the wandering jew, volume 10-第31章

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enoughthis　is　too　much！〃

〃Oh；　yes！　it　is　enough；〃　replied　Dagobert；　with　rising　emotion。　　〃Why
defend　unfortunate　children；　who　can　only　love　and　submit？　　Why　defend
them　against　your　unhappy　blindness？〃

The　marshal　started　with　anger　and　impatience；　but　then　replied；　with　a
forced　calmness：　〃I　needs　must　remember　all　that　I　owe　youand　I　will
not　forget　it；　say　what　you　will。〃

〃But；　general；〃　cried　Dagobert；　〃why　will　you　not　let　me　fetch　your
children？〃

〃Do　you　not　see　that　this　scene　is　killing　me？〃　cried　the　exasperated
marshal。　　〃Do　you　not　understand；　that　I　will　not　have　my　children
witness　what　I　suffer？　　A　father's　grief　has　its　dignity；　sir；　and　you
ought　to　feel　for　and　respect　it。〃

〃Respect　it？　nonot　when　it　is　founded　on　injustice！〃

〃Enough；　sirenough！〃

〃And　not　content　with　tormenting　yourself；〃　cried　Dagobert；　unable　any
longer　to　control　his　feelings；　〃do　you　know　what　you　will　do？　　You　will
make　your　children　die　of　sorrow。　　Was　it　for　this；　that　I　brought　them
to　you　from　the　depths　of　Siberia？〃

〃More　reproaches！〃

〃Yes；　for　the　worst　ingratitude　towards　me；　is　to　make　your　children
unhappy。〃

〃Leave　the　room；　sir！〃　cried　the　marshal；　quite　beside　himself；　and　so
terrible　with　rage　and　grief；　that　Dagobert；　regretting　that　he　had　gone
so　far；　resumed：　〃I　was　wrong；　general。　　I　have　perhaps　been　wanting　in
respect　to　youforgive　mebut〃

〃I　forgive　youonly　leave　me！〃　said　the　marshal；　hardly　restraining
himself。

〃One　word；　general〃

〃I　entreat　you　to　leave　meI　ask　it　as　a　serviceis　that　enough？〃　said
the　marshal；　with　renewed　efforts　to　control　the　violence　of　his
emotions。

A　deadly　paleness　succeeded　to　the　high　color　which　during　this　painful
scene　had　inflamed　the　cheeks　of　the　marshal。　　Alarmed　at　this　symptom；
Dagobert　redoubled　his　entreaties。　　〃I　implore　you；　general；〃　said　he；　in
an　agitated　mice；　〃to　permit　me　for　one　moment〃

〃Since　you　will　have　it　so；　sir；　I　must　be　the　one　to　leave；〃　said　the
marshal；　making　a　step　towards　the　door。

These　words　were　said　in　such　a　manner；　that　Dagobert　could　no　longer
resist。　　He　hung　his　head　in　despair；　looked　for　a　moment　in　silent
supplication　at　the　marshal；　and　then；　as　the　latter　seemed　yielding　to　a
new　movement　of　rage；　the　soldier　slowly　quitted　the　room。

A　few　minutes　had　scarcely　elapsed　since　the　departure　of　Dagobert；　when
the　marshal；　who；　after　a　long　and　gloomy　silence；　had　repeatedly　drawn
near　the　door　of　his　daughters'　apartment　with　a　mixture　of　hesitation
and　anguish；　suddenly　made　a　violent　effort；　wiped　the　cold　sweat　from
his　brow；　and　entered　the　chamber　in　which　Rose　and　Blanche　had　taken
refuge。




CHAPTER　XLIX。

THE　TEST。

Dagobert　was　right　in　defending　his　children；　as　he　paternally　called
Rose　and　Blanche；　and　yet　the　apprehensions　of　the　marshal　with　regard　to
the　coldness　of　his　daughters；　were　unfortunately　justified　by
appearances。　　As　he　had　told　his　father；　unable　to　explain　the　sad；　and
almost　trembling　embarrassment；　which　his　daughters　felt　in　his　presence；
he　sought　in　vain　for　the　cause　of　what　he　termed　their　indifference。
Now　reproaching　himself　bitterly　for　not　concealing　from　them　his　grief
at　the　death　of　their　mother；　he　feared　he　might　have　given　them　to
understand　that　they　would　be　unable　to　console　him；　now　supposing　that
he　had　not　shown　himself　sufficiently　tender；　and　that　had　chilled　them
with　his　military　sternness；　and　now　repeating　with　bitter　regret；　that；
having　always　lived　away　from　them；　he　must　be　always　a　stranger　to　them。
In　a　word；　the　most　unlikely　suppositions　presented　themselves　by　turns
to　his　mind；　and　whenever　such　seeds　of　doubt；　suspicion；　or　fear；　are
blended　with　a　warm　affection；　they　will　sooner　or　later　develop
themselves　with　fatal　effect。　　Yet；　notwithstanding　this　fancied
coldness；　from　which　he　suffered　so　much；　the　affection　of　the　marshal
for　his　daughters　was　so　true　and　deep；　that　the　thought　of　again
quitting　them　caused　the　hesitations　which　were　the　torment　of　his　life；
and　provoked　an　incessant　struggle　between　his　paternal　love　and　the　duty
he　held　most　sacred。

