It　is　to　Dagobert　that　he　is　talking　so　loud。〃

〃What　can　be　the　matterto　make　our　father　speak　to　him　in　that　way？〃

〃Alas！　some　great　misfortune　must　have　happened。〃

〃Oh；　sister！　do　not　let　us　remain　here！　It　pains　me　too　much　to　hear
Dagobert　thus　spoken　to。〃

The　crash　of　some　article；　hurled　with　violence　and　broken　to　pieces　in
the　next　room；　so　frightened　the　orphans；　that；　pale　and　trembling　with
emotion；　they　rushed　into　their　own　apartment；　and　fastened　the　door。　　We
must　now　explain　the　cause　of　Marshal　Simon's　violent　anger。




CHAPTER　XLVIII。

THE　STUNG　LION。

This　was　the　scene；　the　sound　of　which　had　so　terrified　Rose　and　Blanche。
At　first　alone　in　his　chamber；　in　a　state　of　exasperation　difficult　to
describe；　Marshal　Simon　had　begun　to　walk　hastily　up　and　down；　his
handsome；　manly　face　inflamed　with　rage；　his　eyes　sparkling　with
indignation；　while　on　his　broad　forehead；　crowned　with　short…cut　hair
that　was　now　turning　gray；　large　veins；　of　which　you　might　count　the
pulsations；　were　swollen　almost　to　bursting；　and　sometimes　his　thick；
black　moustache　was　curled　with　a　convulsive　motion；　not　unlike　that
which　is　seen　in　the　visage　of　a　raging　lion。　　And　even　as　the　wounded
lion；　in　its　fury；　harassed　and　tortured　by　a　thousand　invisible　darts；
walks　up　and　down　its　den　with　savage　wrath；　so　Marshal　Simon　paced　the
floor　of　his　room；　as　if　bounding　from　side　to　side；　sometimes　he
stooped；　as　though　bending　beneath　the　weight　of　his　anger；　sometimes；　on
the　contrary；　he　paused　abruptly；　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height；
crossed　his　arms　upon　his　vigorous　chest；　and　with　raised　brow；
threatening　and　terrible　look；　seemed　to　defy　some　invisible　enemy；　and
murmur　confused　exclamations。　　Then　he　stood　like　a　man　of　war　and　battle
in　all　his　intrepid　fire。

And　now　he　stamped　angrily　with　his　foot；　approached　the　chimney…piece；
and　pulled　the　bell　so　violently　that　the　bell…rope　remained　in　his　hand。
A　servant　hastened　to　attend　to　this　precipitate　summons。　　〃Did　you　not
tell　Dagobert　that　I　wished　to　speak　to　him？〃　cried　the　marshal。

〃I　executed　your　grace's　orders；　but　M。　Dagobert　was　accompanying　his　son
to　the　door；　and〃

〃Very　well！〃　interrupted　Marshal　Simon；　with　an　abrupt　and　imperious
gesture。

The　servant　went　out；　and　his　master　continued　to　walk　up　and　down　with
impatient　steps；　crumpling；　in　his　rage；　a　letter　that　he　held　in　his
left　hand。　　This　letter　had　been　innocently　delivered　by　Spoil…sport；
who；　seeing　him　come　in；　had　run　joyously　to　meet　him。　　At　length　the
door　opened；　and　Dagobert　appeared。　　〃I　have　been　waiting　for　you　a　long
time；　sirrah！〃　cried　the　marshal；　in　an　irritated　tone。

Dagobert；　more　pained　than　surprised　at　this　burst　of　anger；　which　he
rightly　attributed　to　the　constant　state　of　excitement　in　which　the
marshal　had　now　been　for　some　time　past；　answered　mildly：　〃I　beg　your
pardon；　general；　but　I　was　letting　out　my　son〃

〃Read　that；　sir！〃　said　the　marshal　abruptly；　giving　him　the　letter。

While　Dagobert　was　reading　it；　the　marshal　resumed；　with　growing　anger；
as　he　kicked　over　a　chair　that　stood　in　his　way：　〃Thus；　even　in　my　own
house；　there　are　wretches　bribed　to　harass　me　with　incredible
perseverance。　　Well！　have　you　read　it；　sir？〃

〃It　is　a　fresh　insult　to　add　to　the　others；〃　said　Dagobert；　coolly；　as　he
threw　the　letter　into　the　fire。

〃The　letter　is　infamousbut　it　speaks　the　truth；〃　replied　the　marshal。
Dagobert　looked　at　him　in　amazement。

〃And　can　you　tell　who　brought　me　this　infamous　letter〃　continued　the
marshal。　　〃One　would　think　the　devil　had　a　hand　in　itfor　it　was　your
dog！〃

〃Spoil…sport？〃　said　Dagobert；　in　the　utmost　surprise。

〃Yes；〃　answered　the　marshal；　bitterly；　〃it　is　no　doubt　a　joke　of　your
invention。〃

〃I　have　no　heart　for　joking；　general；〃　answered　Dagobert；　more　and　more
saddened　by　the　irritable　state　of　the　marshal；　〃I　cannot　explain　how　it
happened。　　Spoil…sport　is　a　good　carrier；　and　no　doubt　found　the　letter
in　the　house〃

〃And　who　can　have　left　it　there？　　Am　I　surrounded　by　traitors？　　Do　you
keep　no　watch？　　You；　in　whom　I　have　every　confidence？〃

〃Listen　to　me；　general〃

But　the　marshal　proceeded；　without　waiting　to　hear　him。　　〃What！　I　have
mad