the wandering jew, volume 9-第21章

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there　is　one　here　braver　than　I　am；　let　him　go　and　finish　the　joblet
him　be；　the　executionercome！〃

On　this　proposal　the　murmurs　ceased。　　A　deep　silence　reigned　once　more　in
the　cathedral。　　All　those　countenances；　but　now　so　furious；　became　sad；
confused；　almost　frightened。

The　deluded　mob　began　to　appreciate　the　ferocious　cowardice　of　the　action
it　had　been　about　to　commit。　　Not　one　durst　go　alone　to　strike　the　half…
expiring　man。　　Suddenly；　Father　d'Aigrigny　uttered　a　dying　rattle；　his
head　and　one　of　his　arms　stirred　with　a　convulsive　movement；　and　then
fell　back　upon　the　stones　as　if　he　had　just　expired。

Gabriel　uttered　a　cry　of　anguish；　and　threw　himself　on　his　knees　close　to
Father　d'Aigrigny；　exclaiming：　〃Great　Heaven！　he　is　dead！〃

There　is　a　singular　variableness　in　the　mind　of　a　crowd；　susceptible
alike　to　good　or　evil　impressions。　　At　the　heart…piercing　cry　of　Gabriel；
all　these　people；　who；　a　moment　before；　had　demanded；　with　loud　uproar；
the　massacre　of　this　man；　felt　touched　with　a　sudden　pity。　　The　words：
〃He　is　dead！〃　circulated　in　low　whispers　through　the　crowd　accompanied　by
a　slight　shudder；　whilst　Gabriel　raised　with　one　hand　the　victim's　heavy
head；　and　with　the　other　sought　to　feel　if　the　pulse　still　beat　beneath
the　ice…cold　skin。

〃Mr。　Curate；〃　said　the　quarryman；　bending　towards　Gabriel；　〃is　there
really　no　hope？〃

The　answer　was　waited　for　with　anxiety；　in　the　midst　of　deep　silence。
The　people　hardly　ventured　to　exchange　a　few　words　in　whispers。

〃Blessed　be　God！〃　exclaimed　Gabriel；　suddenly。　　〃His　heart　beats。〃

〃His　heart　beats；〃　repeated　the　quarryman；　turning　his　head　towards　the
crowd；　to　inform　them　of　the　good　news。

〃Oh！　his　heart　beats！〃　repeated　the　others；　in　whispers。

〃There　is　hope。　　We　may　yet　save　him；〃　added　Gabriel　with　an　expression
of　indescribable　happiness。

〃We　may　yet　save　him；〃　repeated　the　quarryman；　mechanically。

〃We　may　yet　save　him；〃　muttered　the　crowd。

〃Quick；　quick；〃　resumed　Gabriel；　addressing　the　quarryman；　〃help　me；
brother。　　Let　us　carry　him　to　a　neighboring　house；　where　he　can　have
immediate　aid。〃

The　quarryman　obeyed　with　readiness。　　Whilst　the　missionary　lifted　Father
d'Aigrigny　by　holding　him　under　the　arms；　the　quarryman　took　the　legs　of
the　almost　inanimate　body。　　Together；　they　carried　him　outside　of　the
choir。　　At　sight　of　the　formidable　quarryman；　aiding　the　young　priest　to
render　assistance　to　the　man　whom　he　had　just　before　pursued　with　menaces
of　death；　the　multitude　felt　a　sudden　thrill　of　compassion。　　Yielding　to
the　powerful　influence　of　the　words　and　example　of　Gabriel；　they　felt
themselves　deeply　moved；　and　each　became　anxious　to　offer　services。

〃Mr。　Curate；　he　would　perhaps　be　better　on　a　chair；　that　one　could　carry
upright；〃　said　Ciboule。

〃Shall　I　go　and　fetch　a　stretcher　from　the　hospital？〃　asked　another。

〃Mr。　Curate；　let　me　take　your　place；　the　body　is　too　heavy　for　you。〃

〃Don't　trouble　yourself；〃　said　a　powerful　man；　approaching　the　missionary
respectfully；　〃I　can　carry　him　alone。〃

〃Shall　I　run　and　fetch　a　coach；　Mr。　Curate？〃　said　a　young　vagabond；
taking　off　his　red　cap。

〃Right；〃　said　the　quarryman；　〃run　away；　my　buck！〃

〃But　first；　ask　Mr。　Curate　if　you　are　to　go　for　a　coach；〃　said　Ciboule；
stopping　the　impatient　messenger。

〃True；〃　added　one　of　the　bystanders；　〃we　are　here　in　a　church；　and　Mr。
Curate　has　the　command。　　He　is　at　home。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　go　at　once；　my　child；〃　said　Gabriel　to　the　obliging　young
vagabond。

Whilst　the　latter　was　making　his　way　through　the　crowd；　a　voice　said：
〃I've　a　little　wicker…bottle　of　brandy；　will　that　be　of　any　use？〃

〃No　doubt；〃　answered　Gabriel；　hastily；　〃pray　give　it　here。　　We　can　rub
his　temples　with　the　spirit；　and　make　him　inhale　a　little。〃

〃Pass　the　bottle；〃　cried　Ciboule；　〃but　don't　put　your　noses　in　it！〃　And；
passed　with　caution　from　hand　to　hand；　the　flask　reached　Gabriel　in
safety。

