the wandering jew, volume 1-第16节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　hear　him　speak；〃　said　Rose。

〃It　is　as　if　he　were　close　beside　us；〃　added　Blanche。

And　the　girls　stretched　out　their　hands　with　eagerness；　to　catch　hold　of
the　leaves　that　Dagobert　had　taken　from　his　pocket。　　Then；　by　a
simultaneous　movement；　full　of　touching　grace；　they　pressed　the　writing
of　their　father　in　silence　to　their　lips。

〃You　will　see　also；　my　children；　at　the　end　of　this　letter；　why　I　was
surprised　that　your　guardian　angel；　as　you　say；　should　be　called　Gabriel。
Read；　read；〃　added　the　soldier；　observing　the　puzzled　air　of　the　orphans。
〃Only　I　ought　to　tell　you　that；　when　he　wrote　this；　the　general　had　not
yet　fallen　in　with　the　traveller　who　brought　the　papers。〃

Rose；　sitting　up　in　her　bed；　took　the　leaves；　and　began　to　read　in　a　soft
and　trembling　voice；　Blanche；　with　her　head　resting　on　her　sister's
shoulder；　followed　attentively　every　word。　　One　could　even　see；　by　the
slight　motion　of　her　lips；　that　she　too　was　reading；　but　only　to　herself。




CHAPTER　VIII。

EXTRACTS　FROM　GENERAL　SIMON'S　DIARY。

Bivouac　on　the　Mountains　of　Avers　February　the　20th；　1830。

〃Each　time　I　add　some　pages　to　this　journal；　written　now　in　the　heart　of
India；　where　the　fortune　of　my　wandering　and　proscribed　existence　has
thrown　mea　journal　which；　alas！　my　beloved　Eva；　you　may　never　readI
experience　a　sweet；　yet　painful　emotion；　for；　although　to　converse　thus
with　you　is　a　consolation；　it　brings　back　the　bitter　thought　that　I　am
unable　to　see　or　speak　to　you。

〃Still；　if　these　pages　should　ever　meet　your　eyes；　your　generous　heart
will　throb　at　the　name　of　the　intrepid　being；　to　whom　I　am　this　day
indebted　for　my　life；　and　to　whom　I　may　thus　perhaps　owe　the　happiness　of
seeing　you　againyou　and　my　childfor　of　course　our　child　lives。　　Yes；
it　must　befor　else；　poor　wife；　what　an　existence　would　be　yours　amid
the　horrors　of　exile！　　Dear　soul！　he　must　now　be　fourteen。　　Whom　does　he
resemble？　　Is　he　like　you？　　Has　he　your　large　and　beautiful　blue　eyes？
Madman　that　I　am！　how　many　times；　in　this　long　day…book；　have　I　already
asked　the　same　idle　question；　to　which　you　can　return　no　answer！How
many　times　shall　I　continue　to　ask　it？But　you　will　teach　our　child　to
speak　and　love　the　somewhat　savage　name　of　Djalma。〃

〃Djalma！〃　said　Rose；　as　with　moist　eyes　she　left　off　reading。

〃Djalma！〃　repeated　Blanche；　who　shared　the　emotion　of　her　sister。　　〃Oh；
we　shall　never　forget　that　name。〃

〃And　you　will　do　well；　my　children；　for　it　seems　to　be　the　name　of　a
famous　soldier；　though　a　very　young　one。　　But　go　on；　my　little　Rose！〃

