the wandering jew, volume 10-第6部分

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〃And　if　it　was　only　the　nosegay！〃　resumed　she。　　〃Though　it　gave　me　a
dreadful　turn　to　see　Prince　Charming　leap　like　a　kid　upon　the　stage；　I
might　have　said　to　myself：　‘Pooh！　these　Indians　have　their　own　way　of
showing　politeness。　　Here；　a　lady　drops　her　nosegay；　and　a　gentleman
picks　it　up　and　gives　it　to　her；　but　in　India　it　is　quite　another　thing；
the　man　picks　up　the　nosegay；　and　does　not　return　it　to　the　womanhe
only　kills　a　panther　before　her　eyes。'　　Those　are　good　manners　in　that
country；　I　suppose；　but　what　cannot　be　good　manners　anywhere　is　to　treat
a　woman　as　I　have　been　treated。　　And　all　thanks　to　you；　madame！〃

These　complaints　of　Rose…Pompon；　at　once　bitter　and　laughable；　did　not　at
all　agree　with　what　she　had　previously　stated　as　to　Djalma's　passionate
love　for　her；　but　Adrienne　took　care　not　to　point　out　this　contradiction；
and　said　to　her；　mildly：　〃You　must　be　mistaken；　miss；　when　you　suppose
that　I　had　anything　to　do　with　your　troubles。　　But；　in　any　case；　I　regret
sincerely　that　you　should　have　been　ill…treated　by　any　one。〃

〃If　you　think　I　have　been　beaten；　you　are　quite　wrong；〃　exclaimed　Rose…
Pompon。　　〃Ah！　well；　I　am　sure！　　No；　it　is　not　that。　　But　I　am　certain
that；　had　it　not　been　for　you；　Prince　Charming　would　have　got　to　love　me
a　little。　　I　am　worthy　of　the　trouble；　after　alland　then　there　are
different　sorts　of　loveI　am　not　so　very　particularnot　even　so　much　as
that；〃　added　Rose…Pompon；　snapping　her　fingers。

〃Ah！〃　she　continued；　〃when　Ninny　Moulin　came　to　fetch　me；　and　brought　me
jewels　and　laces　to　persuade　me　to　go　with　him；　he　was　quite　right　in
saying　there　was　no　harm　in　his　offers。〃

〃Ninny　Moulin？〃　asked　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　becoming　more　and　more
interested；　〃who　is　this　Ninny　Moulin；　miss？〃

〃A　religious　writer；〃　answered　Rose…Pompon；　pouting；　〃the　right…hand　man
of　a　lot　of　old　sacristans；　whose　money　he　takes　on　pretense　of　writing
about　morality　and　religion。　　A　fine　morality　it　is！〃

At　these　words〃a　religious　writer〃〃sacristans〃　Adrienne　instantly
divined　some　new　plot　of　Rodin　or　Father　d'Aigrigny；　of　which　she　and
Djalma　were　to　have　been　the　victims。　　She　began　vaguely　to　perceive　the
real　state　of　the　case；　as　she　resumed：　〃But；　miss；　under　what　pretence
could　this　man　take　you　away　with　him？〃

〃He　came　to　fetch　me；　and　said　I　need　not　fear　for　my　virtue；　and　was
only　to　make　myself　look　pretty。　　So　I　said　to　myself：　'Philemon's　out　of
town；　and　it's　very　dull　here　all　alone：　This　seems　a　droll　affair；　what
can　I　risk　by　it？'Alas！　I　didn't　know　what　I　risked；〃　added　Rose…
Pompon；　with　a　sigh。　　〃Well！　Ninny　Moulin　takes　me　away　in　a　fine
carriage。　　We　stop　in　the　Place　du　Palais…Royal。　　A　sullen…looking　man；
with　a　yellow　face；　gets　up　in　the　room　of　Ninny　Moulin；　and　takes　me　to
the　house　of　Prince　Charming。　　When　I　saw　himla！　he　was　so　handsome；　so
very　handsome；　that　I　was　quite　dizzy…like；　and　he　had　such　a　kind；　noble
air；　that　I　said　to　myself；　'Well！　there　will　be　some　credit　if　I　remain
a　good　girl　now！'I　did　not　know　what　a　true　word　I　was　speaking。　　I
have　been　goodoh！　worse　than　good。〃

〃What；　miss！　do　you　regret　having　been　so　virtuous？〃

〃Why；　you　see；　I　regret；　at　least；　that　I　have　not　had　the　pleasure　of
refusing。　　But　how　can　you　refuse；　when　nothing　is　askedwhen　you　are
not　even　thought　worth　one　little　loving　word？〃

