the wandering jew, volume 1-第25节

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misfortune。〃

〃A　misfortune？Yes；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　a　very　great　misfortune。　　The
girls；　who　accompany　me；　were　too　weak　to　undertake　a　long　journey　on
foot；　too　poor　to　travel　in　a　carriageand　yet　we　have　to　arrive　in
Paris　before　the　month　of　February。　　When　their　mother　died；　I　promised
her　to　take　them　to　France；　for　these　children　have　only　me　to　take　care
of　them。〃

〃You　are　then　their〃

〃I　am　their　faithful　servant；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　and　now　that　my　horse　has
been　killed；　what　can　I　do　for　them？　　Come；　you　are　good；　you　have
perhaps　children　of　your　own；　if；　one　day；　they　should　find　themselves　in
the　position　of　my　two　little　orphanswith　no　wealth；　no　resources　in
the　world；　but　an　old　soldier　who　loves　them；　and　an　old　horse　to　carry
them　alongif；　after　being　very　unfortunate　from　their　birthyes；　very
unfortunate；　for　my　orphans　are　the　daughters　of　exilesthey　should　see
happiness　before　them　at　the　end　of　a　journey；　and　then；　by　the　death　of
their　horse；　that　journey　become　impossibletell　me；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　if
this　would　not　touch　your　heart？　　Would　you　not　find；　as　I　do；　that　the
loss　of　my　horse　is　irreparable？〃

〃Certainly；〃　answered　the　burgomaster；　who　was　not　ill　natured　at　bottom；
and　who　could　not　help　taking　part　in　Dagobert's　emotion；　〃I　now
understand　the　importance　of　the　loss　you　have　suffered。　　And　then　your
orphans　interest　me：　how　old　are　they？〃

〃Fifteen　years　and　two　months。　　They　are　twins。〃

〃Fifteen　years　and　two　monthsthat　is　about　the　age　of　my　Frederica。〃

〃You　have　a　young　lady　of　that　age？〃　cried　Dagobert；　once　more　awaking　to
hope；　〃ah；　Mr。　Burgomaster！；　I　am　really　no　longer　uneasy　about　my　poor
children。　　You　will　do　us　justice。〃

〃To　do　justice　is　my　duty。　　After　all；　in　this　affair；　the　faults　are
about　equal　on　both　sides。　　You　tied　up　your　horse　badly；　and　the　brute…
tamer　left　his　door　open。　　He　says：　'I　am　wounded　in　the　hand。'　　You
answer：　'My　horse　has　been　killedand；　for　a　thousand　reasons；　the　loss
of　my　horse　is　irreparable。'〃

〃You　make　me　speak　better　than　I　could　ever　speak　on　my　own　account；　Mr。
Burgomaster；〃　said　the　soldier；　with　a　humble；　insinuating　smile；　〃but
'tis　what　I　meant　to　expressand；　as　you　say　yourself；　Mr。　Burgomaster；
my　horse　being　my　whole　fortune；　it　is　only　fair〃

〃Exactly　so；〃　resumed　the　magistrate；　interrupting　the　soldier；　〃your
reasons　are　excellent。　　The　Prophetwho　is　a　good　and　pious　man　with　all
has　related　the　facts　to　me　in　his　own　way；　and　then；　you　see；　he　is　an
old　acquaintance。　　We　are　nearly　all　zealous　Catholics　here；　and　he　sells
to　our　wives　such　cheap　and　edifying　little　books；　with　chaplets　and
amulets　of　the　best　manufacture；　at　less　than　the　prime　cost。　　All　this；
you　will　say；　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　affair；　and　you　will　be　right　in
saying　so：　still　I　must　needs　confess　that　I　came　here　with　the
intention〃

〃Of　deciding　against　me；　eh；　Mr。　Burgomaster？〃　said　Dagobert；　gaining
more　and　more　confidence。　　〃You　see；　you　were　not　quite　awake；　and　your
justice　had　only　one　eye　open。〃

