the wandering jew, volume 9-第6章

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to　make　use　of　an　evil　passion　for　the　punishment　of　the　wicked。〃

〃True；　quite　true；〃　added　the　cardinal；　〃if　they　have　evil　passion　for　us
to　make　use　of　it；　it　is　their　own　fault。〃

〃Our　holy　Mother　Perpetue；〃　said　the　princess；　〃took　every　means　to
discover　this　abominable　adultery。〃

〃Well；　then；　M。　Hardy　is　wounded　in　his　dearest　affections；　I　admit；〃
said　Father　d'Aigrigny；　still　disputing　every　inch　of　ground；　〃ruined　too
in　his　fortune；　which　will　only　make　him　the　more　eager　after　this
inheritance。〃

The　argument　appeared　of　weight　to　the　two　prelates　and　the　princess；　all
looked　at　Rodin　with　anxious　curiosity。　　Instead　of　answering　he　walked
up　to　the　sideboard；　and；　contrary　to　his　habits　of　stoical　sobriety；　and
in　spite　of　his　repugnance　for　wine；　he　examined　the　decanters；　and　said：
〃What　is　there　in　them？〃

〃Claret　and　sherry；〃　said　the　hostess；　much　astonished　at　the　sudden
taste　of　Rodin；　〃and〃

The　latter　took　a　decanter　at　hazard；　and　poured　out　a　glass　of　Madeira；
which　he　drank　off　at　a　draught。　　Just　be　fore　he　had　felt　a　strange　kind
of　shivering；　to　this　had　succeeded　a　sort　of　weakness。　　He　hoped　the
wine　would　revive　him。

After　wiping　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　dirty　hand；　he　returned　to
the　table；　and　said　to　Father　d'Aigrigny：　〃What　did　you　tell　me　about　M。
Hardy？〃

〃That　being　ruined　in　fortune；　he　would　be　the　more　eager　to　obtain　this
immense　inheritance；〃　answered　Father　d'Aigrigny；　inwardly　much　offended
at　the　imperious　tone。

〃M。　Hardy　think　of　money？〃　said　Rodin；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　　〃He　is
indifferent　to　life；　plunged　in　a　stupor　from　which　he　only　starts　to
burst　into　tears。　　Then　he　speaks　with　mechanical　kindness　to　those　about
him。　　I　have　placed　him　in　good　hands。　　He　begins；　however；　to　be
sensible　to　the　attentions　shown　him；　for　he　is　good；　excellent；　weak；
and　ii　is　to　this　excellence；　Father　d'Aigrigny；　that　you　must　appeal　to
finish　the　work　in　hand。〃

〃I？〃　said　Father　d'Aigrigny；　much　surprised。

〃Yes；　and　then　you　will　find　that　the　result　I　have　obtained　is
considerable；　and〃

Rodin　paused；　and；　pressing　his　hand　to　his　forehead；　said　to　himself：
〃It　is　strange！〃

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　said　the　princess；　with　interest。

〃Nothing；　madame；〃　answered　Rodin；　with　a　shiver；　〃it　is　doubtless　the
wine　I　drank；　I　am　not　accustomed　to　it。　　I　feel　a　slight　headache；　but
it　will　pass。〃

〃Your　eyes　are　very　bloodshot；　my　good　father；　said　the　princess。

〃I　have　looked　too　closely　into　my　web；〃　answered　the　Jesuit；　with　a
sinister　smile；　〃and　I　must　look　again；　to　make　Father　d'Aigrigny；　who
pretends　to　be　blind；　catch　a　glimpse　of　my　other　flies。　　The　two
daughters　of　Marshal　Simon；　for　instance；　growing　sadder　and　more
dejected　every　day；　at　the　icy　barrier　raised　between　them　and　their
father；　and　the　latter　thinking　himself　one　day　dishonored　if　he　does
this；　another　if　he　does　that；　so　that　the　hero　of　the　Empire　has　become
weaker　and　more　irresolute　than　a　child。　　What　more　remains　of　this
impious　family？　　Jacques　Rennepont？　　Ask　Morok；　to　what　a　state　of
debasement　intemperance　has　reduced　him；　and　towards　what　an　abyss　he　is
rushing！There　is　my　occurrence…sheet；　you　see　to　what　are　reduced　all
the　members　of　this　family；　who；　six　weeks　ago；　had　each　elements　of
strength　and　union！　Behold　these　Renneponts；　who；　by　the　will　of　their
heretical　ancestor；　were　to　unite　their　forces　to　combat　and　crush　our
Society！There　was　good　reason　to　fear　them；　but　what　did　I　say？　　That　I
would　act　upon　their　passions。　　What　have　I　done？　　I　have　acted　upon
their　passions。　　At　this　hour　they　are　vainly　struggling　in　my　webthey
are　minethey　are　mine〃

As　he　was　speaking；　Rodin's　countenance　and　voice　had　undergone　a
singular　alteration；　his　complexion；　generally　so　cadaverous；　had　become
flushed；　but　unequally；　and　in　patches；　then；　strange　phenomenon！　his
eyes　grew　both　more　brilliant　and　more　sunken；　and　his　voice　sharper　and
louder。　　The　change　in　the　countenance　of　Rodin；　of　which　he　did　not
appear　to　be　conscious；　was　so　remarkable；　that　the　other　actors　in　this
scene　looked　at　him　with　a　sort　of　terror。

