the wandering jew, volume 10-第22章

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if　the　sea　voyage　had　been　fatal　to　herif　a　shipwreckoh；　God！　she　too
would　have　died　in　mortal　sinlost；　lost；　forever！Oh；　have　mercy　on
her；　my　God！　Crush　me　in　Thy　wrathbut　have　mercy　on　herfor　I　alone　am
guilty！〃

And　the　unfortunate　man；　almost　delirious；　sank　with　clasped　hands　upon
the　ground。

〃Sir；〃　cried　Rodin；　in　an　affectionate　voice；　as　he　hastened　to　lift　him
up；　〃my　dear　sirmy　dear　friendbe　calm！　Comfort　yourself。　　I　cannot
bear　to　see　you　despond。　　Alas！　my　intention　was　quite　the　contrary　to
that。〃

〃The　curse！　the　curse！　yes；　she　will　curse　me　alsoshe；　that　I　loved　so
muchin　the　everlasting　flames！〃　murmured　Hardy；　shuddering；　and
apparently　insensible　to　the　other's　words。

〃But；　my　dear　sir；　listen　to　me；　I　entreat　you；〃　resumed　the　latter；　〃let
me　finish　my　story；　and　then　you　will　find　it　as　consoling　as　it　now
seems　terrible。　　For　heaven's　sake；　remember　the　adorable　words　of　our
angelic　Abbe　Gabriel；　with　regard　to　the　sweetness　of　prayer。〃

At　the　name　of　Gabriel；　Hardy　recovered　himself　a　little；　and　exclaimed；
in　a　heart…rending　tone：　〃Ay！　his　words　were　sweet　and　beneficent。　　Where
are　they　now？　　For　mercy's　sake；　repeat　to　me　those　consoling　words。〃

〃Our　angelic　Abbe　Gabriel；〃　resumed　Rodin；　〃spoke　to　you　of　the　sweetness
of　prayer〃

〃Oh；　yes！　prayer！〃

〃Well；　my　dear　sir；　listen　to　me；　and　you　shall　see　how　prayer　saved
Rancey；　and　made　a　saint　of　him。　　Yes；　these　frightful　torments；　that　I
have　just　described；　these　threatening　visions；　were　all　conquered　by
prayer；　and　changed　into　celestial　delights。〃

〃I　beg　of　you；〃　said　Hardy；　in　a　faint　voice；　〃speak　to　me　of　Gabriel；
speak　to　me　of　heavenbut　no　more　flamesno　more　hellwhere　sinful
women　weep　tears　of　blood〃

〃No；　no；〃　replied　Rodin；　and　even　as；　in　describing　hell；　his　tone　had
been　harsh　and　threatening；　it　now　became　warm　and　tender；　as　he　uttered
the　following　words：　〃No；　we　will　have　no　more　images　of　despairfor；　as
I　have　told　you；　after　suffering　infernal　tortures；　Rancey；　thanks　to　the
power　of　prayer；　enjoyed　the　delights　of　paradise。〃

〃The　delights　of　paradise？〃　repeated　Hardy；　listening　with　anxious
attention。

〃One　day；　at　the　height　of　his　grief；　a　priest；　a　good　priestanother
Abbe　Gabrielcame　to　Rancey。　　Oh；　happiness！　oh；　providential　change！
In　a　few　days；　he　taught　the　sufferer　the　sacred　mysteries　of　prayer
that　pious　intercession　of　the　creature；　addressed　to　the　Creator；　in
favor　of　a　soul　exposed　to　the　wrath　of　heaven。　　Then　Rancey　seemed
transformed。　　His　grief　was　at　once　appeased。　　He　prayed；　and　the　more　he
prayed；　the　greater　was　his　hope。　　He　felt　that　God　listened　to　his
prayer。　　Instead　of　trying　to　forget　his　beloved；　he　now　thought　of　her
constantly；　and　prayed　for　her　salvation。　　Happy　in　his　obscure　cell；
alone　with　that　adored　remembrance；　he　passed　days　and　nights　in　praying
for　herplunged　in　an　ineffable；　burning；　I　had　almost　said　amorous
ecstasy。〃

It　is　impossible　to　give　an　idea　of　the　tone　of　almost　sensual　energy
with　which　Rodin　pronounced　the　word　〃amorous。〃　Hardy　started；　changing
from　hot　to　cold。　　For　the　first　time；　his　weakened　mind　caught　a　glimpse
of　the　fatal　pleasures　of　asceticism；　and　of　that　deplorable　catalepsy；
described　in　the　lives　of　St。　Theresa；　St。　Aubierge　and　others。

Rodin　perceived　the　other's　thoughts；　and　continued　〃Oh；　Rancey　was　not
now　the　man　to　content　himself　with　a　vague；　passing　prayer；　uttered　in
the　whirl　of　the　world's　business；　which　swallows　it　up；　and　prevents　it
from　reaching　the　ear　of　heaven。　　No；　no；　in　the　depth　of　solitude；　he
endeavored　to　make　his　prayers　even　more　efficacious；　so　ardently　did　he
desire　the　eternal　salvation　of　his　mistress。〃

〃What　did　he　do　thenoh！　what　did　he　do　in　his　solitude？〃　cried　Hardy；
who　was　now　powerless　in　the　hands　of　the　Jesuit。

