the wandering jew, volume 1-第21节

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〃Perhaps　it　was　this　unexpected　sorrow　that　was　the　cause　of　her　sudden
illness。〃

〃Alas！　no；　my　children；　it　was　that　infernal　cholera；　who　arrives　without
giving　you　noticefor　he　too　is　a　great　travellerand　strikes　you　down
like　a　thunderbolt。　　Three　hours　after　the　traveller　had　left　us；　when
you　returned　quite　pleased　and　gay　from　the　forest；　with　your　large
bunches　of　wild…flowers　for　your　mother；　she　was　already　in　the　last
agony；　and　hardly　to　be　recognized。　　The　cholera　had　broken　out　in　the
village；　and　that　evening　five　persons　died　of　it。　　Your　mother　had　only
time　to　hang　the　medal　about　your　neck；　my　dear　little　Rose；　to　recommend
you　both　to　my　care；　and　to　beg　that　we　should　set　out　immediately。　　When
she　was　gone；　the　new　order　of　exile　could　not　apply　to　you；　and　I
obtained　permission　from　the　governor　to　take　my　departure　with　you　for
France；　according　to　the　last　wishes〃

The　soldier　could　not　finish　the　sentence；　he　covered　his　eyes　with　his
hand；　whilst　the　orphans　embraced　him　sobbing。

〃Oh！　but；〃　resumed　Dagobert；　with　pride；　after　a　moment　of　painful
silence；　〃it　was　then　that　you　showed　yourselves　the　brave　daughters　of
the　general。　　Notwithstanding　the　danger；　it　was　impossible　to　tear　you
from　your　mother's　bedside；　you　remained　with　her　to　the　last；　you　closed
her　eyes；　you　watched　there　all　night；　and　you　would　not　leave　the
village　till　you　had　seen　me　plant　the　little　wooden　cross　over　the　grave
I　had　dug　for　her。〃

Dagobert　paused　abruptly。　　A　strange；　wild　neighing；　mingled　with
ferocious　roarings；　made　the　soldier　start　from　his　seat。　　He　grew　pale；
and　cried：　〃It　is　Jovial！　my　horse！　　What　are　they　doing　to　my　horse？
With　that；　opening　the　door　he　rushed　down　the　stairs　precipitately。

The　two　sisters　clung　together；　so　terrified　at　the　sudden　departure　of
the　soldier；　that　they　saw　not　an　enormous　hand　pass　through　the　broken
panes；　unfasten　the　catch　of　the　window；　push　it　violently　open；　and
throw　down　the　lamp　placed　on　the　little　table；　on　which　was　the
soldiers's　knapsack。　　The　orphans　thus　found　themselves　plunged　into
complete　darkness。




CHAPTER　XI。

JOVIAL　and　DEATH。

Morok　had　led　Jovial　into　the　middle　of　the　menagerie；　and　then　removed
the　cloth　which　prevented　him　from　seeing　and　smelling。　　Scarcely　had　the
tiger；　lion；　and　panther　caught　a　glimpse　of　him　than　they　threw
themselves；　half　famished；　against　the　bars　of　their　dens。

The　horse　struck　with　stupor；　his　neck　stretched　out；　his　eye　fixed；　and
trembling　through　all　his　limbs；　appeared　as　if　nailed　to　the　ground；　an
abundant　icy　sweat　rolled　suddenly　down　his　flanks。　　The　lion　and　the
tiger　uttered　fearful　roarings；　and　struggled　violently　in　their　dens。
The　panther　did　not　roar；　but　her　mute　rage　was　terrific。

