the wandering jew, volume 10-第7章

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toy　with　one　woman　whilst　you　were　thinking　of　another。　　Her　young；
chaste；　passionate　love　demanded　an　absolute　fealtya　fealty　as　just　in
the　eyes　of　heaven　and　nature　as　it　may　be　ridiculous　and　foolish　in　the
eyes　of　man。　　For　the　very　reason　that　she　cherished　a　refined　religion
of　the　senses；　and　revered　them　as　an　adorable　and　divine　manifestation；
Adrienne　had　all　sorts　of　delicate　scruples　and　nice　repugnances；　unknown
to　the　austere　spirituality　of　those　ascetic　prudes　who　despise　vile
matter　too　much　to　take　notice　of　its　errors；　and　allow　it　to　grovel　in
filth；　to　show　the　contempt　in　which　they　hold　it。　　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville
was　not　one　of　those　wonderfully　modest　creatures　who　would　die　of
confusion　rather　than　say　plainly　that　they　wished　for　a　young　and
handsome　husband；　at　once　ardent　and　pure。　　It　is　true　that　they
generally　marry　old；　ugly；　and　corrupted　men；　and　make　up　for　it　by
taking　two　or　three　lovers　six　months　after。　　But　Adrienne　felt
instinctively　how　much　of　virginal　and　celestial　freshness　there　is　in
the　equal　innocence　of　two　loving　and　passionate　beingswhat　guarantees
for　the　future　in　the　remembrance　which　a　man　preserves　of　his　first
love！

We　say；　then；　that　Adrienne　was　only　half…satisfied；　though　convinced　by
the　vexation　of　Rose…Pompon　that　Djalma　had　never　entertained　a　serious
attachment　for　the　grisette。

〃And　why　do　you　detest　me；　miss？〃　said　Adrienne　mildly；　when　Rose…Pompon
had　finished　her　speech。

〃Oh！　bless　me；　madame！〃　replied　the　latter；　forgetting　altogether　her
assumption　of　triumph；　and　yielding　to　the　natural　sincerity　of　her
character；　〃pretend　that　you　don't　know　why　I　detest　you！Oh；　yes！
people　go　and　pick　bouquets　from　the　jaws　of　a　panther　for　people　that
they　care　nothing　about；　don't　they？　　And　if　it　was　only　that！〃　added
Rose…Pompon；　who　was　gradually　getting　animated；　and　whose　pretty　face；
at　first　contracted　into　a　sullen　pout；　now　assumed　an　expression　of　real
and　yet　half…comic　sorrow。

〃And　if　it　was　only　the　nosegay！〃　resumed　she。　　〃Though　it　gave　me　a
dreadful　turn　to　see　Prince　Charming　leap　like　a　kid　upon　the　stage；　I
might　have　said　to　myself：　‘Pooh！　these　Indians　have　their　own　way　of
showing　politeness。　　Here；　a　lady　drops　her　nosegay；　and　a　gentleman
picks　it　up　and　gives　it　to　her；　but　in　India　it　is　quite　another　thing；
the　man　picks　up　the　nosegay；　and　does　not　return　it　to　the　womanhe
only　kills　a　panther　before　her　eyes。'　　Those　are　good　manners　in　that
country；　I　suppose；　but　what　cannot　be　good　manners　anywhere　is　to　treat
a　woman　as　I　have　been　treated。　　And　all　thanks　to　you；　madame！〃

These　complaints　of　Rose…Pompon；　at　once　bitter　and　laughable；　did　not　at
all　agree　with　what　she　had　previously　stated　as　to　Djalma's　passionate
love　for　her；　but　Adrienne　took　care　not　to　point　out　this　contradiction；
and　said　to　her；　mildly：　〃You　must　be　mistaken；　miss；　when　you　suppose
that　I　had　anything　to　do　with　your　troubles。　　But；　in　any　case；　I　regret
sincerely　that　you　should　have　been　ill…treated　by　any　one。〃

〃If　you　think　I　have　been　beaten；　you　are　quite　wrong；〃　exclaimed　Rose…
Pompon。　　〃Ah！　well；　I　am　sure！　　No；　it　is　not　that。　　But　I　am　certain
that；　had　it　not　been　for　you；　Prince　Charming　would　have　got　to　love　me
a　little。　　I　am　worthy　of　the　trouble；　after　alland　then　there　are
different　sorts　of　loveI　am　not　so　very　particularnot　even　so　much　as
that；〃　added　Rose…Pompon；　snapping　her　fingers。

〃Ah！〃　she　continued；　〃when　Ninny　Moulin　came　to　fetch　me；　and　brought　me
jewels　and　laces　to　persuade　me　to　go　with　him；　he　was　quite　right　in
saying　there　was　no　harm　in　his　offers。〃

〃Ninny　Moulin？〃　asked　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　becoming　more　and　more
interested；　〃who　is　this　Ninny　Moulin；　miss？〃

〃A　religious　writer；〃　answered　Rose…Pompon；　pouting；　〃the　right…hand　man
of　a　lot　of　old　sacristans；　whose　money　he　takes　on　pretense　of　writing
about　morality　and　religion。　　A　fine　morality　it　is！〃

At　these　words〃a　religious　writer〃〃sacristans〃　Adrienne　instantly
divined　some　new　plot　of　Rodin　or　Father　d'Aigrigny；　of　which　she　and
Djalma　were　to　have　been　the　victims。　　She　began　vaguely　to　perceive　the
real　state　of　the　case；　as　she　resumed：　〃But；　miss；　under　what　pretence
could　this　man　take　you　away　with　him？〃

