the wandering jew, volume 10-第10章

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stronger；　has　been　the　more　shaken；　it　will　not　be　prudent；　I　am　told；　to
see　her　to…day。〃

〃I　will　wait　then。　　I　can　repress　my　impatience；　I　have　so　much　to　say　to
you。〃

〃Dear；　gentle　Magdalen！〃

〃Oh；　my　friend！〃　cried　the　girl；　interrupting　Agricola；　with　tears　of
joy：　〃I　cannot　tell　you　what　I　feel；　when　I　hear　you　call　me　Magdalen。
It　is　so　sweet；　so　soothing；　that　my　heart　expands　with　delight。〃

〃Poor　girl！　how　dreadfully　she　must　have　suffered！〃　cried　the　smith；　with
inexpressible　emotion；　〃when　she　displays　so　much　happiness；　so　much
gratitude；　at　being　called　by　her　own　poor　name！〃

〃But　consider；　my　friend；　that　word　in　your　mouth　contains　a　new　life　for
me。　　If　you　only　knew　what　hopes；　what　pleasures　I　can　now　see　gleaming
in　the　future！　　If　you　knew　all　the　cherished　longings　of　my　tenderness！
Your　wife；　the　charming　Angela；　with　her　angel　face　and　angel…souloh！
in　my　turn；　I　can　say　to；　you；　‘Look　at　me；　and　see　how　sweet　that　name
is　to　my　lips　and　heart！'　　Yes；　your　charming；　your　good　Angela　will　call
me　Magdalenand　your　children；　Agricola；　your　children！dear　little
creatures！to　them　also　I　shall　be　Magdalentheir　good　Magdalenand
the　love　I　shall　bear　them　will　make　them　mine；　as　well　as　their
mother'sand　I　shall　have　my　part　in　every　maternal　careand　they　will
belong　to　us　three；　will　they　not；　Agricola？Oh！　let　me；　let　me　weep！
These　tears　without　bitterness　do　me　so　much　good；　they　are　tears　that
need　not　be　concealed。　　Thank　heaven！　thank　you；　my　friend！　those　other
tears　are　I　trust　dried　forever。〃

For　some　seconds；　this　affecting　scene　had　been　overlooked　by　an
invisible　witness。　　The　smith　and　Mother　Bunch　had　not　perceived　Mdlle。
de　Cardoville　standing　on　the　threshold　of　the　door。　　As　Mother　Bunch　had
said；　this　day；　which　dawned　with　all　under　such　fatal　auspices；　had
become　for　all　a　day　of　ineffable　felicity。　　Adrienne；　too；　was　full　of
joy；　for　Djalma　had　been　faithful　to　her；　Djalma　loved　her　with　passion。
The　odious　appearances；　of　which　she　had　been　the　dupe　and　victim；
evidently　formed　part　of　a　new　plot　of　Rodin；　and　it　only　remained　for
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　to　discover　the　end　of　these　machinations。

Another　joy　was　reserved　for　her。　　The　happy　are　quick　in　detecting
happiness　in　others；　and　Adrienne　guessed；　by　the　hunchback's　last　words；
that　there　was　no　longer　any　secret　between　the　smith　and　the　sempstress。
She　could　not　therefore　help　exclaiming；　as　she　entered：　〃Oh！　this
will　be　the　brightest　day　of　my　life；　for　I　shall　not　be　happy　alone！〃

Agricola　and　Mother　Bunch　turned　round　hastily。　　〃Lady；〃　said　the　smith；
〃in　spite　of　the　promise　I　made　you；　I　could　not　conceal　from　Magdalen
that　I　knew　she　loved　me！〃

〃Now　that　I　no　longer　blush　for　this　love　before　Agricola；　why　should　I
blush　for　it　before　you；　lady；　that　told　me　to　be　proud　of　it；　because　it
is　noble　and　pure？〃　said　Mother　Bunch；　to　whom　her　happiness　gave
strength　enough　to　rise；　and　to　lean　upon　Agricola's　arm。

〃It　is　well；　my　friend；〃　said　Adrienne；　as　she　threw　her　arms　round　her
to　support　her；　〃only　one　word；　to　excuse　the　indiscretion　with　which　you
will　perhaps　reproach　me。　　If　I　told　your　secret　to　M。　Agricola〃

〃Do　you　know　why　it　was；　Magdalen？〃　cried　the　smith；　interrupting
Adrienne。　　〃It　was　only　another　proof　of　the　lady's　delicate　generosity。
‘I　long　hesitate　to　confide　to　you　this　secret；'　said　she　to　me　this
morning；　‘but　I　have　at　length　made　up　my　mind　to　it。　　We　shall　probably
find　your　adopted　sister；　you　have　been　to　her　the　best　of　brothers：　but
many　times；　without　knowing　it；　you　have　wounded　her　feelings　cruelly
and　now　that　you　know　her　secret；　I　trust　in　your　kind　heart　to　keep　it
faithfully；　and　so　spare　the　poor　child　a　thousand　pangspangs　the　more
bitter；　because　they　come　from　you；　and　are　suffered　in　silence。　　Hence；
when　you　speak　to　her　of　your　wife；　your　domestic　happiness；　take　care
not　to　gall　that　noble　and　tender　heart。'Yes；　Magdalen；　these　were　the
reasons　that　led　the　lady　to　commit　what　she　called　an　indiscretion。〃

