the wandering jew, volume 1-第24节

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host　was　heard　to　cry　out　in　an　angry　tone：　〃Hollo！　you　there！　　Call　off
your　dog；　or　speak　to　him。　　It　is　Mr。　Burgomaster　who　is　coming　up。〃

〃Dagobertdo　you　hear？it　is　the　burgomaster；〃　said　Rose。

〃They　are　coming　upstairsa　number　of　people；〃　resumed　Blanche。

The　word　burgomaster　recalled　whatever　had　happened　to　the　mind　of
Dagobert；　and　completed；　so　to　express　it；　the　picture　of　his　terrible
position。　　His　horse　was　dead；　he　had　neither　papers　nor　money；　and　a
day；　a　single　day's　detention；　might　defeat　the　last　hope　of　the　sisters；
and　render　useless　this　long　and　toilsome　journey。

Men　of　strong　minds；　and　the　veteran　was　of　the　number；　prefer　great
perils；　positions　of　danger　accurately　defined；　to　the　vague　anxieties
which　precede　a　settled　misfortune。　　Guided　by　his　good　sense　and
admirable　devotion；　Dagobert　understood　at　once；　that　his　only　resource
was　now　in　the　justice　of　the　burgomaster；　and　that　all　his　efforts
should　tend　to　conciliate　the　favor　of　that　magistrate。　　He　therefore
dried　his　eyes　with　the　sheet；　rose　from　the　ground；　erect；　calm；　and
resolute；　and　said　to　the　orphans：　〃Fear　nothing；　my　children；　it　is　our
deliverer　who　is　at　hand。〃

〃Will　you　call　off　your　dog　or　no？〃　cried　the　host；　still　detained　on　the
stairs　by　Spoil…sport；　who；　as　a　vigilant　sentinel；　continued　to　dispute
the　passage。　　〃Is　the　animal　mad；　I　say？　　Why　don't　you　tie　him　up？　　Have
you　not　caused　trouble　enough　in　my　house？　　I　tell　you；　that　Mr。
Burgomaster　is　waiting　to　examine　you　in　your　turn；　for　he　has　finished
with　Morok。〃

Dagobert　drew　his　fingers　through　his　gray　locks　and　across　his
moustache；　clasped　the　collar　of　his　top…coat；　and　brushed　the　sleeves
with　his　hand；　in　order　to　give　himself　the　best　appearance　possible；　for
he　felt　that　the　fate　of　the　orphans　must　depend　on　his　interview　with
the　magistrate。　　It　was　not　without　a　violent　beating　of　the　heart；　that
he　laid　his　hand　upon　the　door…knob；　saying　to　the　young　girls；　who　were
growing　more　and　more　frightened　by　such　a　succession　of　events：　〃Hide
yourselves　in　your　bed；　my　children；　if　any　one　must　needs　enter；　it
shall　be　the　burgomaster　alone。〃

Thereupon；　opening　the　door；　the　soldier　stepped　out　on　the
landing　place；　and　said：　〃Down；　Spoil…sport！Here！〃

The　dog　obeyed；　but　with　manifest　repugnance。　　His　master　had　to　speak
twice；　before　he　would　abstain　from　all　hostile　movements　towards　the
host。　　This　latter；　with　a　lantern　in　one　hand　and　his　cap　in　the　other；
respectfully　preceded　the　burgomaster；　whose　magisterial　proportions　were
lost　in　the　half　shadows　of　the　staircase。　　Behind　the　judge；　and　a　few
steps　lower；　the　inquisitive　faces　of　the　people　belonging　to　the　inn
were　dimly　visible　by　the　light　of　another　lantern。

Dagobert；　having　turned　the　dog　into　the　room；　shut　the　door　after　him；
and　advanced　two　steps　on　the　landing…place；　which　was　sufficiently
spacious　to　hold　several　persons；　and　had　in　one　corner　a　wooden　bench
with　a　back　to　it。　　The　burgomaster；　as　he　ascended　the　last　stair；　was
surprised　to　see　Dagobert　close　the　door　of　the　chamber；　as　though　he
wished　to　forbid　his　entrance。　　〃Why　do　you　shut　that　door？〃　asked　he　in
an　abrupt　tone。