With　a　tremendous　bound；　at　the　risk　of　breaking　her　skull；　she　sprang
from　the　back　of　the　cage　against　the　bars；　then；　still　mute；　still
furious；　she　crawled　back　to　the　extreme　corner　of　the　den；　and　with　a
new　spring；　as　impetuous　as　it　was　blind；　she　again　strove　to　force　out
the　iron　grating。　　Three　times　had　she　thus　boundedsilent；　appalling
when　the　horse；　passing　from　the　immobility　of　stupor　to　the　wild　agony
of　fear；　neighed　long　and　loud；　and　rushed　in　desperation　at　the　door　by
which　he　had　entered。　　Finding　it　closed　he　hung　his　head；　bent　his　knees
a　little；　and　rubbed　his　nostrils　against　the　opening　left　between　the
ground　and　the　bottom　of　the　door；　as　if　he　wished　to　inhale　the　air　from
the　outside；　then；　more　and　more　affrighted；　he　began　to　neigh　with
redoubled　force；　and　struck　out　violently　with　his　fore…feet。

At　the　moment　when　Death　was　about　once　more　to　make　her　spring；　the
Prophet　approached　her　cage。　　The　heavy　bolt　which　secured　the　grating
was　pushed　from　its　staple　by　the　pike　of　the　brute…tamer；　and；　in
another　second；　Morok　was　half　way　up　the　ladder　that　communicated　with
the　loft。

The　roaring　of　the　lion　and　tiger；　mingled　with　the　neighing　of　Jovial；
now　resounded　through　all　parts　of　the　inn。　　The　panther　had　again　thrown
herself　furiously　on　the　grating；　and　this　time　yielding　with　one　spring；
she　was　in　the　middle　of　the　shed。

The　light　of　the　lantern　was　reflected　from　the　glossy　ebon　of　her　hide；
spotted　with　stains　of　a　duller　black。　　For　an　instant　she　remained
motionless；　crouching　upon　her　thick…set　limbs；　with　her　head　close　to
the　floor；　as　if　calculating　the　distance　of　the　leap　by　which　she　was　to
reach　the　horse；　then　suddenly　she　darted　upon　him。

On　seeing　her　break　from　her　cage　Jovial　had　thrown　himself　violently
against　the　door；　which　was　made　to　open　inwards；　and　leaned　against　it
with　all　his　might；　as　though　he　would　force　it　down。　　Then；　at　the
moment　when　Death　took　her　leap；　he　reared　up　in　almost　an　erect
position；　but　she；　rapid　as　lightning；　had　fastened　upon　his　throat　and
hung　there；　whilst　at　the　same　time　she　buried　the　sharp　claws　of　her
fore…feet　in　his　chest。　　The　jugular　vein　of　the　horse　opened；　a　torrent
of　bright　red　blood　spouted　forth　beneath　the　tooth　of　the　panther；　who；
now　supporting　herself　on　her　hind　legs；　squeezed　her　victim　up　against
the　door；　whilst　she　dug　into　his　flank　with　her　claws；　and　laid　bare　the
palpitating　flesh。　　Then　his　half…strangled　neighing　became　awful。

Suddenly　these　words　resounded：　〃Courage；　Jovial！　…I　am　at　hand！
Courage！〃

It　was　the　voice　of　Dagobert；　who　was　exhausting　himself　in　desperate
exertions　to　force　open　the　door　that　concealed　this　sanguinary　struggle。
〃Jovial！〃　cried　the　soldier；　〃I　am　here。　　Help！　　Help！〃

At　the　sound　of　that　friendly　and　well…known　voice；　the　poor　animal；
almost　at　its　last　gasp；　strove　to　turn　its　head　in　the　direction　whence
came　the　accents　of　his　master；　answered　him　with　a　plaintive　neigh；　and；
sinking　beneath　the　efforts　of　the　panther；　fell　prostrate；　first　on　its
knees；　then　upon　its　flank；　so　that　its　backbone　lay　right　across　the
door；　and　still　prevented　its　being　opened。　　And　now　all　was　finished。
The　panther；　squatting　down　upon　the　horse；　crushed　him　with　all　her
paws；　and；　in　spite　of　some　last　faint　kicks；　buried　her　bloody　snout　in
his　body。

