the wandering jew, volume 1-第14节

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comfort　them；　and　tell　them　you　are　my　friend。'〃

〃Always　the　same；〃　said　Rose；　with　emotion；　as　she　looked　affectionately
at　Dagobert。

〃As　faithful　to　the　father　and　mother　as　to　their　children；〃　added
Blanche。

〃To　love　one　was　to　love　them　all；〃　replied　the　soldier。　　〃Well；　the
general　joined　the　Emperor　at　Elba；　I　remained　at　Warsaw；　concealed　in
the　neighborhood　of　your　mother's　house；　I　received　the　letters；　and
conveyed　them　to　her　clandestinely。　　In　one　of　those　lettersI　feel
proud　to　tell　you　of　it　my　childrenthe　general　informed　me　that　the
Emperor　himself　had　remembered　me。〃

〃What；　did　he　know　you？〃

〃A　little；　I　flatter　myself'Oh！　Dagobert！'　said　he　to　your　father；　who
was　talking　to　him　about　me；　'a　horse…grenadier　of　my　old　guarda
soldier　of　Egypt　and　Italy；　battered　with　woundsan　old　dare…devil；　whom
I　decorated　with　my　own　hand　at　WagramI　have　not　forgotten　him！'I
vow；　children；　when　your　mother　read　that　to　me；　I　cried　like　a　fool。〃

〃The　Emperorwhat　a　fine　golden　face　he　has　on　the　silver　cross　with　the
red　ribbon　that　you　would　sometimes　show　us　when　we　behaved　well。〃

〃That　crossgiven　by　himis　my　relic。　　It　is　there　in　my　knapsack；　with
whatever　we　have　of　valueour　little　purse　and　papers。　　But；　to　return
to　your　mother；　it　was　a　great　consolation　to　her；　when　I　took　her
letters　from　the　general；　or　talked　with　her　about　himfor　she　suffered
muchoh；　so　much！　　In　vain　her　parents　tormented　and　persecuted　her；　she
always　answered：　'I　will　never　marry　any　one　but　General　Simon。'　　A
spirited　woman；　I　can　tell　youresigned；　but　wonderfully　courageous。
One　day　she　received　a　letter　from　the　general；　he　had　left　the　Isle　of
Elba　with　the　Emperor；　the　war　had　again　broken　out；　a　short　campaign；
but　as　fierce　as　ever；　and　heightened　by　soldiers'　devotion。　　In　that
campaign　of　France；　my　children；　especially　at　Montmirail；　your　father
fought　like　a　lion；　and　his　division　followed　his　example　it　was　no
longer　valorit　was　frenzy。　　He　told　me　that；　in　Champagne；　the　peasants
killed　so　many　of　those　Prussians；　that　their　fields　were　manured　with
them　for　years。　　Men；　women；　children；　all　rushed　upon　them。　　Pitchforks；
stones；　mattocks；　all　served　for　the　slaughter。　　It　was　a　true　wolf…
hunt！〃

The　veins　swelled　on　the　soldier's　forehead；　and　his　cheeks　flushed　as　he
spoke；　for　this　popular　heroism　recalled　to　his　memory　the　sublime
enthusiasm　of　the　wars　of　the　republicthose　armed　risings　of　a　whole
people；　from　which　dated　the　first　steps　of　his　military　career；　as　the
triumphs　of　the　Empire　were　the　last　days　of　his　service。

The　orphans；　too；　daughters　of　a　soldier　and　a　brave　woman；　did　not
shrink　from　the　rough　energy　of　these　words；　but　felt　their　cheeks　glow；
and　their　hearts　beat　tumultuously。

〃How　happy　we　are　to　be　the　children　of　so　brave　a　father！〃　cried
Blanche。

〃It　is　a　happiness　and　an　honor　too；　my　childrenfor　the　evening　of　the
battle　of　Montmirail；　the　Emperor；　to　the　joy　of　the　whole　army；　made
your　father　Duke　of　Ligny　and　Marshal　of　France。〃

