the wandering jew, volume 10-第6章

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receive　me　there；〃　answered　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　in　her　mild；　sweet
voice；　and　with　a　slight　inclination　of　the　head；　so　full　of　exquisite
politeness；　that　Rose…Pompon　was　daunted；　notwithstanding　all　her
effrontery。

〃What；　lady！〃　said　Agricola　to　Adrienne；　〃you　are　good　enough〃

〃M。　Agricola；〃　said　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　interrupting　him；　〃please　to
remain　with　our　poor　friend：　I　shall　soon　be　back。〃

Then；　approaching　Mother　Bunch；　who　shared　in　Agricola's　astonishment　she
said　to　her：　〃Excuse　me　for　leaving　you　a　few　seconds。　　Only　regain　a
little　strength；　and；　when　I　return；　I　will　take　you　home　with　me；　dear
sister。〃

Then；　turning　towards　Rose…Pompon；　who　was　more　and　more　surprised　at
hearing　so　fine　a　lady　call　the　workgirl　her　sister；　she　added：　〃I　am
ready　whenever　you　please；　mademoiselle。〃

〃Beg　pardon；　madame；　if　I　go　first　to　show　you　the　way；　but　it's　a
regular　break…neck　sort　of　a　place；〃　answered　Rose…Pompon；　pressing　her
elbows　to　her　sides；　and　screwing　up　her　lips　to　prove　that　she　was　no
stranger　to　polite　manners　and　fine　language。　　And　the　two　rivals　quitted
the　garret　together；　leaving　Agricola　alone　with　Mother　Bunch。

Luckily；　the　disfigured　remains　of　the　Bacchanal　Queen　had　been　carried
into　Mother　Arsene's　subterraneous　shop；　so　that　the　crowd　of　spectators；
always　attracted　by　any　fatal　event；　had　assembled　in　front　of　the　house；
and　Rose…Pompon；　meeting　no　one　in　the　little　court　she　had　to　traverse
with　Adrienne；　continued　in　ignorance　of　the　tragical　death　of　her　old
friend　Cephyse。　　In　a　few　moments　the　grisette　and　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville
had　reached　Philemon's　apartment。　　This　singular　abode　remained　in　the
same　state　of　picturesque　disorder　in　which　Rose…Pompon　had　left　it；　when
Ninny　Moulin　came　to　fetch　her　to　act　the　heroine　of　a　mysterious
adventure。

Adrienne；　completely　ignorant　of　the　eccentric　modes　of　life　of　students
and　their　companions；　could　not；　in　spite　of　the　thoughts　which　occupied
her　mind；　forebear　examining；　with　a　mixture　of　surprise　and　curiosity；
this　strange　and　grotesque　chaos；　composed　of　the　most　dissimilar
objectsdisguises　for　masked　balls；　skulls　with　pipes　in　their　mouths；
odd　boots　standing　on　book　shelves；　monstrous　bottles；　women's　clothes；
ends　of　tobacco　pipes；　etc。；　etc。　　To　the　first　astonishment　of　Adrienne
succeeded　an　impression　of　painful　repugnance。　　The　young　lady　felt
herself　uneasy　and　out　of　place　in　this　abode；　not　of　poverty；　but
disorder；　whilst；　on　the　contrary；　the　sewing…girl's　miserable　garret　had
caused　her　no　such　feeling。

Rose…Pompon；　notwithstanding　all　her　airs；　was　considerably　troubled　when
she　found　herself　alone　with　Mdlle；　de　Cardoville；　the　rare　beauty　of　the
young　patrician；　her　fashionable　look；　the　elegance　of　her　manners；　the
style；　both　dignified　and　affable；　with　which　she　had　answered　the
impertinent　address　of　the　grisette；　began　to　have　their　effect　upon　the
latter；　who；　being　moreover　a　good…natured　girl；　had　been　touched　at
hearing　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　call　the　hunchback　〃friend　and　sister。〃
Without　knowing　exactly　who　Adrienne　was；　Rose…Pompon　was　not　ignorant
that　she　belonged　to　the　richest　and　highest　class　of　society；　she　felt
already　some　remorse　at　having　attacked　her　so　cavalierly；　and　her
intentions；　at　first　very　hostile　with　regard　to　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；
were　gradually　much　modified。　　Yet；　being　very　obstinate；　and　not　wishing
to　appear　to　submit　to　an　influence　that　offended　her　pride；　Rose…Pompon
endeavored　to　recover　her　assurance；　and；　having　bolted　the　door；　she
said　to　Adrienne：　〃Pray　do　me　the　favor　to　sit　down；　madame〃still　with
the　intention　of　showing　that　she　was　no　stranger　to　refined　manners　and
conversation。

Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　was　about　mechanically　to　take　a　chair；　when　Rose…
Pompon；　worthy　to　practise　those　ancient　virtues　of　hospitality；　which
regarded　even　an　enemy　as　sacred　in　the　person　of　a　guest；　cried　out
hastily：　〃Don't　take　that　chair；　madame；　it　wants　a　leg。〃