〃Help！　help！　my　horse！〃　cried　Dagobert；　as　he　vainly　shook　the　door。
〃And　no　arms！〃　he　added　with　rage；　〃no　arms！〃

〃Take　care！〃　exclaimed　the　brute…tamer；　who　appeared　at　the　window　of　the
loft；　〃do　not　attempt　to　enter　it　might　cost　you　your　life。　　My　panther
is　furious。〃

〃But　my　horse！　my　horse！〃　cried　Dagobert；　in　a　voice　of　agony。

〃He　must　have　strayed　from　his　stable　during　the　night；　and　pushed　open
the　door　of　the　shed。　　At　sight　of　him　the　panther　must　have　broken　out
of　her　cage　and　seized　him。　　You　are　answerable　for　all　the　mischief　that
may　ensue；〃　added　the　brute…tamer；　with　a　menacing　air；　〃for　I　shall　have
to　run　the　greatest　danger；　to　make　Death　return　to　her　den。〃

〃But　my　horse！　only　save　my　horse！〃　cried　Dagobert；　in　a　tone　of　hopeless
supplication。

The　Prophet　disappeared　from　the　window。

The　roaring　of　the　animals　and　the　shouts　of　Dagobert；　had　roused　from
sleep　every　one　in　the　White　Falcon。　　Here　and　there　lights　were　seen
moving　and　windows　were　thrown　open　hurriedly。　　The　servants　of　the　inn
soon　appeared　in　the　yard　with　lanterns；　and　surrounding　Dagobert；
inquired　of　him　what　had　happened。

〃My　horse　is　there；〃　cried　the　soldier；　continuing　to　shake　the　door；
〃and　one　of　that　scoundrel's　animals　has　escaped　from　its　cage。〃

At　these　words　the　people　of　the　inn；　already　terrified　by　the　frightful
roaring；　fled　from　the　spot　and　ran　to　inform　the　host。　　The　soldier's
anguish　may　be　conceived；　as　pale；　breathless；　with　his　ear　close　to　the
chink　of　the　door；　he　stood　listening。　　By　degrees　the　roaring　had
ceased；　and　nothing　was　heard　but　low　growls；　accompanied　by　the　stern
voice　of　the　Prophet；　repeating　in　harsh；　abrupt　accents：　　〃Death！　come
here！　Death！〃

The　night　was　profoundly　dark；　and　Dagobert　did　not　perceive　Goliath；
who；　crawling　carefully　along　the　tiled　roof　entered　the　loft　by　the
attic　window。

And　now　the　gate　of　the　court…yard　was　again　opened；　and　the　landlord　of
the　inn　appeared；　followed　by　a　number　of　men。　　Armed　with　a　carbine；　he
advanced　with　precaution；　his　people　carried　staves　and　pitchforks。

〃What　is　the　row　here？〃　said　he；　as　he　approached　Dagobert。　　〃What　a
hubbub　in　my　house！　　The　devil　take　wild　beast　showmen；　and　negligent
fellows　who　don't　know　how　to　tie　a　horse　to　the　manger！　　If　your　beast
is　hurt；　so　much　the　worse　for　you；　you　should　have　taken　more　care　of
it。〃

Instead　of　replying　to　these　reproaches；　the　soldier；　who　still　listened
attentively　to　what　was　going　on　in　the　shed；　made　a　sign　to　entreat
silence。　　Suddenly　a　ferocious　roar　was　heard；　followed　by　a　loud　scream
from　the　Prophet；　and；　almost　immediately　after；　the　panther　howled
piteously。

〃You　are　no　doubt　the　cause　of　some　great　accident；〃　said　the　frightened
host　to　the　soldier；　〃did　you　not　hear　that　cry？　　Morok　is；　perhaps；
dangerously　wounded。〃

Dagobert　was　about　to　answer；　when　the　door　opened；　and　Goliath　appeared
on　the　threshold。

〃You　may　enter　now；〃　said　he；　〃the　danger　is　over。〃

The　interior