the wandering jew, volume 9-第13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！


renounce　a　piece　of　boasting　so　dangerous　at　this　time；　and　I〃

〃Waiter！〃　cried　Jacques；　interrupting　Morok　with　angry　impatience；　〃two
bottles　of　brandy；　and　two　glasses！〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　said　Morok；　with　pretended　uneasiness。　　〃Why
do　you　order　two　bottles　of　brandy？〃

〃For　a　duel；〃　said　Jacques；　in　a　cool；　resolute　tone。

〃A　duel！〃　cried　the　spectators；　in　surprise。

〃Yes；〃　resumed　Jacques；　〃a　duel　with　brandy。　　You　pretend　there　is　as
much　danger　in　facing　a　bottle　of　brandy　as　a　loaded　pistol；　let　us　each
take　a　full　bottle；　and　see　who　will　be　the　first　to　cry　quarter。〃

This　strange　proposition　was　received　by　some　with　shouts　of　joy；　and　by
others　with　genuine　uneasiness。

〃Bravo！　the　champions　of　the　bottle！〃　cried　the　first。

〃No；　no；　there　would　be　too　much　danger　in　such　a　contest；〃　said　the
others。

〃Just　now；〃　added　one　of　the　guests；　〃this　challenge　is　as　serious　as　an
invitation　to　fight　to　the　death。〃

〃You　hear；〃　said　Morok；　with　a　diabolical　smile；　〃you　hear；　Jacques？
Will　you　now　retreat　before　the　danger？〃

At　these　words；　which　reminded　him　of　the　peril　to　which　he　was　about　to
expose　himself；　Jacques　started；　as　if　a　sudden　idea　had　occurred　to　him。
He　raised　his　head　proudly；　his　cheeks　were　slightly　flushed；　his　eye
shone　with　a　kind　of　gloomy　satisfaction；　and　he　exclaimed　in　a　firm
voice：　〃Hang　it；　waiter！　are　you　deaf？　　I　asked　you　for　two　bottles　of
brandy。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　waiter；　going　to　fetch　them；　although　himself
frightened　at　what　might　be　the　result　of　this　bacchanalian　struggle。
But　the　mad　and　perilous　resolution　of　Jacques　was　applauded　by　the
majority。

Ninny　Moulin　moved　about　on　his　chair；　stamped　his　feet；　and　shouted　with
all　his　might：　〃Bacchus　and　drink！　bottles　and　glasses！　the　throats　are
dry！　brandy　to　the　rescue！　Largess！　largess！〃

And；　like　a　true　champion　of　the　tournament；　he　embraced　Modeste；　adding；
to　excuse　the　liberty：　〃Love；　you　shall　be　the　Queen　of　Beauty；　and　I　am
only　anticipating　the　victor's　happiness！〃

〃Brandy　to　the　rescue！〃　repeated　they　all；　in　chorus。　　〃Largess！〃

〃Gentlemen；〃　added　Ninny　Moulin；　with　enthusiasm；　〃shall　we　remain
indifferent　to　the　noble　example　set　us　by　Goodman　Cholera？　　He　said　in
his　pride；　‘brandy！'　Let　us　gloriously　answer；　'punch！'〃

〃Yes；　yes！　punch！〃

〃Punch　to　the　rescue！〃

〃Waiter！〃　shouted　the　religious　writer；　with　the　voice　of　a　Stentor；
〃waiter！　have　you　a　pan；　a　caldron；　a　hogshead；　or　any　other　immensity；
in　which　we　can　brew　a　monster　punch？〃

〃A　Babylonian　punch！〃

〃A　lake　of　punch！〃

〃An　ocean　of　punch！〃

Such　was　the　ambitious　crescendo　that　followed　the　proposition　of　Ninny
Moulin。

〃Sir；〃　answered　the　waiter；　with　an　air　of　triumph；　〃we　just　happen　to
have　a　large　copper　caldron；　quite　new。　　It　has　been　used；　and　would　hold
at　least　thirty　bottles。〃

〃Bring　the　caldron！〃　said　Ninny　Moulin；　majestically。

〃The　caldron　forever！〃　shouted　the　chorus。

〃Put　in　twenty　bottles　of　brandy；　six　loaves　of　sugar；　a　dozen　lemons；　a
pound　of　cinnamon；　and　thenfire！　fire！〃　shouted　the　religious　writer；
with　the　most　vociferous　exclamations。

〃Yes；　yes！　fire！〃　repeated　the　chorus！

The　proposition　of　Ninny　Moulin　gave　a　new　impetus　to　the　general　gayety；
the　most　extravagant　remarks　were　mingled　with　the　sound　of　kisses；　taken
or　given　under　the　pretext　that　perhaps　there　would　be　no　to…morrow；　that
one　must　make　the　most　of　the　present；　etc。；　etc。　　Suddenly；　in　one　of
the　moments　of　silence　which　sometimes　occur　in　the　midst　of　the　greatest
tumult；　a　succession　of　slow　and　measured　taps　sounded　above　the　ceiling
of　the　banqueting…room。　　All　remained　silent；　and　listened。




CHAPTER　XXI。

BRANDY　TO　THE　RESCUE。

After　the　lapse　of　some　seconds；　the　singular　rapping　which　had　so　much
surprised　the　guests；　was　again　heard；　but　this　time　louder　and　longer。

〃Waiter！〃　cried　one　of　the　party；　〃what　in　the　devil's　name　is　knocking？〃

The　waiter；　exchanging　with　his　comrades　a　look　of　uneasiness　and　alarm；
stammered　Out　in　reply：　〃Sirit　isit　is〃

