the brotherhood of consolation-第43章
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！
something。〃
〃See what it is to read too much！〃 said the old man； evidently
troubled。
〃That brave Polish general； my great grandfather； took part； though
very innocently； in the partition of Poland。〃
〃Well； well！ now it is Poland！〃 said Monsieur Bernard。
〃How can I help it； papa？ my sufferings are infernal； they give me a
horror of life； they disgust me with myself。 Well； I ask you； have I
done anything to deserve them？ Such diseases are not a mere
derangement of health； they are caused by a perverted organization
and〃
〃Sing that national air your poor mother used to sing； Monsieur
Godefroid wants to hear it； I have told him about your voice；〃 said
the old man； endeavoring to distract her mind from the current of such
thoughts。
Vanda began； in a low and tender voice； to sing a Polish song which
held Godefroid dumb with admiration and also with sadness。 This
melody； which greatly resembles the long drawn out melancholy airs of
Brittany； is one of those poems which vibrate in the heart long after
the ear has heard them。 As he listened； Godefroid looked at Vanda； but
he could not endure the ecstatic glance of that fragment of a woman；
partially insane； and his eyes wandered to two cords which hung one on
each side of the canopy of the bed。
〃Ah ha！〃 laughed Vanda； noticing his look； 〃do you want to know what
those cords are for？〃
〃Vanda！〃 said her father； hastily； 〃calm yourself； my daughter。 See！
here comes tea。 That； monsieur；〃 he continued； turning to Godefroid；
〃is rather a costly affair。 My daughter cannot rise； and therefore it
is difficult to change her sheets。 Those cords are fastened to
pulleys； by slipping a square of leather beneath her and drawing it up
by the four corners with these pulleys； we are able to make her bed
without fatigue to her or to ourselves。〃
〃They swing me！〃 cried Vanda； gaily。
Happily； Auguste now came in with a teapot； which he placed on a
table； together with the Sevres tea…set； then he brought cakes and
sandwiches and cream。 This sight diverted his mother's mind from the
nervous crisis which seemed to threaten her。
〃See； Vanda； here is Nathan's new novel。 If you wake in the night you
will have something to read。〃
〃Oh！ delightful！ 'La Perle de Dol；' it must be a love…story；Auguste；
I have something to tell you！ I'm to have an accordion！〃
Auguste looked up suddenly with a strange glance at his grandfather。
〃See how he loves his mother！〃 cried Vanda。 〃Come and kiss me； my
kitten。 No； it is not your grandfather you are to thank； but monsieur；
who is good enough to lend me one。 I am to have it to…morrow。 How are
they made； monsieur？〃
Godefroid； at a sign from the old man； explained an accordion at
length； while sipping the tea which Auguste brought him and which was
in truth； exquisite。
About half…past ten o'clock he retired； weary of beholding the
desperate struggle of the son and father； admiring their heroism； and
the daily； hourly patience with which they played their double parts；
each equally exhausting。
〃Well；〃 said Monsieur Bernard； who followed him home； 〃you now see；
monsieur； the life I live。 I am like a thief； on the watch all the
time。 A word； a gesture might kill my daughter； a mere gewgaw less
than she is accustomed to seeing about her would reveal all to that
mind that can penetrate everything。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 replied Godefroid； 〃on Monday next Halpersohn shall
pronounce upon your daughter。 He has returned。 I myself doubt the
possibility of any science being able to revive that body。〃
〃Oh！ I don't expect that；〃 cried the father； 〃all I ask is that her
life be made supportable。 I felt sure； monsieur； of your sympathy； and
I see that you have indeed comprehended everythingAh！ there's the
attack coming on！〃 he exclaimed； as the sound of a cry came through
the partition； 〃she went beyond her strength。〃
Pressing Godefroid's hand； the old man hurriedly returned to his own
rooms。
At eight o'clock the next morning Godefroid knocked at the door of the
celebrated Polish doctor。 He was shown by a footman to the first floor
of a little house Godefroid had been examining while the porter was
seeking and informing the footman。
Happily； Godefroid's early arrival saved him the annoyance of being
kept waiting。 He was； he supposed； the first comer。 From a very plain
and simple antechamber he passed into a large study； where he saw an
old man in a dressing…gown smoking a long pipe。 The dressing…gown； of
black bombazine； shiny with use； dated from the period of the Polish
emigration。
〃What can I do for you？〃 said the Jewish doctor； 〃for I see you are
not ill。〃 And he fixed on his visitor a look which had the
inquisitive； piercing expression of the eyes of a Polish Jew； eyes
which seem to have ears of their own。
Halpersohn was； to Godefroid's great astonishment； a man of fifty…six
years of age； with small bow…legs； and a broad； powerful chest and
shoulders。 There was something oriental about the man； and his face in
its youth must have been very handsome。 The nose was Hebraic； long and
curved like a Damascus blade。 The forehead； truly Polish； broad and
noble； but creased like a bit of crumpled paper； resembled that given
by the old Italian masters to Saint Joseph。 The eyes； of a sea…green；
and circled； like those of parrots； with a gray and wrinkled membrane；
expressed slyness and avarice in an eminent degree。 The mouth； gashed
into the face like a wound； added to the already sinister expression
of the countenance all the sarcasm of distrust。
That pale； thin face； for Halpersohn's whole person was remarkably
thin； surmounted by ill…kept gray hair； ended in a long and very
thick； black beard； slightly touched with white； which hid fully half
the face； so that nothing was really seen of it but the forehead；
nose； eyes； cheek…bones； and mouth。
This friend of the revolutionist Lelewel wore a black velvet cap which
came to a point on the brow； and took a high light worthy of the touch
of Rembrandt。
The question of the physician （who has since become so celebrated； as
much for his genius as for his avarice） caused some surprise in
Godefroid's mind； and he said to himself：
〃I wonder if he takes me for a thief。〃
The answer to this mental question was on the doctor's table and
fireplace。 Godefroid thought he was the first to arrive； he was really
the last。 Preceding clients had left large offerings behind them；
among them Godefroid noticed piles of twenty and forty…franc gold
pieces and two notes of a thousand francs each。 Could that be the
product of one morning？ He doubted it； and suspected the Pole of
intentional trickery。 Perhaps the grasping but infallible doctor took
this method of showing his clients； mostly rich persons； that gold
must be dropped into his pouch； and not buttons。
Moses Halpersohn was； undoubtedly； largely paid； for he cured； and he
cured precisely those desperate diseases which science declares
incurable。 It is not known in Europe that the Slav races possess many
secrets。 They have a collection of sovereign remedies； the fruits of
their connection with the Chinese； Persians； Cossacks； Turks； and
Tartars。 Certain peasant women in Poland； who pass for witches； cure
insanity radically with the juice of herbs。 A vast body of
observation； not codified； exists in Poland on the effects of certain
plants； and certain barks of trees reduced to powder； which are
transmitted from father to son； and family to family； producing cures
that are almost miraculous。
Halpersohn； who for five or six years was called a quack on account of
his powders and herb medicines； had the innate science of a great
physician。 Not only had he studied much and observed much； but he had
travelled in every part of Germany； Russia； Persia； and Turkey； whence
he had gathered many a traditionary secret； and as he knew chemistry
he became a living volume of those wonderful recipes scattered among
the wise women； or； as the French call them； the /bonnes femmes/； of
every land to which his feet had gone； following his father； a
perambulating trader。
It must not be thought that the scene in 〃The Talisman〃 where Saladin
cures the King of England is a f