〃I　have　told　you　in　the　preceding　pages；　my　dear　Eva；　of　the　two　glorious
days　we　had　this　month。　　The　troops　of　my　old　friend；　the　prince；　which
daily　make　fresh　advances　in　European　discipline；　have　performed　wonders。
We　have　beaten　the　English；　and　obliged　them　to　abandon　a　portion　of　this
unhappy　country；　which　they　had　invaded　in　contempt　of　all　the　rights　of
justice；　and　which　they　continue　to　ravage　without　mercy；　for；　in　these
parts；　warfare　is　another　name　for　treachery；　pillage；　and　massacre。
This　morning；　after　a　toilsome　march　through　a　rocky　and　mountainous
district；　we　received　information　from　our　scouts；　that　the　enemy　had
been　reinforced；　and　was　preparing　to　act　on　the　offensive；　and；　as　we
were　separated　from　them　by　a　distance　of　a　few　leagues　only；　an
engagement　became　inevitable。　　My　old　friend　the　prince；　the　father　of　my
deliverer；　was　impatient　to　march　to　the　attack。　　The　action　began　about
three　o'clock；　it　was　very　bloody　and　furious。　　Seeing　that　our　men
wavered　for　a　moment；　for　they　were　inferior　in　number；　and　the　English
reinforcements　consisted　of　fresh　troops；　I　charged　at　the　head　of　our
weak　reserve　of　cavalry。　　The　old　prince　was　in　the　centre；　fighting；　as
he　always　fights；　intrepidly；　his　son；　Djalma；　scarcely　eighteen；　as
brave　as　his　father；　did　not　leave　my　side。　　In　the　hottest　part　of　the
engagement；　my　horse　was　killed　under　me；　and　rolling　over　into　a　ravine；
along　the　edge　of　which　I　was　riding；　I　found　myself　so　awkwardly
entangled　beneath　him；　that　for　an　instant　I　thought　my　thigh　was
broken。〃

〃Poor　father！〃　said　Blanche。

〃This　time；　happily；　nothing　more　dangerous　ensued　thanks　to　Djalma！　　You
see；　Dagobert；〃　added　Rose；　〃that　I　remember　the　name。〃　　And　she
continued　to　read；

〃The　English　thoughtand　a　very　flattering　opinion　it　wasthat；　if　they
could　kill　me；　they　would　make　short　work　of　the　prince's　army。　　So　a
Sepoy　officer；　with　five　or　six　irregularscowardly；　ferocious
plunderersseeing　me　roll　down　the　ravine；　threw　themselves　into　it　to
despatch　me。　　Surrounded　by　fire　and　smoke；　and　carried　away　by　their
ardor；　our　mountaineers　had　not　seen　me　fall；　but　Djalma　never　left　me。
He　leaped　into　the　ravine　to　my　assistance；　and　his　cool　intrepidity
saved　my　life。　　He　had　held　the　fire　of　his　double…barrelled　carbine；
with　one　load；　he　killed　the　officer　on　the　spot；　with　the　other　he　broke
the　arm　of　an　irregular；　who　had　already　pierced　my　left　hand　with　his
bayonet。　　But　do　not　be　alarmed；　dear　Eva；　it　is　nothingonly　a
scratch。〃

〃Woundedagain　woundedalas！〃　cried　Blanche；　clasping　her　hands
together；　and　interrupting　her　sister。

〃Take　courage！〃　said　Dagobert：　〃I　dare　say　it　was　only　a　scratch；　as　the
general　calls　it。　　Formerly；　he　used　to　call　wounds；　which　did　not
disable　a　man　from　fighting；　blank　wounds。　　There　was　no　one　like　him　for
such　sayings。〃

〃Djalma；　seeing　me　wounded；〃　resumed　Rose；　wiping　her　eyes；　〃made　use　of
his　heavy　carbine　as　a　club；　and　drove　back　the　soldiers。　　At　that
instant；　I　perceived　a　new　assailant；　who；　sheltered　behind　a　clump　of
bamboos　which　commanded　the　ravine；　slowly　lowered　his　long　gun；　placed
the　barrel　between　two　branches；　and　took　deliberate　aim　at　Djalma。
Before　my　shouts　could　apprise　him　of　his　danger；　the　brave　youth　had
received　a　ball　in　his　breast。　　Feeling　himself　hit；　he　fell　bark
involuntarily　two　paces；　and　dropped　upon　one　knee：　but　he　still　remained
firm；　endeavoring　to　cover　me　with　his　body。　　You　may　conceive　my　rage
and　despair；　whilst　all　my　efforts　to　disengage　myself　were　paralyzed　by
the　excruciating　pain　in　my　thigh。　　Powerless　and　disarmed；　I　witnessed
for　some　moments　this　unequal　struggle。