〃First　of　all；〃　said　Rodin；　with　a　slight　emphasis；　〃he　became　a　monk。〃

〃A　monk！〃　repeated　Hardy；　with　a　pensive　air。

〃Yes；〃　resumed　Rodin；　〃he　became　a　monk；　because　his　prayers　were　thus
more　likely　to　be　favorably　accepted。　　And　then；　as　in　solitude　our
thoughts　are　apt　to　wander；　he　fasted；　and　mortified　his　flesh；　and
brought　into　subjection　all　that　was　carnal　within　him；　so　that；　becoming
all　spirit；　his　prayers　might　issue　like　a　pure　flame　from　his　bosom；　and
ascend　like　the　perfume　of　incense　to　the　throne　of　the　Most　High！〃

〃Oh！　what　a　delicious　dream！〃　cried　Hardy；　more　and　more　under　the
influence　of　the　spell；　〃to　pray　for　the　woman　we　have　adored；　and　to
become　spiritperfumelight！〃

〃Yes；　spirit；　perfume；　light！〃　said　Rodin；　with　emphasis。　　〃But　it　is　no
dream。　　How　many　monks；　how　many　hermits；　like　Rancey；　have；　by　prayers；
and　austerity；　and　macerations；　attained　a　divine　ecstasy！　and　if　you
only　knew　the　celestial　pleasures　of　such　ecstasies！Thus；　after　he
became　a　monk；　the　terrible　dreams　were　succeeded　by　enchanting　visions。
Many　times；　after　a　day　of　fasting；　and　a　night　passed　in　prayers　and
macerations；　Rancey　sank　down　exhausted　on　the　floor　of　his　cell！　　Then
the　spirit　freed　itself　from　the　vile　clogs　of　matter。　　His　senses　were
absorbed　in　pleasure；　the　sound　of　heavenly　harmony　struck　upon　his
ravished　car；　a　bright；　mild　light；　which　was　not　of　this　world；　dawned
upon　his　half…closed　eyes；　and；　at　the　height　of　the　melodious　vibrations
of　the　golden　harps　of　the　Seraphim；　in　the　centre　of　a　glory；　compared
to　which　the　sun　is　pale；　the　monk　beheld　the　image　of　that　beloved
woman〃

〃Whom　by　his　prayers　he　had　at　length　rescued　from　the　eternal　flames？〃
said　Hardy；　in　a　trembling　voice。

〃Yes；　herself；〃　replied　Rodin；　with　eloquent　enthusiasm；　for　this　monster
was　skilled　in　every　style　of　speech。　　〃Thanks　to　the　prayers　of　her
lover；　which　the　Lord　had　granted；　this　woman　no　longer　shed　tears　of
bloodno　longer　writhed　her　beautiful　arms　in　the　convulsions　of
infernal　anguish。　　No；　no；　still　fairoh！　a　thousand　times　fairer　than
when　she　dwelt　on　earthfair　with　the　everlasting　beauty　of　angelsshe
smiled　on　her　lover　with　ineffable　ardor；　and；　her　eyes　beaming　with　a
mild　radiance；　she　said　to　him　in　a　tender　and　passionate　voice：　‘Glory
to　the　Lord！　glory　to　thee；　O　my　beloved！　　Thy　prayers　and　austerities
have　saved　me。　　I　am　numbered　amongst　the　chosen。　　Thanks；　my　beloved；
and　glory！'And　therewith；　radiant　in　her　felicity；　she　stooped　to　kiss；
with　lips　fragrant　with　immortality；　the　lips　of　the　enraptured　monkand
their　souls　mingled　in　that　kiss；　burning　as　love；　chaste　as　divine　grace
immense　as　eternity！〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Hardy；　completely　beside　himself；　〃a　whole　life　of　prayer；
fasting；　torture；　for　such　a　momentwith　her；　whom　I　mournwith　her；
whom　I　have　perhaps　led　to　perdition！〃

〃What　do　you　say？　such　a　moment！〃　cried　Rodin；　whose　yellow　forehead　was
bathed　in　sweat　like　that　of　a　magnetizer；　and　who　now　took　Hardy　by　the
hand；　and　drew　still　closer；　as　if　to　breathe　into　him　the　burning
delirium；　〃it　was　not　once　in　his　religious　lifeit　was　almost　every
day；　that　Rancey；　plunged　in　divine　ecstasy；　enjoyed　these　delicious；
ineffable；　superhuman　pleasures；　which　are　to　the　pleasures　of　earth　what
eternity　is　to　man's　existence！〃

Seeing；　no　doubt；　that　Hardy　was　now　at　the　point　to　which　he　wished　to
bring　him；　and　the　night　being　almost　entirely　come；　the　reverend　father
coughed　two　or　three　times　in　a　significant　manner；　and　looked　towards
the　door。　　At　this　moment；　Hardy；　in　the　height　of　his　frenzy；　exclaimed；
with　a　supplicating　voice：　〃A　cella　tomband　the　Ecstatic　Vision！〃

The　door　of　the　room　opened；　and　Father　d'Aigrigny　entered；　with　a　cloak
under　his　arm。　　A　servant　followed　him；　bearing　a　light。

About　ten　minutes　after　this　scene；　a　dozen　robust　men　with　frank；　open
countenances；　led　by　Agricola；　entered　the　Rue　de　Vaugirard；　and　advanced
joyously　towards　the　house　of　the　reverend　fathers。　　It　was　a　deputation
from　the　former　workmen　of　M。　Hardy。　　They　came　to　escort　him；　and　to
congratulate　him　on　his　return　amongst　them。　　Agricola　walked　at　their
head。　　Suddenly　he　saw　a　carriage　with　post…horses　issuing　from　the
gateway　of　the　house。　　The　postilion　whipped　up　the　horses；　and　they
started　at　full