the wandering jew, volume 10-第14章
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remorse。
〃I was saying； my lord；〃 he resumed； 〃that by following the counsels of
your faithful slave； who persuaded you to feign a passionate love for
another woman； you have brought the proud Mdlle。 de Cardoville to come to
you。 Did I not tell you it would be so？〃
〃Yes； you did tell me so；〃 answered Djalma； still maintaining the same
position； and examining the half…caste with the same fixed and mild
attention。
The surprise of Faringhea increased； generally； the prince； without
treating him with the least harshness； preserved the somewhat distant and
imperious manners of their common country； and he had never before spoken
to him with such extreme mildness。 Knowing all the evil he had done the
prince； and suspicious as the wicked must ever be； the half…caste thought
for a moment； that his master's apparent kindness might conceal a snare。
He continued； therefore； with less assurance； 〃Believe me； my lord； this
day； if you do but know how to profit by your advantages； will console
you for all your troubles； which have indeed been greatfor only
yesterday； though you were generous enough to forget it； only yesterday
you suffered cruellybut you were not alone in your sufferings。 This
proud young lady suffered also！〃
〃Do you think so？〃 said Djalma。
〃Oh！ it is quite sure； my lord。 What must she not have felt； when she
saw you at the theatre with another woman！If she loved you only a
little； she must have been deeply wounded in her self…esteem； if she
loved you with passion； she must have been struck to the heart。 At
length； you see； wearied out with suffering； she has come to you。〃
〃So that； any way； she must have sufferedand that does not move your
pity？〃 said Djalma； in a constrained； but still very mild voice。
〃Before thinking of others； my lord； I think of your distresses； and they
touch me too nearly to leave me any pity for other woes；〃 added Faringhea
hypocritically； so greatly had the influence of Rodin already modified
the character of the Phansegar。
〃It is strange！〃 said Djalma； speaking to himself； as he viewed the half…
caste with a glance still kind but piercing。
〃What is strange； my lord？〃
〃Nothing。 But tell me； since your advice has hitherto prospered so well；
what think you of the future？〃
〃Of the future； my lord？〃
〃Yes； in an hour I shall be with Mdlle。 de Cardoville。〃
〃That is a serious matter； my lord。 The whole future will depend upon
this interview。〃
〃That is what I was just thinking。〃
〃Believe me； my lord； women never love any so well； as the bold man who
spares them the embarrassment of a refusal。〃
〃Explain more fully。〃
〃Well； my lord； they despise the timid and languishing lover； who asks
humbly for what he might take by force。〃
〃But to…day I shall meet Mdlle。 de Cardoville for the first time。〃
〃You have met her a thousand times in your dreams； my lord； and depend
upon it； she has seen you also in her dreams； since she loves you。 Every
one of your amorous thoughts has found an echo in her heart。 All your
ardent adorations have been responded to by her。 Love has not two
languages； and； without meeting； you have said all that you had to say to
each other。 Now； it is for you to act as her master； and she will be
yours entirely。〃
〃It is strangevery strange！〃 said Djalma； a second time； without
removing his eyes from Faringhea's face。
Mistaking the sense which the prince attached to these words； the half…
caste resumed： 〃Believe me； my lord； however strange it may appear； this
is the wisest course。 Remember the past。 Was it by playing the part of
a timid lover that you have brought to your feet this proud young lady；
my lord？ No； it was by pretending to despise her； in favor of another
woman。 Therefore； let us have no weakness。 The lion does not woo like
the poor turtle…dove。 What cares the sultan of the desert for a few
plaintive howls from the lioness； who is more pleased than angry at his
rude and wild caresses？ Soon submissive； fearful and happy； she follows
in the track of her master。 Believe me； my lordtry everythingdare
everythingand to…day you will become the adored sultan of this young
lady； whose beauty all Paris admires。〃
After some minutes' silence； Djalma； shaking his head with an expression
of tender pity； said to the half…caste； in his mild； sonorous voice： 〃Why
betray me thus？ Why advise me thus wickedly to use violence； terror； and
surprise； towards an angel of purity； whom I respect as my mother？ Is it
not enough for you to have been so long devoted to my enemies； whose
hatred has followed me from Java？〃
Had Djalma sprung upon the half…caste with bloodshot eye； menacing brow；
and lifted poniard； the latter would have been less surprised； and
perhaps less frightened； than when he heard the prince speak of his
treachery in this tone of mild reproach。
He drew back hastily； as if about to stand on his guard。 But Djalma
resumed； with the same gentleness； 〃Fear nothing。 Yesterday I should
have killed you！ But to…day happy love renders me too just； too merciful
for that。 I pity you； without any feeling of bitternessfor you must
have been very unhappy； or you could not have become so wicked。〃
〃My lord！〃 said the half…caste； with growing amazement。
〃Yes； you must have suffered much； and met with little mercy； poor
creature； to have become so merciless； in your hate； and proof against
the sight of a happiness like mine。 When I listened to you just now； and
saw the sad perseverance of your hatred； I felt the deepest commiseration
for you。〃
〃I do not know； my lordbut〃 stammered the half…caste； and was unable
to find words to proceed。
〃Come； nowwhat harm have I ever done you？〃
〃None； my lord；〃 answered Faringhea。
〃Then why do you hate me thus？ why pursue me with so much animosity？ Was
it not enough to give me the perfidious counsel to feign a shameful love
for the young girl that was brought hither； and who quitted the house
disgusted at the miserable part she was to play？〃
〃Your feigned love for that young girl； my lord；〃 replied Faringhea；
gradually recovering his presence of mind； 〃conquered the coldness of〃
〃Do not say that；〃 resumed the prince； interrupting him with the same
mildness。 〃If I enjoy this happiness； which makes me compassionate
towards you； and raises me above myself； it is because Mdlle de
Cardoville now knows that I have never for a moment ceased to love her as
she ought to be loved； with adoration and reverence。 It was your
intention to have parted us forever； and you had nearly succeeded。〃
〃If you think this of me； my lord； you must look upon me as your most
mortal enemy。〃
〃Fear nothing； I tell you。 I have no right to blame you。 In the madness
of my grief； I listened to you and followed your advice。 I was not only
your dupe； but your accomplice。 Only confess that； when you saw me at
your mercy； dejected； crushed； despairing； it was cruel in you to advise
the course that might have been most fatal to me。〃
〃The ardor of my zeal may have deceived me； my lord。〃
〃I am willing to believe it。 And yet again to…day there were the same
evil counsels。 You had no more pity for my happiness than for my sorrow。
The rapture of my heart inspires you with only one desirethat of
changing this rapture into despair。〃
〃I； my lord！〃
〃Yes； you。 It was your intention to ruin meto dishonor me forever in
the eyes of Mdlle。 de Cardoville。 Now； tell mewhy this furious hate？
what have I done to you？〃
〃You misjudge me； my lordand〃
〃Listen to me。 I do not wish you to be any longer wicked and
treacherous。 I wish to make you good。 In our country； they charm
serpents； and tame the wildest tigers。 You are a man； with a mind to
reason； a heart to love； and I will tame you too by gentleness。 This day
has bestowed on me divine happiness； you shall have good cause to bless
this day。 What can I do for you？ what would you havegold？ You shall
have it。 Do you desire more than gold？ Do you desire a friend； to
console you for the sorrows that made you wicked； and to teach you to be
good？ Though a king's son； I will be that friendin spite of the evil
ay； because of the evil you have don
