the wandering jew, volume 10-第32章

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overawed　them。　　And　I　thought　it　was　my　fault。　　Heavens！　what　good　that
does！　what　strength；　what　heart；　what　hope！Ha！　ha！〃　cried　he；　laughing
and　weeping　at　the　same　time；　whilst　he　covered　his　children　with
caresses；　〃they　may　despise　me　now；　they　may　harass　me　nowI　defy　them
all。　　My　own　blue　eyes！　my　sweet　blue　eyes！　look　at　me　well；　and　inspire
me　with　new　life。〃

〃Oh；　father！　you　love　us　then　as　much　as　we　love　you？〃　cried　Rose；　with
enchanting　simplicity。

〃And　we　may　often；　very　often；　perhaps　every　day；　throw　ourselves　on　your
neck；　embrace　you；　and　prove　how　glad　we　are　to　be　with　you？〃

〃Show　you；　dear　father；　all　the　store　of　love　we　were　heaping　up　in　our
heartsso　sad；　alas！　that　we　could　not　spend　it　upon　you？〃

〃Tell　you　aloud　all　that　we　think　in　secret？〃

〃Yesyou　may　do　soyou　may　do　so；〃　said　Marshal　；Simon；　faltering　with
joy；　〃what　prevented　you；　my　children？　　But　no；　do　not　answer；　enough　of
the　past！I　know　all；　I　understand　all。　　You　misinterpreted　my　gloom；
and　it　made　you　sad；　I；　in　my　turn；　misinterpreted　your　sadness。　　But
never　mind；　I　scarcely　know　what　I　am　saying　to　you。　　I　only　think　of
looking　at　youand　it　dazzles　meit　confuses　meit　is　the　dizziness　of
joy！〃

〃Oh；　look　at　us；　father！　look　into　our　eyes；　into　our　hearts；〃　cried
Rose；　with　rapture。

〃And　you　will　read　there；　happiness　for　us；　and　love　for　you；　sir！〃　added
Blanche。

〃Sir；　sir！〃　said　the　marshal；　in　a　tone　of　affectionate　reproach；　〃what
does　that　mean？　　Will　you　call　me　father；　if　you　please？〃

〃Dear　father；　your　hand！〃　said　Blanche；　as　she　took　it；　and　placed　it　on
her　heart。

〃Dear　father；　your　hand！〃　said　Rose；　as　she　took　the　other　hand　of　the
marshal。　　〃Do　you　believe　now　in　our　love　and　happiness？〃　she　continued。

It　is　impossible　to　describe　the　charming　expression　of　filial　pride　in
the　divine　faces　of　the　girls；　as　their　father；　slightly　pressing　their
virgin　bosoms；　seemed　to　count　with　delight　the　joyous　pulsations　of
their　hearts。

〃Oh；　yes！　happiness　and　affection　can　alone　make　the　heart　beat　thus！〃
cried　the　marshal。

A　hoarse　sob；　heard　in　the　direction　of　the　open　door；　made　the　three
turn　round；　and　there　they　saw　the　tall　figure　of　Dagobert；　with　the
black　nose　of　Spoil…sport　reaching　to　his　master's　knee。　　The　soldier；
drying　his　eyes　and　moustache　with　his　little　blue　cotton　handkerchief；
remained　motionless　as　the　god　Terminus。　　When　he　could　speak；　he
addressed　himself　to　the　marshal；　and；　shaking　his　head；　muttered；　in　a
hoarse　voice；　for　the　good　man　was　swallowing　his　tears：　〃Did　I　not　tell
you　so？〃

〃Silence！〃　said　the　marshal；　with　a　sign　of　intelligence。　　〃You　were　a
better　father　than　myself；　my　old　friend。　　Come　and　kiss　them！　I　shall
not　be　jealous。〃

The　marshal　stretched　out　his　hand　to　the　soldier；　who　pressed　it
cordially；　whilst　the　two　sisters　threw　themselves　on　his　neck；　and
Spoil…sport；　according　to　custom　wishing　to　have　his　share　in　the　general
joy；　raised　himself　on　his　hind　legs；　and　rested　his　fore…paws　against
his　master's　back。　　There　was　a　moment　of　profound　silence。　　The
celestial　felicity　enjoyed　during　that　moment；　by　the　marshal；　his
daughters；　and　the　soldier；　was　interrupted　by　the　barking　of　Spoil…sort；
who　suddenly　quitted　the　attitude　of　a　biped。　　The　happy　group　separated；
looked　round；　and　saw　Loony's　stupid　face。　　He　looked　even　duller　than
usual；　as　he　stood　quite　still　in　the　doorway；　staring　with　wide…
stretched　eyes；　and　holding　a　feather…broom　under　his　arm；　and　in　his
hand　the　ever…present　basket　of　wood。

