the wandering jew, volume 10-第2章

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untrue；　but　the　cause　which　led　to　the　supposition　will　be　explained
hereafter。　　Far　from　such　being　the　case；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　scarcely
found；　in　attending　to　the　great　family　interests　now　at　stake；　a
momentary　diversion　from　the　fatal　love；　which　was　slowly　undermining　her
health；　and　with　which　she　so　bitterly　reproached　herself。

The　morning　of　the　day　on　which　Adrienne；　at　length　discovering　Mother
Bunch's　residence；　came　so　miraculously　to　rescue　her　from　death；
Agricola　Baudoin　had　been　to　Cardoville　House　to　confer　on　the　subject　of
Francis　Hardy；　and　had　begged　Adrienne　to　permit　him　to　accompany　her　to
the　Rue　Clovis；　whither　they　repaired　in　haste。

Thus；　once　again；　there　was　a　noble　spectacle；　a　touching　symbol！　　Mdlle。
de　Cardoville　and　Mother　Bunch；　the　two　extremities　of　the　social　chain；
were　united　on　equal　termsfor　the　sempstress　and　the　fair　patrician
were　equal　in　intelligence　and　heartand　equal　also；　because　the　one　was
the　ideal　of　riches；　grace；　and　beauty；　and　the　other　the　ideal　of
resignation　and　unmerited　misfortuneand　does　not　a　halo　rest　on
misfortune　borne　with　courage　and　dignity？　　Stretched　on　her　mattress；
the　hunchback　appeared　so　weak；　that　even　if　Agricola　had　not　been
detained　on　the　ground　floor　with　Cephyse；　now　dying　a　dreadful　death；
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　would　have　waited　some　time；　before　inducing　Mother
Bunch　to　rise　and　accompany　her　to　her　carriage。　　Thanks　to　the　presence
of　mind　and　pious　fraud　of　Adrienne；　the　sewing…girl　was　persuaded　that
Cephyse　had　been　carried　to　a　neighboring　hospital；　to　receive　the
necessary　succors；　which　promised　to　be　crowned　with　success。　　The
hunchback's　faculties　recovering　slowly　from　their　stupor；　she　at　first
received　this　fable　without　the　least　suspicionfor　she　did　not　even
know　that　Agricola　had　accompanied　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville。

〃And　it　is　to　you；　lady；　that　Cephyse　and　I　owe　our　lives；〃　said　she；
turning　her　mild　and　melancholy　face　towards　Adrienne；　〃you；　kneeling　in
this　garret；　near　this　couch　of　misery；　where　I　and　my　sister　meant　to
diefor　you　assure　me；　lady；　that　Cephyse　was　succored　in　time。〃

〃Be　satisfied！　　I　was　told　just　now　that　she　was　recovering　her　senses。〃

〃And　they　told　her　I　was　living；　did　they　not；　lady？　　Otherwise；　she
would　perhaps　regret　having　survived　me。〃

〃Be　quite　easy；　my　dear　girl！〃　said　Adrienne；　pressing　the　poor　hands　in
her　own；　and　gazing　on　her　with　eyes　full　of　tears；　〃they　have　told　her
all　that　was　proper。　　Do　not　trouble　yourself　about　anything；　only　think
of　recoveringand　I　hope　you　will　yet　enjoy　that　happiness　of　which　you
have　known　so　little；　my　poor　child。〃

〃How　kind　you　are；　lady！　　After　flying　from　your　houseand　when　you　must
think　me　so　ungrateful！〃

〃Presently；　when　you　are　not　so　weak；　I　have　a　great　deal　to　tell　you。
Just　now；　it　would　fatigue　you　too　much。　　But　how　do　you　feel？〃

〃Better；　lady。　　This　fresh　airand　then　the　thought；　that；　since　you　are
comemy　poor　sister　will　no　more　be　reduced　to　despair；　for　I　will　tell
you　all；　and　I　am　sure　you　will　have　pity　on　Cephysewill　you　not；　lady？〃

〃Rely　upon　me；　my　child；　answered　Adrienne；　forced　to　dissemble　her
painful　embarrassment；　〃you　know　I　am　interested　in　all　that　interests
you。　　But　tell　me；〃　added　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　in　a　voice　of　emotion；
〃before　taking　this　desperate　resolution；　did　you　not　write　to　me？〃

〃Yes；　lady。〃

〃Alas！〃　resumed　Adrienne；　sorrowfully；　〃and　when　you　received　no　answer
how　cruel；　how　ungrateful　you　must　have　thought　me！〃

〃Oh！　never；　lady；　did　I　accuse　you　of　such　feelings；　my　poor　sister　will
tell　you　so。　　You　had　my　gratitude　to　the　last。〃

〃I　believe　youfor　I　knew　your　heart。　　But　how　then　did　you　explain　my
silence？〃

〃I　had　justly　offended　you　by　my　sudden　departure；　lady。〃

〃Offended！Alas！　　I　never　received　your　letter。〃

〃And　yet　you　know　that　I　wrote　to　you；　lady。〃

〃Yes；　my　poor　girl；　I　know；　also；　that　you　wrote　to　me　at　my　porter's
lodge。　　Unfortunately；　he　delivered　your　letter　to　one　of　my　women；　named
Florine；　telling　her　it　came　from　you。〃