〃First；　because　two　girls；　whom　I　have　the　charge　of；　are　in　bed　in　that
room；　secondly；　because　your　examination　would　alarm　them；〃　replied
Dagobert。　　〃Sit　down　upon　this　bench；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　and　examine　me
here；　it　will　not　make　any　difference；　I　should　think。〃

〃And　by　what　right；〃　asked　the　judge；　with　a　displeased　air；　〃do　you
pretend　to　dictate　to　me　the　place　of　your　examination？〃

〃Oh；　I　have　no　such　pretension；　Mr。　Burgomaster！〃　said　the　soldier
hastily；　fearing　above　all　things　to　prejudice　the　judge　against　him：
〃only；　as　the　girls　are　in　bed；　and　already　much　frightened；　it　would　be
a　proof　of　your　good　heart　to　examine　me　where　I　am。〃

〃Humph！〃　said　the　magistrate；　with　ill…humor；　〃a　pretty　state　of　things；
truly！It　was　much　worth　while　to　disturb　me　in　the　middle　of　the　night。
But；　come；　so　be　it；　I　will　examine　you　here。〃　　Then；　turning　to　the
landlord；　he　added：　　〃Put　your　lantern　upon　this　bench；　and　leave　us。〃

The　innkeeper　obeyed；　and　went　down；　followed　by　his　people；　as
dissatisfied　as　they　were　at　being　excluded　from　the　examination。　　The
veteran　was　left　alone　with　the　magistrate。




CHAPTER　XIII。

THE　JUDGEMENT。

The　worthy　burgomaster　of　Mockern　wore　a　cloth　cap；　and　was　enveloped　in
a　cloak。　　He　sat　down　heavily　on　the　bench。　　He　was　a　corpulent　man；
about　sixty；　with　an　arrogant；　morose　countenance；　and　he　frequently
rubbed　with　his　red；　fat　fist；　eyes　that　were　still　swollen　and　blood…
shot；　from　his　having　been　suddenly　roused　from　sleep。

Dagobert　stood　bareheaded　before　him；　with　a　submissive；　respectful　air；
holding　his　old　foraging　cap　in　his　hands；　and　trying　to　read　in　the
sullen　physiognomy　of　his　judge　what　chance　there　might　be　to　interest
him　in　his　favorthat　is；　in　favor　of　the　orphans。

In　this　critical　juncture；　the　poor　soldier　summoned　to　his　aid　all　his
presence　of　mind；　reason；　eloquence　and　resolution。　　He；　who　had　twenty
times　braved　death　with　the　utmost　coolnesswho；　calm　and　serene；
because　sincere　and　tried；　had　never　quailed　before　the　eagle…glance　of
the　Emperor；　his　hero　and　idolnow　felt　himself　disconcerted　and
trembling　before　the　ill…humored　face　of　a　village　burgomaster。　　Even　so；
a　few　hours　before；　he　had　submitted；　impassive　and　resigned；　to　the
insults　of　the　Prophetthat　he　might　not　compromise　the　sacred　mission
with　which　a　dying　mother　had　entrusted　himthus　showing　to　what　a
height　of　heroic　abnegation　it　is　possible　for　a　simple　and　honest　heart
to　attain。

〃What　have　you　to　say　in　your　justification？　　Come；　be　quick！〃　said　the
judge　roughly；　with　a　yawn　of　impatience。

〃I　have　not　got　to　justify　myselfI　have　to　make　a　complaint；　Mr。
Burgomaster；〃　replied　Dagobert　in　a　firm　voice。

〃Do　you　think　you　are　to　teach　me　in　what　terms　I　am　to　put　my
questions？〃　exclaimed　the　magistrate；　in　so　sharp　a　tone　that　the　soldier
reproached　himself　with　having　begun　the　interview　so　badly。　　Wishing　to
pacify　his　judge；　he　made　haste　to　answer　with　submission：