〃Really；　master　soldier；〃　answered　the　judge　with　good　humor；　〃it　is　not
unlikely；　for　I　did　not　conceal　from　Morok　that　I　gave　it　in　his　favor。
Then　he　said　to　me　（very　generously；　by　the　way）：　'Since　you　condemn　my
adversary；　I　will　not　aggravate　his　position　by　telling　you　certain
things'〃

〃What！　against　me？〃

〃Apparently　so；　but；　like　a　generous　enemy；　when　I　told　him　that　I　should
most　likely　condemn　you　to　pay　him　damages；　he　said　no　more　about　it。
For　I　will　not　hide　from　you；　that；　before　I　heard　your　reasons；　I　fully
intended　that　you　should　make　compensation　for　the　Prophet's　wound。〃

〃See；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　how　the　most　just　and　able　persons　are　subject　to
be　deceived；〃　said　Dagobert；　becoming　once　more　the　courtier；　then；
trying　to　assume　a　prodigiously　knowing　look；　he　added：　〃But　such　persons
find　out　the　truth　at　last；　and　are　not　to　be　made　dupes　of；　whatever
prophets　may　say。〃

This　poor　attempt　at　a　jestthe　first　and　only　one；　perhaps；　that
Dagobert　had　ever　been　guilty　ofwill　show　the　extremity　to　which　he　was
reduced；　and　the　desperate　efforts　of　all　kinds　he　was　making　to
conciliate　the　good　graces　of　his　judge。　　The　burgomaster　did　not　at
first　see　the　pleasantry；　he　was　only　led　to　perceive　it　by　the　self…
satisfied　mien　of　Dagobert；　and　by　his　inquiring　glance；　which　seemed　to
say：　〃Is　it　not　good；　eh？I　am　astonished　at　it　myself。〃

The　magistrate　began；　therefore；　to　smile　with　a　patronizing　air；　and；
nodding　his　head；　replied　in　the　same　jocular　spirit：　〃Ha！　　Ha！　　Ha！　　You
are　right；　the　Prophet　is　out　in　his　prophecy。　　You　shall　not　pay　him　any
damages。　　The　faults　on　both　sides　are　equal；　and　the　injuries　balance
one　another。　　He　has　been　wounded；　your　horse　has　been　killed；　so　you　may
cry　quits；　and　have　done　with　it。〃

〃But　how　much　then；　do　you　think　he　owes　me？〃　asked　the　soldier；　with
singular　simplicity。

〃How　much？〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　what　sum　will　he　have　to　pay　me？　　Yesbut；　before
you　decide；　I　must　tell　you　one　thing；　Mr。　Burgomaster。　　I　think　I　shall
be　entitled　to　spend　only　part　of　the　money　in　buying　a　horse。　　I　am
sure；　that；　in　the　environs　of　Leipsic；　I　could　get　a　beast　very　cheap
from　some　of　the　peasants；　and；　between　ourselves；　I　will　own　to　you；
that；　if　I　could　meet　with　only　a　nice　little　donkeyI　should　not　be
over　particularI　should　even　like　it　just　as　well；　for；　after　my　poor
Jovial；　the　company　of　another　horse　would　be　painful　to　me。　　I　must　also
tell　you〃

〃Hey…day！〃　cried　the　burgomaster；　interrupting　Dagobert；　〃of　what　money；
what　donkey；　and　what　other　horse　are　you　talking？　　I　tell　you；　that　you
owe　nothing　to　the　Prophet；　and　that　he　owes　you　nothing！〃

〃He　owes　me　nothing？〃

〃You　are　very　dull　of　comprehension；　my　good　man。　　I　repeat；　that；　if　the
Prophet's　animals　have　killed　your　horse；　the　Prophet　himself　has　been
badly　wounded；　so　you　may　cry　quits。　　In　other　words；　you　owe　him
nothing；　and　he　owes　you　nothing。　　Now　do　you　understand？〃

Dagobert；　confounded；　remained　for　some　moments　without　answering；　whilst
he　looked　at　the　burgomaster　with　an　expression　of　deep　anguish。　　He　saw
that　his　judgment　would　again　destroy　all　his　hopes。

