the wandering jew, volume 10-第17章

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the　mere　remembrance。　　〃But　one　last　question；〃　she　resumed；　〃though　I　am
already　sure　of　your　answer。　　Did　you　receive　a　letter　that　I　wrote　to
you；　on　the　morning　of　the　day　in　which　I　saw　you　at　the　theatre？〃

Djalma　made　no　reply。　　A　dark　cloud　passed　over　his　fine　countenance；
and；　for　a　second；　his　features　assumed　so　menacing　an　expression；　that
Adrienne　was　terrified　at　the　effect　produced　by　her　words。　　But　this
violent　agitation　soon　passed　away；　and　Djalma's　brow　became　once　more
calm　and　serene。

〃I　have　been　more　merciful　that　I　thought；〃　said　the　prince　to　Adrienne；
who　looked　at　him　with　astonishment。　　〃I　wished　to　come　hither　worthy　of
you；　my　cousin。　　I　pardoned　the　man　who；　to　serve　my　enemies；　had　given
me　all　those　fatal　counsels。　　The　same　person；　I　am　sure；　must　have
intercepted　your　letter。　　Just　now；　at　the　memory　of　the　evils　he　thus
caused　me；　I；　for　a　moment；　regretted　my　clemency。　　But　then；　again；　I
thought　of　your　letter　of　yesterdayand　my　anger　is　all　gone。〃

〃Then　the　sad　time　of　fear　and　suspicion　is　oversuspicion；　that　made　me
doubt　of　your　sentiments；　and　you　of　mine。　　Oh；　yes！　far　removed　from　us
be　that　fatal　past！〃　cried　Adrienne　de　Cardoville；　with　deep　joy。。

Then；　as　if　she　had　relieved　her　heart　from　the　last　thought　of　sadness；
she　continued：　〃The　future　is　all　your　ownthe　radiant　future；　without
cloud　or　obstacle；　pure　in　the　immensity　of　its　horizon；　and　extending
beyond　the　reach　of　sight！〃

It　is　impossible　to　describe　the　tone　of　enthusiastic　hope　which
accompanied　these　words。　　But　suddenly　Adrienne's　features　assumed　an
expression　of　touching　melancholy；　and　she　added；　in　a　voice　of　profound
emotion：　〃And　yetat　this　hourso　many　unfortunate　creatures　suffer
pain！〃

This　simple　touch　of　pity　for　the　misfortunes　of　others；　at　the　moment
when　the　noble　maiden　herself　attained　to　the　highest　point　of　happiness；
had　such　an　effect　on　Djalma；　that　involuntarily　he　fell　on　his　knees
before　Adrienne；　clasped　his　hands　together；　and　turned　towards　her　his
fine　countenance；　with　an　almost　daring　expression。　　Then；　hiding　his
face　in　his　hands；　he　bowed　his　head　without　speaking　a　single　word。
There　was　a　moment　of　deep　silence。　　Adrienne　was　the　first　to　break　it；
as　she　saw　a　tear　steal　through　the　slender　fingers　of　the　prince。

〃My　friend！　what　is　the　matter？〃　she　exclaimed；　as　with　a　movement　rapid
as　thought；　she　stooped　forward；　and　taking　hold　of　Djalma's　hands；　drew
them　from　before　his　face。　　That　face　was　bathed　in　tears。

〃You　weep！〃　cried　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　so　much　agitated　that　she　kept
the　hands　of　Djalma　in　her　own；　and；　unable　to　dry　his　tears；　the　young
Hindoo　allowed　them　to　flow　like　so　many　drops　of　crystal　over　the　pale
gold　of　his　cheeks。

〃There　is　not　in　this　wide　world　a　happiness　like　to　mine！〃　said　the
prince；　in　his　soft；　melodious　voice；　and　with　a　kind　of　exhaustion：
〃therefore　do　I　feel　great　sadness；　and　so　it　should　be。　　You　give　me
heavenand　were　I　to　give　you　the　whole　earth；　it　would　be　but　a　poor
return。　　Alas！　what　can　man　do　for　a　divinity；　but　humbly　bless　and
adore？　　He　can　never　hope　to　return　the　gifts　bestowed：　and　this　makes
him　suffernot　in　his　pridebut　in　his　heart！〃

Djalma　did　not　exaggerate。　　He　said　what　he　really　felt：　and　the　rather
hyperbolical　form；　familiar　to　Oriental　nations；　could　alone　express　his
thought。　　The　tone　of　his　regret　was　so　sincere；　his　humility　so　gentle
and　full　of　simplicity；　that　Adrienne；　also　moved　to　tears；　answered　him
with　an　effusion　of　serious　tenderness；　〃My　friend；　we　are　both　at　the
supreme　point　of　happiness。　　Our　future　felicity　appears　to　have　no
limits；　and　yet；　though　derived　from　different　sources；　sad　reflections
have　come　to　both　of　us。　　It　is；　you　see；　that　there　are　some　sorts　of
happiness；　which　make　you　dizzy　with　their　own　immensity。　　For　a　moment；
the　heart；　the　mind；　the　soul；　are　incapable　of　containing　so　much　bliss；
it　overflows　and　drowns　us。　　Thus　the　flowers　sometimes　hang　their　heads；
oppressed　by　the　too　ardent　rays　of　the　sun；　which　is　yet　their　love　and
life。　　Oh；　my　friend！　this　sadness　may　be　great；　but　it　also　sweet！〃

