the wandering jew, volume 9-第22章

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the　Rue　de　Vaugirard；　he　had　the　strength　and　courage　to　enter　this
dwelling　alone；　Gabriel　was　not　admitted；　but　we　shall　conduct　the　reader
thither。




CHAPTER　XXVI。

THE　PATIENT。

At　the　end　of　the　Rue　de　Vaugirard；　there　was　then　a　very　high　wall；　with
only　one　small　doorway　in　all　its　length。　　On　opening　this　door；　you
entered　a　yard　surrounded　by　a　railing；　with　screens　like　Venetian
blinds；　to　prevent　your　seeing　between　the　rails。　　Crossing　this
courtyard；　you　come　to　a　fine　large　garden；　symmetrically　planted；　at　the
end　of　which　stood　a　building　two　stories　high；　looking　perfectly
comfortable；　without　luxury；　but　with　all　that　cozy　simplicity　which
betokens　discreet　opulence。　　A　few　days　had　elapsed　since　Father
d'Aigrigny　had　been　so　courageously　rescued　by　Gabriel　from　the　popular
fury。　　Three　ecclesiastics；　wearing　black　gowns；　white　bands；　and　square
caps；　were　walking　in　the　garden　with　a　slow　and　measured　step。　　The
youngest　seemed　to　be　about　thirty　years　of　age；　his　countenance　was
pale；　hollow；　and　impressed　with　a　certain　ascetic　austerity。　　His　two
companions；　aged　between　fifty　or　sixty；　had；　on　the　contrary；　faces　at
once　hypocritical　and　cunning；　their　round；　rosy　cheeks　shone　brightly　in
the　sunshine；　whilst　their　triple　chins；　buried　in　fat；　descended　in　soft
folds　over　the　fine　cambric　of　their　bands。　　According　to　the　rules　of
their　order　（they　belonged　to　the　Society　of　Jesus）；　which　forbade　their
walking　only　two　together；　these　three　members　of　the　brotherhood　never
quitted　each　other　a　moment。

〃I　fear；〃　said　one　of　the　two；　continuing　a　conversation　already　begun；
and　speaking　of　an　absent　person；　〃I　fear；　that　the　continual　agitation
to　which　the　reverend　father　has　been　a　prey；　ever　since　he　was　attacked
with　the　cholera；　has　exhausted　his　strength；　and　caused　the　dangerous
relapse　which　now　makes　us　fear　for　his　life。〃

〃They　say；〃　resumed　the　other；　〃that　never　was　there　seen　anxiety　like　to
his。〃

〃And　moreover；〃　remarked　the　young　priest；　bitterly；　〃it　is　painful　to
think；　that　his　reverence　Father　Rodin　has　given　cause　for　scandal；　by
obstinately　refusing　to　make　a　public　confession；　the　day　before
yesterday　when　his　situation　appeared　so　desperate；　that；　between　two
fits　of　a　delirium；　it　was　thought　right　to　propose　to　him　to　receive　the
last　sacraments。〃

〃His　reverence　declared　that　he　was　not　so　ill　as　they　supposed；〃
answered　one　of　the　fathers；　〃and　that　he　would　have　the　last　duties
performed　when　he　thought　necessary。〃

〃The　fact　is；　that　for　the　last　ten　days；　ever　since　he　was　brought　here
dying；　his　life　has　been；　as　it　were；　only　a　long　and　painful　agony；　and
yet　he　continues　to　live。〃

〃I　watched　by　him　during　the　first　three　days　of　his　malady；　with　M。
Rousselet；　the　pupil　of　Dr。　Baleinier；〃　resumed　the　youngest　father；　〃he
had　hardly　a　moment's　consciousness；　and　when　the　Lord　did　grant　him　a
lucid　interval；　he　employed　it　in　detestable　execrations　against　the　fate
which　had　confined　him　to　his　bed。〃

〃It　is　said；〃　resumed　the　other；　〃that　Father　Rodin　made　answer　to　his
Eminence　Cardinal　Malipieri；　who　came　to　persuade　him　to　die　in　an
exemplary　manner；　worthy　of　a　son　of　Loyola；　our　blessed　founder〃at
these　words；　the　three　Jesuits　bowed　their　heads　together；　as　if　they　had
been　all　moved　by　the　same　spring〃it　is　said；　that　Father　Rodin　made
answer　to　his　eminence：　‘I　do　not　need　to　confess　publicly；　I　WANT　TO
LIVE；　AND　I　WILL　LIVE。'〃

〃I　did　not　hear　that；〃　said　the　young　priest；　with　an　indignant　air；　〃but
if　Father　Rodin　really　made　use　of　such　expressions；　it　is〃

Here；　no　doubt；　reflection　came　to　him　just　in　time；　for　he　stole　a
sidelong　glance　at　his　two　silent；　impassible　companions；　and　added：　〃It
is　a　great　misfortune　for　his　soul；　but　I　am　certain；　his　reverence　has
been　slandered。〃

〃It　was　only　as　a　calumnious　report；　that　I　mentioned　those　words；〃　said
the　other　priest；　exchanging　a　glance　with　his　companion。