〃But；　Mr。　Burgomaster；〃　resumed　he；　in　an　agitated　voice；　〃you　are　too
just　not　to　pay　attention　to　one　thing：　the　wound　of　the　brute…tamer　does
not　prevent　him　from　continuing　his　trade；　the　death　of　my　horse　prevents
me　from　continuing　my　journey；　therefore；　he　ought　to　indemnify　me。〃

The　judge　considered　he　had　already　done　a　good　deal　for　Dagobert；　in　not
making　him　responsible　for　the　wound　of　the　Prophet；　who；　as　we　have
already　said；　exercised　a　certain　influence　over　the　Catholics　of　the
country　by　the　sale　of　his　devotional　treasures；　and　also　from　its　being
known　that　he　was　supported　by　some　persons　of　eminence。　　The　soldier's
pertinacity；　therefore；　offended　the　magistrate；　who；　reassuming　his
lofty　air；　replied；　in　a　chilling　tone：　〃You　will　make　me　repent　my
impartiality。　　How　is　this？　　Instead　of　thanking　me；　you　ask　for　more。〃

〃But；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　I　ask　only　for　what　is　just。　　I　wish　I　were
wounded　in　the　hand；　like　the　Prophet；　so　that　I　could　but　continue　my
journey。〃

〃We　are　not　talking　of　what　you　wish。　　I　have　pronounced　sentencethere
is　no　more　to　say。〃

〃But；　Mr。　Burgomaster〃

〃Enough；　enough。　　Let　us　go　to　the　next　subject。　　Your　papers？〃

〃Yes；　we　will　speak　about　my　papers；　but　I　beg　of　you；　Mr。　Burgomaster；
to　have　pity　on　those　two　children。　　Let　us　have　the　means　to　continue
our　journey；　and〃

〃I　have　done　all　I　could　for　youperhaps；　more　than　I　ought。　　Once
again；　your　papers！〃

〃I　must　first　explain　to　you〃

〃No　〃No　explanationyour　papers！Or　would　you　like　me　to　have　you
arrested　as　a　vagabond？〃

〃Me…arrested！〃

〃I　tell　you　that；　if　you　refuse　to　show　me　your　papers；　it　will　be　as　if
you　had　none。　　Now；　those　people　who　have　no　papers　we　take　into　custody
till　the　authorities　can　dispose　of　them。　　Let　me　see　your　papers；　and
make　haste！I　am　in　a　hurry　to　get　home。〃

Dagobert's　position　was　the　more　distressing；　as　for　a　moment　he　had
indulged　in　sanguine　hope。　　The　last　blow　was　now　added　to　all　the
veteran　had　suffered　since　the　commencement　of　this　scene；　which　was　a
cruel　as　well　as　dangerous　trial；　for　a　man　of　his　characterupright；
but　obstinatefaithful；　but　rough　and　absolutea　man　who；　for　a　long
time　a　soldier；　and　a　victorious　one；　had　acquired　a　certain　despotic
mariner　of　treating　with　civilians。

At　these　words〃your　papers；〃　Dagobert　became　very　pale；　but　he　tried　to
conceal　his　anguish　beneath　an　air　of　assurance；　which　he　thought　best
calculated　to　gain　the　magistrate's　good　opinion。　　〃I　will　tell　you　all
about　it；　Mr。　Burgomaster；〃　said　he。　〃Nothing　can　be　clearer。　　Such　a
thing　might　happen　to　any　one。　　I　do　not　look　like　a　beggar　and　a
vagabond；　do　I？　　And　yetyou　will　understand；　that　an　honest　man　who
travels　with　two　young　girls〃

〃No　more　words！　　Your　papers！〃

At　this　juncture　two　powerful　auxiliaries　arrived　to　the　soldier's　aid。
The　orphans；　growing　more　and　more　uneasy；　and　hearing　Dagobert　still
talking　upon　the　landing…