the wandering jew, volume 10-第5章

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And　he　pointed　to　the　grisette；　who　was　now　stooping　down　by　the　side　of
the　workgirl。　　On　hearing　Agricola　speak　so　familiarly　of　Rose…Pompon；
Adrienne's　amazement　increased。　　It　is　impossible　to　describe　what　she
felt；　yet；　strangely　enough；　her　sufferings　grew　less　and　less；　and　her
anxiety　diminished；　as　she　listened　to　the　chatter　of　the　grisette。

〃Oh；　my　good　dear！〃　said　the　latter；　with　as　much　volubility　as　emotion；
while　her　pretty　blue　eyes　were　filled　with　tears；　〃is　it　possible　that
you　did　so　stupid　a　thing？　　Do　not　poor　people　help　one　another？　　Could
you　not　apply　to　me？　　You　knew　that　others　are　welcome　to　whatever　is
mine；　and　I　would　have　made　a　raffle　of　Philemon's　bazaar；〃　added　this
singular　girl；　with　a　burst　of　feeling；　at　once　sincere；　touching；　and
grotesque；　〃I　would　have　sold　his　three　boots；　pipes；　boating…costume；
bed；　and　even　his　great　drinking…glass；　and　at　all　events　you　should　not
have　been　brought　to　such　an　ugly　pass。　　Philemon　would　not　have　minded；
for　he　is　a　good　fellow；　and　if　he　had　minded；　it　would　have　been　all　the
same。　　Thank　heaven！　we　are　not　married。　　I　am　only　wishing　to　remind　you
that　you　should　have　thought　of　little　Rose…Pompon。〃

〃I　know　you　are　obliging　and　kind；　miss；〃　said　Mother　Bunch：　for　she　had
heard　from　her　sister　that　Rose…Pompon；　like　so　many　of　her　class；　had　a
warm　and　generous　heart。

〃After　all；〃　resumed　the　grisette；　wiping　with　the　back　of　her　hand　the
tip　of　her　little　nose；　down　which　a　tear　was　trickling；　〃you　may　tell　me
that　you　did　not　know　where　I　had　taken　up　my　quarters。　　It's　a　queer
story；　I　can　tell　you。　　When　I　say　queer；〃　added　Rose…Pompon；　with　a　deep
sigh；　〃it　is　quite　the　contrarybut　no　matter：　I　need　not　trouble　you
with　that。　　One　thing　is　certain；　you　are　getting　betterand　you　and
Cephyse　will　not　do　such　a　thing　again。　　She　is　said　to　be　very　weak。
Can　I　not　see　her　yet；　M。　Agricola？

〃No；〃　said　the　smith；　with　embarrassment；　for　Mother　Bunch　kept　her　eyes
fixed　upon　him；　〃you　must　have　patience。〃

〃But　I　may　see　her　to…day；　Agricola？〃　exclaimed　the　hunchback。

〃We　will　talk　about　that。　　Only　be　calm；　I　entreat。〃

〃Agricola　is　right；　you　must　be　reasonable；　my　good　dear；〃　resumed　Rose…
Pompon；　〃we　will　wait　patiently。　　I　can　wait　too；　for　I　have　to　talk
presently　to　this　lady；〃　and　Rose…Pompon　glanced　at　Adrienne　with　the
expression　of　an　angry　cat。　　〃Yes；　yes；　I　can　wait；　for　I　long　to　tell
Cephyse　also　that　she　may　reckon　upon　me。〃　　Here　Rose…Pompon　bridled　up
very　prettily；　and　thus　continued；　〃Do　not　be　uneasy！　It　is　the　least　one
can　do；　when　one　is　in　a　good　position；　to　share　the　advantages　with
one's　friends；　who　are　not　so　well　off。　　It　would　be　a　fine　thing　to　keep
one's　happiness　to　one's　self！　to　stuff　it　with　straw；　and　put　it　under　a
glass；　and　let　no　one　touch　it！　　When　I　talk　of　happiness；　it's　only　to
make　talk；　it　is　true　in　one　sense；　but　to　another；　you　see；　my　good
dearBah！　I　am　only　seventeenbut　no　matterI　might　go　on　talking　till
tomorrow；　and　you　would　not　be　any　the　wiser。　　So　let　me　kiss　you　once
more；　and　don't　be　down…heartednor　Cephyse　either；　do　you　hear？　　for　I
shall　be　close　at　hand。〃

And；　stooping　still　lower；　Rose…Pompon　cordially　embraced　Mother　Bunch。
It　is　impossible　to　express　what　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　felt　during　this
conversation；　or　rather　during　this　monologue　of　the　grisette　on　the
subject　of　the　attempted　suicide。　　The　eccentric　jargon　of　Mdlle。　Rose…
Pompon；　her　liberal　facility　in　disposing　of　Philemon's　bazaar；　to　the
owner　of　which　（as　she　said）　she　was　luckily　not　marriedthe　goodness　of
her　heart；　which　revealed　itself　in　her　offers　of　serviceher　contrasts；
her　impertinence；　her　drolleryall　this　was　so　new　and　inexplicable　to
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　that　she　remained　for　some　time　mute　and　motionless
with　surprise。　　Such；　then；　was　the　creature　to　whom　Djalma　had
sacrificed　her！

