the wandering jew, volume 9-第18章

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〃He　knows　him：　he's　a　poisoner　like　the　other；〃　cried　the　crowd；　pressing
round　the　two　adversaries；　whilst　Goliath；　who　had　fractured　his　skull　in
the　fall；　uttered　a　long　death…rattle。

At　a　sudden　movement　of　Father　d'Aigrigny；　who　disengaged　himself　from
the　quarryman；　a　large　glass　phial　of　peculiar　form；　very　thick；　and
filled　with　a　greenish　liquor；　fell　from　his　pocket；　and　rolled　close　to
the　dying　Goliath。　　At　sight　of　this　phial；　many　voices　exclaimed
together：　〃It　is　poison！　Only　see！　He　had　poison　upon　him。〃

The　clamor　redoubled　at　this　accusation；　and　they　pressed　so　close　to
Abbe　d'Aigrigny；　that　he　exclaimed：　〃Do　not　touch　me！　do　not　approach
me！〃

〃If　he　is　a　poisoner；〃　said　a　voice；　〃no　more　mercy　for　him　than　for　the
other。〃

〃I　a　poisoner？〃　said　the　abbe；　struck　with　horror。

Ciboule　had　darted　upon　the　phial；　the　quarryman　seized　it　from　her；
uncorked　it　and　presenting　it　to　Father　d'Aigrigny；　said　to　him：　〃Now
tell　us　what　is　that？〃

〃It　is　not　poison；〃　cried　Father　d'Aigrigny。

〃Then　drink　it！〃　returned　the　quarryman。

〃Yes；　yes！　let　him　drink　it！〃　cried　the　mob。

〃Never；〃　answered　Father　d'Aigrigny；　in　extreme　alarm。　　And　he　drew　back
as　he　spoke；　pushing　away　the　phial　with　his　hand。

〃Do　you　see？　　It　is　poison。　　He　dares　not　drink　it；〃　they　exclaimed。
Hemmed　in　on　every　side；　Father　d'Aigrigny　stumbled　against　the　body　of
Goliath。

〃My　friends；〃　cried　the　Jesuit；　who；　without　being　a　poisoner；　found
himself　exposed　to　a　terrible　alternative；　for　his　phial　contained
aromatic　salts　of　extraordinary　strength；　designed　for　a　preservative
against　the　cholera；　and　as　dangerous　to　swallow　as　any　poison；　〃my　good
friends；　you　are　in　error。　　I　conjure　you；　in　the　name　of　heaven〃

〃If　that　is　not　poison；　drink　it！〃　interrupted　the　quarryman；　as　he　again
offered　the　bottle　to　the　Jesuit。

〃If　he　does　not　drink　it；　death　to　the　poisoner　of　the　poor！〃

〃Yes！death　to　him！　death　to　him！〃

〃Unhappy　men！〃　cried　Father　d'Aigrigny；　whilst　his　hair　stood　on　end　with
terror；　〃do　you　mean　to　murder　me？〃

〃What　about　all　those；　that　you　and　your　mate　have　killed；　you　wretch？〃

〃But　it　is　not　trueand〃

〃Drink；　then！〃　repeated　the　inflexible　quarryman；　〃I　ask　you　for　the　last
time。〃

〃To　drink　that　would　be　death；〃　cried　Father　d'Aigrigny。

〃Oh！　only　hear　the　wretch！〃　cried　the　mob；　pressing　closer　to　him；　〃he
has　confessedhe　has　confessed！〃

〃He　has　betrayed　himself！〃＇40＇

〃He　said；　‘to　drink　that　would　be　death！'〃

〃But　listen　to　me；〃　cried　the　abbe；　clasping　his　hands　together；　〃this
phial　is〃

Furious　cries　interrupted　Father　d'Aigrigny。　　〃Ciboule；　make　an　end　of
that　one！〃　cried　the　quarryman；　spurning　Goliath　with　his　foot。　　〃I　will
begin　this　one！〃　And　he　seized　Father　d'Aigrigny　by　the　throat。

At　these　words；　two　different　groups　formed　themselves。　　One；　led　by
Ciboule；　〃made　an　end〃　of　Goliath；　with　kicks　and　blows；　stones　and
wooden　shoes；　his　body　was　soon　reduced　to　a　horrible　thing；　mutilated；
nameless；　formlessa　mere　inert　mass　of　filth　and　mangled　flesh。
Ciboule　gave　her　cloak；　which　they　tied　to　one　of　the　dislocated　ankles
of　the　body；　and　thus　dragged　it　to　the　parapet　of　the　quay。　　There；　with
shouts　of　ferocious　joy；　they　precipitated　the　bloody　remains　into　the
river。　　Now　who　does　not　shudder　at　the　thought　that；　in　a　time　of
popular　commotion；　a　word；　a　single　word；　spoken　imprudently；　even　by　an
honest　man；　and　without　hatred；　will　suffice　to　provoke　so　horrible　a
murder。

〃Perhaps　it　is　a　poisoner！〃　said　one　of　the　drinkers　in　the　tavern　of　the
Rue　de　la　Calandrenothing　moreand　Goliath　had　been　pitilessly
murdered。