The　injurious　calumnies；　which　had　been　so　skillfully　propagated；　that
men　of　honor；　like　his　old　brothers　in　arms；　were　found　to　attach　some
credit　to　them；　had　been　spread　with　frightful　pertinacity　by　the　friends
of　the　Princess　de　Saint…Dizier。　　We　shall　describe　hereafter　the　meaning
and　object　of　these　odious　reports；　which；　joined　with　so　many　other
fatal　injuries；　had　filled　up　the　measure　of　the　marshal's　indignation。
Inflamed　with　anger；　excited　almost　to　madness　by　this　incessant
〃stabbing　with　pins〃　（as　he　had　himself　called　it）；　and　offended　at　some
of　Dagobert's　words；　he　had　spoken　harshly　to　him。　　But；　after　the
soldier's　departure；　when　left　to　reflect　in　silence；　the　marshal
remembered　the　warm　and　earnest　expressions　of　the　defender　of　his
children；　and　doubt　crossed　his　mind；　as　to　the　reality　of　the　coldness
of　which　he　accused　them。　　Therefore；　having　taken　a　terrible　resolution
in　case　a　new　trial　should　confirm　his　desponding　doubts；　he　entered；　as
we　before　said；　his；　daughters'　chamber。　　The　discussion　with　Dagobert
had　been　so　loud；　that　the　sound　of　the　voices　had　confusedly　reached　the
ears　of　the　two　sisters；　even　after　they　had　taken　refuge　in　their
bedroom。　　So　that；　on　the　arrival　of　their　father；　their　pale　faces
betrayed　their　fear　and　anxiety。　　At　sight　of　the　marshal；　whose
countenance　was　also　much　agitated；　the　girls　rose　respectfully；　but
remained　close　together；　trembling　in　each　other's　arms。　　And　yet　there
was　neither　anger　nor　severity　on　their　father's　faceonly　a　deep；
almost　supplicating　grief；　which　seemed　to　say：　〃My　children；　I　sufferI
have　come　to　youconsole　me；　love　me！　or　I　shall　die！〃

The　marshal's　countenance　was　at　this　moment　so　expressive；　that；　the
first　impulse　of　fear　once　surmounted；　the　sisters　were　about　to　throw
themselves　into　his　arms；　but　remembering　the　recommendations　of　the
anonymous　letter；　which　told　them　how　painful　any　effusion　of　their
tenderness　was　to　their　father；　they　exchanged　a　rapid　glance；　and
remained　motionless。　　By　a　cruel　fatality；　the　marshal　at　this　moment
burned　to　open　his　arms　to　his　children。　　He　looked　at　them　with　love；　he
even　made　a　slight　movement　as　if　to　call　them　to　him；　but　he　would　not
attempt　more；　for　fear　of　meeting　with　no　response。　　Still　the　poor
children；　paralyzed　by　perfidious　counsels；　remained　mute；　motionless；
trembling！

〃It　is　all　over；〃　thought　he；　as　he　gazed　upon　them。　　〃No　chord　of
sympathy　stirs　in　their　bosom。　　Whether　I　go…whether　I　remainmatters
not　to　them。　　No；　I　am　nothing　to　these　childrensince；　at　this　awful
moment；　when　they　see　me　perhaps　for　the　last　time；　no　filial　instinct
tells　them　that　their　affection　might　save　me　still！〃

During　these　terrible　reflections；　the　marshal　had　not　taken　his　eyes　off
his　children；　and　his　manly　countenance　assumed　an　expression　at　once　so
touching　and　mournfulhis　look　revealed　so　painfully　the　tortures　of　his
despairing　soulthat　Rose　and　Blanche；　confused；　alarmed；　but　yielding
together　to　a　spontaneous　movement；　threw　themselves　on　their　father's
neck；　and　covered　him　with　tears　and　caresses。　　Marshal　Simon　had　not
spoken　a　word；　his　daughters　had　not　uttered　a　sound；　and　yet　all　three
had　at　length　understood　one　another。　　A　sympathetic　shock　had
electrified　and　mingled　those　three　hearts。　　Vain　fears；　false　doubts；
lying　counsel；　all　had　yielded　to　the　irresistible　emotion。　　which　had
brought　the　daughters　to　their　father's　arms。　　A　sudden　revelation　gave
them　faith；　at　the　fatal　moment　when　incurable　suspicion　was　about　to
separate　them　forever。

In　a　second；　the　marshal　felt　all　this；　but　words　failed　him。　　Pale；
bewildered；　kissing　the　brows；　the　hair；　the　hands　of　his　daughters；
weeping；　sighing；　smiling　all　in　turn；　he　was　wild；　delirious；　drunk　with
happiness。　　At　length；　he　exclaimed：　〃I　have　found　themor　rather；　I
have　never　lost　them。　　They　loved　me；　and　did　not　dare　to　tell　me　so。　　I
overawed　them。　　And　I　thought　it　was　my　fault。　　Heavens！　what　good　that
does！　what　strength；　w