the wandering jew, volume 9-第20章

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a　thousand　times　over　to　save　Father　d'Aigrigny'sthe　very　man　who　had
betrayed　hire　by　such　cowardly　and　cruel　hypocrisy。





CHAPTER　XXV。

THE　MURDERERS。

The　quarryman；　followed　by　his　gang；　ran　towards　Gabriel；　who　had
advanced　a　few　paces　from　the　choir…railing；　and　exclaimed；　his　eyes
sparkling　with　rage：　〃Where　is　the　poisoner？　　We　will　have　him！〃

〃Who　has　told　you；　my　brethren；　that　he　is　a　poisoner？〃　replied　Gabriel；
with　his　deep；　sonorous　voice。　　〃A　poisoner！　Where　are　the　proofs
witnesses　or　victims？〃

〃Enough　of　that　stuff！　we　are　not　here　for　confession；〃　brutally　answered
the　quarryman；　advancing　towards　him　in　a　threatening　manner。　　〃Give　up
the　man　to　us；　he　shall　be　forthcoming；　unless　you　choose　to　stand　in　his
shoes？〃

〃Yes；　yes！〃　exclaimed　several　voices；　〃they　are　‘in'　with　one　another！
One　or　the　other　we　will　have！〃

〃Very　well；　then；　since　it　is　so；〃　said　Gabriel；　raising　his　head；　and
advancing　with　calmness；　resignation；　and　fearlessness；　〃he　or　me；〃　added
he；〃it　seems　to　make　no　difference　to　youyou　are　determined　to　have
bloodtake　mine；　and　I　will　pardon　you；　my　friends；　for　a　fatal　delusion
has　unsettled　your　reason。〃

These　words　of　Gabriel；　his　courage；　the　nobleness　of　his　attitude；　the
beauty　of　his　countenance；　had　made　an　impression　on　some　of　the
assailants；　when　suddenly　a　voice　exclaimed：　〃Look！　there　is　the
poisoner；　behind　the　railing！〃

〃Wherewhere？〃　cried　they。

〃Theredon't　you　see？stretched　on　the　floor。〃

On　hearing　this；　the　mob；　which　had　hitherto　formed　a　compact　mass；　in
the　sort　of　passage　separating　the　two　sides　of　the　nave；　between　the
rows　of　chairs；　dispersed　in　every　direction；　to　reach　the　railing　of　the
choir；　the　last　and　only　barrier　that　now　sheltered　Father　d'Aigrigny。
During　this　manoeuvre　the　quarryman；　Ciboule；　and　others；　advanced
towards　Gabriel；　exclaiming；　with　ferocious　joy：　〃This　time　we　have　him。
Death　to　the　poisoner！〃

To　save　Father　d'Aigrigny；　Gabriel　would　have　allowed　himself　to　be
massacred　at　the　entrance　of　the　choir；　but；　a　little　further　on；　the
railing；　not　above　four　feet　in　height；　would　in　another　instant　be
scaled　or　broken　through。　　The　Missionary　lost　all　hope　of　saving　the
Jesuit　from　a　frightful　death。　　Yet　he　exclaimed：　〃Stop；　poor　deluded
people！〃and；　extending　his　arms；　he　threw　himself　in　front　of　the
crowd。

His　words；　gesture；　and　countenance；　were　expressive　of　an　authority　at
once　so　affectionate　and　so　fraternal；　that　there　was　a　momentary
hesitation　amongst　the　mob。　　But　to　this　hesitation　soon　succeeded　the
most　furious　cries　of　〃Death；　death！〃

〃You　cry　for　his　death？〃　cried　Gabriel；　growing　still　paler。

〃Yes！　yes！〃

〃Well；　let　him　die；〃　cried　the　missionary；　inspired　with　a　sudden
thought；　〃let　him　die　on　the　instant！〃

These　words　of　the　young　priest　struck　the　crowd　with　amazement。　　For　a
few　moments；　they　all　stood　mute；　motionless；　and　as　it　were；　paralyzed；
looking　at　Gabriel　in　stupid　astonishment。

〃This　man　is　guilty；　you　say；〃　resumed　the　young　missionary；　in　a　voice
trembling　with　emotion。　　〃You　have　condemned　him　without　proof；　without
witnessesno　matter；　he　must　die。　　You　reproach　him　with　being　a
poisoner；　where　are　his　victims？　　You　cannot　tellbut　no　matter；　he　is
condemned。　　You　refuse　to　hear　his　defense；　the　sacred　right　of　every
accused　personno　matter；　the　sentence　is　pronounced。　　You　are　at　once
his　accusers；　judges；　and　executioners。　　Be　it　so！You　have　never　seen
till　now　this　unfortunate　man；　he　has　done　you　no　harm；　he　has　perhaps
not　done　harm　to　any　oneyet　you　take　upon　yourselves　the　terrible
responsibility　of　his　deathunderstand　me　wellof　his　death。　　Be　it　so
then！　your　conscience　will　absolve　youI　will　believe　it。　　He　must　die；
the　sacredness　of　God's　house　will　not　save　him〃