As　she　uttered　these　words；　the　voice　of　Adrienne　grew　fainter　and
fainter；　and　her　head　bowed　lower；　as　if　she　were　indeed　sinking　beneath
the　weight　of　her　happiness。　　Djalma　had　remained　kneeling　before　her；
his　hands　in　hersso　that　as　she　thus　bent　forward；　her　ivory　forehead
and　golden　hair　touched　the　amber…colored　brow　and　ebon　curls　of　Djalma。
And　the　sweet；　silent　tears　of　the　two　young　lovers　flowed　together；　and
mingled　as　they　fell　on　their　clasped　hands。

Whilst　this　scene　was　passing　in　Cardoville　House；　Agricola　had　gone　to
the　Rue　de　Vaugirard；　to　deliver　a　letter　from　Adrienne　to　M。　Hardy。




CHAPTER　XLII。

〃THE　IMITATION。〃

As　we　have　already　said；　M。　Hardy　occupied　a　pavilion　in　the　〃Retreat〃
annexed　to　the　house　in　the　Rue　de　Vaugirard；　inhabited　by　a　goodly
number　of　the　reverend　fathers　of　the　Company　of　Jesus。　　Nothing　could　be
calmer　and　more　silent　than　this　dwelling。　　Every　one　spoke　in　whispers；
and　the　servants　themselves　had　something　oily　in　their　words；　something
sanctified　in　their　very　walk。

Like　all　that　is　subject　to　the　chilling　and　destructive　influences　of
these　men；　this　mournfully　quiet　house　was　entirely　wanting　in　life　and
animation。　　The　boarders　passed　an　existence　of　wearisome　and　icy
monotony；　only　broken　by　the　use　of　certain　devotional　exercises；　and
thus；　in　accordance　with　the　selfish　calculation　of　the　reverend　fathers；
the　mind；　deprived　of　all　nourishment　and　all　external　support；　soon
began　to　droop　and　pine　away　in　solitude。　　The　heart　seemed　to　beat　more
slowly；　the　soul　was　benumbed；　the　character　weakened；　at　last；　all
freewill；　all　power　of　discrimination；　was　extinguished；　and　the
boarders；　submitting　to　the　same　process　of　self…annihilation　as　the
novices　of　the　Company；　became；　like　them；　mere　〃corpses〃　in　the　hands　of
the　brotherhood。

The　object　of　these　manoeuvres　was　clear　and　simple。　　They　secured　the
means　of　obtaining　all　kinds　of　donations；　the　constant　aim　of　the
skillful　policy　and　merciless　cupidity　of　these　priests。　　By　the　aid　of
enormous　sums；　of　which　they　thus　become　the　possessors　or　the　trustees；
they　follow　out　and　obtain　the　success　of　their　projects；　even　though
murder；　incendiarism；　revolt；　and　all　the　horrors　of　civil　war；　excited
by　and　through　them；　should　drench　in　blood　the　lands　over　which　they
seek　to　extend　their　dark　dominion。

Such；　then；　was　the　asylum　of　peace　and　innocence　in　which　Francois　Hardy
had　taken　refuge。　　He　occupied　the　ground…floor　of　a　summer…house；　which
opened　upon　a　portion　of　the　garden。　　His　apartments　had　been　judiciously
chosen；　for　we　know　with　what　profound　and　diabolical　craft　the　reverend
fathers　avail　themselves　of　material　influences；　to　make　a　deep
impression　upon　the　minds　they　are　moulding　to　their　purpose。　　Imagine　a
prospect　bounded　by　a　high　wall；　of　a　blackish　gray；　half…covered　with
ivy；　the　plant　peculiar　to　ruins。　　A　dark　avenue　of　old　yew…trees；　so　fit
to　shade　the　grave　with　their　sepulchral　verdure；　extended　from　this　wall
to　a　little　semicircle；　in　front　of　the　apartment　generally　occupied　by
M。　Hardy。　　Two　or　three　mounds　of　earth；　bordered　with　box；　symmetrically
cut；　completed　the　charms　of　this　garden；　which　in　every　respect
resembled　a　cemetery。

It　was　about　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　　Though　the　April　sun　shone
brightly；　its　rays；　intercepted　by　the　high　wall　of　which　we　have　spoken；
could　not　penetrate　into　that　portion　of　the　garden；　obscure；　damp；　and
cold　as　a　cavern；　which　communicated　with　M。　Hardy's　apartment。　　The　room
was　furnished　with　a　perfect　sense　of　the　comfortable。　　A　soft　carpet
covered　the　floor；　thick　curtains　of　dark　green　baize；　the　same　color　as
the　walls；　sheltered　an　excellent　bed；　and　hung　in　folds　about　the　glass…
door；　which　opened　on　the　garden。　　Some　pieces　of　mahogany　furniture；
plain；　but　very　clean　and　bright；　stood　round　the　room。　　Above　the
secretary；　placed　just　in　front　of　the　bed；　was　a　large　ivory　crucifix；
upon　a　black　velvet　ground。　　The　c