the wandering jew, volume 1-第22节

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on　the　threshold。

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

The　interior　of　the　menagerie　presented　a　singular　spectacle。　　The
Prophet；　pale；　and　scarcely　able　to　conceal　his　agitation　beneath　an
apparent　air　of　calmness；　was　kneeling　some　paces　from　the　cage　of　the
panther；　in　the　attitude　of　one　absorbed　in　himself；　the　motion　of　his
lips　indicating　that　he　was　praying。　　At　sight　of　the　host　and　the　people
of　the　inn；　he　rose；　and　said　in　a　solemn　voice：　〃I　thank　thee；　my
Preserver；　that　I　have　been　able　to　conquer；　by　the　strength　which　Thou
hast　given　me。〃

Then　folding　his　arms；　with　haughty　brow　and　imperious　glance；　he　seemed
to　enjoy　the　triumph　he　had　achieved　over　Death；　who；　stretched　on　the
bottom　of　her　den；　continued　to　utter　plaintive　howlings。　　The　spectators
of　this　scene；　ignorant　that　the　pelisse　of　the　brute…tamer　covered　a
complete　suit　of　armor；　and　attributing　the　cries　of　the　panther　solely
to　fear；　were　struck　with　astonishment　and　admiration　at　the　intrepidity
and　almost　supernatural　power　of　this　man。　　A　few　steps　behind　him　stood
Goliath；　leaning　upon　the　ashen　pikestaff。　　Finally；　not　far　from　the
cage；　in　the　midst　of　a　pool　of　blood；　lay　the　dead　body　of　Jovial。

At　sight　of　the　blood…stained　and　torn　remains；　Dagobert　stood
motionless；　and　his　rough　countenance　assumed　an　expression　of　the
deepest　grief：　then；　throwing　himself　on　his　knees；　he　lifted　the　head　of
Jovial；　and　when　he　saw　those　dull；　glassy；　and　half…closed　eyes；　once　so
bright　and　intelligent；　as　they　turned　towards　a　much…loved　master；　the
soldier　could　not　suppress　an　exclamation　of　bitter　anguish。　　Forgetting
his　anger；　forgetting　the　deplorable　consequences　of　this　accident；　so
fatal　to　the　interests　of　the　two　maidens；　who　would　thus　be　prevented
from　continuing　their　journeyhe　thought　only　of　the　horrible　death　of
his　poor　old　horse；　the　ancient　companion　of　his　fatigues　and　wars；　the
faithful　animal；　twice　wounded　like　himself；　and　from　whom　for　so　many
years　he　had　never　been　separated。　　This　poignant　emotion　was　so　cruelly；
so　affectingly　visible　in　the　soldier's　countenance；　that　the　landlord
and　his　people　felt　themselves　for　a　moment　touched　with　pity；　as　they
gazed　on　the　tall　veteran　kneeling　beside　his　dead　horse。

But；　when　following　the　course　of　his　regrets；　he　thought　how　Jovial　had
also　been　the　companion　of　his　exile；　how　the　mother　of　the　orphans　had
formerly　（like　her　daughters）　undertaken　a　toilsome　journey　with　the　aid
of　this　unfortunate　animal；　the　fatal　consequences　of　his　loss　presented
themselves　on　a　sudden　to　his　mind。　　Then；　fury　succeeding　to　grief；　he
rose；　with　anger　flashing　from　his　eyes；　and　threw　himself　on　the
Prophet；　with　one　hand　he　seized　him　by　the　throat；　and　with　the　other
administered　five　or　six　heavy　blows；　which　fell　harmlessly　on　the　coat
of　mail。

