the wandering jew, volume 10-第4章

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instantly　asked　to　accompany　me。〃

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

〃Yes；　my　childbe　calm。　　Whilst　I　attended　to　you；　he　was　busy　with　your
poor　sister。　　You　will　soon　see　him。〃

〃Alas；　lady！〃　resumed　the　hunchback；　in　alarm。　　〃He　doubtless　knows〃

〃Your　love！　No；　no；　be　satisfied。　　Only　think　of　the　happiness　of　again
seeing　your　good　and　worthy　brother。〃

〃Ah；　lady！　may　he　never　know　what　caused　me　so　much　shame；　that　I　was
like　to　die　of　it。　　Thank　God；　he　is　not　aware　of　it！〃

〃Then　let　us　have　no　more　sad　thoughts；　my　child。　　Only　remember；　that
this　worthy　brother　came　here　in　time　to　save　us　from　everlasting
regretsand　you　from　a　great　fault。　　Oh！　I　do　not　speak　of　the
prejudices　of　the　world；　with　regard　to　the　right　of　every　creature　to
return　to　heaven　a　life　that　has　become　too　burdensome！I　only　say　that
you　ought　not　to　have　died；　because　those　who　love　you；　and　whom　you
love；　were　still　in　need　of　your　assistance。〃

〃I　thought　you　happy；　Agricola　was　married　to　the　girl　of　his　choice；　who
will；　I　am　sure；　make　him　happy。　　To　whom　could　I　be　useful？〃

〃First；　to　myself；　as　you　seeand　then；　who　tells　you　that　Agricola　will
never　have　need　of　you？　　Who　tells　you；　that　his　happiness；　or　that　of
his　family；　will　last　forever；　and　will　not　be　tried　by　cruel　shocks？
And　even　if　those　you　love　had　been　destined　to　be　always　happy；　could
their　happiness　be　complete　without　you？　　And　would　not　your　death；　with
which　they　would　perhaps　have　reproached　themselves；　have　left　behind　it
endless　regrets？〃

〃It　is　true；　lady；〃　answered　the　other；　〃I　was　wrongthe　dizziness　of
despair　had　seized　mefrightful　misery　weighed　upon　uswe　had　not　been
able　to　find　work　for　some　dayswe　lived　on　the　charity　of　a　poor　woman；
and　her　the　cholera　carried　off。　　To…morrow　or　next　day；　we　must　have
died　of　hunger。〃

〃Die　of　hunger！and　you　knew　where　I　lived！〃

〃I　had　written　to　you；　lady；　and　receiving　no　answer；　I　thought　you
offended　at　my　abrupt　departure。〃

〃Poor；　dear　child！　you　must　have　been；　as　you　say；　seized　with　dizziness
in　that　terrible　moment；　so　that　I　have　not　the　courage　to　reproach　you
for　doubting　me　a　single　instant。　　How　can　I　blame　you？　　Did　I　not　myself
think　of　terminating　my　life？〃

〃You；　lady！〃　cried　the　hunchback。

〃Yes；　I　thought　of　itwhen　they　came　to　tell　me；　that　Florine；　dying；
wished　to　speak　to　me。　　I　heard　what　she　had　to　say；　her　revelations
changed　my　projects。　　This　dark　and　mournful　life　which　had　become
insupportable　to　me；　was　suddenly　lighted　up。　　The　sense　of　duty　woke
within　me。　　You　were　no　doubt　a　prey　to　horrible　misery；　it　was　my　duty
to　seek　and　save　you。　　Florine's　confessions　unveiled　to　me　the　new　plots
of　the　enemies　of　my　scattered　family；　dispersed　by　sorrows　and　cruel
losses；　it　was　my　duty　to　warn　them　of　their　danger；　and　to　unite　them
against　the　common　enemy。　　I　had　been　the　victim　of　odious　manoeuvres：　it
was　my　duty　to　punish　their　authors；　for　fear　that；　encouraged　by
impunity；　these　black…gowns　should　make　other　victims。　　Then　the　sense　of
duty　gave　me　strength；　and　I　was　able　to　rouse　myself　from　my　lethargy。
With　the　help　of　Abbe　Gabriel；　a　sublime；　oh！　a　sublime　priestthe　ideal
of　a　true　Christianthe　worthy　brother　of　AgricolaI　courageously
entered　on　the　struggle。　　What　shall　I　say　to　you；　my　child？　　The
performance　of　these　duties；　the　hope　of　finding　you　again；　have　been
some　relief　to　me　in　my　trouble。　　If　I　was　not　consoled；　I　was　at　least
occupied。　　Your　tender　friendship；　the　example　of　your　resignation；　will
do　the　restI　think　soI　am　sure　soand　I　shall　forget　this　fatal
love。〃

At　the　moment　Adrienne　pronounced　these　words；　rapid　footsteps　were　heard
upon　the　stairs；　and　a　young；　clear　voice　exclaimed：　〃Oh！　dear　me；　poor
Mother　Bunch！　How　lucky　I　have　come　just　now！　If　only　I　could　be　of　some
use　to　her！〃