Nothing　makes　one　so　gay　as　happiness；　and；　though　this　grotesque　figure
appeared　at　a　very　unseasonable　moment；　it　was　received　with　frank
laughter　from　the　blooming　lips　of　Rose　and　Blanche。　　Having　made　the
marshal's　daughters　laugh；　after　their　long　sadness；　Loony　at　once
acquired　a　claim　to　the　indulgence　of　the　marshal；　who　said　to　him；　good…
humoredly：　〃What　do　you　want；　my　lad？〃

〃It's　not　me；　my　lord　duke！〃　answered　Loony；　laying　his　hand　on　his
breast；　as　if　it　were　taking　a　vow；　so　that　his　feather…brush　fell　down
from　under　his　arm。　　The　laughter　of　the　girls　redoubled。

〃It　is　not　you？〃　said　the　marshal。

〃Here！　Spoil…sport！〃　Dagobert　called；　for　the　honest　dog　seemed　to　have　a
secret　dislike　for　the　pretended　idiot；　and　approached　him　with　an　angry
air。

〃No；　my　lord　duke；　it　is　not　me！〃　resumed　Loony。　　〃It　is　the　footman　who
told　me　to　tell　M。　Dagobert；　when　I　brought　up　the　wood　to　tell　my　lord
duke；　as　I　was　coming　up　with　the　basket；　that　M。　Robert　wants　to　see
him。〃

The　girls　laughed　still　more　at　this　new　stupidity。　　But；　at　the　name　of
Robert；　Marshal　Simon　started。

M。　Robert　was　the　secret　emissary　of　Rodin；　with　regard　to　the　possible；
but　adventurous；　enterprise　of　attempting　the　liberation　of　Napoleon　II。

After　a　moment's　silence；　the　marshal；　whose　face　was　still　radiant　with
joy　and　happiness；　said　to　Loony：　〃Beg　M。　Robert　to　wait　for　me　a　moment
in　my　study。〃

〃Yes；　my　lord　duke；〃　answered　Loony；　bowing　almost　to　the　ground。

The　simpleton　withdrew；　and　the　marshal　said　to　his　daughters；　in　a
joyous　tone；　〃You　see；　that；　in　a　moment　like　this；　one　does　not　leave
one's　children；　even　for　M。　Robert。〃

〃Oh！　that's　right；　father！〃　cried　Blanche；　gayly；　〃for　I　was　already　very
angry　with　this　M。　Robert。〃

〃Have　you　pen　and　paper　at　hand？〃　asked　the　marshal。

〃Yes；　father；　there　on　the　table；〃　said　Rose；　hastily；　as　she　pointed　to
a　little　desk　near　one　of　the　windows；　towards　which　the　marshal　now
advanced　rapidly。

From　motives　of　delicacy；　the　girls　remained　where　they　were；　close　to
the　fireplace；　and　caressed　each　other　tenderly；　as　if　to　congratulate
themselves　in　private　on　the　unexpected　happiness　of　this　day。

The　marshal　seated　himself　at　the　desk；　and　made　a　sign　to　Dagobert　to
draw　near。

While　he　wrote　rapidly　a　few　words　in　a　firm　hand；　he　said　to　the　soldier
with　a　smile；　in　so　low　a　tone　that　it　was　impossible　for　his　daughters
to　hear：　〃Do　you　know　what　I　had　almost　resolved　upon；　before　entering
this　room？〃

〃What；　general？〃

〃To　blow　my　brains　out。　　It　is　to　my　children　that　I　owe　my　life。〃　　And
the　marshal　continued　writing。

Dagobert　started　at　this　communication；　and　then　replied；　also　in　a
whisper：　〃It　would　not　have　been　with　your　pistols。　　I　took　off　the
caps。〃

The　marshal　turned　round　hastily；　and　looked　at　him　with　an　air　of
surprise。　　But　the　soldier　only　nodded　his　head　affirmatively；　and　added：
〃Thank　heaven；　we　have　now　done　with　all　those　ideas！〃

The　marshal's　only　answer　was　to　glance　at　his　children；　his　eyes
swimming　with　tenderness；　and　sparkling　with　delight；　then；　sealing　the
note　he　had　written；　he　gave　it　to　the　soldier；　and　said　to　him；　〃Give
that　to　M。　Robert。　　I　will　see　him　to…morrow。〃

Dagobert　took　the　letter；　and　went　out。　　Returning　towards　his　daughters；
the　marshal　joyfully　extended　his　arms　to　them；　and　said；　〃Now；　young
ladies；　two　nice　kisses　for　having　sacrificed　M。　Robert　to　you。　　Have　I
not　earned　them？〃　And　Rose　and　Blanche　threw　themselves　on　their　father's
neck。

About　the　time　that　these　events　were　taking　place　at　Paris；　two
travellers；　wide　apart　from　each　other；　exchanged　mysterious　thoughts
through　the　breadth　of　space。







End