the wandering jew, volume 9-第24章

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cardinal　stopped　at　the　door　a　moment；　before　he　ventured　to　advance
further。　　As　the　three　reverend　fathers　had　mentioned　in　their　walk；
Rodin　lived　because　he　had　said　to　himself；　〃I　want　to　live；　and　I　will
live。〃

For；　as　men　of　timid　imaginations　and　cowardly　minds　often　die　from　the
mere　dread　of　dying；　so　a　thousand　facts　prove　that　vigor　of　character
and　moral　energy　may　often　struggle　successfully　against　disease；　and
triumph　over　the　most　desperate　symptoms。

It　was　thus　with　the　Jesuit。　　The　unshaken　firmness　of　his　character；　the
formidable　tenacity　of　his　will　（for　the　will　has　sometimes　a　mysterious
and　almost　terrific　power）；　aiding　the　skillful　treatment　of　Dr。
Baleinier；　had　saved　him　from　the　pestilence　with　which　he　had　been　so
suddenly　attacked。　　But　the　shock　had　been　succeeded　by　a　violent　fever；
which　placed　Rodin's　life　in　the　utmost　peril。　　This　increased　danger　had
caused　the　greatest　alarm　to　Father　d'Aigrigny；　who　felt；　in　spite　of　his
rivalry　and　jealousy；　that　Rodin　was　the　master…spirit　of　the　plot　in
which　they　were　engaged；　and　could　alone　conduct　it　to　a　successful
issue。

The　curtains　of　the　room　was　half　closed；　and　admitted　only　a　doubtful
light　to　the　bed　on　which　Rodin　was　lying。　　The　Jesuit's　features　had
lost　the　greenish　hue　peculiar　to　cholera　patients；　but　remained
perfectly　livid　and　cadaverous；　and　so　thin；　that　the　dry；　rugged　skin
appeared　to　cling　to　the　smallest　prominence　of　bone。　　The　muscles　and
veins　of　the　long；　lean；　vulture…like　neck　resembled　a　bundle　of　cords。
The　head；　covered　with　an　old；　black；　filthy　nightcap；　from　beneath　which
strayed　a　few　thin；　gray　hairs；　rested　upon　a　dirty　pillow；　for　Rodin
would　not　allow　them　to　change　his　linen。　　His　iron…gray　beard　had　not
been　shaved　for　some　time；　and　stood　out　like　the　hairs　of　a　brush。
Under　his　shirt　he　wore　an　old　flannel　waistcoat　full　of　holes。　　He　had
one　of　his　arms　out　of　bed；　and　his　bony　hairy　hand；　with　its　bluish
nails；　held　fast　a　cotton　handkerchief　of　indescribable　color。

You　might　have　taken　him　for　a　corpse；　had　it　not　been　for　the　two
brilliant　sparks　which　still　burned　in　the　depths　of　his　eyes。　　In　that
look；　in　which　seemed　concentrated　all　the　remaining　life　and　energy　of
the　man；　you　might　read　the　most　restless　anxiety。　　Sometimes　his
features　revealed　the　sharpest　pangs；　sometimes　the　twisting　of　his
hands；　and　his　sudden　starts；　proclaimed　his　despair　at　being　thus
fettered　to　a　bed　of　pain；　whilst　the　serious　interests　which　he　had　in
charge　required　all　the　activity　of　his　mind。　　Thus；　with　thoughts
continually　on　the　stretch；　his　mind　often　wandered；　and　he　had　fits　of
delirium；　from　which　he　woke　as　from　a　painful　dream。　　By　the　prudent
advice　of　Dr。　Baleinier；　who　considered　him　not　in　a　state　to　attend　to
matters　ofimportance；　Father　d'Aigrigny　had　hitherto　evaded　Rodin's
questions　with　regard　to　the　Rennepont　affair；　which　he　dreaded　to　see
lost　and　ruined　in　consequence　of　his　forced　inaction。　　The　silence　of
Father　d'Aigrigny　on　this　head；　and　the　ignorance　in　which　they　kept　him；
only　augmented　the　sick　man's　exasperation。　　Such　was　the　moral　and
physical　state　of　Rodin；　when　Cardinal　Malipieri　entered　his　chamber
against　his　will。




CHAPTER　XXVII。

THE　LURE。

To　understand　fully　the　tortures　of　Rodin；　reduced　to　inactivity　by
sickness；　and　to　explain　the　importance　of　Cardinal　Malipieri's　visit；　we
must　remember　the　audacious　views　of　the　ambitious　Jesuit；　who　believed
himself　following　in　the　steps　of　Sixtus　V。；　and　expected　to　become　his
equal。　　By　the　success　of　the　Rennepont　affair；　to　attain　to　the
generalship　of　his　Order；　by　the　corruption　of　the　Sacred　College　to
ascend　the　pontifical　throne；　and　then；　by　means　of　a　change　in　the
statutes　of　the　Company；　to　incorporate　the　Society　of　Jesus　with　the
Holy　See；　instead　of　leaving　it　independent；　to　equal　and　almost　always
rule　the　Papacysuch　were　the　secret　projects　of　Rodin。