〃Pardon　me；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　I　have　ill…explained　my　meaning。　　I　only
wished　to　say　that　I　was　not　wrong　in　this　affair。〃

〃The　Prophet　says　the　contrary。〃

〃The　Prophet？〃　repeated　the　soldier；　with　an　air　of　doubt。

〃The　Prophet　is　a　pious　and　honest　man；〃　resumed　the　judge；　〃incapable　of
falsehood。〃

〃I　cannot　say　anything　upon　that　subject；　but　you　are　too　just；　and　have
too　good　a　heart；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　to　condemn　without　hearing　me。　　It　is
not　a　man　like　you　that　would　do　an　injustice；　oh；　one　can　see　that　at　a
glance！〃

In　resigning　himself　thus　to　play　the　part　of　a　courtier；　Dagobert
softened　as　much　as　possible　his　gruff　voice；　and　strove　to　give　to　his
austere　countenance　a　smiling；　agreeable；　and　flattering　expression。　　〃A
man　like　you；〃　he　added；　with　redoubled　suavity　of　manner；　〃a　respectable
judge　like　you；　never　shuts　his　ears　to　one　side　or　the　other。〃

〃Ears　are　not　in　question；　but　eyes；　and；　though　mine　smart　as　if　I　had
rubbed　them　with　nettles；　I　have　seen　the　hand　of　the　brute…tamer；　with　a
frightful　wound　on　it。〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　it　is　very　true；　but　consider；　if　he　had　shut　his
cages　and　his　door；　all　this　would　not　have　happened。〃

〃Not　so；　it　is　your　fault。　　You　should　have　fastened　your　horse　securely
to　the　manger。〃

〃You　are　right；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　certainly；　you　are　right；〃　said　the
soldier；　in　a　still　more　affable　and　conciliating　voice。　　〃It　is　not　for
a　poor　devil　like　me　to　contradict　you。　　But　supposing　my　horse　was　let
loose　out　of　pure　malice；　in　order　that　he　might　stray　into　the
menagerieyou　will　then　acknowledge　that　it　was　not　my　fault。　　That　is；
you　will　acknowledge　it　if　you　think　fit；〃　hastily　added　the　soldier　〃I
have　no　right　to　dictate　to　you　in　anything。〃

〃And　why　the　devil　should　any　one　do　you　this　ill…turn？〃

〃I　do　not　know；　Mr。　Burgomasterbut〃

〃You　do　not　knowwell；　nor　I　either；〃　said　the　burgomaster　impatiently。
〃Zounds！　what　a　many　words　about　the　carcass　of　an　old　horse！〃

The　countenance　of　the　soldier；　losing　on　a　sudden　its　expression　of
forced　suavity；　became　once　more　severe；　he　answered　in　a　grave　voice；
full　of　emotion：　〃My　horse　is　deadhe　is　no　more　than　a　carcassthat　is
true；　but　an　hour　ago；　though　very　old；　he　was　full　of　life　and
intelligence。　　He　neighed　joyously　at　my　voiceand；　every　evening；　he
licked　the　hands　of　the　two　poor　children；　whom　he　had　carried　all　the
dayas　formerly　he　had　carried　their　mother。　　Now　he　will　never　carry
any　one　again；　they　will　throw　him　to　the　dogs；　and　all　will　be　finished。
You　need　not　have　reminded　me　harshly　of　it；　Mr。　Burgomasterfor　I　loved
my　horse！〃

By　these　words；　pronounced　with　noble　and　touching　simplicity；　the
burgomaster　was　moved　in　spite　of　himself；　and　regretted　his　hasty
speech。　　〃It　is　natural　that　you　should　be　sorry　for　your　horse；〃　said
he；　in　a　less　impatient　tone；　〃but　what　is　to　be　done？It　is　a
misfortune。〃

〃A　misfortune？Yes；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　a　very　great　misfortune。　　The
girls