the wandering jew, volume 10-第11章

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pretty　good　stretch；　I　think；　without　reckoning　that　the　night　is　so
dark；　that　one　can　hardly　see　two　steps　before　oneand　the　street…lamps
not　lighted　because　of　the　moon；　which　doesn't　shine；　after　all！〃

〃Look　out　for　a　little　door　with　a　portico…drive　on　about　twenty　yards
beyondand　then　stop　close　to　the　wall；〃　answered　a　squeaking　voice；
impatiently；　and　with　an　Italian　accent。

〃Here　is　a　beggarly　Dutchman；　that　will　make　me　as　savage　as　a　bear？〃
muttered　the　angry　Jehu　to　himself。　　Then　he　added：　〃Thousand　thunders！　I
tell　you　that　I　can't　see。　　How　the　devil　can　I　find　out　your　little
door？〃

〃Have　you　no　sense？　　Follow　the　wall　to　the　right；　brush　against　it；　and
you　will　easily　find　the　little　door。　　It　is　next　to　No。　50。　　If　you　do
not　find　it；　you　must　be　drunk；〃　answered　the　Italian；　with　increased
bitterness。

The　coachman　only　replied　by　swearing　like　a　trooper；　and　whipping　up　his
jaded　horses。　　Then；　keeping　close　to　the　wall；　he　strained　his　eyes　in
trying　to　read　the　numbers　of　the　houses；　by　the　aid　of　his　carriage…
lamps。

After　some　moments；　the　coach　again　stopped。　　〃I　have　passed　No。　50；　and
here　is　a　little　door　with　a　portico；〃　said　the　coachman。　　〃Is　that　the
one？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　voice。　　〃Now　go　forward　some　twenty　yards；　and　then
stop。〃

〃Well！　I　never〃

〃Then　get　down　from　your　box；　and　give　twice　three　knocks　at　the　little
door　we　have　just　passedyou　understand　me？twice　three　knocks。〃

〃Is　that　all　you　give　me　to　drink？〃　cried　the　exasperated　coachman。

〃When　you　have　taken　me　back　to　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain；　where　I　live；
you　shall　have　something　handsome；　if　you　do　but　manage　matters　well。〃

〃Ha！　now　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain！　Only　that　little　bit　of　distance！〃
said　the　driver；　with　repressed　rage。　　〃And　I　who　have　winded　my　horses；
wanted　to　be　on　the　boulevard　by　the　time　the　play　was　out。　　Well；　I'm
blowed！〃　　Then；　putting　a　good　face　on　his　bad　luck；　and　consoling
himself　with　the　thought　of　the　promised　drink…money；　he　resumed：　〃I　am
to　give　twice　three　knocks　at　the　little　door？〃

〃Yes；　three　knocks　firstthen　pausethen　three　other　knocks。　　Do　you
understand？〃

〃What　next？〃

〃Tell　the　person　who　comes；　that　he　is　waited　for；　and　bring　him　here　to
the　coach。〃

〃The　devil　burn　you！〃　said　the　coachman　to　himself；　as　he　turned　round　on
the　box；　and　whipped　up　his　horses；　adding：　〃this　crusty　old　Dutchman　has
something　to　do　with　Free…masons；　or；　perhaps；　smugglers；　seeing　we　are
so　near　the　gates。　　He　deserves　my　giving　him　in　charge；　for　bringing　me
all　the　way　from　the　Rue　de　Vaugirard。〃

At　twenty　steps　beyond　the　little　door；　the　coach　again　stopped；　and　the
coachman　descended　from　the　box　to　execute　the　orders　he　had　received。
Going　to　the　little　door；　he　knocked　three　times；　then　paused；　as　he　had
been　desired；　and　then　knocked　three　times　more。　　The　clouds；　which　had
hitherto　been　so　thick　as　entirely　to　conceal　the　disk　of　the　moon；　just
then　withdrew　sufficiently　to　afford　a　glimmering　light；　so　that　when　the
door　opened　at　the　signal；　the　coachman　saw　a　middle…sized　person　issue
from　it；　wrapped　in　a　cloak；　and　wearing　a　colored　cap。

This　man　carefully　locked　the　door；　and　then　advanced　two　steps　into　the
street。　　〃They　are　waiting　for　you；〃　said　the　coachman；　〃I　am　to　take　you
along　with　me　to　the　coach。〃

Preceding　the　man　with　the　cloak；　who　only　answered　him　by　a　nod；　he　led
him　to　the　coach…door；　which　he　was　about　to　open；　and　to　let　down　the
step；　when　the　voice　exclaimed　from　the　inside：　〃It　is　not　necessary。
The　gentleman　may　talk　to　me　through　the　window。　　I　will　call　you　when　it
is　time　to　start。〃

〃Which　means　that　I　shall　be　kept　here　long　enough　to　send　you　to　all　the
devils！〃　murmured　the　driver。　　〃However；　I　may　as　well　walk　about；　just
to　stretch　my　legs。〃

So　saying；　he　began　to　walk　up　and　down；　by　the　side　of　the　wall　in　which
was　the　little　door。　　Presently　he　heard　the　distant　sound　of　wheels；
which　soon　came　nearer　and　nearer；　and　a　carriage；　rapidly　ascending　the
slope；　stopped　on　the　other　side　of　the　little　garden…door。