〃Djalma　was　losing　blood　rapidly；　his　strength　of　arm　began　to　fail　him；
already　one　of　the　irregulars；　inciting　his　comrades　with　his　voice；　drew
from　his　belt　a　huge；　heavy　kind　of　bill…hook；　when　a　dozen　of　our
mountaineers　made　their　appearance；　borne　towards　the　spot　by　the
irresistible　current　of　the　battle。　　Djalma　was　rescued　in　his　turn；　I
was　released；　and；　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　I　was　able　to　mount　a　horse。
The　fortune　of　the　day　is　ours；　though　with　severe　loss；　but　the　fires　of
the　English　camp　are　still　visible；　and　to…morrow　the　conflict　will　be
decisive。　　Thus；　my　beloved　Eva；　I　owe　my　life　to　this　youth。　　Happily；
his　wound　occasions　us　no　uneasiness；　the　ball　only　glanced　along　the
ribs　in　a　slanting　direction。〃

〃The　brave　boy　might　have　said：　〃'A　blank　wound；'　like　the　general；〃
observed　Dagobert。

〃Now；　my　dear　Eva；〃　continued　Rose；　〃you　must　become　acquainted；　by　means
of　this　narrative　at　least；　with　the　intrepid　Djalma。　　He　is　but　just
eighteen。　　With　one　word；　I　will　paint　for　you　his　noble　and　valiant
nature；　it　is　a　custom　of　this　country　to　give　surnames；　and；　when　only
fifteen；　he　was　called　'The　Generous'by　which　was；　of　course；　meant
generous　in　heart　and　mind。　　By　another　custom；　no　less　touching　than
whimsical；　this　name　was　reverted　to　his　parent；　who　is　called　'The
Father　of　the　Generous；'　and　who　might；　with　equal　propriety；　be　called
'The　Just；'　for　this　old　Indian　is　a　rare　example　of　chivalrous　honor　and
proud　independence。　　He　might；　like　so　many　other　poor　princes　of　this
country；　have　humbled　himself　before　the　execrable　despotism　of　the
English；　bargained　for　the　relinquishment　of　sovereign　power；　and
submitted　to　brute　forcebut　it　was　not　in　his　nature。　　'My　whole
rights；　or　a　grave　in　my　native　mountains！'such　is　his　motto。　　And　this
is　no　empty　boast；　it　springs　from　the　conviction　of　what　is　right　and
just。　　'But　you　will　be　crushed　in　the　struggle；'　I　have　said　to　him'My
friend；'　he　answered；　'what　if；　to　force　you　to　a　disgraceful　act；　you
were　told　to　yield　or　die？'From　that　day　I　understood　him；　and　have
devoted　myself；　mind　and　body；　to　the　ever　sacred　cause　of　the　weak
against　the　strong。　　You　see；　my　Eva；　that　Djalma　shows　himself　worthy　of
such　a　father。　　This　young　Indian　is　so　proud；　so　heroic　in　his　bravery；
that；　like　a　young　Greek　of　Leonidas'　age；　he　fights　with　his　breast
bare；　while　other　warriors　of　his　country　（who；　indeed；　usually　have
arms；　breast；　and　shoulders　uncovered）　wear；　in　time　of　battle；　a　thick；
impenetrable　vest。　　The　rash　daring　of　this　youth　reminds　me　of　Murat；
King　of　Naples；　who；　I　have　so　often　told　you；　I　have　seen　a　hundred
times　leading　the　most　desperate　charges　with　nothing　but　a　riding…whip
in　his　hand。〃

〃That's　another　of　those　kings　I　was　telling　you　of；　whom　the　Emperor　set
up　for　his　amusement；〃　said　Dagobert。　　〃I　once　saw　a　Prussian　officer
prisoner；　whose　face　had　been　cu