the wandering jew, volume 9-第17章

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poisoners；　rushed　into　the　shop　to　aid　in　securing　Goliath。　　But　the
latter；　thanks　to　his　herculean　strength；　after　struggling　for　some
moments　with　seven　or　eight　persons；　knocked　down　two　of　his　most　furious
assailants；　disengaged　himself　from　the　others；　drew　near　the　counter；
and；　taking　a　vigorous　spring；　rushed　head…foremost；　like　a　bull　about　to
butt；　upon　the　crowd　that　blocked　up　the　door；　then；　forcing　a　passage；
by　the　help　of　his　enormous　shoulders　and　athletic　arms；　he　made　his　way
into　the　street；　and　ran　with　all　speed　in　the　direction　of　the　square　of
Notre…Dame；　his　garments　torn；　his　head　bare；　and　his　countenance　pale
and　full　of　rage。　　Immediately；　a　number　of　persons　from　amongst　the
crowd　started　in　pursuit　of　Goliath；　and　a　hundred　voices　exclaimed：
〃Stopstop　the　poisoner！〃

Hearing　these　cries；　and　seeing　a　man　draw　near　with　a　wild　and　troubled
look；　a　butcher；　who　happened　to　be　passing　with　his　large；　empty　tray　on
his　head；　threw　it　against　Goliath's　shins；　and　taken　by　surprise；　he
stumbled　and　fell。　　The　butcher；　thinking　he　had　performed　as　heroic　an
action　as　if　he　had　encountered　a　mad　dog；　flung　himself　on　Goliath；　and
rolled　over　with　him　on　the　pavement；　exclaiming：　〃Help！　it　is　a
poisoner！　Help！　help！〃　　This　scene　took　place　not　far　from　the　Cathedral；
but　at　some　distance　from　the　crowd　which　was　pressing　round　the　hospital
gate；　as　well　as　from　the　eating…house　in　which　the　masquerade　of　the
cholera　then　was。　　The　day　was　now　drawing　to　a　close。　　On　the　piercing
call　of　the　butcher；　several　groups；　at　the　head　of　which　were　Ciboule
and　the　quarryman；　flew　towards　the　scene　of　the　struggle；　while　those
who　had　pursued　the　pretended　poisoner　from　the　Rue　de　la　Calandre；
reached　the　square　on　their　side。

At　sight　of　this　threatening　crowd　advancing　towards　him；　Goliath；　whilst
he　continued　to　defend　himself　against　the　butcher；　who　held　him　with　the
tenacity　of　a　bull…dog；　felt　that　he　was　lost　unless　he　could　rid　himself
of　this　adversary　before　the　arrival　of　the　rest；　with　a　furious　blow　of
the　fist；　therefore；　he　broke　the　jaw　of　the　butcher；　who　just　then　was
above　him；　and　disengaging　himself　from　his　hold；　he　rose；　and　staggered
a　few　steps　forward。　　Suddenly　he　stopped。　　He　saw　that　he　was
surrounded。　　Behind　him　rose　the　walls　of　the　cathedral；　to　the　right　and
left；　and　in　front　of　him；　advanced　a　hostile　multitude。　　The　groans
uttered　by　the　butcher；　who　had　just　been　lifted　from　the　ground　covered
with　blood；　augmented　the　fury　of　the　populace。

This　was　a　terrible　moment　for　Goliath：　still　standing　alone　in　the
centre　of　a　ring　that　grew　smaller　every　second；　he　saw　on　all　sides
angry　enemies　rushing　towards　him；　and　uttering　cries　of　death。　　As　the
wild　boar　turns　round　once　or　twice；　before　resolving　to　stand　at　bay　and
face　the　devouring　pack；　Goliath；　struck　with　terror；　made　one　or　two
abrupt　and　wavering　movements。　　Then；　as　he　abandoned　the　possibility　of
flight；　instinct　told　him　that　he　had　no　mercy　to　expect　from　a　crowd
given　up　to　blind　and　savage　furya　fury　the　more　pitiless　as　it　was
believed　to　be　legitimate。　　Goliath　determined；　therefore；　at　least　to
sell　his　life　dearly；　he　sought　for　a　knife　in　his　pocket；　but；　not
finding　it；　he　threw　out　his　left　leg　in　an　athletic　posture；　and　holding
up　his　muscular　arms；　hard　and　stiff　as　bars　of　iron；　waited　with
intrepidity　for　the　shock。

The　first　who　approached　Goliath　was　Ciboule。　　The　hag；　heated　and　out　of
breath；　instead　of　rushing　upon　him；　paused；　stooped　down；　and　taking　off
one　of　the　large　wooden　shoes　that　she　wore；　hurled　it　at　the　giant's
head　with　so　much　force　and　with　so　true　an　aim　that　it　struck　him　right
in　the　eye；　which　hung　half　out　of　its　socket。　　Goliath　pressed　his　hands
to　his　face；　and　uttered　a　cry　of　excruciating　pain。