Whilst　waiting　for　the　coming　of　the　coach；　Father　d'Aigrigny　had　been
seated　on　a　chair。　　Whilst　several　good…natured　people　carefully
supported　the　abbe；　the　missionary　made　him　inhale　a　little　brandy。　　In　a
few　minutes；　the　spirit　had　a　powerful　influence　on　the　Jesuit；　he　made
some　slight　movements；　and　his　oppressed　bosom　heaved　with　a　deep　sigh。

〃He　is　savedhe　will　live；〃　cried　Gabriel；　in　a　triumphant　voice；　〃he
will　live；　my　brothers！〃

〃Oh！　glad　to　hear　it！〃　exclaimed　many　voices。

〃Oh；　yes！　be　glad；　my　brothers！〃　repeated　Gabriel；　〃for；　instead　of　being
weighed　down　with　the　remorse　of　crime；　you　will　have　a　just　and
charitable　action　to　remember。　　Let　us　thank　God；　that　he　has　changed
your　blind　fury　into　a　sentiment　of　compassion！　Let　us　pray　to　Him；　that
neither　you；　nor　those　you　love；　may　ever　be　exposed　to　such　frightful
danger　as　this　unfortunate　man　has　just　escaped。　　Oh；　my　brothers！〃　added
Gabriel；　as　he　pointed　to　the　image　of　Christ　with　touching　emotion；
which　communicated　itself　the　more　easily　to　others　from　the　expression
of　his　angelic　countenance；　〃oh；　my　brothers！　let　us　never　forget；　that
HE；　who　died　upon　that　cross　for　the　defence　of　the　oppressed；　for　the
obscure　children　of　the　people　like　to　ourselves；　pronounced　those
affectionate　words　so　sweet　to　the　heart；　‘Love　ye　one　another！'Let　us
never　forget　it；　let　us　love　and　help　one　another；　and　we　poor　people
shall　then　become　better；　happier；　just。　　Loveyes；　love　ye　one　another…
…and　fall　prostrate　before　that　Saviour；　who　is　the　God　of　all　that　are
weak；　oppressed；　and　suffering　in　this　world！〃

So　saying；　Gabriel　knelt　down。　　All　present　respectfully　followed　his
example；　such　power　was　there　in　his　simple　and　persuasive　words。　　At
this　moment；　a　singular　incident　added　to　the　grandeur　of　the　scene。　　We
have　said　that　a　few　seconds　before　the　quarryman　and　his　band　entered
the　body　of　the　church；　several　persons　had　fled　from　it。　　Two　of　these
had　taken　refuge　in　the　organ…loft；　from　which　retreat　they　had　viewed
the　preceding　scene；　themselves　remaining　invisible。　　One　of　these
persons　was　a　young　man　charged　with　the　care　of　the　organ；　and　quite
musician　enough　to　play　on　it。　　Deeply　moved　by　the　unexpected　turn　of　an
event　which　at　first　appeared　so　tragical；　and　yielding　to　an　artistical
inspiration；　this　young　man；　at　the　moment　when　he　saw　the　people
kneeling　with　Gabriel；　could　not　forbear　striking　the　notes。　　Then　a　sort
of　harmonious　sigh；　at　first　almost　insensible；　seemed　to　rise　from　the
midst　of　this　immense　cathedral；　like　a　divine　aspiration。　　As　soft　and
aerial　as　the　balmy　vapor　of　incense；　it　mounted　and　spread　through　the
lofty　arches。　　Little　by　little　the　faint；　sweet　sounds；　though　still　as
it　were　covered；　changed　to　an　exquisite　melody；　religious；　melancholy；
and　affectionate；　which　rose　to　heaven　like　a　song　of　ineffable　gratitude
and　love。　　And　the　notes　were　at　first　so　faint；　so　covered；　that　the
kneeling　multitude　had　scarcely　felt　surprise；　and　had　yielded　insensibly
to　the　irresistible　influence　of　that　enchanting　harmony。

Then　many　an　eye；　until　now　dry　and　ferocious；　became　wet　with　tears
many　hard　hearts　beat　gently；　as　they　remembered　the　words　pronounced　by
Gabriel　with　so　tender　an　accent：　〃Love　ye　one　another！〃　It　was　at　this
moment　that　Father　d'Aigrigny　came　to　himselfand　opened　his　eyes。　　He
thought　himself　under　the　influence　of　a　dream。　　He　had　lost　his　senses
in　sight　of　a　furious　populace；　who；　with　insult　and　blasphemy　on　their
lips；　pursued　him　with　cries　of　death　even　to　the　sanctuary　of　the
temple。　　He　opened　his　eyesand；　by　the　pale　light　of　the　sacred　lamps；
to　the　solemn　music　of　the　organ；　he　saw　that　crowd；　just　now　so　menacing
and　implacable；　kneeling　in　mute　and　reverential　emotion；　and　humbly
bowing　their　heads　before　the　majesty　of　the　shrine。

Some　minutes　after；　Gabriel；　carried　almost　in　triumph　on　the　shoulders
of　the　crowd；　entered　the　coach；　in　which　Father　d'Aigrigny；　who　by
degrees　had　completely　recovered　his　senses；　was　already　reclining。　　By
the　order　of　the　Jesuit；　the　coach　stopped　before　the　door　of　a　house　in
the　Rue　de　Vaugirard；　he　had　the　strength　and　courage　to　enter　this
dwelling　alone；　Gabriel　was　n