the wandering jew, volume 10-第29章

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pain。〃

〃Particularly　if　he　has　friends　whose　daughters　are　very　beautiful；　and
possessed　of　all　sorts　of　talents。　　Then　he　must　bitterly　regret　that　we
are　not　the　same。〃

〃Dost　remember　when　he　took　us　to　see　our　cousin；　Mdlle。　Adrienne；　who
was　so　affectionate　and　kind　to　us；　that　he　said　to　us；　with　admiration：
‘Did　you　notice　her；　my　children？　　How　beautiful　she　is；　and　what　talent；
what　a　noble　heart；　and　therewith　such　grace　and　elegance！'〃

〃Oh；　it　is　very　true！　　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　is　so　beautiful；　her　voice　is
so　sweet　and　gentle；　that；　when　we　saw　and　heard　her；　we　fancied　that　all
our　troubles　were　at　an　end。〃

〃And　it　is　because　of　such　beauty；　no　doubt；　that　our　father；　comparing
us　with　our　cousin　and　so　many　other　handsome　young　ladies；　cannot　be
very　proud　of　us。　　And　he；　who　is　so　loved　and　honored；　would　have　liked
to　have　been　proud　of　his　daughters。〃

Suddenly　Rose　laid　her　hand　on　her　sister's　arm；　and　said　to　her；　with
anxiety：　〃Listen！　listen！　they　are　talking　very　loud　in　father's
bedroom。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Blanche；　listening　in　her　turn；　〃and　I　can　hear　him　walking。
That　is　his　step。〃

〃Good　heaven！　how　he　raises　his　voice；　he　seems　to　be　in　a　great　passion；
he　will　perhaps　come　this　way。〃

And　at　the　thought　of　their　father's　comingthat　father　who　really
adored　themthe　unhappy　children　looked　in　terror　at　each　other。　　The
sound　of　a　loud　and　angry　voice　became　more　and　more　distinct；　and　Rose；
trembling　through　all　her　frame；　said　to　her　sister：　〃Do　not　let　us
remain　here！　Come　into　our　room。〃

〃Why？〃

〃We　should　hear；　without　designing　it；　the　words　of　our　fatherand　he
does　not　perhaps　know　that　we　are　so　near。〃

〃You　are　right。　　Come；　come！〃　answered　Blanche；　as　she　rose　hastily　from
her　seat。

〃Oh！　I　am　afraid。　　I　have　never　heard　him　speak　in　so　angry　a　tone。〃

〃Oh！　kind　heaven！〃　said　Blanche；　growing　pale；　as　she　stopped
involuntarily。　　〃It　is　to　Dagobert　that　he　is　talking　so　loud。〃

〃What　can　be　the　matterto　make　our　father　speak　to　him　in　that　way？〃

〃Alas！　some　great　misfortune　must　have　happened。〃

〃Oh；　sister！　do　not　let　us　remain　here！　It　pains　me　too　much　to　hear
Dagobert　thus　spoken　to。〃

The　crash　of　some　article；　hurled　with　violence　and　broken　to　pieces　in
the　next　room；　so　frightened　the　orphans；　that；　pale　and　trembling　with
emotion；　they　rushed　into　their　own　apartment；　and　fastened　the　door。　　We
must　now　explain　the　cause　of　Marshal　Simon's　violent　anger。




CHAPTER　XLVIII。

THE　STUNG　LION。

This　was　the　scene；　the　sound　of　which　had　so　terrified　Rose　and　Blanche。
At　first　alone　in　his　chamber；　in　a　state　of　exasperation　difficult　to
describe；　Marshal　Simon　had　begun　to　walk　hastily　up　and　down；　his
handsome；　manly　face　inflamed　with　rage；　his　eyes　sparkling　with
indignation；　while　on　his　broad　forehead；　crowned　with　short…cut　hair
that　was　now　turning　gray；　large　veins；　of　which　you　might　count　the
pulsations；　were　swollen　almost　to　bursting；　and　sometimes　his　thick；
black　moustache　was　curled　with　a　convulsive　motion；　not　unlike　that
which　is　seen　in　the　visage　of　a　raging　lion。　　And　even　as　the　wounded
lion；　in　its　fury；　harassed　and　tortured　by　a　thousand　invisible　darts；
walks　up　and　down　its　den　with　savage　wrath；　so　Marshal　Simon　paced　the
floor　of　his　room；　as　if　bounding　from　side　to　side；　sometimes　he
stooped；　as　though　bending　beneath　the　weight　of　his　anger；　sometimes；　on
the　contrary；　he　paused　abruptly；　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height；
crossed　his　arms　upon　his　vigorous　chest；　and　with　raised　brow；
threatening　and　terrible　look；　seemed　to　defy　some　invisible　enemy；　and
murmur　confused　exclamations。　　Then　he　stood　like　a　man　of　war　and　battle
in　all　his　intrepid　fire。

And　now　he　stamped　angrily　with　his　foot；　approached　the　chimney…piece；
and　pulled　the　bell　so　violently　that　the　bell…rope　remained　in　his　hand。
A　servant　hastened　to　attend　to　this　precipitate　summons。　　〃Did　you　not
tell　Dagobert　that　I　wished　to　speak　to　him？〃　cried　the　marshal。

〃I　executed　your　grace's　orders；　but　M。　Dagobert　was　accompanying　his　son
to　the　door；　and〃