Adrienne　laid　her　hand　on　another　chair。

〃Nor　that　either；　the　back　is　quite　loose；〃　again　exclaimed　Rose…Pompon。
And　she　spoke　the　truth；　for　the　chair…back；　which　was　made　in　the　form
of　a　lyre；　remained　in　the　hands　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　who　said；　as
she　replaced　it　discreetly　in　its　former　position：　〃I　think；　miss；　that
we　can　very　well　talk　standing。〃

〃As　you　please；　madame；〃　replied　Rose…Pompon；　steadying　herself　the　more
bravely　the　more　uneasy　she　felt。　　And　the　interview　of　the　lady　and　the
grisette　began　in　this　fashion。




CHAPTER　XXXVI。

THE　INTERVIEW。

After　a　minute's　hesitation；　Rose…Pompon　said　to　Adrienne；　whose　heart
was　beating　violently：　〃I　will　tell　you　directly；　madame；　what　I　have　on
my　mind。　　I　should　not　have　gone　out　of　my　way　to　seek　you；　but；　as　I
happen　to　fall　in　with　you；　it　is　very　natural　I　should　take　advantage　of
it。〃

〃But；　miss；〃　said　Adrienne；　mildly；　〃may　I　at　least　know　the　subject　of
the　conversation　we　are　to　have　together？〃

〃Yes；　madame；〃　replied　Rose…Pompon；　affecting　an　air　of　still　more
decided　confidence；　〃first　of　all；　you　must　not　suppose　I　am　unhappy；　or
going　to　make　a　scene　of　jealousy；　or　cry　like　a　forsaken　damsel。　　Do　not
flatter　yourself！　　Thank　heaven；　I　have　no　reason　to　complain　of　Prince
Charmingthat　is　the　pet　name　I　gave　himon　the　contrary；　he　has　made
me　very　happy。　　If　I　left　him；　it　was　against　his　will；　and　because　I
chose。〃

So　saying；　Rose…Pompon；　whose　heart　was　swelling　in　spite　of　her　fine
airs；　could　not　repress　a　sigh。

〃Yes；　madame；〃　she　resumed；　〃I　left　him　because　I　chosefor　he　quite
doted　on　me。　　If　I　had　liked；　he　would　have　married　meyes；　madame；
married　meso　much　the　worse；　if　that　gives　you　pain。　　Though；　when　I
say　‘so　much　the　worse；'　it　is　true　that　I　meant　to　pain　you。　　To　be　sure
I　didbut　then；　just　now　when　I　saw　you　so　kind　to　poor　Mother　Bunch；
though　I　was　certainly　in　the　right；　still　I　felt　something。　　However；　to
cut　matters　short；　it　is　clear　that　I　detest　you；　and　that　you　deserve
it；〃　added　Rose…Pompon；　stamping　her　foot。

From　all　this　it　resulted；　even　for　a　person　much　less　sagacious　than
Adrienne；　and　much　less　interested　in　discovering　the　truth；　that　Rose…
Pompon；　notwithstanding　her　triumphant　airs　in　speaking　of　him　whom　she
represented　as　so　much　attached　to　her；　and　even　anxious　to　wed　her；　was
in　reality　completely　disappointed；　and　was　now　taking　refuge　in　a
deliberate　falsehood。　　It　was　evident　that　she　was　not　loved；　and　that
nothing　but　violent　jealousy　had　induced　her　to　desire　this　interview
with　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　in　order　to　make　what　is　vulgarly　called　a
scene；　considering　Adrienne　（the　reason　will　be　explained　presently）　as
her　successful　rival。　　But　Rose…Pompon；　having　recovered　her　good…nature；
found　it　very　difficult　to　continue　the　scene　in　question；　particularly
as；　for　many　reasons；　she　felt　overawed　by　Adrienne。

Though　she　had　expected；　if　not　the　singular　speech　of　the　grisette；　at
least　something　of　the　same　resultfor　she　felt　it　was　impossible　that
the　prince　could　entertain　a　serious　attachment　for　this　girlMdlle。　de
Cardoville　was　at　first　delighted　to　hear　the　confirmation　of　her　hopes
from　the　lips　of　her　rival；　but　suddenly　these　hopes　were　succeeded　by　a
cruel　apprehension；　which　we　will　endeavor　to　explain。　　What　Adrienne　had
just　heard　ought　to　have　satisfied　her　completely。　　Sure　that　the　heart
of　Djalma　had　never　ceased　to　belong　to　her；　she　ought；　according　to　the
customs　and　opinions　of　the　world；　to　have　cared　little　if；　in　the
effervescence　of　an　ardent　youth；　he　had　chanced　to　yield　to　some
ephemeral　caprice　for　this　creature；　who　was；　after　all；　very　pretty　and
desirablethe　more　especially　as　he　had　now　repaired　his　error　by
separating　from　her。

Notwithstanding　these　good　reasons；　such　an　error　of　the　senses　would　not
have　been　pardoned　by　Adrienne。　　She　did　not　understand　that　complete
separation　of　the　body　and　soul　that　would　make　the　one　exempt　from　the
stains　of　the　other。　　She　did　not　think　it　a　matter　of　indifference　to
toy　with　one　woman　whilst　you　were　thinking　of　another。　　Her　young；
chaste；　passionate　love　demanded　a