the wandering jew, volume 10-第9章

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〃And　despair！〃

〃But　why　despair？　　This　generous　young　lady　had　received　you　in　her
house；　she　knew　your　worth；　and　treated　you　as　her　friendand　just　at
the　moment　when　you　had　every　chance　of　happiness；　you　leave　the　house
abruptly；　and　we　remain　in　the　most　horrible　anxiety　on　your　account。〃

〃I　fearedto　beto　be　a　burden　to　my　benefactress；〃　stammered　she。

〃You　a　burden　to　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　that　is　so　rich　and　good！〃

〃I　feared　to　be　indiscreet；〃　said　the　sewing…girl；　more　and　more
embarrassed。

Instead　of　answering　his　adopted　sister；　Agricola　remained　silent；　and
contemplated　her　for　some　moments　with　an　undefinable　expression；　then　he
exclaimed　suddenly；　as　if　replying　to　a　question　put　by　himself：　〃She
will　forgive　me　for　disobeying　her。I　am　sure　of　it。〃

He　next　turned　towards　Mother　Bunch；　who　was　looking　at　him　in
astonishment；　and　said　to　her　in　a　voice　of　emotion：　〃I　am　too　frank　to
keep　up　this　deception。　　I　am　reproaching　youblaming　youand　my
thoughts　are　quite　different。〃

〃How　so；　Agricola？〃

〃My　heart　aches；　when　I　think　of　the　evil　I　have　done　you。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；　my　friend；　you　have　never　done　me　any　evil。〃

〃What！　never？　even　in　little　things？　when；　for　instance；　yielding　to　a
detestable　habit；　I；　who　loved　and　respected　you　as　my　sister；　insulted
you　a　hundred　times　a　day？〃

〃Insulted　me！〃

〃Yeswhen　I　gave　you　an　odious　and　ridiculous　nickname；　instead　of
calling　you　properly。〃

At　these　words；　Mother　Bunch　looked　at　the　smith　in　the　utmost　alarm；
trembling　lest　he　had　discovered　her　painful　secret；　notwithstanding　the
assurance　she　had　received　from　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville。　　Yet　she　calmed
herself　a　little　when　she　reflected；　that　Agricola　might　of　himself　have
thought　of　the　humiliation　inflicted　on　her　by　calling　her　Mother　Bunch；
and　she　answered　him　with　a　forced　smile。　　〃Can　you　be　grieved　at　so
small　a　thing？　　It　was　a　habit；　Agricola；　from　childhood。　　When　did　your
good　and　affectionate　mother；　who　nevertheless　loved　me　as　her　daughter；
ever　call　me　anything　else？〃

〃And　did　my　mother　consult　you　about　my　marriage；　speak　to　you　of　the
rare　beauty　of　my　bride；　beg　you　to　come　and　see　her；　and　study　her
character；　in　the　hope　that　the　instinct　of　your　affection　for　me　would
warn　youif　I　made　a　bad　choice？　　Did　my　mother　have　this　cruelty？No；
it　was　I；　who　thus　pierced　your　heart！〃

The　fears　of　the　hearer　were　again　aroused；　there　could　be　but　little
doubt　that　Agricola　knew　her　secret。　　She　felt　herself　sinking　with
confusion；　yet；　making　a　last　effort　not　to　believe　the　discovery；　she
murmured　in　a　feeble　voice：　〃True；　Agricola！　　It　was　not　your　mother；　but
yourself；　who　made　me　that　requestand　I　was　grateful　to　you　for　such　a
mark　of　confidence。〃

〃Grateful；　my　poor　girl！〃　cried　the　smith；　whilst　his　eyes　filled　with
tears；　〃no；　it　is　not　true。　　I　pained　you　fearfullyI　was　merciless
heaven　knows；　without　being　aware　of　it！〃

〃But；〃　said　the　other；　in　a　voice　now　almost　unintelligible；　〃what　makes
you　think　so？〃

〃Your　love　for　me！〃　cried　the　smith；　trembling　with　emotion；　as　he
clasped　Mother　Bunch　in　a　brotherly　embrace。

〃Oh　heaven！〃　murmured　the　unfortunate　creature；　as　she　covered　her　face
with　her　hands；　〃he　knows　all。〃

〃Yes；　I　know　all；〃　resumed　Agricola；　with　an　expression　of　ineffable
tenderness　and　respect：　〃yes；　I　know　all；　and　I　will　not　have　you　blush
for　a　sentiment；　which　honors　me；　and　of　which　I　feel　so　justly　proud。
Yes；　I　know　all；　and　I　say　to　myself　with　joy　and　pride；　that　the　best；
the　most　noble　heart　in　the　world　is　minewill　be　mine　always。　　Come；
Magdalen；　let　us　leave　shame　to　evil　passions。　　Raise　your　eyes；　and　look
at　me！　　You　know；　if　my　countenance　was　ever　falseif　it　ever　reflected
a　feigned　emotion。　　Then　look　and　tell　me；　if　you　cannot　read　in　my
features；　how　proud　I　am；　Magdalen；　how　justly　proud　of　your　love！〃