〃Marshal　of　France！〃　said　Rose　in　astonishment；　without　understanding　the
exact　meaning　of　the　words。

〃Duke　of　Ligny！〃　added　Blanche　with　equal　surprise。

〃Yes；　Peter　Simon；　the　son　of　a　workman；　became　duke　and　marshalthere
is　nothing　higher　except　a　king！〃　resumed　Dagobert；　proudly。　　〃That's　how
the　Emperor　treated　the　sons　of　the　people；　and；　therefore；　the　people
were　devoted　to　him。　　It　was　all　very　fine　to　tell　them　'Your　Emperor
makes　you　food　for　cannon。'　　'Stuff！'　replied　the　people；　who　are　no
fools；　'another　would　make　us　food　for　misery。　　We　prefer　the　cannon；
with　the　chance　of　becoming　captain　or　colonel；　marshal；　kingor
invalid；　that's　better　than　to　perish　with　hunger；　cold；　and　age；　on
straw　in　a　garret；　after　toiling　forty　years　for　others。'〃

〃Even　in　Franceeven　in　Paris；　that　beautiful　citydo　you　mean　to　say
there　are　poor　people　who　die　of　hunger　and　misery；　Dagobert？〃

〃Even　in　Paris？　　Yes；　my　children；　therefore；　I　come　back　to　the　point；
the　cannon　is　better。　　With　it；　one　has　the　chance　of　becoming；　like　your
father；　duke　and　marshal：　when　I　say　duke　and　marshal；　I　am　partly　right
and　partly　wrong；　for　the　title　and　the　rank　were　not　recognized　in　the
end；　because；　after　Montmirail；　came　a　day　of　gloom；　a　day　of　great
mourning；　when；　as　the　general　has　told　me；　old　soldiers　like　myself
weptyes；　wept！on　the　evening　of　a　battle。　　That　day；　my　children；　was
Waterloo！〃

There　was　in　these　simple　words　of　Dagobert　an　expression　of　such　deep
sorrow；　that　it　thrilled　the　hearts　of　the　orphans。

〃Alas！〃　resumed　the　soldier；　with　a　sigh；　〃there　are　days　which　seem　to
have　a　curse　on　them。　　That　same　day；　at　Waterloo；　the　general　fell；
covered　with　wounds；　at　the　head　of　a　division　of　the　Guards。　　When　he
was　nearly　cured；　which　was　not　for　a　long　time；　he　solicited　permission
to　go　to　St。　Helenaanother　island　at　the　far　end　of　the　world；　to　which
the　English　had　carried　the　Emperor；　to　torture　him　at　their　leisure；　for
if　he　was　very　fortunate　in　the　first　instance；　he　had　to　go　through　a
deal　of　hard　rubs　at　last；　my　poor　children。〃

〃If　you　talk　in　that　way；　you　will　make　us　cry；　Dagobert。〃

〃There　is　cause　enough　for　it　…the　Emperor　suffered　so　much！　　He　bled
cruelly　at　the　heart　believe　me。　　Unfortunately；　the　general　was　not　with
him　at　St。　Helena；　he　would　have　been　one　more　to　console　him；　but　they
would　not　allow　him　to　go。　　Then；　exasperated；　like　so　many　others；
against　the　Bourbons；　the　general　engaged　in　a　conspiracy　to　recall　the
son　of　the　Emperor。　　He　relied　especially　on　one　regiment；　nearly　all
composed　of　his　old　soldiers；　and　he　went　down　to　a　place　in　Picardy；
where　they　were　then　in　garrison；　but　the　conspiracy　had　already　been
divulged。　　Arrested　the　moment　of　his　arrival；　the　general　was　taken
before　the　colonel　of　the　regiment。　　And　this　colonel；〃　said　the　soldier；
after　a　brief　pause；　〃who　do　you　think　it　was　again？　　Bah！　it　would　be
too　long　to　tell　you　all；　and　would　only　make　you　more　sad；　but　it　was　a
man　whom　your　father　had　many　reasons　to　hate。　　When　he　found　himself
face　to　face　with　him；　he　said：　'if　you　are　not　a　coward；　you　will　give
me　one　hour's　liberty；　and　we　will　fight　to　the　death；　I　hate　you　for
this；　I　despise　you　for　that'and　so　on。　　The　colonel　accepted　the
challenge；　and　gave　your　father　his　liberty　till　the　morrow。　　The　duel
was　a　desperate　one；　the　colonel　was　left　for　dead　on　the　spot。〃

