the wandering jew, volume 1-第19节

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announced　that　this　terrible　animal　united　vigor　with　suppleness；　and
strength　with　agility。

Morok；　with　his　iron　wand　still　extended　in　the　direction　of　the　cage；
made　a　step　towards　the　panther。　　The　panther　made　a　stride　towards　the
Prophet。　　Morok　stopped；　Death　stopped　also。

At　this　moment　the　tiger；　Judas；　to　whom　Morok's　back　was　turned；　bounded
violently　in　his　cage；　as　if　jealous　of　the　attention；　which　his　master
paid　to　the　panther。　　He　growled　hoarsely；　and；　raising　his　head；　showed
the　under…part　of　his　redoubtable　triangular　jaw；　and　his　broad　chest　of
a　dirty　white；　with　which　blended　the　copper　color；　streaked　with　black；
of　his　sides；　his　tail；　like　a　huge　red　serpent；　with　rings　of　ebony；　now
clung　to　his　flanks；　now　lashed　them　with　a　slow　and　continuous　movement：
his　eyes；　of　a　transparent；　brilliant　green；　were　fixed　upon　the　Prophet。

Such　was　the　influence　of　this　man　over　his　animals；　that　Judas　almost
immediately　ceased　growling；　as　if　frightened　at　his　own　temerity；　but
his　respiration　continued　loud　and　deep。　　Morok　turned　his　face　towards
him；　and　examined　him　very　attentively　during　some　seconds。　　The　panther；
no　longer　subject　to　the　influence　of　her　master's　look；　slunk　back　to
crouch　in　the　shade。

A　sharp　cracking；　in　sudden　breaks；　like　that　which　great　animals　make　in
gnawing　hard　substances；　was　now　heard　from　the　cage　of　the　lion。　　It
drew　the　attention　of　the　Prophet；　who；　leaving　the　tiger；　advanced
towards　the　other　den。

Nothing　could　be　seen　of　the　lion　but　his　monstrous　croup　of　a　reddish
yellow。　　His　thighs　were　gathered　under　him；　and　his　thick　mane　served
entirely　to　conceal　his　head。　　But　by　the　tension　and　movement　of　the
muscles　of　his　loins；　and　the　curving　of　his　backbone；　it　was　easy　to
perceive　that　he　was　making　violent　efforts　with　his　throat　and　his
forepaws。　　The　Prophet　approached　the　cage　with　same　uneasiness；　fearing
that；　notwithstanding　his　orders；　Goliath　had　given　the　lion　some　bones
to　gnaw。　　To　assure　himself　of　it；　he　said　in　a　quick　and　firm　voice：
〃Cain！〃

The　lion　did　not　change　his　position。

〃Cain！　come　here！〃　repeated　Morok　in　a　louder　tone。　　The　appeal　was
useless；　the　lion　did　not　move；　and　the　noise　continued。

〃Cain！　come　here！〃　said　the　Prophet　a　third　time；　but；　as　he　pronounced
these　words；　he　applied　the　end　of　the　glowing　bar　to　the　haunch　of　the
lion。

Scarcely　did　the　light　track　of　smoke　appear　on　the　reddish　hide　of　Cain；
when；　with　a　spring　of　incredible　agility；　he　turned　and　threw　himself
against　the　grating；　not　crouching；　but　at　a　single　boundupright；
superb；　terrifying。　　The　Prophet　being　at　the　angle　of　the　cage；　Cain；　in
his　fury；　had　raised　himself　sideways　to　face　his　master；　and；　leaning
his　huge　flank　against　the　bars；　thrust　between　them　his　enormous　fore…
leg；　which；　with　his　swollen　muscles；　was　as　large　as　Goliath's　thigh。

〃Cain！　down！〃　said　the　Prophet；　approaching　briskly。

The　lion　did　not　obey　immediately。　　His　lips；　curling　with　rage；
displayed　fangs　as　long；　as　large；　and　as　pointed　as　the　tusks　of　a　wild
boar。　　But　Morok　touched　those　lips　with　the　end　of　the　burning　metal；
and；　as　he　felt　the　smart；　followed　by　an　unexpected　summons　of　his
master；　the　lion；　not　daring　to　roar；　uttered　a　hollow　growl；　and　his
great　body　sank　down　at　once　in　an　attitude　of　submission　and　fear。