〃Come；　I　say！　a　private　carriage！〃　said　the　coachman。　　〃Good　horses
those；　to　come　up　the　Rue　Blanche　at　a　trot。〃

The　coachman　was　just　making　this　observation；　when；　by　favor　of　a
momentary　gleam　of　light；　he　saw　a　man　step　from　the　carriage；　advance
rapidly　to　the　little　door；　open　it；　and　go　in；　closing　it　after　him。

〃It　gets　thicker　and　thicker！〃　said　the　coachman。　　〃One　comes　out；　and
the　other　goes　in。〃

So　saying；　he　walked　up　to　the　carriage。　　It　was　splendidly　harnessed；
and　drawn　by　two　handsome　and　vigorous　horses。　　The　driver　sat
motionless；　in　his　great　box…coat；　with　the　handle　of　his　whip　resting　on
his　right　knee。

〃Here's　weather　to　drive　about　in；　with　such　tidy　dukes　as　yours；
comrade！〃　said　the　humble　hackney…coachman　to　this　automaton；　who
remained　mute　and　impassible；　without　even　appearing　to　know　that　he　was
spoken　to。

〃He　doesn't　understand　Frenchhe's　an　Englishman。　　One　could　tell　that
by　his　horses；〃　said　the　coachman；　putting　this　interpretation　on　the
silence　of　his　brother　whip。　　Then；　perceiving　a　tall　footman　at　a　little
distance；　dressed　in　a　long　gray　livery　coat；　with　blue　collar　and　silver
buttons；　the　coachman　addressed　himself　to　him；　by　way　of　compensation；
but　without　much　varying　his　phrase：　〃Here's　nice　weather　to　stand　about
in；　comrade！〃　　On　the　part　of　the　footman；　he　was　met　with　the　same
imperturbable　silence。

〃They're　both　Englishmen；〃　resumed　the　coachman；　philosophically；　and；
though　somewhat　astonished　at　the　incident　of　the　little　door；　he
recommenced　his　walk　in　the　direction　of　his　own　vehicle。

While　these　facts　were　passing；　the　man　in　the　cloak；　and　the　man　with
the　Italian　accent　continued　their　conversation；　the　one　still　in　the
coach；　and　the　other　leaning　with　his　hand　on　the　door。　　It　had　already
lasted　for　some　time；　and　was　carried　on　in　Italian。　　They　were　evidently
talking　of　some　absent　person；　as　will　appear　from　the　following。

〃So；〃　said　the　voice　from　the　coach；　〃that　is　agreed　to？〃

〃Yes；　my　lord；〃　answered　the　man　in　the　cloak；　〃but　only　in　case　the
eagle　should　become　a　serpent。〃

〃And；　in　the　contrary　event；　you　will　receive　the　other　half　of　the　ivory
crucifix　I　gave　you。〃

〃I　shall　know　what　it　means；　my　lord。〃

〃Continue　to　merit　and　preserve　his　confidence。〃

〃I　will　merit　and　preserve　it；　my　lord；　because　I　admire　and　respect　this
man；　who　is　stronger　than　the　strongest；　by　craft；　and　courage；　and　will。
I　have　knelt　before　him　with　humility；　as　I　would　kneel　before　one　of　the
three　black　idols　that　stand　between　Bowanee　and　her　worshippers；　for　his
religion；　like　mine；　teaches　to　change　life　into　nothingness。〃

〃Humph！〃　said　the　voice；　in　a　tone　of　some　embarrassment；　〃these
comparisons　are　useless　and　inaccurate。　　Only　think　of　obeying　him；
without　explaining　your　obedience。〃

〃Let　him　speak；　and　I　perform　his　will！　　I　am　in　his　hands　like　a　corpse；
as　he　himself　expresses　it。　　He　has　seen；　he　sees　every　day；　my　devotion
to　his　interests　with　regard　to　Prince　Djalma。　　He　has　only　to　say：　‘Kill
him！'and　this　son　of　a　king〃

〃For　heaven's　salve；　do　not　have　such　ideas！〃　cried　the　voice；
interrupting　the　man　in　the　cloak。　　〃Thank　heaven；　you　will　never　be
asked　for　such　proofs　of　your　submission。〃

〃What　I　am　ordered　I　do。　　Bowanee　sees　me。〃

〃I　do　not　doubt　your　zeal。　　I　know　that　you　are　a　loving　and　intelligent
barrier；　placed　between　the　prince　and　many　guilty　interests；　and　it　is
because　I　have　heard　of　that　zeal；　of　your　skill　in　circumventing　this
young　Indian；　and；　above　all；　of　the　motives　of　your　blind　devotion；　that
I　have　wished　to　inform　you　of　everything。　　You　are　the　fanatical
worshipper　of　him　you　serve。　　That　is　well；　man　should　be　the　obedient
slave　of　the　god　he　chooses　for　himself。〃

〃Yes；　my　lord；　so　long　as　the　god　remains　a　god。〃

〃We　understand　each　other　perfectly。　　As　for　your　recompense；　you　know
what　I　have　promised。〃

〃My　lord；　I　have　my　reward　already。〃

〃How　so？〃

〃I　know　what　I　know。〃

〃Very　well。　　Then　as　for　secrecy〃

〃You　have　securities；　my　lord。〃