〃Merciful　heaven！〃

〃The　general　was　yet　wiping　his　sword；　when　a　faithful　friend　came　to
him；　and　told　him　he　had　only　just　time　to　save　himself。　　In　fact；　he
happily　succeeded　in　leaving　Franceyes；　happilyfor　a　fortnight　after；
he　was　condemned　to　death　as　a　conspirator。〃

〃What　misfortunes；　good　heaven！〃

〃There　was　some　luck；　however；　in　the　midst　of　his　troubles。　　Your　mother
had　kept　her　promise　bravely；　and　was　still　waiting　for　him。　　She　had
written　to　him：　'The　Emperor　first；　and　me　next！'　both　unable　to　do
anything　more　for　the　Emperor；　nor　even　for　his　son；　the　general；
banished　from　France；　set　out　for　Warsaw。　　Your　mother　had　lost　her
parents；　and　was　now　free；　they　were　marriedand　I　am　one　of　the
witnesses　to　the　marriage。〃

〃You　are　right；　Dagobert；　that　was　great　happiness　in　the　midst　of　great
misfortunes！〃

〃Yes；　they　were　very　happy；　but；　as　it　happened　with　all　good　hearts；　the
happier　they　were　themselves；　the　more　they　felt　for　the　sorrows　of
othersand　there　was　quite　enough　to　grieve　them　at　Warsaw。　　The
Russians　had　again　begun　to　treat　the　Poles　as　their　slaves；　your　brave
mother；　though　of　French　origin；　was　a　Pole　in　heart　and　soul；　she　spoke
out　boldly　what　others　did　not　dare　speak　in　a　whisper；　and　all　the
unfortunate　called　her　their　protecting　angel。　　That　was　enough　to　excite
the　suspicions　of　the　Russian　governor。　　One　day；　a　friend　of　the
general's；　formerly　a　colonel　in　the　lancers；　a　brave　and　worthy　man；　was
condemned　to　be　exiled　to　Siberia　for　a　military　plot　against　the
Russians。　　He　took　refuge　in　your　father's　house；　and　lay　hid　there；　but
his　retreat　was　discovered。　　During　the　next　night；　a　party　of　Cossacks；
commanded　by　an　officer；　and　followed　by　a　travelling…carriage；　arrive　at
our　door；　they　rouse　the　general　from　his　sleep　and　take　him　away　with
them。〃

〃Oh；　heaven！　what　did　they　mean　to　do　with　him？〃

〃Conduct　him　out　of　the　Russian　dominions；　with　a　charge　never　to　return；
on　pain　of　perpetual　imprisonment。　　His　last　words　were：　'Dagobert；　I
entrust　to　thee　my　wife　and　child！'for　it　wanted　yet　some　months　of　the
time　when　you　were　to　be　born。　　Well；　notwithstanding　that；　they　exiled
your　mother　to　Siberia；　it　was　an　opportunity　to　get　rid　of　her；　she　did
too　much　good　at　Warsaw；　and　they　feared　her　accordingly。　　Not　content
with　banishing　her；　they　confiscated　all　her　property；　the　only　favor　she
could　obtain　was；　that　I　should　accompany　her；　and；　had　it　not　been　for
Jovial；　whom　the　general　had　given　to　me；　she　would　have　had　to　make　the
journey　on　foot。　　It　was　thus；　with　her　on　horseback；　and　I　leading　her
as　I　lead　you；　my　children；　that　we　arrived　at　the　poverty…stricken
village；　where；　three　months