the wandering jew, volume 9-第27章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


arrives；〃　resumed　Father　d'Aigrigny：　and；　returning　to　the　sick　chamber；
he　sat　down　by　the　bedside；　and　said　to　Rodin；　as　he　showed　him　the
letter：　〃Here　are　different　reports　with　regard　to　different　members　of
the　Rennepont　family；　whom　I　have　had　looked　after　by　others；　my
indisposition　having　kept　me　at　home　for　the　last　few　days。　　I　do　not
know；　father；　if　the　state　of　your　health　will　permit　you　to　hear〃

Rodin　made　a　gesture；　at　once　so　supplicating　and　peremptory；　that　Father
d'Aigrigny　felt　there　would　be　at　least　as　much　danger　in　refusing　as　in
granting　his　request；　so；　turning　towards　the　cardinal；　still
inconsolable　at　not　having　discovered　the　Jesuit's　secret；　he　said　to　him
with　respectful　deference；　pointing　at　the　same　time　to　the　letter：　〃Have
I　the　permission　of　your　Eminence？〃

The　prelate　bowed；　and　replied：　〃Your　affairs　are　ours；　my　dear　father。
The　Church　must　always　rejoice　in　what　rejoices　your　glorious　Company。〃

Father　d'Aigrigny　unsealed　the　packet；　and　found　in　it　different　notes　in
different　handwritings。　　When　he　had　read　the　first；　his　countenance
darkened；　and　he　said；　in　a　grave　tone：　〃A　misfortunea　great
misfortune。〃

Rodin　turned　his　head　abruptly；　and　looked　at　him　with　an　air　of　uneasy
questioning。

〃Florine　is　dead　of　the　cholera；〃　answered　Father　d'Aigrigny；　〃and　what
is　the　worst；〃　added　he；　crumpling　the　note　between　his　hands；　〃before
dying；　the　miserable　creature　confessed　to　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　that　she
long　acted　as　a　spy　under　the　orders　of　your　reverence。〃

No　doubt　the　death　of　Florine；　and　the　confession　she　had　made；　crossed
some　of　the　plans　of　Rodin；　for　he　uttered　an　inarticulate　murmur；　and
his　countenance　expressed　great　vexation。

Passing　to　another　note；　Father　d'Aigrigny　continued：　〃This　relates　to
Marshal　Simon；　and　is　not　absolutely　bad；　but　still　far　from
satisfactory；　as　it　announces　some　amelioration　in　his　position。　　We
shall　see　if　it　merits　belief；　by　information　from　another　source。〃　‘

Rodin　made　a　sign　of　impatience；　to　hasten　Father　d'Aigrigny　to　read　the
note；　which　he　did　as　follows。　　〃‘For　some　days；　the　mind　of　the　marshal
has　appeared　to　be　less　sorrowful；　anxious　and　agitated。　　He　lately
passed　two　hours　with　his　daughters；　which　had　not　been　the　case　for　some
time　before。　　The　harsh　countenance　of　the　soldier　Dagobert　is　becoming
smoothera　sure　sign　of　some　amelioration　in　the　condition　of　the
marshal。　　Detected　by　their　handwriting；　the　last　anonymous　letters　were
returned　by　Dagobert　to　the　postman；　without　having　been　opened　by　the
marshal。　　Some　other　method　must　be　found　to　get　them　delivered。'〃

Looking　at　Rodin；　Father　d'Aigrigny　said　to　him：　〃Your　reverence　thinks
with　me　that　this　note　is　not　very　satisfactory？〃

Rodin　held　down　his　head。　　One　saw　by　the　expression　of　his　countenance
how　much　he　suffered　by　not　being　able　to　speak。　　Twice　he　put　his　hand
to　his　throat；　and　looked　at　Father　d'Aigrigny　with　anguish。

〃Oh！〃　cried　Father　d'Aigrigny；　angrily；　when　he　had　perused　another　note；
〃for　one　lucky　chance；　to…day　brings　some　very　black　ones。〃

At　these　words　turning　hastily　to　Father　d'Aigrigny；　and　extending　his
trembling　hands；　Rodin　questioned　him　with　look　and　gesture。　　The
cardinal；　sharing　his　uneasiness；　exclaimed：　〃What　do　you　learn　by　this
note；　my　dear　father？〃

〃We　thought　the　residence　of　M。　Hardy　in　our　house　completely　unknown；〃
replied　Father　d'Aigrigny；　〃but　we　now　fear　that　Agricola　Baudoin　has
discovered　the　retreat　of　his　old　master；　and　that　he　has　even
communicated　with　him　by　letter；　through　a　servant　of　the　house。　　So；〃
added　the　reverend　father；　angrily；　〃during　the　three　days　that　I　have
not　been　able　to　visit　the　pavilion；　one　of　my　servants　must　have　been
bought　over。　　There　is　one　of　them；　a　man　blind　of　one　eye；　whom　I　have
always　suspectedthe　wretch！　　But　no：　I　will　not　yet　believe　this
treachery。　　The　consequences　would　be　too　deplorable；　for　I　know　how
matters　stand；　and　that　such　a　correspondence　might　ruin　everything。　　By
awaking　in　M。　Hardy　memories　with　difficulty　laid　asleep；　they　might
destroy　in　a　single　day　all　that　has　been　done　since　he　inhabits　our
house。　　Luckily；　this　note　contains　only　doubts　and　fears；　my　other
information　will　be　more　positive；　and　will　not；　I　hope；　confirm　them。〃

