the wandering jew, volume 10-第3章

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those　sorrows；　at　which　one　blushes；　would　you　not　be　happy；　very　happy；
to　find　a　kindred　soul；　to　whom　you　might　entrust　your　griefs；　and　half
relieve　them　by　entire　and　merited　confidence？〃

For　the　first　time　in　her　life；　Mother　Bunch　regarded　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville　with　a　feeling　of　suspicion　and　sadness。

The　last　words　of　the　young　lady　seemed　to　her　full　of　meaning
〃Doubtless；　she　knows　my　secret；〃　said　Mother　Bunch　to　herself；
〃doubtless；　my　journal　has　fallen　into　her　hands。She　knows　my　love　for
Agricola；　or　at　least　suspects　it。　　What　she　has　been　saying　to　me　is
intended　to　provoke　my　confidence；　and　to　assure　herself　if　she　has　been
rightly　informed。〃

These　thoughts　excited　in　the　workgirl's　mind　no　bitter　or　ungrateful
feeling　towards　her　benefactress；　but　the　heart　of　the　unfortunate　girl
was　so　delicately　susceptible　on　the　subject　of　her　fatal　passion；　that；
in　spite　of　her　deep　and　tender　affection　for　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　she
suffered　cruelly　at　the　thought　of　Adrienne's　being　mistress　of　her
secret。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

MORE　CONFESSIONS。

The　fancy；　at　first　so　painful；　that　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　was　informed　of
her　love　for　Agricola　was　soon　exchanged　in　the　hunchbacks　heart；　thanks
to　the　generous　instincts　of　that　rare　and　excellent　creature；　for　a
touching　regret；　which　showed　all　her　attachment　and　veneration　for
Adrienne。

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Mother　Bunch　to　herself；　〃conquered　by　the　influence　of
the　adorable　kindness　of　my　protectress；　I　might　have　made　to　her　a
confession　which　I　could　make　to　none　other；　and　revealed　a　secret　which
I　thought　to　carry　with　me　to　my　grave。　　It　would；　at　least；　have　been　a
mark　of　gratitude　to　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　but；　unfortunately；　I　am　now
deprived　of　the　sad　comfort　of　confiding　my　only　secret　to　my
benefactress。　　And　thenhowever　generous　may　be　her　pity　for　me；　however
intelligent　her　affection；　she　cannotshe；　that　is　so　fair　and　so　much
admiredshe　cannot　understand　how　frightful　is　the　position　of　a
creature　like　myself；　hiding　in　the　depth　of　a　wounded　heart；　a　love　at
once　hopeless　and　ridiculous。　　No；　noin　spite　of　the　delicacy　of　her
attachment；　my　benefactress　must　unconsciously　hurt　my　feelings；　even
whilst　she　pities　mefor　only　sympathetic　sorrows　can　console　each
other。　　Alas！　why　did　she　not　leave　me　to　die？〃

These　reflections　presented　themselves　to　the　thinker's　mind　as　rapidly
as　thought　could　travel。　　Adrienne　observed　her　attentively；　she　remarked
that　the　sewing…girl's　countenance；　which　had　lately　brightened　up；　was
again　clouded；　and　expressed　a　feeling　of　painful　humiliation。　　Terrified
at　this　relapse　into　gloomy　dejection；　the　consequences　of　which　might　be
serious；　for　Mother　Bunch　was　still　very　weak；　and；　as　it　were；　hovering
on　the　brink　of　the　grave；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　resumed　hastily：　〃My
friend；　do　not　you　think　with　me；　that　the　most　cruel　and　humiliating
grief　admits　of　consolation；　when　it　can　be　entrusted　to　a　faithful　and
devoted　heart？〃

〃Yes；　lady；〃　said　the　young　sempstress；　bitterly；　〃but　the　heart　which
suffers　in　silence；　should　be　the　only　judge　of　the　moment　for　making　so
painful　a　confession。　　Until　then；　it　would　perhaps　be　more　humane　to
respect　its　fatal　secret；　even　if　one　had　by　chance　discovered　it。〃

〃You　are　right；　my　child；〃　said　Adrienne；　sorrowfully；　〃if　I　choose　this
solemn　moment　to　entrust　you　with　a　very　painful　secret；　it　is　that；　when
you　have　heard　me；　I　am　sure　you　will　set　more　value　on　your　life；　as
knowing　how　much　I　need　your　tenderness；　consolation；　and　pity。〃

At　these　words；　the　other　half　raised　herself　on　the　mattress；　and　looked
at　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　in　amazement。　　She　could　scarcely　believe　what
she　heard；　far　from　designing　to　intrude　upon　her　confidence；　it　was　her
protectress　who　was　to　make　the　painful　confession；　and　who　came　to
implore　pity　and　consolation　from　her！

〃What！〃　stammered　she；　〃you；　lady！〃

〃I　come　to　tell　you　that　I　suffer；　and　am　ashamed　of　my　sufferings。
Yes；〃　added　the　young　lady；　with　a　touching　expression；　〃yesof　all
confessions；　I　am　about　to　make　the　most　painfulI　loveand　I　blush　for
my　love。〃