〃No；　no！〃　cried　many　furious　voices。

〃No；〃　resumed　Gabriel；　with　increasing　warmth；　〃no　you　have　determined　to
shed　his　blood；　and　you　will　shed　it；　even　in　the　Lord's　temple。　　It　is；
you　say；　your　right。　　You　are　doing　an　act　of　terrible　justice。　　But　why
then；　so　many　vigorous　arms　to　make　an　end　of　one　dying　man？　　Why　these
outcries？　this　fury？　this　violence？　　Is　it　thus　that　the　people；　the
strong　and　equitable　people；　are　wont　to　execute　their　judgments？　　No；
no；　when　sure　of　their　right；　they　strike　their　enemies；　it　is　with　the
calmness　of　the　judge；　who；　in　freedom　of　soul　and　conscience；　passes
sentence。　　No；　the　strong　and　equitable　people　do　not　deal　their　blows
like　men　blind　or　mad；　uttering　cries　of　rage；　as　if　to　drown　the　sense
of　some　cowardly　and　horrible　murder。　　No；　it　is　not　thus　that　they
exercise　the　formidable　right；　to　which　you　now　lay　claimfor　you　will
have　it〃

〃Yes；　we　will　have　it！〃　shouted　the　quarryman；　Ciboule；　and　others　of　the
more　pitiless　portion　of　the　mob；　whilst　a　great　number　remained　silent；
struck　with　the　words　of　Gabriel；　who　had　just　painted　to　them；　in　such
lively　colors；　the　frightful　act　they　were　about　to　commit。

〃Yes；〃　resumed　the　quarryman；　〃it　is　our　right；　we　have　determined　to
kill　the　poisoner！〃

So　saying；　and　with　bloodshot　eyes；　and　flushed　cheek；　the　wretch
advanced　at　the　head　of　a　resolute　group；　making　a　gesture　as　though　he
would　have　pushed　aside　Gabriel；　who　was　still　standing　in　front　of　the
railing。　　But　instead　of　resisting　the　bandit；　the　missionary　advanced　a
couple　of　steps　to　meet　him；　took　him　by　the　arm；　and　said　in　a　firm
voice：　〃Come！〃

And　dragging；　as　it　were；　with　him　the　stupefied　quarryman；　whose
companions　did　not　venture　to　follow　at　the　moment；　struck　dumb　as　they
were　by　this　new　incident；　Gabriel　rapidly　traversed　the　space　which
separated　him　from　the　choir；　opened　the　iron　gate；　and；　still　holding
the　quarryman　by　the　arm；　led　him　up　to　the　prostrate　form　of　Father
d'Aigrigny；　and　said　to　him：　〃There　is　the　victim。　　He　is　condemned。
Strike！〃

〃I〃　cried　the　quarryman；　hesitating；　〃Iall　alone！〃

〃Oh！〃　replied　Gabriel；　with　bitterness；　〃there　is　no　danger。　　You　can
easily　finish　him。　　Look！　he　is　broken　down　with　suffering；　he　has　hardly
a　breath　of　life　left；　he　will　make　no　resistance。　　Do　not　be　afraid！〃

The　quarryman　remained　motionless；　whilst　the　crowd；　strangely　impressed
with　this　incident；　approached　a　little　nearer　the　railing；　without
daring　to　come　within　the　gate。

〃Strike　then！〃　resumed　Gabriel；　addressing　the　quarryman；　whilst　he
pointed　to　the　crowd　with　a　solemn　gesture；　〃there　are　the　judges；　you
are　the　executioner。〃

〃No！〃　cried　the　quarryman；　drawing　back；　and　turning　away　his　eyes；　〃I'm
not　the　executionernot　I！〃

The　crowd　remained　silent。　　For　a　few　moments；　not　a　word；　not　a　cry；
disturbed　the　stillness　of　the　solemn　cathedral。　　In　a　desperate　case；
Gabriel　had　acted　with　a　profound　knowledge　of　the　human　heart。　　When　the
multitude；　inflamed　with　blind　rage；　rushes　with　ferocious　clamor　upon　a
single　victim；　and　each　man　strikes　his　blow；　this　dreadful　species　of
combined　murder　appears　less　horrible　to　each；　because　they　all　share　in
the　common　crime；　and　then　the　shouts；　the　sight　of　blood；　the　desperate
defence　of　the　man　they　massacre；　finish　by　producing　a　sort　of　ferocious
intoxication；　but；　amongst　all　those　furious　madmen；　who　take　part　in　the
homicide；　select　one；　and　place　him　face　to　face　with　the　victim；　no
longer　capable　of　resistance；　and　say　to　him；　〃Strike！〃he　will　hardly
ever　dare　to　do　so。

It　was　thus　with　the　quarryman；　the　wretch　trembled　at　the　idea　of
committing　a　murder　in　cold　blood；　〃all　alone。〃　　The　preceding　scene　had
passed　very　rapidly；　amongst　the　companions　of　the　quarryman；　nearest　to
the　railing；　some　did　not　understand　an　impression；　which　they　would
themselves　have　felt　as　strongly　as　this　bold　man；　if　it　had　been　said　to
them：　〃Do　the　office　of　executioner！〃　　These；　therefore；　began　to　murmur
aloud　at　his　weakness。　　〃He　dares　not　finish　the　poisoner；〃　said　one。

〃The　coward！〃

〃He　is　afraid。〃

〃He　draws　back。〃　　Hearing　these　words；　the　quarryman　ran　to　the　gate；
threw　it　wide　open；　and；　pointing　to　Father　d'Aigrigny；　exclaimed：　〃If
there　is　one　here　braver　than　I　am；　let　him　go　and　finish　the　joblet
him　be；　the　ex