〃Well！　I　suppose　it　is　some　crabbed；　cross…grained　lodger；　some　animal；
the　enemy　of　joy；　who　is　pounding　on　the　floor　of　his　room　to　warn　us　to
sing　less　loud；〃　said　Ninny　Moulin。

〃Then；　by　a　general　rule；〃　answered　sententiously　the　pupil　of　the　great
painter；　〃if　lodger　or　landlord　ask　for　silence；　tradition　bids　us　reply
by　an　infernal　uproar；　destined　to　drown　all　his　remonstrances。　　Such；　at
least；〃　added　the　scapegrace；　modestly；　are　the　foreign　relations　that　I
have　always　seen　observed　between　neighboring　powers。〃

This　remark　was　received　with　general　laughter　and　applause。　　During　the
tumult；　Morok　questioned　one　of　the　waiters；　and　then　exclaimed　in　a
shrill　tone；　which　rose　above　the　clamor：　〃I　demand　a　hearing！〃

〃Granted！〃　cried　the　others；　gayly。　　During　the　silence　which　followed
the　exclamation　of　Morok；　the　noise　was　again　heard；　it　was　this　time
quicker　than　before。

〃The　lodger　is　innocent；〃　said　Morok；　with　a　strange　smile；　〃and　would　be
quite　incapable　of　interfering　with　your　enjoyment。〃

〃Then　why　does　he　keep　up　that　knocking？〃　said　Ninny　Moulin；　emptying　his
glass。

〃Like　a　deaf　man　who　has　lost　his　ear…horn？〃　added　the　young　artist。

〃It　is　not　the　lodger　who　is　knocking〃　said　Morok；　in　a　sharp；　quick
tone；　〃for　they　are　nailing　him　down　in　his　coffin。〃　A　sudden　and
mournful　silence　followed　these　words。

〃His　coffin　no；　I　am　wrong；〃　resumed　Morok；　〃her　coffin；　I　should　say；　or
more　properly　their　coffin；　for；　in　these　pressing　times；　they　put　mother
and　child　together。〃

〃A　woman！〃　cried　PLEASURE；　addressing　the　writer；　〃is　it　a　woman　that　is
dead？〃

〃Yes；　ma'am；　a　poor　young　woman　about　twenty　years　of　age；〃　answered　the
waiter　in　a　sorrowful　tone。　　〃Her　little　girl；　that　she　was　nursing；　died
soon　afterall　in　less　than　two　hours。　　My　master　is　very　sorry　that　you
ladies　and　gents　should　be　disturbed　in　this　way；　but　he　could　not
foresee　this　misfortune；　as　yesterday　morning　the　young　woman　was　quite
well；　and　singing　with　all　her　mightno　one　could　have　been　gayer　than
she　was。〃

Upon　these　words；　it　was　as　if　a　funeral　pall　had　been　suddenly　thrown
over　a　scene　lately　so　full　of　joy；　all　the　rubicund　and　jovial　faces
took　an　expression　of　sadness；　no　one　had　the　hardihood　to　make　a　jest　of
mother　and　child；　nailed　down　together　in　the　same　coffin。　　The　silence
became　so　profound；　that　one　could　hear　each　breath　oppressed　by　terror：
the　last　blows　of　the　hammer　seemed　to　strike　painfully　on　every　heart；
it　appeared　as　if　each　sad　feeling；　until　now　repressed；　was　about　to
replace　that　animation　and　gayety；　which　had　been　more　factitious　than
sincere。　　The　moment　was　decisive。　　It　was　necessary　to　strike　an
immediate　blow；　and　to　raise　the　spirits　of　the　guests；　for　many　pretty
rosy　faces　began　to　grow　pale；　many　scarlet　ears　became　suddenly　white；
Ninny　Moulin's　were　of　the　number。

On　the　contrary；　Sleepinbuff　exhibited　an　increase　of　audacity；　he　drew
up　his　figure；　bent　down　from　the　effects　of　exhaustion；　and；　with　a
cheek　slightly　flushed；　he　exclaimed：　〃Well；　waiter？　are　those　bottles　of
brandy　coming？　And　the　punch？　　Devil　and　all！　are　the　dead　to　frighten
the　living？〃

〃He's　right！　Down　with　sorrow；　and　let's　have　the　punch！〃　cried　several
of　the　guests；　who　felt　the　necessity　of　reviving　their　courage。

〃Forward；　punch！〃

〃Begone；　dull　care！〃

〃Jollity　forever！〃

〃Gentlemen；　here　is　the　punch；〃　said　a　waiter；　opening　the　door。　　At
sight　of　the　flaming　beverage；　which　was　to　reanimate　their　enfeebled
spirits；　the　room　rang　with　the　loudest　applause。

The　sun　had　just　set。　　The　room　was　large；　being　capable　of　dining　a
hundred　guests；　and　the　windows　were　few；　narrow；　and　half　veiled　by　red
cotton　curtains。　　Though　it　was　not　yet　night；　some　portions　of　this　vast
saloon　were　almost　entirely　dark。　　Two　waiters　brought　the　monster…punch；
in　an　immense　brass　kettle；　brilliant　as　gold；　suspended　from　an　iron
bar；　and　crowned　with　flames　of　changing　color。　　The　burning　beverage　was
then　placed　upon　the　table；　to　the　great　joy　of　the　guests；　who　began　to
forget　th