〃Like　myself！〃　cried　Mother　Bunch；　involuntarily；　clasping　her　hands
together。

〃I　love；〃　resumed　Adrienne；　with　a　long…pent…up　grief；　〃I　love；　and　am
not　belovedand　my　love　is　miserable；　is　impossibleit　consumes　meit
kills　meand　I　dare　not　confide　to　any　one　the　fatal　secret！〃

〃Like　me；〃　repeated　the　other；　with　a　fixed　look。　　〃Shea　queen　in
beauty；　rank；　wealth；　intelligencesuffers　like　me。　　Like　me；　poor
unfortunate　creature！　she　loves；　and　is　not　loved　again。〃

〃Well；　yes！　like　you；　I　love　and　am　not　loved　again；〃　cried　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville；　〃was　I　wrong　in　saying；　that　to　you　alone　I　could　confide　my
secretbecause；　having　suffered　the　same　pangs；　you　alone　can　pity
them？〃

〃Then；　lady；〃　said　Mother　Bunch；　casting　down　her　eyes；　and　recovering
from　her　first　amazement；　〃you　knew〃

〃I　knew　all；　my　poor　childbut　never　should　I　have　mentioned　your
secret；　had　I　not　had　one　to　entrust　you　with；　of　a　still　more　painful
nature。　　Yours　is　cruel；　but　mine　is　humiliating。　　Oh；　my　sister！〃　added
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　in　a　tone　impossible　to　describe；　〃misfortune；　you；
see；　blends　and　confounds　together　what　are　called　distinctions　of　rank
and　fortuneand　often　those　whom　the　world　envies　are　reduced　by
suffering　far　below　the　poorest　and　most　humble；　and　have　to　seek　from
the　latter　pity　and　consolation。〃

Then；　drying　her　tears；　which　nosy　flowed　abundantly；　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville　resumed；　in　a　voice　of　emotion：　〃Come；　sister！　courage；
courage！　let　us　love　and　sustain　each　other。　　Let　this　sad　and　mysterious
bond　unite　us　forever。〃

〃Oh；　lady！　forgive　me。　　But　now　that　you　know　the　secret　of　my　life；〃
said　the　workgirl；　casting　down　her　eyes；　and　unable　to　vanquish　her
confusion；　〃it　seems　to　me；　that　I　can　never　look　at　you　without
blushing。〃

〃And　why？　because　you　love　Agricola？〃　said　Adrienne。　　〃Then　I　must　die　of
shame　before　you；　since；　less　courageous　than　you；　I　had　not　the　strength
to　suffer　and　be　resigned；　and　so　conceal　my　love　in　the　depths　of　my
heart。　　He　that　I　love；　with　a　love　henceforth　deprived　of　hope；　knew　of
that　love　and　despised　itpreferring　to　me　a　woman；　the　very　choice　of
whom　was　a　new　and　grievous　insult；　if　I　am　not　much　deceived　by
appearances。　　I　sometimes　hope　that　I　am　deceived　on　this　point。　　Now
tell　meis　it　for　you　to　blush？〃

〃Alas；　lady！　who　could　tell　you　all　this？〃

〃Which　you　only　entrusted　to　your　journal？　　Well；　thenit　was　the　dying
Florine　who　confessed　her　misdeeds。　　She　had　been　base　enough　to　steal
your　papers；　forced　to　this　odious　act；　by　the　people　who　had　dominion
over　her。　　But　she　had　read　your　journaland　as　every　good　feeling　was
not　dead　within　her；　your　admirable　resignation；　your　melancholy　and
pious　love；　had　left　such　an　impression　on　her　mind；　that　she　was　able　to
repeat　whole　passages　to　me　on　her　death　bed；　and　thus　to　explain　the
cause　of　your　sudden　disappearancefor　she　had　no　doubt　that　the　fear　of
seeing　your　love　for　Agricola　divulged　had　been　the　cause　of　your
flight。〃

〃Alas！　it　is　but　too　true；　lady。〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　answered　Adrienne；　bitterly；　〃those　who　employed　the　wretched
girl　to　act　as　she　did；　well　knew　the　effect　of　the　blow。　　It　was　not
their　first　attempt。　　They　reduced　you　to　despair；　they　would　have　killed
you；　because　you　were　devoted　to　me；　and　because　you　had　guessed　their
intentions。　　Oh！　these　black…gowns　are　implacable；　and　their　power　is
great！〃　said　Adrienne；　shuddering。

〃It　is　fearful；　lady。〃

〃But　do　not　be　alarmed；　dear　child；　you　see；　that　the　arms　of　the　wicked
have　turned　against　themselves；　for　the　moment　I　knew　the　cause　of　your
flight；　you　became　dearer　to　me　than　ever。　　From　that　time　I　made　every
exertion　to　find　out　where　you　were；　after　long　efforts；　it　was　only　this
morning　that　the　person　I　had　employed　succeeded　in　discovering　that　you
inhabited　this　house。　　Agricola　was　with　me　when　I　heard　it；　and
instantly　asked　to　accompany　me。〃

〃Agricola！〃　said　Mother　Bunch；　clasping　her　hands；　〃he　came〃

〃Yes；　my　childbe　calm。　　Whilst