Their　possibility　was　sanctioned　by　numerous　precedents；　for　many　mere
monks　and　priests　had　been　suddenly　raised　to　the　pontifical　dignity。
And　as　for　their　morality；　the　accession　of　the　Borgias；　of　Julius　II。；
and　other　dubious　Vicars　of　Christ；　might　excuse　and　authorize　the
pretensions　of　the　Jesuits。

Though　the　object　of　his　secret　intrigues　at　Rome　had　hitherto　been
enveloped　in　the　greatest　mystery；　suspicions　had　been　excited　in　regard
to　his　private　communications　with　many　members　of　the　Sacred　College。　　A
portion　of　that　college；　Cardinal　Malipieri　at　the　head　of　them；　had
become　very　uneasy　on　the　subject；　and；　profiting　by　his　journey　to
France；　the　cardinal　had　resolved　to　penetrate　the　Jesuit's　dark　designs。
If；　in　the　scene　we　have　just　painted；　the　cardinal　showed　himself　so
obstinately　bent　on　having　a　conference　with　Rodin；　in　spite　of　the
refusal　of　the　latter；　it　was　because　the　prelate　hoped；　as　we　shall　soon
see；　to　get　by　cunning　at　the　secret；　which　had　hitherto　been　so　well
concealed。　　It　was；　therefore；　in　the　midst　of　all　these　extraordinary
circumstances；　that　Rodin　saw　himself　the　victim　of　a　malady；　which
paralyzed　his　strength；　at　the　moment　when　he　had　need　of　all　his
activity；　and　of　all　the　resources　of　his　mind。　　After　remaining　for　some
seconds　motionless　near　the　door；　the　cardinal；　still　holding　his　bottle
under　his　nose；　slowly　approached　the　bed　where　Rodin　lay。

The　latter；　enraged　at　this　perseverance；　and　wishing　to　avoid　an
interview　which　for　many　reasons　was　singularly　odious　to　him；　turned　his
face　towards　the　wall；　and　pretended　to　be　asleep。　　Caring　little　for
this　feint；　and　determined　to　profit　by　Rodin's　state　of　weakness；　the
prelate　took　a　chair；　and；　conquering　his　repugnance；　sat　down　close　to
the　Jesuit's　bed。

〃My　reverend　and　very　dear　father；　how　do　you　find　yourself？〃　said　he　to
him；　in　a　honeyed　tone；　which　his　Italian　accent　seemed　to　render　still
more　hypocritical。　　Rodin　pretended　not　to　hear；　breathed　hard；　and　made
no　answer。　　But　the　cardinal；　not　without　disgust；　shook　with　his　gloved
hand　the　arm　of　the　Jesuit；　and　repeated　in　a　louder　voice：　〃My　reverend
and　very　dear　father；　answer　me；　I　conjure　you！〃

Rodin　could　not　restrain　a　movement　of　angry　impatience；　but　he　continued
silent。　　The　cardinal　was　not　a　man　to　be　discouraged　by　so　little；　he
again　shook　the　arm　of　the　Jesuit；　somewhat　more　roughly；　repeating；　with
a　passionless　tenacity　that　would　have　incensed　the　most　patient　person
in　the　world：　〃My　reverend　and　very　dear　father；　since　you　are　not
asleep；　listen　to　me；　I　entreat　of　you。〃

Irritable　with　pain；　exasperated　by　the　obstinacy　of　the　prelate；　Rodin
abruptly　turned　his　head；　fixed　on　the　Roman　his　hollow　eyes；　shining
with　lurid　fire；　and；　with　lips　contracted　by　a　sardonic　smile；　said　to
him；　bitterly：　〃You　must　be　very　anxious；　my　lord；　to　see　me　embalmed；
and　lie　in　state　with　tapers；　as　you　were　saying　just　now；　for　you　thus
to　come　to　torment　me　in　my　last　moments；　and　hasten　my　end！〃

〃Oh；　my　good　father！　how　can　you　talk　so？〃　cried　the　cardinal；　raising
his　hands　as　if　to　call　heaven　to　witness　to　the　sincerity　of　the　tender
interest　he　felt　for　the　Jesuit。

〃I　tell　you　that　I　heard　all　just　now；　my　lord；　for　the　partition　is
thin；〃　added　Rodin；　with　redoubled　bitterness。

〃If　you　mean　that；　from　the　bottom　of　my　soul；　I　desired　that　you　should
make　an　exemplary　and　Christian　end；　you　are　perfectly　right；　my　dear
father。　　I　did　say　so；　for；　after　a　life　so　well　employed；　it　would　be
sweet　to　see　you　an　object　of　adoration　for　the　faithful！〃

〃I　tell　you；　my　lord；〃　cried　Rodin；　in　a　weak　and　broken　voice；　〃that　it
is　ferocious　to　express　such　wishes　in　the　presence　of　a　dying　man。
Yes；〃　he　added；　with　growing　animation；　that　contrasted　strongly　with　his
weakness；　〃take　care　what　you　do；　for　if　I　am　too　much　plagued　and
pesteredif　I　am　not　allowed　to　breathe　my　last　breath　quietlyI　give
you　notice　that　you　will　force　me　to　die　in　anything　but　a　Christian
manner；　and　if　you　mean　to　profit　by　an　edifying　spectacle；　you　will　be
deceived。〃

This　burst　of　anger　having　greatly　fatigued　Rodin；　his　head　fell　back
upon　the　pillow；