Almost　immediately；　Rose…Pompon　entered　the　garret　with　precipitation。
Agricola　soon　followed　the　grisette；　and　pointing　to　the　open　window；
tried　to　make　Adrienne　understand　by　signs；　that　she　was　not　to　mention
to　the　girl　the　deplorable　end　of　the　Bacchanal　Queen。　　This　pantomime
was　lost　on　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville。　　Adrienne's　heart　swelled　with　grief；
indignation；　pride；　as　she　recognized　the　girl　she　had　seen　at　the　Porte…
Saint…Martin　in　company　with　Djalma；　and　who　alone　was　the　cause　of　the
dreadful　sufferings　she　endured　since　that　fatal　evening。　　And；　strange
irony　of　fate！　it　was　at　the　very　moment　when　Adrienne　had　just　made　the
humiliating　and　cruel　confession　of　her　despised　love；　that　the　woman；　to
whom　she　believed　herself　sacrificed；　appeared　before　her。

If　the　surprise　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　was　great；　Rose…Pompon's　was　not
less　so。　　Not　only　did　she　recognize　in　Adrienne　the　fair　young　lady　with
the　golden　locks；　who　had　sat　opposite　to　her　at　the　theatre；　on　the
night　of　the　adventure　of　the　black　panther；　but　she　had　serious　reasons
for　desiring　most　ardently　this　unexpected　interview。　　It　is　impossible
to　paint　the　look　of　malignant　joy　and　triumph；　that　she　affected　to　cast
upon　Adrienne。　　The　first　impulse　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　was　to　quit　the
room。　　But　she　could　not　bear　to　leave　Mother　Bunch　at　this　moment；　or　to
give；　in　the　presence　of　Agricola；　her　reasons　for　such　an　abrupt
departure；　and　moreover；　an　inexplicable　and　fatal　curiosity　held　her
back；　in　spite　of　her　offended　pride。　　She　remained；　therefore；　and　was
about　to　examine　closely；　to　hear　and　to　judge；　this　rival；　who　had
nearly　occasioned　her　death；　to　whom；　in　her　jealous　agony；　she　had
ascribed　so　many　different　aspects；　in　order　to　explain　Djalma's　love　for
such　a　creature。




CHAPTER　XXXV。

THE　RIVALS。

Rose…Pompon；　whose　presence　caused　such　deep　emotion　in　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville；　was　dressed　in　the　most　showy　and　extravagant　bad　taste。　　Her
very　small；　narrow；　rose…colored　satin　bonnet；　placed　so　forward　over　her
face　as　almost　to　touch　the　tip　of　her　little　nose；　left　uncovered　behind
half　of　her　light；　silky　hair；　her　plaid　dress；　of　an　excessively　broad
pattern；　was　open　in　front；　and　the　almost　transparent　gauze；　rather　too
honest　in　its　revelations；　hardly　covered　the　charms　of　the　form　beneath。

The　grisette　having　run　all　the　way　upstairs；　held　in　her　hands　the　ends
of　her　large　blue　shawl；　which；　falling　from　her　shoulders；　had　slid　down
to　her　wasp…like　waist；　and　there　been　stopped　by　the　swell　of　the
figure。　　If　we　enter　into　these　details；　it　is　to　explain　how；　at　the
sight　of　this　pretty　creature；　dressed　in　so　impertinent　and　almost
indecent；　a　fashion；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　who　thought　she　saw　in　her　a
successful　rival；　felt　her　indignation；　grief；　and　shame　redoubled。

But　judge　of　the　surprise　and　confusion　of　Adrienne；　when　Mdlle。　Rose…
Pompon　said　to　her；　with　the　utmost　freedom　and　pertness；　〃I　am　delighted
to　see　you；　madame。　　You　and　I　must　have　a　long　talk　together。　　Only　I
must　begin　by　kissing　poor　Mother　Bunchwith　your　permission；　madame！〃

To　understand　the　tone　and　manner　with　which　this　word　；〃madame〃　was
pronounced；　you　must　have　been　present　at　some　stormy　discussion　between
two　Rose…Pompons；　jealous　of　each　other；　then　you　would　be　able　to　judge
how　much　provoking　hostility　may　be　compressed　into　the　word　〃madame；〃
under　certain　circumstances。　　Amazed　at　the　impudence　of　Rose…Pompon；
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　remained　mute；　whilst　Agricola；　entirely　occupied
with　the　interest　he　took　in　the　workgirl；　who　had　never　withdrawn　her
eyes　from　him　since　he　entered　the　room；　and　with　the　remembrance　of　the
painful　scene　he　had　just　quitted；　whispered　to　Adrienne；　without
remarking　the　grisette's　effrontery；　〃Alas；　lady！　it　is　all　over。
Cephyse　has　just　breathed　her　last　sigh；　without　recovering　her　senses。〃

〃Unfortunate　girl！〃　said　Adrienne；　with　emotion；　and　for　the　moment　she
forgot　Rose…Pompon。

〃We　must　keep　this　sad　news　from　Mother　Bunch；　and　only　let　her　know　it
hereafter；　with　great　caution；〃　resumed　Agricola。　〃Luckily；　little　Rose…
Pompon　knows　nothing　about　it。'

And　he　pointed　to　the　grisette；　who　was　now　stooping　down　by　the　side　of
the　workgirl。　　On　hearing　Agricola　spea