〃Very　well！〃　interrupted　Marshal　Simon；　with　an　abrupt　and　imperious
gesture。

The　servant　went　out；　and　his　master　continued　to　walk　up　and　down　with
impatient　steps；　crumpling；　in　his　rage；　a　letter　that　he　held　in　his
left　hand。　　This　letter　had　been　innocently　delivered　by　Spoil…sport；
who；　seeing　him　come　in；　had　run　joyously　to　meet　him。　　At　length　the
door　opened；　and　Dagobert　appeared。　　〃I　have　been　waiting　for　you　a　long
time；　sirrah！〃　cried　the　marshal；　in　an　irritated　tone。

Dagobert；　more　pained　than　surprised　at　this　burst　of　anger；　which　he
rightly　attributed　to　the　constant　state　of　excitement　in　which　the
marshal　had　now　been　for　some　time　past；　answered　mildly：　〃I　beg　your
pardon；　general；　but　I　was　letting　out　my　son〃

〃Read　that；　sir！〃　said　the　marshal　abruptly；　giving　him　the　letter。

While　Dagobert　was　reading　it；　the　marshal　resumed；　with　growing　anger；
as　he　kicked　over　a　chair　that　stood　in　his　way：　〃Thus；　even　in　my　own
house；　there　are　wretches　bribed　to　harass　me　with　incredible
perseverance。　　Well！　have　you　read　it；　sir？〃

〃It　is　a　fresh　insult　to　add　to　the　others；〃　said　Dagobert；　coolly；　as　he
threw　the　letter　into　the　fire。

〃The　letter　is　infamousbut　it　speaks　the　truth；〃　replied　the　marshal。
Dagobert　looked　at　him　in　amazement。

〃And　can　you　tell　who　brought　me　this　infamous　letter〃　continued　the
marshal。　　〃One　would　think　the　devil　had　a　hand　in　itfor　it　was　your
dog！〃

〃Spoil…sport？〃　said　Dagobert；　in　the　utmost　surprise。

〃Yes；〃　answered　the　marshal；　bitterly；　〃it　is　no　doubt　a　joke　of　your
invention。〃

〃I　have　no　heart　for　joking；　general；〃　answered　Dagobert；　more　and　more
saddened　by　the　irritable　state　of　the　marshal；　〃I　cannot　explain　how　it
happened。　　Spoil…sport　is　a　good　carrier；　and　no　doubt　found　the　letter
in　the　house〃

〃And　who　can　have　left　it　there？　　Am　I　surrounded　by　traitors？　　Do　you
keep　no　watch？　　You；　in　whom　I　have　every　confidence？〃

〃Listen　to　me；　general〃

But　the　marshal　proceeded；　without　waiting　to　hear　him。　　〃What！　I　have
made　war　for　five…and…twenty　years；　I　have　battled　with　armies；　I　have
struggled　victoriously　through　the　evil　times　of　exile　and　proscription；
I　have　withstood　blows　from　maces　of　ironand　now　I　am　to　be　killed　with
pins！　Pursued　into　my　own　house；　harassed　with　impunity；　worn　out；
tortured　every　minute；　to　gratify　some　unknown；　miserable　hate！When　I
say　unknown；　I　am　wrongit　is　d'Aigrigny；　the　renegade；　who　is　at　the
bottom　of　all　this；　I　am　sure。　　I　have　in　the　world　but　one　enemy；　and　he
is　the　man。　　I　must　finish　with　him；　for　I　am　weary　of　thisit　is　too
much。〃

〃But；　general；　remember　he　is　a　priest〃

〃What　do　I　care　for　that？　　Have　I　not　seen　him　handle　the　sword？　　I　will
yet　make　a　soldier's　blood　rise　to　the　forehead　of　the　traitor！〃

But；　general〃

〃I　tell　you；　that　I　must　be　avenged　on　some　one；〃　cried　the　marshal；　with
an　accent　of　the　most　violent　exasperation；　〃I　tell　you；　that　I　mast　find
a　living　representative　of　these　cowardly　plots；　that　I　may　at　once　make
an　end　of　him！They　press　upon　me　from　all　sides；　they　make　my　life　a
hellyou　know　itand　you　do　nothing　to　save　me　from　these　tortures；
which　are　killing　me　as　by　a　slow　fire。　　Can　I　have　no　one　in　whom　to
trust？〃

〃General；　I　can't　let　you　say　that；〃　replied　Dagobert；　in　a　calm；　but
firm　voice。

〃And　why　not？〃

〃General；　I　can't　let　you　say　that　you　have　no　one　to　trust　to。　　You
might　end　perhaps　in　believing　it；　and　then　it　would　be　even　worse　for
yourself；　than　for　those　who　well　know　their　devotion　for　you；　and　would
go　through　fire　and　water　to　serve　you。　　I　am　one　of　themand　you　know
it。〃

These　simple　words；　pronounced　by　Dagobert　with　a　tone　of　deep
conviction；　recalled　the　marshal　to　himself；　for　although　his　honorable
and　generous　character　might　from　time　to　time　be　embittered　by
irritation　and　grief；　he　soon　recovered　his　natural　equanimity。　　So；
addressing　Dagobert　in　a　less　abrupt　tone；　he　said　to　him；　though　still
much　agitated：　〃You　are　right。　　I　could　never　doubt　your　fidelity。　　But
anger　dep