〃I　want　words　to　thank　you　now　and　ever；〃　said　Mother　Bunch。

〃See；　my　friend；〃　replied　Adrienne；　〃how　often　the　designs　of　the　wicked
turn　against　themselves。　　They　feared　your　devotion　to　me；　and　therefore
employed　that　unhappy　Florine　to　steal　your　journal〃

〃So　as　to　drive　me　from　your　house　with　shame；　lady；　When　I　supposed　my
most　secret　thoughts　an　object　of　ridicule　to　all。　　There　can　be　no　doubt
such　was　their　plan；〃　said　Mother　Bunch。

〃None；　my　child。　　Well！　this　horrible　wickedness；　which　nearly　caused
your　death；　now　turns　to　the　confusion　of　the　criminals。　　Their　plot　is
discoveredand；　luckily；　many　other　of　their　designs；〃　said　Adrienne；　as
she　thought　of　Rose…Pompon。

Then　she　resumed；　with　heartfelt　joy：　〃At　last；　we　are　again　united；
happier　than　ever；　and　in　our　very　happiness　we　shall　find　new　resources
to　combat　our　enemies。　　I　say　our　enemiesfor　all　that　love　me　are
odious　to　these　wretches。　　But　courage；　the　hour　is　come；　and　the　good
people　will　have　their　turn。〃

〃Thank　heaven；　lady；〃　said　the　smith；　〃or　my　part；　I　shall　not　be　wanting
in　zeal。　　What　delight　to　strip　them　of　their　mask！〃

〃Let　me　remind　you；　M。　Baudoin；　that　you　have　an　appointment　for　to…
morrow　with　M。　Hardy。〃

〃I　have　not　forgotten　it；　lady；　any　more　than　the　generous　offers　I　am　to
convey　to　him。〃

〃That　is　nothing。　　He　belongs　to　my　family。　　Tell　him　（what　indeed　I
shall　write　to　him　this　evening）；　that　the　funds　necessary　to　reopen　his
factory　are　at　his　disposal；　I　do　not　say　so　for　his　sake　only；　but　for
that　of　a　hundred　families　reduced　to　want。　　Beg　him　to　quit　immediately
the　fatal　abode　to　which　they　have　taken　him：　for　a　thousand　reasons　he
should　be　on　his　guard　against　all　that　surround　him。〃

〃Be　satisfied；　lady。　　The　letter　he　wrote　to　me　in　reply　to　the　one　I　got
secretly　delivered　to　him；　was　short；　affectionate；　sadbut　he　grants　me
the　interview　I　had　asked　for；　and　I　am　sure　I　shall　be　able　to　persuade
him　to　leave　that　melancholy　dwelling；　and　perhaps　to　depart　with　me；　he
has　always　had　so　much　confidence　in　my　attachment。〃

〃Well；　M。　Baudoin；　courage！〃　said　Adrienne；　as　she　threw　her　cloak　over
the　workgirl's　shoulders；　and　wrapped　her　round　with　care。　　〃Let　us　be
gone；　for　it　is　late。　　As　soon　as　we　get　home；　I　will　give　you　a　letter
for　M。　Hardy；　and　to…morrow　you　will　come　and　tell　me　the　result　of　your
visit。　　No；　not　to…morrow；〃　she　added；　blushing　slightly。　　〃Write　to　me
to…morrow；　and　the　day　after；　about　twelve；　come　to　me。〃

Some　minutes　later；　the　young　sempstress；　supported　by　Agricola　and
Adrienne；　had　descended　the　stairs　of　that　gloomy　house；　and；　being
placed　in　the　carriage　by　the　side　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　she　earnestly
entreated　to　be　allowed　to　see　Cephyse；　it　was　in　vain　that　Agricola
assured　her　it　was　impossible；　and　that　she　should　see　her　the　next　day。
Thanks　to　the　information　derived　from　Rose…Pompon；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville
was　reasonably　suspicious　of　all　those　who　surrounded　Djalma；　and　she
therefore　took　measures；　that；　very　evening；　to　have　a　letter　delivered
to　the　prince　by　what　she　considered　a　sure　hand。




CHAPTER　XXXVIII。

THE　TWO　CARRIAGES。

It　is　the　evening　of　the　day　on　which　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　prevented　the
sewing…girl's　suicide。　　It　strikes　eleven；　the　night　is　dark；　the　wind
blows　with　violence；　and　drives　along　great　black　clouds；　which
completely　hide　the　pale　lustre　of　the　moon。　　A　hackney…coach；　drawn　by
two　broken…winded　horses；　ascends　slowly　and　with　difficulty　the　slope　of
the　Rue　Blanche；　which　is　pretty　steep　near　the　barrier；　in　the　part
where　is　situated　the　house　occupied　by　Djalma。

The　coach　stops。　　The　coachman；　cursing　the　length　of　an　interminable
drive　〃within　the　circuit；〃　leading　at　last　to　this　difficult　ascent；
turns　round　on　his　box；　leans　over　towards　the　front　window　of　the
vehicle；　and　says　in　a　gruff　tone　to　the　person　he　is　driving：　〃Come！　are
we　almost　there？　　From　the　Rue　de　Vaugirard　to　the　Barriere　Blanche；　is　a
pretty　good　stretch；　I　think；　without　reckoning　that　the　night　is　so
dark；　that　one　can　hardly　see　two　steps　before　one