〃My　dear　father；〃　said　the　cardinal；　〃do　not　despair。　　The　Lord　will　not
abandon　the　good　cause！〃

Father　d'Aigrigny　seemed　very　little　consoled　by　this　assurance。　　He
remained　still　and　thoughtful；　whilst　Rodin　writhed　his　head　in　a
paroxysm　of　mute　rage；　as　he　reflected　on　this　new　check。

〃Let　us　turn　to　the　last　note；〃　said　Father　d'Aigrigny；　after　a　moment　of
thoughtful　silence。　　〃I　have　so　much　confidence　in　the　person　who　sends
it；　that　I　cannot　doubt　the　correctness　of　the　information　it　contains。
May　it　contradict　the　others！〃

In　order　not　to　break　the　chain　of　facts　contained　in　this　last　note；
which　was　to　have　so　startling　an　effect　on　the　actors　in　this　scene；　we
shall　leave　it　to　the　reader's　imagination　to　supply　the　exclamations　of
surprise；　hate；　rage　and　fear　of　Father　d'Aigrigny；　and　the　terrific
pantomime　of　Rodin；　during　the　perusal　of　this　formidable　document；　the
result　of　the　observations　of　a　faithful　and　secret　agent　of　the　reverend
fathers。　　Comparing　this　note　with　the　other　information　received；　the
results　appeared　more　distressing　to　the　reverend　fathers。　　Thus　Gabriel
had　long　and　frequent　conferences　with　Adrienne；　who　before　was　unknown
to　him。　　Agricola　Baudoin　had　opened　a　communication　with　Francis　Hardy；
and　the　officers　of　justice　were　on　the　track　of　the　authors　and
instigators　of　the　riot　which　had　led　to　the　burning　of　the　factory　of
Baron　Tripeaud's　rival。　　It　seemed　almost　certain　that　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville　had　had　an　interview　with　Prince　Djalma。

This　combination　of　facts　showed　that；　faithful　to　the　threats　she　had
uttered　to　Rodin；　when　she　had　unmasked　the　double　perfidy　of　the
reverend　father；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　was　actively　engaged　in　uniting　the
scattered　members　of　her　family；　to　form　a　league　against　those　dangerous
enemies；　whose　detestable　projects；　once　unveiled　and　boldly　encountered；
could　hardly　have　a　chance　of　success。　　The　reader　will　now　understand
the　tremendous　effect　of　this　note　on　Father　d'Aigrigny　and　Rodinon
Rodin；　stretched　powerless　on　a　bed　of　pain　at　the　moment　when　the
scaffolding；　raised　with　so　much　labor；　seemed　to　be　tumbling　around　him。




CHAPTER　XXIX。

THE　OPERATION。

We　have　given　up　the　attempt　to　paint　the　countenance；　attitude；　and
gesticulation　of　Rodin　during　the　reading　of　this　note；　which　seemed　to
ruin　all　his　most　cherished　hopes。　　Everything　was　failing　at　once；　at
the　moment　when　only　superhuman　trust　in　the　success　of　his　plans　could
give　him　sufficient　energy　to　strive　against　mortal　sickness。　　A　single；
absorbing　thought　had　agitated　him　even　to　delirium：　What　progress；
during　his　illness；　had　been　made　in　this　immense　affair？　　He　had　first
heard　a　good　piece　of　news；　the　death　of　Jacques　Rennepont；　but　now　the
advantages　of　this　decease；　which　reduced　the　number　of　the　heirs　from
seven　to　six；　were　entirely　lost。　　To　what　purpose　would　be　this　death；
if　the　other　members　of　the　family；　dispersed　and　persecuted　with　such
infernal　perseverance；　were　to　unite　and　discover　the　enemies　who　had　so
long　aimed　at　them　in　darkness？　　If　all　those　wounded　hearts　were　to
console；　enlighten；　support　each　other；　their　cause　would　be　gained；　and
the　inheritance　rescued　from　the　reverend　fathers。　　What　was　to　be　done？

Strange　power　of　the　human　will！Rodin　had　one　foot　in　the　grave；　he　was
almost　at　the　last　gasp；　his　voice　had　failed　him。　　And　yet　that
obstinate　nature；　so　full　of　energy　and　resources；　did　not　despair。　　Let
but　a　miracle　restore　his　health；　and　that　firm　confidence　in　the　success
of　his　projects　which　has　given　him　power　to　struggle　against　disease；
tells　him　that　he　could　yet　save　allbut　then　he　must　have　health　and
life！　　Health！　life！　　His　physician　does　not　know　if　he　will　survive　the
shockif　he　can　bear　the　painof　a　terrible　operation。　　Health！　life！
and　just　now　Rod