The　Prophet　took　down　the　lantern　to　see　what　Cain　had　been　gnawing。　　It
was　one　of　the　planks　from　the　floor　of　his　den；　which　he　had　succeeded
in　tearing　up；　and　was　crunching　between　his　teeth　in　the　extremity　of
his　hunger。　　For　a　few　moments　the　most　profound　silence　reigned　in　the
menagerie。　　The　Prophet；　with　his　hands　behind　his　back；　went　from　one
cage　to　the　other；　observing　the　animals　with　a　restless　contemplative
look；　as　if　he　hesitated　to　make　between　them　an　important　and　difficult
choice。

From　time　to　time　he　listened　at　the　great　door　of　the　shed；　which　opened
on　the　court…yard　of　the　inn。　　At　length　this　door　turned　on　its　hinges；
and　Goliath　appeared；　his　clothes　dripping　with　water。

〃Well！　is　it　done？〃　said　the　Prophet。

〃Not　without　trouble。　　Luckily；　the　night　is　dark；　it　blows　hard；　and　it
pours　with　rain。〃

〃Then　there　is　no　suspicion？〃

〃None；　master。　　Your　information　was　good。　　The　door　of　the　cellar　opens
on　the　fields；　just　under　the　window　of　the　lasses。　　When　you　whistled　to
let　me　know　it　was　time；　I　crept　out　with　a　stool　I　had　provided；　I　put
it　up　against　the　wall；　and　mounted　upon　it；　with　my　six　feet；　that　made
nine；　and　I　could　lean　my　elbows　on　the　window…ledge；　I　took　the　shutter
in　one　hand；　and　the　haft　of　my　knife　in　the　other；　and；　whilst　I　broke
two　of　the　panes；　I　pushed　the　shutter　with　all　my　might。〃

〃And　they　thought　it　was　the　wind？〃

〃Yes；　they　thought　it　was　the　wind。　　You　see；　the　'brute'　is　not　such　a
brute；　after　all。　　That　done；　I　crept　back　into　my　cellar；　carrying　my
stool　with　me。　　In　a　little　time；　I　heard　the　voice　of　the　old　man；　it
was　well　I　had　made　haste。〃

〃Yes；　when　I　whistled　to　you；　he　had　just　entered　the　supper…room。　　I
thought　he　would　have　been　longer。〃

〃That　man's　not　built　to　remain　long　at　supper；〃　said　the　giant；
contemptuously。　　〃Some　moments　after　the　panes　had　been　broken；　the　old
man　opened　the　window；　and　called　his　dog；　saying：　'Jump　out！'I　went
and　hid　myself　at　the　further　end　of　the　cellar；　or　that　infernal　dog
would　have　scented　me　through　the　door。〃

〃The　dog　is　now　shut　up　in　the　stable　with　the　old　man's　horse。〃
〃Go　on！〃

〃When　I　heard　them　close　shutter　and　window；　I　came　out　of　my　cellar；
replaced　my　stool；　and　again　mounted　upon　it。　　Unfastening　the　shutter；　I
opened　it　without　noise；　but　the　two　broken　panes　were　stopped　up　with
the　skirts　of　a　pelisse。　　I　heard　talking；　but　I　could　see　nothing；　so　I
moved　the　pelisse　a　little；　and　then　I　could　see　the　two　lasses　in　bed
opposite　to　me；　and　the　old　man　sitting　down　with　his　back　to　where　I
stood。〃

〃But　the　knapsackthe　knapsack？That　is　the　most　important。〃

〃The　knapsack　was　near　the　window；　on　a　table；　by　the　side　of　a　lamp；　I
could　have　reached　it　by　stretching　out　my　arm。〃