〃He　came　to　fetch　me；　and　said　I　need　not　fear　for　my　virtue；　and　was
only　to　make　myself　look　pretty。　　So　I　said　to　myself：　'Philemon's　out　of
town；　and　it's　very　dull　here　all　alone：　This　seems　a　droll　affair；　what
can　I　risk　by　it？'Alas！　I　didn't　know　what　I　risked；〃　added　Rose…
Pompon；　with　a　sigh。　　〃Well！　Ninny　Moulin　takes　me　away　in　a　fine
carriage。　　We　stop　in　the　Place　du　Palais…Royal。　　A　sullen…looking　man；
with　a　yellow　face；　gets　up　in　the　room　of　Ninny　Moulin；　and　takes　me　to
the　house　of　Prince　Charming。　　When　I　saw　himla！　he　was　so　handsome；　so
very　handsome；　that　I　was　quite　dizzy…like；　and　he　had　such　a　kind；　noble
air；　that　I　said　to　myself；　'Well！　there　will　be　some　credit　if　I　remain
a　good　girl　now！'I　did　not　know　what　a　true　word　I　was　speaking。　　I
have　been　goodoh！　worse　than　good。〃

〃What；　miss！　do　you　regret　having　been　so　virtuous？〃

〃Why；　you　see；　I　regret；　at　least；　that　I　have　not　had　the　pleasure　of
refusing。　　But　how　can　you　refuse；　when　nothing　is　askedwhen　you　are
not　even　thought　worth　one　little　loving　word？〃

〃But；　miss；　allow　me　to　observe　to　you　that　the　indifference　of　which　you
complain　does　not　see　to　have　prevented　your　making　a　long　stay　in　the
house　in　question。〃

〃How　should　I　know　why　the　prince　kept　me　there；　or　took　me　out　riding
with　him；　or　to　the　play？　　Perhaps　it　is　the　fashion　in　his　savage
country　to　have　a　pretty　girl　by　your　side；　and　to　pay　no　attention　to
her　at　all！〃

〃But　why；　then；　did　you　remain；　miss？〃

〃Why　did　I　remain？〃　said　Rose…Pompon；　stamping　her　loot　with　vexation。
〃I　remained　because；　without　knowing　how　it　happened；　I　began　to　get　very
fond　of　Prince　Charming；　and　what　is　queer　enough；　I；　who　am　as　gay　as　a
lark；　loved　him　because　he　was　so　sorrowful；　which　shows　that　it　was　a
serious　matter。　　At　last；　one　day；　I　could　hold　out　no　longer。　　I　said：
‘Never　mind；　I　don't　care　for　the　consequences。　　Philemon；　I　am　sure；　is
having　his　fun　in　the　country。'　　That　set　my　mind　at　ease。　　So　one
morning；　I　dress　myself　in　my　best；　all　very　pretty；　look　in　my　glass；
and　say：　〃Well；　that　will　dohe　can't　stand　that；！'　and；　going　to　his
room；　I　tell　him　all　that　passes　through　my　head；　I　laugh；　I　cryat　last
I　tell　him　that　I　adore　him。　　What　do　you　think　he　answers；　in　his　mild
voice；　and　as　cold　as　a　piece　of　marble？　　Why；　‘Poor　childpoor　child
poor　child！'〃　added　Rose…Pompon；　with　indignation；　〃neither　more　nor　less
than　if　I　had　come　to　complain　to　him　of　the　toothache。　　But　the　worst　of
it　is　that　I　am　sure；　if　he　were　not　in　love　elsewhere；　he　would　be　all
fire　and　gunpowder。　　Only　now　he　is　so　sad；　so　dejected！〃

Then；　pausing　a　moment；　Rose…Pompon　added：　〃No；　I　will　not　tell　you　that；
you　would　be　too　pleased。〃　But；　after　another　pause；　she　continued：
〃Well；　never　mind；　I　will　tell　you；　though〃；　and　this　singular　girl
looked　at　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　with　a　mixture　of　sympathy　and　deference。
〃Why　should　I　keep　it　from　you？　　I　began　by　riding　the　high　horse；　and
saying　that　the　prince　wished　to　marry　me；　and　I　finished　by　confessing
that　he　almost　turned　me　out。　　Well；　it's　not　my　fault；　when　I　try　to
fib；　I　am　sure　to　get　confused。　　So；　madame；　this　is　the　plain　truth：
When　I　met　you　at　poor　Mother　Bunch's；　I　was　at　first　as　angry　as　a
little　turkey…cock；　but　when　I　heard　you；　that　are　such　a　fine　great
lady；　speak　so　kindly　to　the　poor　girl；　and　treat　her　as　your　sister；　do
what　I　would；　my　anger　began　to　go　away。　　Since　we　have　been　here；　I　have
done　my　utmost　to　get　it　up　again；　but　I　find　it　impossible；　and　the　more
I　see　the　difference　between　us；　the　more　I　perceive　that　Prince　Charming
was　right　in　thinking　so　much　of　you。　　For　you　must　know；　madame；　that　he
is　over　head　and　ears　in　love　with　you。　　I　don't　say　so　merely　because　he
killed　the　panther　for　you　at　the　Porte…Saint…Martin；　but　if　you　knew　all
the　tricks　he　played　with　your　bouquet；　and