〃Florine！　the　young　woman　that　was　so　kind　to　me！〃

〃Florine　deceived　me　shamefully；　she　was　sold　to　my　enemies；　and　acted　as
a　spy　on　my　actions。〃

〃She！Good　Heavens！〃　cried　Mother　Bunch。　　〃Is　it　possible？〃

〃She　herself；〃　answered　Adrienne；　bitterly；　〃but；　after　all；　we　must　pity
as　well　as　blame　her。　　She　was　forced　to　obey　by　a　terrible　necessity；
and　her　confession　and　repentance　secured　my　pardon　before　her　death。〃

〃Then　she　is　deadso　young！　so　fair！〃

〃In　spite　of　her　faults；　I　was　greatly　moved　by　her　end。　　She　confessed
what　she　had　done；　with　such　heart…rending　regrets。　　Amongst　her　avowals；
she　told　me　she　had　intercepted　a　letter；　in　which　you　asked　for　an
interview　that　might　save　your　sister's　life。〃

〃It　is　true；　lady；　such　were　the　terms　of　my　letter。　　What　interest　had
they　to　keep　it　from　you？〃

〃They　feared　to　see　you　return　to　me；　my　good　guardian　angel。　　You　loved
me　so　tenderly；　and　my　enemies　dreaded　your　faithful　affection；　so
wonderfully　aided　by　the　admirable　instinct　of　your　heart。　　Ah！　I　shall
never　forget　how　well…deserved　was　the　horror　with　which　you　were
inspired　by　a　wretch　whom　I　defended　against　your　suspicions。〃

〃M。　Rodin？〃　said　Mother　Bunch；　with　a　shudder。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Adrienne；　〃but　we　will　not　talk　of　these　people　now。
Their　odious　remembrance　would　spoil　the　joy　I　feel　in　seeing　you
restored　to　lifefor　your　voice　is　less　feeble；　your　cheeks　are
beginning　to　regain　a　little　color。　　Thank　God！　　I　am　so　happy　to　have
found　you　once　more；if　you　knew　all　that　I　hope；　all　that　I　expect　from
our　reunionfor　we　will　not　part　againpromise　me　that；　in　the　name　of
our　friendship。〃

〃Iyour　friend！〃　said　Mother　Bunch；　timidly　casting　down　her　eyes。

〃A　few　days　before　your　departure　from　my　house；　did　I　not　call　you　my
friend；　my　sister？　　What　is　there　changed？　　Nothing；　nothing；〃　added
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　with　deep　emotion。　　〃One　might　say；　on　the
contrary；　that　a　fatal　resemblance　in　our　positions　renders　your
friendship　even　dearer　to　me。　　And　I　shall　have　it；　shall　I　not。　　Oh；　do
not　refuse　it　meI　am　so　much　in　want　of　a　friend！〃

〃You；　lady？　you　in　want　of　the　friendship　of　a　poor　creature　like　me？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Adrienne；　as　she　gazed　on　the　other　with　an　expression　of
intense　grief；　〃nay；　more；　you　are　perhaps　the　only　person；　to　whom　I
could　venture　to　confide　my　bitter　sorrows。〃　　So　saying；　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville　colored　deeply。

〃And　how　do　I　deserve　such　marks　of　confidence？〃　asked　Mother　Bunch；　more
and　more　surprised。

〃You　deserve　it　by　the　delicacy　of　your　heart；　by　the　steadiness　of　your
character；〃　answered　Adrienne；　with　some　hesitation；　〃thenyou　are　a
womanand　I　am　certain　you　will　understand　what　I　suffer；　and　pity　me。〃

〃Pity　you；　lady？〃　said　the　other；　whose　astonishment　continued　to
increase。　　〃You；　a　great　lady；　and　so　much　enviedI；　so　humble　and
despised；　pity　you？〃

〃Tell　me；　my　poor　friend；〃　resumed　Adrienne；　after　some　moments　of
silence；　〃are　not　the　worst　griefs　those　which　we　dare　not　avow　to　any
one；　for　fear　of　raillery　and　contempt？　　How　can　we　venture　to　ask
interest　or　pity；　for　sufferings　that　we　hardly　dare　avow　to　ourselves；
because　they　make　us　blush？〃

The　sewing…girl　could　hardly　believe　what　she　heard。　　Had　her
benefactress　felt；　like　her；　the　effects　of　an　unfortunate　passion；　she
could　not　have　held　any　other　language。　　But　the　sempstress　could　not
admit　such　a　supposition；　so；　attributing　to　some　other　cause　the　sorrows
of　Adrienne；　she　answered　mournfully；　whilst　she　thought　of　her　own　fatal
love　for　Agricola；　〃Oh！　yes；　lady。　　A　secret　grief；　of　which　we　are
ashamed；　must　be　frightfulvery　frightful！〃

〃But　then　what　happiness　to　meet；　not　only　a　heart　noble　enough　to
inspire　complete　confidence；　but　one　which　has　itself　been　tried　by　a
thousand　sorrows；　and　is　capable　of　affording　you　pity；　support　and
counsel！Tell　me；　my　dear　child；〃　added　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　as　she
looked　attentively　at　Mother　Bunch；　〃if　you　were　weighed　down　by　one　of
those　sorrows；　at　which　one　blushes；　would　you　not　be　happy；　very　happy；
t