〃What　did　you　hear　said？〃

〃As　you　told　me　to　think　only　of　the　knapsack；　I　can　only　remember　what
concerns　the　knapsack。　　The　old　man　said　he　had　some　papers　in　itthe
letter　of　a　generalhis　moneyhis　cross。〃

〃Goodwhat　next？〃

〃As　it　was　difficult　for　me　to　keep　the　pelisse　away　from　the　hole；　it
slipped　through　my　fingers。　　In　trying　to　get　hold　of　it　again；　I　put　my
hand　too　much　forward。　　One　of　the　lasses　saw　it；　and　screamed　out；
pointing　to　the　window。〃

〃Dolt！〃　exclaimed　the　Prophet；　becoming　pale　with　rage；　〃you　have　ruined
all。〃

〃Stop　a　bit！　there　is　nothing　broken　yet。　　When　I　heard　the　scream；　I
jumped　down　from　my　stool；　and　got　back　into　the　cellar；　as　the　dog　was
no　longer　about；　I　left　the　door　ajar；　so　that　I　could　hear　them　open　the
window；　and　see；　by　the　light；　that　the　old　man　was　looking　out　with　the
lamp；　but　he　could　find　no　ladder；　and　the　window　was　too　high　for　any
man　of　common　size　to　reach　it！〃

〃He　will　have　thought；　like　the　first　time；　that　it　was　the　wind。　　You
are　less　awkward　than　I　imagined。〃

〃The　wolf　has　become　a　fox；　as　you　said。　　Knowing　where　the　knapsack　was
to　be　found　with　the　money　and　the　papers；　and　not　being　able　to　do　more
for　the　moment；　I　came　awayand　here　I　am。〃

〃Go　upstairs　and　fetch　me　the　longest　pike。〃

〃Yes；　master。〃

〃And　the　red　blanket。〃

〃Yes；　master。〃

〃Go！〃

Goliath　began　to　mount　the　ladder；　half…way　up　he　stopped。　　〃Master；〃
said　he；　〃may　I　not　bring　down　a　bit　of　meat　for　Death？you　will　see
that　she'll　bear　me　malice；　she　puts　it　all　down　to　my　account；　she　never
forgets；　and　on　the　first　occasion〃

〃The　pike　and　the　cloth！〃　repeated　the　Prophet；　in　an　imperious　tone。
And　whilst　Goliath；　swearing　to　himself；　proceeded　to　execute　his
instructions；　Morok　opened　the　great　door　of　the　shed；　looked　out　into
the　yard；　and　listened。

〃Here's　the　pike　and　the　cloth；〃　said　the　giant；　as　he　descended　the
ladder　with　the　articles。　　〃Now　what　must　I　do　next？〃

〃Return　to　the　cellar；　mount　once　more　by　the　window；　and　when　the　old
man　leaves　the　room〃

〃Who　will　make　him　leave　the　room？〃

〃Never　mind！　he　will　leave　it。〃

〃What　next？〃

〃You　say　the　lamp　is　near　the　window？〃

〃Quite　nearon　the　table　next　to　the　knapsack。〃

〃Well；　then；　as　soon　as　the　old　man　leaves　the　room；　push　open　the
window；　throw　down　the　lamp；　and　if　you　accomplish　cleverly　what　remains
to　dothe　ten　florins　are　yoursyou　remember　it　all？〃

〃Yes；　yes。〃

〃The　girls　will　be　so　frightened　by　the　noise　and　darkness；　that　they
will　remain　dumb　with　terror。〃

〃Make　yourself　easy！　　The　wolf　turned　into　a　fox；　why　not　a　serpent？〃

〃There　is　yet　something。〃

〃Well；　what　now？〃

〃The　roof　of　this　shed　is　not　very　high；　the　window　of　the　loft　is　easy
of　access；　the　night　is　darkinstead　of　returning　by　the　door〃

〃I　will　come　in　at　the　window。〃

〃Ay；　and　without　noise。〃

〃Like　a　regular　snake！〃　and　the　giant　departed。

〃Yes！〃　said　the　Prophet　to　himself；　after　a　long　silence；　〃these　means
are　sure。　　It　was　not　for