Deceived　as　to　the　cause　of　this　impression；　Rodin　exclaimed　with
indignation；　in　a　voice　interrupted　by　deep　gaspings　for　breath：　〃It　is
pity　for　this　impious　race；　that　I　read　upon　your　faces？　　Pity　for　the
young　girl；　who　never　enters　a　church；　and　erects　pagan　altars　in　her
habitation？　　Pity　for　Hardy；　the　sentimental　blasphemer；　the
philanthropic　atheist；　who　had　no　chapel　in　his　factory；　and　dared　to
blend　the　names　of　Socrates；　Marcus；　Aurelius；　and　Plato；　with　our
Savior's？　　Pity　for　the　Indian　worshipper　of　Brahma？　　Pity　for　the　two
sisters；　who　have　never　even　been　baptized？　　Pity　for　that　brute；　Jacques
Rennepont？　　Pity　for　the　stupid　imperial　soldier；　who　has　Napoleon　for
his　god；　and　the　bulletins　of　the　Grand　Army　for　his　gospel？　　Pity　for
this　family　of　renegades；　whose　ancestor；　a　relapsed　heretic；　not　content
with　robbing　us　of　our　property；　excites　from　his　tomb；　at　the　end　of　a
century　and　a　half；　his　cursed　race　to　lift　their　heads　against　us？
What！　to　defend　ourselves　from　these　vipers；　we　shall　not　have　the　right
to　crush　them　in　their　own　venom？I　tell　you；　that　it　is　to　serve
heaven；　and　to　give　a　salutary　example　to　the　world；　to　devote；　by
unchaining　their　own　passions；　this　impious　family　to　grief　and　despair
and　death！〃

As　he　spoke　thus；　Rodin　was　dreadful　in　his　ferocity；　the　fire　of　his
eyes　became　still　more　brilliant；　his　lips　were　dry　and　burning；　a　cold
sweat　bathed　his　temples；　which　could　be　seen　throbbing；　an　icy　shudder
ran　through　his　frame。　　Attributing　these　symptoms　to　fatigue　from
writing　through　a　portion　of　the　night；　and　wishing　to　avoid　fainting；　he
went　to　the　sideboard；　filled　another　glass　with　wine；　which　he　drank　off
at　a　draught；　and　returned　as　the　cardinal　said　to　him：　〃If　your　course
with　regard　to　this　family　needed　justification；　my　good　father；　your
last　word　would　have　victoriously　justified　it。　　Not　only　are　you　right；
according　to　your　own　casuists；　but　there　is　nothing　in　your　proceedings
contrary　to　human　laws。　　As　for　the　divine　law；　it　is　pleasing　to　the
Lord　to　destroy　impiety　with　its　own　weapons。

Conquered；　as　well　as　the　others；　by　Rodin's　diabolical　assurance；　and
brought　back　to　a　kind　of　fearful　admiration；　Father　d'Aigrigny　said　to
him：　〃I　confess　I　was　wrong　in　doubting　the　judgment　of　your　reverence。
Deceived　by　the　appearance　of　the　means　employed；　I　could　not　judge　of
their　connection；　and　above　all；　of　their　results。　　I　now　see；　that；
thanks　to　you；　success　is　no　longer　doubtful。〃

〃This　is　an　exaggeration；〃　replied　Rodin；　with　feverish　impatience；　〃all
these　passions　are　at　work；　but　the　moment　is　critical。　　As　the　alchemist
bends　over　the　crucible；　which　may　give　him　either　treasures　or　sudden
deathI　alone　at　this　moment〃

Rodin　did　not　finish　the　sentence。　　He　pressed　both　his　hands　to　his
forehead；　with　a　stifled　cry　of　pain。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　said　Father　d'Aigrigny。　　〃For　some　moments　you　have
been　growing　fearfully　pale。〃

〃I　do　not　know　'what　is　the　matter；〃　said　Rodin；　in　an　altered　voice；　〃my
headache　increasesI　am　seized　with　a　sort　of　giddiness。〃

〃Sit　down；〃　said　the　princess；　with　interest。

〃Take　something；〃　said　the　bishop。

〃It　will　be　nothing；〃　said　Rodin；　with　an　effort；　〃I　am　no　milksop；　thank
heaven！I　had　little　sleep　last　night；　it　is　fatiguenothing　more。　　I
was　saying；　that　I　alone　could　now　direct　this　affair：　but　I　cannot
execute　the　plan　myself。　　I　must　keep　out　of　the　way；　and　watch　in　the
shade：　I　must　hold　the　threads；　which　I　alone　can　manage；〃　added　Rodin；
in　a　faint　voice。

〃My　good　father；〃　said　the　cardinal　uneasily；　〃I　assure　you　that　you　are
very　unwell。　　Your　paleness　is　becoming　livid。〃

〃It　is　possible；〃　answered　Rodin；　courageously；　〃but　I　am　not　to　be　so
soon　conquered。　　To　return　to　our　affairthis　is　the　time；　in　which　your
qualities；　Father　d'Aigrigny；　will　turn　to　good　account。　　I　have　never
denied　them；　and　they　may　now　be　of　the　greatest　use。　　You　have　the　power
of　charminggraceeloquenceyou　must〃

Rodin　pau