What　imperious　reasons　for　penetrating　the　lowest　depths　of　the　masses
with　instruction　and　with　lightto　enable　unfortunate　creatures　to
defend　themselves　from　so　many　stupid　prejudices；　so　many　fatal
superstitions；　so　much　implacable　fanaticism！How　can　we　ask　for
calmness；　reflection；　self…control；　or　the　sentiment　of　justice　from
abandoned　beings；　whom　ignorance　has　brutalized；　and　misery　depraved；　and
suffering　made　ferocious；　and　of　whom　society　takes　no　thought；　except
when　it　chains　them　to　the　galleys；　or　binds　them　ready　for　the
executioner！　The　terrible　cry　which　had　so　startled　Morok　was　uttered　by
Father　d'Aigrigny　as　the　quarryman　laid　his　formidable　hand　upon　him；
saying　to　Ciboule：　〃Make　an　end　of　that　oneI　will　begin　this　one！〃

＇40＇　This　fact　is　historical。　　A　man　was　murdered　because　a　phial　full　of
ammonia　was　found　upon　him。　　On　his　refusal　to　drink　it；　the　populace；
persuaded　that　the　bottle　contained　poison；　tore　him　to　pieces。




CHAPTER　XXIV。

IN　THE　CATHEDRAL。

Night　was　almost　come；　as　the　mutilated　body　of　Goliath　was　thrown　into
the　river。　　The　oscillations　of　the　mob　had　carried　into　the　street；
which　runs　along　the　left　side　of　the　cathedral；　the　group　into　whose
power　Father　d'Aigrigny　had　fallen。　　Having　succeeded　in　freeing　himself
from　the　grasp　of　the　quarryman；　but　still　closely　pressed　by　the
multitude　that　surrounded　him；　crying；　〃Death　to　the　poisoner！〃　he
retreated　step　by　step；　trying　to　parry　the　blows　that　were　dealt　him。
By　presence　of　mind；　address；　and　courage；　recovering　at　that　critical
moment　his　old　military　energy；　he　had　hitherto　been　able　to　resist　and
to　remain　firm　on　his　feetknowing；　by　the　example　of　Goliath；　that　to
fall　was　to　die。　　Though　he　had　little　hope　of　being　heard　to　any
purpose；　the　abbe　continued　to　call　for　help　with　all　his　might。
Disputing　the　ground　inch　by　inch；　he　manoeuvred　so　as　to　draw　near　one
of　the　lateral　walls　of　the　church；　and　at　length　succeeded　in　ensconcing
himself　in　a　corner　formed　by　the　projection　of　a　buttress；　and　close　by
a　little　door。

This　position　was　rather　favorable。　　Leaning　with　his　back　against　the
wall；　Father　d'Aigrigny　was　sheltered　from　the　attacks　of　a　portion　of
his　assailants。　　But　the　quarryman；　wishing　to　deprive　him　of　this　last
chance　of　safety；　rushed　upon　him；　with　the　intention　of　dragging　him　out
into　the　circle　where　he　would　have　been　trampled　under　foot。　　The　fear
of　death　gave　Father　d'Aigrigny　extraordinary　strength；　and　he　was　able
once　more　to　repulse　the　quarryman；　and　remain　entrenched　in　the　corner
where　he　had　taken　refuge。　　The　resistance　of　the　victim　redoubled　the
rage　of　the　assailants。　　Cries　of　murderous　import　resounded　with　new
violence。　　The　quarryman　again　rushed　upon　Father　d'Aigrigny；　saying；
〃Follow　me；　friends！　this　lasts　too　long。　　Let　us　make　an　end　of　it。〃

Father　d'Aigrigny　saw　that　he　was　lost。　　His　strength　was　exhausted；　and
he　felt　himself　sinking；　his　legs　trembled　under　him；　and　a　cloud
obscured　his　sight；　the　howling　of　the　furious　mob　began　to　sound　dull
upon　his　ear。　　The　effects　of　violent　contusions；　received　during　the
struggle；　both　on　the　head　and　chest；　were　now　very　perceptible。　　Two　or
three　times；　a　mixture　of　blood　and　foam　rose　to　the　lips　of　the　abbe；
his　position　was　a　desperate　one。

〃To　be　slaughtered　by　these　brutes；　after　escaping　death　so　often　in
war！〃　Such　was　the　thought　of　Father　d'Aigrigny；　as　the　quarryman　rushed
upon　him。

Suddenly；　at　the　very　moment　when　the　abbe；　yielding　to　the　instinct　of
self…preservation；　uttered　one　last　call　for　help；　in　a　heart…piercing
voice；　the　door　against　which　he　leaned　opened　behind　him；　and　a　firm
hand　caught　hold　of　him；　and　pulled　him　into　the　church。　　Thanks　to　this
movement；　performed　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning；　the　quarryman；　thrown
forward　in　his　attempt　to　seize　Father　d'Aigrigny；　could　not　check　his
progress；　and　found　himself　just　opposite　to　the　person　who　had　come；　as
it　were；　to　take　the　place　of　the　victim。

The　quarryman　stopped　short；　and　then　fell　back　a　couple　of　paces；　so
much　was　he　amazed　at　this　sudden　apparition；　and　impressed；　like　the
rest　of　the　crowd；　with　a　vague　feeling　of　admiration　and　respect　at
sight　of　him　who　had　come　so　miraculously　to　the　aid　of　Father
d'Aigrigny。　　It　was　Gabriel。　　The　young　missionary　remained　standing　on
the　threshold　of　the　door。　　His　long　black　cassock　was　half　lost　in　the
shadows　of　the　cathedral；　whilst　his　angelic　countenance；　with　its　border
of　lon