〃Rascal！　you　shall　answer　to　me　for　my　horse's　death！〃　said　the　soldier；
as　he　continued　his　correction。　　Morok；　light　and　sinewy；　could　not
struggle　with　advantage　against　Dagobert；　who；　aided　by　his　tall　stature；
still　displayed　extraordinary　vigor。　　It　needed　the　intervention　of
Goliath　and　the　landlord　to　rescue　the　Prophet　from　the　hands　of　the　old
grenadier。　　After　some　moments；　they　succeeded　in　separating　the　two
champions。　　Morok　was　white　with　rage。　　It　needed　new　efforts　to　prevent
his　seizing　the　pike　to　attack　Dagobert。

〃It　is　abominable！〃　cried　the　host；　addressing　the　soldier；　who　pressed
his　clinched　fists　in　despair　against　his　bald　forehead。　　〃You　expose
this　good　man　to　be　devoured　by　his　beasts；　and　then　you　wish　to　beat　him
into　the　bargain。　　Is　this　fitting　conduct　for　a　graybeard？　　Shall　we
have　to　fetch　the　police？　　You　showed　yourself　more　reasonable　in　the
early　part　of　the　evening。〃

These　words　recalled　the　soldier　to　himself。　　He　regretted　his
impetuosity　the　more；　as　the　fact　of　his　being　a　stranger　might　augment
the　difficulty　of　his　position。　　It　was　necessary　above　all　to　obtain　the
price　of　his　horse；　so　as　to　be　enabled　to　continue　his　journey；　the
success　of　which　might　be　compromised　by　a　single　day's　delay。　　With　a
violent　effort；　therefore；　he　succeeded　in　restraining　his　wrath。

〃You　are　rightI　was　too　hasty；〃　said　he　to　the　host；　in　an　agitated
voice；　which　he　tried　to　make　as　calm　as　possible。　　〃I　had　not　the　same
patience　as　before。　　But　ought　not　this　man　be　responsible　for　the　loss
of　my　horse？　　I　make　you　judge　in　the　matter。〃

〃Well；　then；　as　judge；　I　am　　not　of　your　opinion。　　All　this　has　been　your
own　fault。　　You　tied　up　your　horse　badly；　and　he　strayed　by　chance　into
this　shed；　of　which　no　doubt　the　door　was　half…open；〃　said　the　host；
evidently　taking　the　part　of　the　brute…tamer。

〃It　was　just　as　you　say；〃　answered　Goliath。　　〃I　can　remember　it。　　I　left
the　door　ajar；　that　the　beasts　might　have　some　air　in　the　night。　　The
cages　were　well　shut；　and　there　was　no　danger。〃

〃Very　true；〃　said　one　of　the　standers…by。

〃It　was　only　the　sight　of　the　horse；〃　added　another；　〃that　made　the
panther　furious；　so　as　to　break　out　of　its　cage。〃

〃It　is　the　Prophet　who　has　the　most　right　to　complain；〃　observed　a　third。

〃No　matter　what　this　or　that　person　says；〃　returned　Dagobert；　whose
patience　was　beginning　to　fail　him；　〃I　say；　that　I　must　have　either　money
or　a　horse　on　the　instantyes；　on　the　instantfor　I　wish　to　quit　this
unlucky　house。〃

〃And　I　say；　it　is　you　that　must　indemnify　me；〃　cried　Morok；　who　had　kept
this　stage…trick　for　the　last；　and　who　now　exhibited　his　left　hand　all
bloody；　having　hitherto　concealed　it　beneath　the　sleeve　of　his　pelisse。
〃I　shall　perhaps　be　disabled　for　life；〃　he　added；　〃see　what　a　wound　the
panther　has　made　here！〃

Without　having　the　serious　character　that　the　Prophet　ascribed　to　it；　the
wound　was　a　pretty　deep　one。　　This　last　argument　gained　for　him　the
general　sympathy。　　Reckoning　no　doubt　upon　this　incident；　to　secure　the
winning　of　a　cause　that　he　now　regarded　as　his　own；　the　host　said　to　the
hostler：　　〃There　is　only　one　way　to　make　a　finish。　　It　is　to　call　up　the
burgomaster；　and　beg　him　to　step　here。　　He　will　decide　who　is　right　or
wrong。〃