〃But；　miss；　allow　me　to　observe　to　you　that　the　indifference　of　which　you
complain　does　not　see　to　have　prevented　your　making　a　long　stay　in　the
house　in　question。〃

〃How　should　I　know　why　the　prince　kept　me　there；　or　took　me　out　riding
with　him；　or　to　the　play？　　Perhaps　it　is　the　fashion　in　his　savage
country　to　have　a　pretty　girl　by　your　side；　and　to　pay　no　attention　to
her　at　all！〃

〃But　why；　then；　did　you　remain；　miss？〃

〃Why　did　I　remain？〃　said　Rose…Pompon；　stamping　her　loot　with　vexation。
〃I　remained　because；　without　knowing　how　it　happened；　I　began　to　get　very
fond　of　Prince　Charming；　and　what　is　queer　enough；　I；　who　am　as　gay　as　a
lark；　loved　him　because　he　was　so　sorrowful；　which　shows　that　it　was　a
serious　matter。　　At　last；　one　day；　I　could　hold　out　no　longer。　　I　said：
‘Never　mind；　I　don't　care　for　the　consequences。　　Philemon；　I　am　sure；　is
having　his　fun　in　the　country。'　　That　set　my　mind　at　ease。　　So　one
morning；　I　dress　myself　in　my　best；　all　very　pretty；　look　in　my　glass；
and　say：　〃Well；　that　will　dohe　can't　stand　that；！'　and；　going　to　his
room；　I　tell　him　all　that　passes　through　my　head；　I　laugh；　I　cryat　last
I　tell　him　that　I　adore　him。　　What　do　you　think　he　answers；　in　his　mild
voice；　and　as　cold　as　a　piece　of　marble？　　Why；　‘Poor　childpoor　child
poor　child！'〃　added　Rose…Pompon；　with　indignation；　〃neither　more　nor　less
than　if　I　had　come　to　complain　to　him　of　the　toothache。　　But　the　worst　of
it　is　that　I　am　sure；　if　he　were　not　in　love　elsewhere；　he　would　be　all
fire　and　gunpowder。　　Only　now　he　is　so　sad；　so　dejected！〃

Then；　pausing　a　moment；　Rose…Pompon　added：　〃No；　I　will　not　tell　you　that；
you　would　be　too　pleased。〃　But；　after　another　pause；　she　continued：
〃Well；　never　mind；　I　will　tell　you；　though〃；　and　this　singular　girl
looked　at　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　with　a　mixture　of　sympathy　and　deference。
〃Why　should　I　keep　it　from　you？　　I　began　by　riding　the　high　horse；　and
saying　that　the　prince　wished　to　marry　me；　and　I　finished　by　confessing
that　he　almost　turned　me　out。　　Well；　it's　not　my　fault；　when　I　try　to
fib；　I　am　sure　to　get　confused。　　So；　madame；　this　is　the　plain　truth：
When　I　met　you　at　poor　Mother　Bunch's；　I　was　at　first　as　angry　as　a
little　turkey…cock；　but　when　I　heard　you；　that　are　such　a　fine　great
lady；　speak　so　kindly　to　the　poor　girl；　and　treat　her　as　your　sister；　do
what　I　would；　my　anger　began　to　go　away。　　Since　we　have　been　here；　I　have
done　my　utmost　to　get　it　up　again；　but　I　find　it　impossible；　and　the　more
I　see　the　difference　between　us；　the　more　I　perceive　that　Prince　Charming
was　right　in　thinking　so　much　of　you。　　For　you　must　know；　madame；　that　he
is　over　head　and　ears　in　love　with　you。　　I　don't　say　so　merely　because　he
killed　the　panther　for　you　at　the　Porte…Saint…Martin；　but　if　you　knew　all
the　tricks　he　played　with　your　bouquet；　and　how　he　will　sit　up　all　night
weeping　in　that　room　where　he　saw　you　for　the　first　timeand　then　your
portrait；　that　he　has　drawn　upon　glass；　after　the　fashion　of　his　country；
and　so　many　other　thingsthe　fact　is；　that　I；　who　was　fond　of　him；　and
saw　all　this　was　at　first　in　a　great　rage；　but　afterwards　it　was　so
touching　that　it　brought　the　tears　into　my　eyes。　　Yes；　madame；　just　as　it
does　now；　when　I　merely　think　of　the　poor　prince。　　Oh；　madame！〃　added
Rose…Pompon；　her　eyes　swimming　in　tears；　and　with　such　an　expression　of
sincere　interest；　that　Adrienne　was　much　moved　by　it；　〃oh；　madame；　you
look　so　mild　and　good；　that　you　will　not　make　this　poor　prince　miserable。
Pray　love　him　a　little　bit；　what　can　it　matter　to　you？〃