One　of　the　garden　gates　opened；　and　one　of　the　three　reverend　fathers
exclaimed；　at　the　sight　of　the　personage　who　now　entered：　〃Oh！　here　is
his　Eminence　Cardinal　Malipieri；　coming　to　pay　a　visit　to　Father　Rodin。〃

〃May　this　visit　of　his　eminence；〃　said　the　young　priest；　calmly；　〃be　more
profitable　to　Father　Rodin　than　the　last！〃

Cardinal　Malipieri　was　crossing　the　garden；　on　his　way　to　the　apartment
occupied　by　Rodin。

Cardinal　Malipieri；　whom　we　saw　assisting　at　the　sort　of　council　held　at
the　Princess　de　Saint…Dizier's；　now　on　his　way　to　Rodin's　apartment；　was
dressed　as　a　layman；　but　enveloped　in　an　ample　pelisse　of　puce…colored
satin；　which　exhaled　a　strong　odor　of　camphor；　for　the　prelate　had　taken
care　to　surround　himself　with　all　sorts　of　anti…cholera　specifics。
Having　reached　the　second　story　of　the　house；　the　cardinal　knocked　at　a
little　gray　door。　　Nobody　answering；　he　opened　it；　and；　like　a　man　to
whom　the　locality　was　well　known；　passed　through　a　sort　of　antechamber；
and　entered　a　room　in　which　was　a　turn…up　bed。　　On　a　black　wood　table
were　many　phials；　which　had　contained　different　medicines。　　The　prelate's
countenance　seemed　uneasy　and　morose；　his　complexion　was　still　yellow　and
bilious；　the　brown　circle　which　surrounded　his　black；　squinting　eyes
appeared　still　darker　than　usual。

Pausing　a　moment；　he　looked　round　him　almost　in　fear；　and　several　times
stopped　to　smell　at　his　anti…cholera　bottle。　　Then；　seeing　he　was　alone；
he　approached　a　glass　over　the　chimney…piece；　and　examined　with　much
attention　the　color　of　his　tongue；　after　some　minutes　spent　in　this
careful　investigation；　with　the　result　of　which　he　appeared　tolerably
satisfied；　he　took　some　preservative　lozenges　out　of　a　golden　box；　and
allowed　them　to　melt　in　his　mouth；　whilst　he　closed　his　eyes　with　a
sanctified　air。　　Having　taken　these　sanitary　precautions；　and　again
pressed　his　bottle　to　his　nose；　the　prelate　prepared　to　enter　the　third
room；　when　he　heard　a　tolerably　loud　noise　through　the　thin　partition
which　separated　him　from　it；　and；　stopping　to　listen；　all　that　was　said
in　the　next　apartment　easily　reached　his　ear。

〃Now　that　my　wounds　are　dressed；　I　will　get　up；〃　said　weak；　but　sharp　and
imperious　voice。

〃Do　not　think　of　it；　reverend　father；〃　was　answered　in　a　stronger　tone；
〃it　is　impossible。〃

〃You　shall　see　if　it　is　impossible；〃　replied　the　other　voice。

〃But；　reverend　father；　you　will　kill　yourself。　　You　are　not　in　a　state　to
get　up。　　You　will　expose　yourself　to　a　mortal　relapse。　　I　cannot　consent
to　it。〃

To　these　words　succeeded　the　noise　of　a　faint　struggle；　mingled　with
groans　more　angry　than　plaintive；　and　the　voice　resumed：　〃No；　no；　father；
for　your　own　safety；　I　will　not　leave　your　clothes　within　your　reach。　　It
is　almost　time　for　your　medicine；　I　will　go　and　prepare　it　for　you。〃

Almost　immediately　after；　the　door　opened；　and　the　prelate　saw　enter　a
man　of　about　twenty…five　years　of　age；　carrying　on　his　arm　an　old　olive
great…coat　and　threadbare　black　trousers；　which　he　threw　down　upon　a
chair。

This　personage　was　Ange　Modeste　Rousselet；　chief　pupil　of　Dr。　Baleinier；
the　countenance　of　the　young　practitioner　was　mild；　humble；　and　reserved；
his　hair；　very　short　in　front；　flowed　down　upon　his　neck　behind。　　He　made
a　slight　start　in　surprise　on　perceiving　the　cardinal；　and　bowed　twice
very　low；　without　raising　his　eyes。

〃Before　anything　else；〃　said　the　prelate；　with　his　marked　Italian　accent；
still　holding　to　his　nose　his　bottle　of　camphor；　〃have　any　choleraic
symptoms　returned？〃

〃No；　my　lord；　the　pernicious　fever；　which　succeeded　the　attack　of
cholera；　still　continues。〃

〃Very　good。　　But　will　not　the　reverend　father　be　reasonable？　　What　was
the　noise　that　I　just　heard？〃

〃His　reverence　wished　absolutely　to　get　up　and　dress　himself；　but　his
weakness　is　so　great；　that　he　could　not　have　taken　two　steps　from　the
bed。　　He　is　devoured　by　impatience；　and　we　fear　that　this　agitation　will
cause　a　mortal　relapse。〃

〃Has　Dr。　Baleinier　been　here　this　morning？〃

〃He　has　just　left；　my　lord。〃

〃What　does　he　think　of　the　patient？〃

〃He　finds　him　in　the　most　alarming　state；　my　lord。　　The　night　was　so　bad；
that