Overwhelmed　with　grief　and　confusion；　Mother　Bunch　had　not　dared　to　look
on　Agricola；　but　his　words　expressed　so　deep　a　conviction；　the　tones　of
his　voice　revealed　so　tender　an　emotion；　that　the　poor　creature　felt　her
shame　gradually　diminish；　particularly　when　Agricola　added；　with　rising
animation：　〃Be　satisfied；　my　sweet；　my　noble　Magdalen；　I　will　be　worthy
of　this　love。　　Believe　me；　it　shall　yet　cause　you　as　much　happiness　as　it
has　occasioned　tears。　　Why　should　this　love　be　a　motive　for　estrangement；
confusion；　fear？　　For　what　is　love；　in　the　sense　in　which　it　is　held　by
your　generous　heart？　　Is　it　not　a　continual　exchange　of　devotion；
tenderness；　esteem；　of　mutual　and　blind　confidence？Why；　Magdalen！　we
may　have　all　this　for　one　anotherdevotion；　tenderness；　confidenceeven
more　than　in　times　past；　for；　on　a　thousand　occasions；　your　secret
inspired　you　with　fear　and　suspicionwhile；　for　the　future；　on　the
contrary；　you　will　see　me　take　such　delight　in　the　place　I　fill　in　your
good　and　valiant　heart；　that　you　will　be　happy　in　the　happiness　you
bestow。　　What　I　have　just　said　may　seem　very　selfish　and　conceited；　so
much　the　worse！　　I　do　not　know　how　to　lie。〃

The　longer　the　smith　spoke；　the　less　troubled　became　Mother　Bunch。　　What
she　had　above　all　feared　in　the　discovery　of　her　secret　was　to　see　it
received　with　raillery；　contempt；　or　humiliating　compassion；　far　from
this；　joy　and　happiness　were　distinctly　visible　on　the　manly　and　honest
face　of　Agricola。　　The　hunchback　knew　him　incapable　of　deception；
therefore　she　exclaimed；　this　time　without　shame　or　confusion；　but　rather
with　a　sort　of　pride。

〃Every　sincere　and　pure　passion　is　so　far　good　and　con　soling　as　to　end
by　deserving　interest　and　sympathy；　when　it　has　triumphed　over　its　first
excess！　It　is　alike　honorable　to　the　heart　which　feels　and　that　which
inspires　it！Thanks　to　you；　Agricolathanks　to　the　kind　words；　which
have　raised　me　in　my　own　esteemI　feel　that；　instead　of　blushing；　I
ought　to　be　proud　of　this　love。　　My　benefactress　is　rightyou　are　right：
why　should　I　be　ashamed　of　it？　　Is　it　not　a　true　and　sacred　love？　　To　be
near　you；　to　love　you；　to　tell　you　so；　to　prove　it　by　constant　devotion；
what　did　I　ever　desire　more？　　And　yet　shame　and　fear；　joined　with　that
dizziness　of　the　brain　which　extreme　misery　produces；　drove　me　to
suicide！But　then　some　allowance　must　be　made　for　the　suspicions　of　a
poor　creature；　who　has　been　the　subject　of　ridicule　from　her　cradle。　　So
my　secret　was　to　die　with　me；　unless　some　unforeseen　accident　should
reveal　it　to　you；　and；　in　that　case；　you　are　rightsure　of　myself；　sure
of　you；　I　ought　to　have　feared　nothing。　　But　I　may　claim　some　indulgence；
mistrust；　cruel　mistrust　of　one's　self　makes　one　doubt　others　also。　　Let
us　forget　all　that。　　Agricola；　my　generous　brother；　I　will　say　to　you；　as
you　said　to　me　just　now；　‘Look　at　me；　you　know　my　countenance　cannot　lie。
Look　at　me：　see　if　I　shun　your　gaze；　see　if；　ever　in　my　life；　I　looked　so
happy'and　yet；　even　now；　I　was　about　to　die！〃

She　spoke　the　truth。　　Agricola　himself　could　not　have　hoped　so　prompt　an
effect　from　his　words。　　In　spite　of　the　deep　traces　which　misery；　grief；
and　sickness　had　imprinted　on　the　girl's　features；　they　now　shone　with
radiant　happiness　and　serenity；　whilst　her　blue　eyes；　gentle　and　pure　as
her　soul；　were　fixed；　without　embarrassment；　on　those　of　Agricola。

〃Oh！　thanks；　thanks！〃　cried　the　smith；　in　a　rapture　of　delight：　〃when　I
see　you　so　calm；　and　so　happy；　Magdalen；　I　am　indeed　grateful。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　calm；　I　am　happy；〃　replied　she；　〃and　happy　I　shall　be；　for　I
can　now　tell　you　my　most　secret　thoughts。　　Yes；　happy；　for　this　day；
which　began　so　fatally；　ends　like　a　divine　dream。　　Far　from　being　afraid；
I　now　look　at　you　with　hope　and　joy。　　I　have　again　found　my　generous
benefactress；　and　I　am　tranquil　as　to　the　fate　of　my　poor　sister。　　Oh！
shall　we　not　soon　see　her？　　I　should　like　her　to　take　part　in　this
happiness。〃

She　seemed　so　happy；　that　the　smith　did　not　dare　to　inform　her　of　the
death　of　Cephyse；　and　reserved　himself　to　communicate　the　same　at　a　more
fitting　opportunity。　　Therefore　he　answered：　〃Cephyse；　being　the
stronger；　has　been　the　more　shaken；　it　will　not　be　prudent；　I　am　told；　to
see　her　to…day。〃

〃I　will　wait　then