So　saying；　Rose…Pompon；　with　a　perfectly　simple；　though　too　familiar；
gesture；　took　hold　of　Adrienne's　hand；　as　if　to　enforce　her　request。　　It
had　required　great　self…command　in　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　to　repress　the
rush　of　joy　that　was　mounting　from　her　heart　to　her　lips；　to　check　the
torrent　of　questions　which　she　burned　to　address　to　Rose…Pompon；　and　to
restrain　the　sweet　tears　of　happiness　that　for　some　seconds　had　trembled
in　her　eyes；　and；　strangely　enough；　when　Rose…Pompon　took　her　hand；
Adrienne；　instead　of　withdrawing　it；　pressed　the　offered　hand　almost
affectionately；　and　led　her　towards　the　window；　as　if　to　examine　her
sweet　face　more　attentively。

On　entering　the　room；　the　grisette　had　thrown　her　bonnet　and　shawl　down
upon　the　bed；　so　that　Adrienne　could　admire　the　thick　and　silky　masses　of
light　hair　that　crowned　the　fresh　face　of　the　charming　girl；　with　its
firm；　rosy　cheeks；　its　mouth　as　red　as　a　cherry；　and　its　large　blue
laughing　eyes；　and；　thanks　to　the　somewhat　scanty　dress　of　Rose…Pompon；
Adrienne　could　fully　appreciate　the　various　graces　of　her　nymph…like
figure。　　Strange　as　it　may　appear；　Adrienne　was　delighted　at　finding　the
girl　still　prettier　than　she　had　at　first　imagined。　　The　stoical
indifference　of　Djalma　to　so　attractive　a　creature　was　the　best　proof　of
the　sincerity　of　the　passion　by　which　he　was　actuated。

Having　taken　the　hand　of　Adrienne；　Rose…Pompon　was　herself　confused　and
surprised　at　the　kindness　with　which　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　permitted　this
familiarity。　　Emboldened　by　this　indulgence；　and　by　the　silence　of
Adrienne；　who　for　some　moments　had　been　contemplating　her　with　almost
grateful　benevolence；　the　grisette　resumed：　〃Oh；　you　will　not　refuse；
madame？　　You　will　take　pity　on　this　poor　prince？〃

We　cannot　tell　how　Adrienne　would　have　answered　this　indiscreet　question
of　Rose…Pompon；　for　suddenly　a　loud；　wild；　shrill；　piercing　sound；
evidently　intended　to　imitate　the　crowing　of　a　cock；　was　heard　close　to
the　door　of　the　room。

Adrienne　started　in　alarm；　but　the　countenance　of　Rose　Pompon；　just　now
so　sad；　brightened　up　joyously　at　this　signal；　and；　clapping　her　hands
she　exclaimed；　〃It　is　Philemon！〃

〃Whatwho？〃　said　Adrienne；　hastily。

〃My　lover；　oh；　the　monster！　he　must　have　come　upstairs　on　tiptoe；　to　take
me　by　surprise　with　his　crowing。　　Just　like　him！〃

A　second　cock…a…doodle…doo；　still　louder　than　the　first；　was　heard　close
to　the　door。　　〃What　a　stupid；　droll　creature　it　is！　　Always　the　same
joke；　and　yet　it　always　amuses　me；〃　said　Rose…Pompon。

And　drying　her　tears　with　the　back　of　her　hand；　she　began　to　laugh　like
one　bewitched　at　Philemon's　jest；　which；　though　well　known　to　her；　always
seemed　new　and　agreeable。

〃Do　not　open　the　door；〃　whispered　Adrienne；　much　embarrassed；　〃do　not
answer；　I　beg　of　you。〃

〃Though　the　door　is　bolted；　the　key　is　on　the　outside；　Philemon　can　see
that　there　is　some　one　at　home。〃

〃No　matterdo　not　let　him　in。〃

〃But；　madame；　he　lives　here；　the　room　belongs　to　him。〃

In　fact；　Philemon；　probably　growing　tired　of　the　little　effect　produced
by　his　two　ornithological　imitations；　turned　the　key　in　the　lock；　and
finding　himself　unable　to　open　the　door；　said　in　a　deep　bass　voice：
〃What；　dearest　puss；　have　you　shut　yourself　in？　　Are　you　pray