〃I　was　just　going　to　propose　it　to　you；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃for；　after
all；　I　cannot　take　the　law　into　my　own　hands。〃

〃Fritz；　run　to　the　burgomaster's！〃and　the　hustler　started　in　all　haste。
His　master；　fearing　to　be　compromised　by　the　examination　of　the　soldier；
whose　papers　he　had　neglected　to　ask　for　on　his　arrival；　said　to　him：
〃The　burgomaster　will　be　in　a　very　bad　humor；　to　be　disturbed　so　late。　　I
have　no　wish　to　suffer　by　it；　and　I　must　therefore　beg　you　to　go　and
fetch　me　your　papers；　to　see　if　they　are　in　rule。　　I　ought　to　have　made
you　show　them；　when　you　arrived　here　in　the　evening。〃

〃They　are　upstairs　in　my　knapsack；　you　shall　have　them；〃　answered　the
soldierand　turning　away　his　head；　and　putting　his　hand　before　his　eyes；
as　he　passed　the　dead　body　of　Jovial；　he　went　out　to　rejoin　the　sisters。

The　Prophet　followed　him　with　a　glance　of　triumph；　and　said　to　himself：
〃There　he　goes！without　horse；　without　money；　without　papers。　　I　could
not　do　morefor　I　was　forbidden　to　do　moreI　was　to　act　with　as　much
cunning　as　possible　and　preserve　appearances。　　Now　every　one　will　think
this　soldier　in　the　wrong。　　I　can　at　least　answer　for　it；　that　he　will
not　continue　his　journey　for　some　dayssince　such　great　interests　appear
to　depend　on　his　arrest；　and　that　of　the　young　girls。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　after　this　reflection　of　the　brute…tamer；　Karl；
Goliath's　comrade；　left　the　hiding…place　where　his　master　had　concealed
him　during　the　evening；　and　set　out　for　Leipsic；　with　a　letter　which
Morok　had　written　in　haste；　and　which　Karl；　on　his　arrival；　was　to　put
immediately　into　the　post。

The　address　of　this　letter　was　as　follows：

〃A　Monsieur　Rodin；　Rue　du　Milieu…des…Ursins；　No；　11；　A　Paris；　France。〃




CHAPTER　XII。

THE　BURGOMASTER。

Dagobert's　anxiety　increased　every　moment。　　Certain　that　his　horse　had
not　entered　the　shed　of　its　own　accord；　he　attributed　the　event　which　had
taken　place　to　the　spite　of　the　brute…tamer；　but　he　sought　in　vain　for
the　motive　of　this　wretch's　animosity；　and　he　reflected　with　dismay；　that
his　cause；　however　just；　would　depend　on　the　good　or　bad　humor　of　a　judge
dragged　from　his　slumbers　and　who　might　be　ready　to　condemn　upon
fallacious　appearances。

Fully　determined　to　conceal；　as　long　as　possible；　from　the　orphans　the
fresh　misfortunes；　which　had　befallen　them；　he　was　proceeding　to　open　the
door　of　their　chamber；　when　he　stumbled　over　Spoil…sportfor　the　dog　had
run　back　to　his　post；　after　vainly　trying　to　prevent　the　Prophet　from
leading　away　Jovial。　　〃Luckily　the　dog　has　returned；　the　poor　little
things　have　been　well　guarded；〃　said　the　soldier；　as　he　opened　the　door。
To　his　great　surprise；　the　room　was　in　utter　darkness。

〃My　children；〃　cried　he；　〃why　are　you　without　a　light？〃　　There　was　no
answer。　　In　terror　he　groped　his　way　to　the　bed；　and　took　the　hand　of　one
of　the　sisters；　the　hand　was　cold　as　ice。

〃Rose；　my　children！〃　cried　he。　　〃Blanche！　　Give　me　some　answer！　　you
frighten　me。〃　　Still　the　same　silence　continued；　the　han