If　Adrienne's　first　impression　at　sight　of　Rose…Pompon　had　been　horribly
painful；　reflection　soon　awakened　doubts；　which　were　to　become　shortly
ineffable　hopes。　　Remembering　the　interview　she　had　overheard　between
Rodin　and　Djalma；　when；　concealed　in　the　conservatory；　she　had　wished　to
prove　the　Jesuit's　fidelity；　Adrienne；　asked　herself　if　it　was
reasonable；　if　it　was　possible　to　believe；　that　the　prince；　whose　ideas
of　love　seemed　to　be　so　poetical；　so　elevated；　so　pure；　could　find　any
charm　in　the　disjointed　and　silly　chat　of　this　young　girl？　　Adrienne
could　not　hesitate；　she　pronounced　the　thing　impossible；　from　the　moment
she　had　seen　her　rival　near；　and　witnessed　her　style　both　of　manners　and
conversation；　which；　without　detracting　from　the　prettiness　of　her
features；　gave　them　a　trivial　and　not　very　attractive　character。
Adrienne's　doubts　with　regard　to　the　deep　love　of　the　prince　for　Rose…
Pompon　were　hence　soon　changed　to　complete　incredulity。　　Endowed　with　too
much　sense　and　penetration；　not　to　perceive　that　this　apparent
connection；　so　inconceivable　on　the　part　of　Djalma；　must　conceal　some
mystery；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　felt　her　hopes　revive。　　As　this　consoling
thought　arose　in　her　mind；　her　heart；　until　now　so　painfully　oppressed；
began　once　more　to　dilate；　she　felt　vague　aspirations　towards　a　better
future；　and　yet；　cruelly　warned　by　the　past；　she　feared　to　yield　too
readily　to　a　mere　illusion；　for　she　remembered　the　notorious　fact　that
the　prince　had　really　appeared　in　public　with　this　girl。　　But　now　that
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　could　fully　appreciate　what　she　was；　she　found　the
conduct　of　the　prince　only　the　more　incomprehensible。　　And　how　can　we
judge　soundly　and　surely　of　that　which　is　enveloped　in　mystery？　　And　then
a　secret　presentiment　told　her；　that　it　would；　perhaps；　be　beside　the
couch　of　the　poor　sempstress；　whom　she　had　just　saved　from　death；　that；
by　a　providential　coincidence；　she　would　learn　the　secret　on　which
depended　the　happiness　of　her　life。

The　emotions　which　agitated　she　heart　of　Adrienne；　became　so　violent；
that　her　fine　face　was　flushed　with　a　bright　red；　her　bosom　heaved；　and
her　large；　black　eyes；　lately　dimmed　by　sadness；　once　more　shone　with　a
mild　radiance。　　She　waited　with　inexpressible　impatience　for　what　was　to
follow。　　In　the　interview；　with　which　Rose…Pompon　had　threatened　her；　and
which　a　few　minutes　before　Adrienne　would　have　declined　with　all　the
dignity　of　legitimate　indignation；　she　now　hoped　to　find　the　explanation
of　a　mystery；　which　it　was　of　such　importance　for　her　to　clear　up。　　After
once　more　tenderly　embracing　Mother　Bunch；　Rose…Pompon　got　up　from　the
ground；　and；　turning　towards　Adrienne；　eyed　her　from　head　to　foot；　with
the　utmost　coolness；　and　said　to　her；　in　a　somewhat　impertinent　tone：　〃It
is　now　our　turn；　madame〃the　word　〃madame〃　still　pronounced　with　the
accent　before　described〃we　have　a　little　matter　to　settle　together。〃

〃I　am　at　your　order；〃　answered　Adrienne；　with　much　mildness　and
simplicity。

At　sight　of　the　triumphant　and　decisive　air　of　Rose…Pompon；　and　on
hearing　her　challenge　to　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　the　worthy　Agricola；　after
exchanging　a　few　words　with　Mother　Bunch；　opened　his　eyes　and　ears　very
wide；　and　remained　staring　in　amazement　at　the　effrontery　of　the
grisette；　then；　advancing　towards　her；　he　whispered；　as　he　plucked　her　by
the　sleeve：　〃I　say；　are　you　mad？　　Do　you　know　to　whom　you　speak？〃

〃Well！　what　then？　　Is　not　one　pretty　woman　worth　another！　　I　say　that　for
the　lady。　　She　will　not　eat　me；　I　suppose；〃　replied　Rose…Pompon；　aloud；
and　with　an　air　of　defiance。　　〃I　have　to　talk　with　madame；　here。　　I　am
sure；　she　knows　why　and　wherefore。　　If　not；　I　will　tell　her；　it　will　not
take　me　long。〃

Adrienne；　who　feared　some　ridiculous　exposure　on　the　subject　of　Djalma；
in　the　presence　of　Agricola；　made　a　sign　to　the　latter；　and　thus　answered
the　grisette：　〃I　am　ready　to　hear　you；　miss；　but　not　in　this　place。　　You
will　understand　why。〃

〃Very　well；　madame；　I　have　my　key。　　You　can　come　to　any　apartments〃the
last　word　pronounced　with　an　air　of　ostentatious　importance。

〃Let　us　go　then　to　your　apartments；　miss　since　you　to　me　the　honor　to
receive　me　there；〃　answered　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　in　her　mild；　sweet
voice；　a