〃I've　made　him　squint！〃　said　Ciboule；　with　a　burst　of　laughter。

Goliath；　maddened　by　the　pain；　instead　of　waiting　for　the　attack；　which
the　mob　still　hesitated　to　begin；　so　greatly　were　they　awed　by　his
appearance　of　herculean　strengththe　only　adversary　worthy　to　cope　with
him　being　the　quarryman；　who　had　been　borne　to　a　distance　by　the　surging
of　the　crowdGoliath；　in　his　rage；　rushed　headlong　upon　the　nearest。
Such　a　struggle　was　too　unequal　to　last　long；　but　despair　redoubled　the
Colossus's　strength；　and　the　combat　was　for　a　moment　terrible。　　The
unfortunate　man　did　not　fall　at　once。　　For　some　seconds；　almost　buried
amid　a　swarm　of　furious　assailants；　one　saw　now　his　mighty　arm　rise　and
fall　like　a　sledge　hammer；　beating　upon　skulls　and　faces；　and　now　his
enormous　head；　livid　and　bloody；　drawn　back　by　some　of　the　combatants
hanging　to　his　tangled　hair。　　Here　and　there　sudden　openings　and　violent
oscillations　of　the　crowd　bore　witness　to　the　incredible　energy　of
Goliath's　defence。　　But　when　the　quarryman　succeeded　in　reaching　him；
Goliath　was　overpowered　and　thrown　down。　　A　long；　savage　cheer　in　triumph
announced　this　fall；　for；　under　such　circumstances；　to　〃go　under〃　is　〃to
die。〃　　Instantly　a　thousand　breathless　and　angry　voices　repeated　the
cry　of　〃Death　to　the　poisoner！〃

Then　began　one　of　those　scenes　of　massacre　and　torture；　worthy　of
cannibals；　horrible　to　relate；　and　the　more　incredible；　that　they　happen
almost　always　in　the　presence；　and　often　with　the　aid；　of　honest　and
humane　people；　who；　blinded　by　false　notions　and　stupid　prejudices；　allow
themselves　to　be　led　into　all　sorts　of　barbarity；　under　the　idea　of
performing　an　act　of　inexorable　justice。　　As　it　frequently　happens；　the
sight　of　the　blood　which　flowed　in　torrents　from　Goliath's　wounds
inflamed　to　madness　the　rage　of　his　assailants。　　A　hundred　fists　struck
at　the　unhappy　man；　he　was　stamped　under　foot；　his　face　and　chest　were
beaten　in。　　Ever　and　anon；　in　the　midst　of　furious　cries　of　〃Death　to　the
poisoner！〃　heavy　blows　were　audible；　followed　by　stifled　groans。　　It　was
a　frightful　butchery。　　Each　individual；　yielding　to　a　sanguinary　frenzy；
came　in　turn　to　strike　his　blow；　or　to　tear　off　his　morsel　of　flesh。
Womenyes；　womenmothers！came　to　spend　their　rage　on　this　mutilated
form。

There　was　one　moment　of　frightful　terror。　　With　his　face　all　bruised　and
covered　with　mud；　his　garments　in　rags；　his　chest　bare；　red；　gaping　with
woundsGoliath；　availing　himself　of　a　moment's　weariness　on　the　part　of
his　assassins；　who　believed　him　already；　finished；　succeeded；　by　one　of
those　convulsive　starts　frequent　in　the　last　agony；　in　raising　himself　to
his　feet　for　a　few　seconds；　then；　blind　with　wounds　and　loss　of　blood；
striking　about　his　arms　in　the　air　as　if　to　parry　blows　that　were　no
longer　struck；　he　muttered　these　words；　which　came　from　his　mouth；
accompanied　by　a　crimson　torrent：　〃Mercy！　I　am　no　poisoner。　　Mercy！〃
This　sort　of　resurrection　produced　so　great　an　effect　on　the　crowd；　that
for　an　instant　they　fell　hack　affrighted。　　The　clamor　ceased；　and　a　small
space　was　left　around　the　victim。　　Some　hearts　began　even　to　feel　pity；
when　the　quarryman；　seeing　Goliath　blinded　with　blood；　groping　before　him
with　his　hands；　exclaimed　in　ferocious　allusion　to　a　well…known　game：
〃Now　for　blind…man's…bluff。〃

Then；　with　a　violent　kick；　he　again　threw　down　the　victim；　whose　head
struck　twice　heavily　on　the　pavement。

Just　as　the　giant　fell　a　voice　from　amongst　the　crowd　exclaimed：　〃It　is
Goliath！　stop！　he　is　innocent。〃

It　was　Father　d'Aigrigny；　who；　yielding　to　a　generous　impulse；　was　making
violent　efforts　to　reach　the　foremost　rank　of　the　actors　in　this　scene；
and　who　cried　out；　as　he　came　nearer；　pale；　indignant；　menacing：　〃You　are
cowards　and　murderers！　This　man　is　innocent。　　I　know　him。　　You　shall
answer　for　his　life。〃

These　vehement　words　were　received　with　loud　murmurs。

〃You　know　that　poisoner；〃　cried　the　quarryman；　seizing　the　Jesuit　by　the
collar；　〃then　perhaps　you　are　a　poisoner　too。

〃Wretch；〃　exclaimed　Father　d'Aigrigny；　endeavoring　to　shake　himself　loose
from　the　grasp；　〃do　you　dare　to　lay　hand　upon　me？〃

〃Yes；　I　dare　do　anything；〃　answered　the　quarryman。

〃He　knows　him：　he's　a　poisoner　like　the　other；〃　cried　the　crowd；　pressing
round　the　two　adversaries；　whilst　Goliath；　who　ha