the wandering jew, volume 1-第26节

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The　orphans；　growing　more　and　more　uneasy；　and　hearing　Dagobert　still
talking　upon　the　landing…place；　had　risen　and　dressed　themselves；　so　that
just　at　the　instant；　when　the　magistrate　said　in　a　rough　voice〃No　more
words！　　Your　papers！〃Rose　and　Blanche　holding　each　other　by　the　hand；
came　forth　from　the　chamber。

At　sight　of　those　charming　faces；　which　their　poor　mourning　vestments
only　rendered　more　interesting；　the　burgomaster　rose　from　his　seat；
struck　with　surprise　and　admiration。　　By　a　spontaneous　movement；　each
sister　took　a　hand　of　Dagobert；　and　pressed　close　to　him；　whilst　they
regarded　the　magistrate　with　looks　of　mingled　anxiety　and　candor。

It　was　so　touching　a　picture；　this　of　the　old　soldier　presenting　as　it
were　to　his　judge　the　graceful　children；　with　countenances　full　of
innocence　and　beauty；　that　the　burgomaster；　by　a　sudden　reaction；　found
himself　once　more　disposed　to　sentiments　of　pity。　　Dagobert　perceived　it；
and；　still　holding　the　orphans　by　the　hand；　he　advanced　towards　him；　and
said　in　a　feeling　voice：　〃Look　at　these　poor　children；　Mr。　Burgomaster！
Could　I　show　you　a　better　passport？〃　　And；　overcome　by　so　many　painful
sensationsrestrained；　yet　following　each　other　in　quick　succession
Dagobert　felt；　in　spite　of　himself；　that　the　tears　were　starting　to　his
eyes。

Though　naturally　rough；　and　rendered　still　more　testy　by　the　interruption
of　his　sleep；　the　burgomaster　was　not　quite　deficient　in　sense　of
feeling。　　He　perceived　at　once；　that　a　man　thus　accompanied；　ought　not　to
inspire　any　great　distrust。　　〃Poor　dear　children！〃　said　he；　as　he
examined　them　with　growing　interest；　〃orphans　so　young；　and　they　come
from　far〃

〃From　the　heart　of　Siberia；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　where　their　mother　was　an
exile　before　their　birth。　　It　is　now　more　than　five　months　that　we　have
been　travelling　on　by　short　stageshard　enough；　you　will　say；　for
children　of　their　age。　　It　is　for　them　that　I　ask　your　favor　and　support
for　them　against　whom　everything　seems　to　combine　to…day　for；　only　just
now；　when　I　went　to　look　for　my　papers；　I　could　not　find　in　my　knapsack
the　portfolio　in　which　they　were；　along　with　my　purse　and　crossfor　you
must　know；　Mr。　Burgomasterpardon　me；　if　I　say　it'tis　not　from　vain
glorybut　I　was　decorated　by　the　hand　of　the　Emperor；　and　a　man　whom　he
decorated　with　his　own　hand；　you　see；　could　not　be　so　bad　a　fellow；
though　he　may　have　had　the　misfortune　to　lose　his　papersand　his　purse。
That's　what　has　happened　to　me；　and　made　me　so　pressing　about　the
damages。〃

〃How　and　where　did　you　suffer　this　loss？〃

〃I　do　not　know；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　I　am　sure　that　the　evening　before　last；
at　bed…time；　I　took　a　little　money　out　of　the　purse；　and　saw　the
portfolio　in　its　place；　yesterday　I　had　small　change　sufficient；　and　did
not　undo　the　knapsack。〃

〃And　where　then　has　the　knapsack　been　kept？〃

〃In　the　room　occupied　by　the　children：　but　this　night〃

Dagobert　was　here　interrupted　by　the　tread　of　some　one　mounting　the
stairs：　it　was　the　Prophet。　　Concealed　in　the　shadow　of　the　staircase；　he
had　listened　to　this　conversation；　and　he　dreaded　lest　the　weakness　of
the　burgomaster　should　mar　the　complete　success　of　his　projects。




CHAPTER　XIV。

THE　DECISION。

Morok；　who　wore　his　left　arm　in　a　sling；　having　slowly　ascended　the
staircase；　saluted　the　burgomaster　respectfully。　　At　sight　of　the
repulsive　countenance　of　the　lion…tamer；　Rose　and　Blanche；　affrighted；
drew　back　a　step　nearer　to　the　soldier。　　The　brow　of　the　latter　grew
dark；　for　he　felt　his　blood　boil　against　Morok；　the　cause　of　all　his
difficultiesthough　he　was　yet　ignorant　that　Goliath；　at　the　instigation
of　the　Prophet；　had　stolen　his　portfolio　and　papers。

〃What　did　you　want；　Morok？〃　said　the　burgomaster；　with　an　air　half
friendly　and　half　displeased。　　〃I　told　the　landlord　that　I　did　not　wish
to　be　interrupted。〃

〃I　have　come　to　render　you　a　service；　Mr。　Burgomaster。〃

〃A　service？〃

〃Yes；　a　great　service；　or　I　should　not　have　ventured　to　disturb　you。　　My
conscience　reproaches　me。〃

〃Your　conscience。〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　it　reproaches　me　for　not　having　told　you　all　that
I　had　to　tell　about　this　man；　a　false　pity　led　me　astray。〃

〃Yell；　but　what　have　you　to　tell？〃

Morok　approached　the　judge；　and　spoke　to　him　for　sometime　in　a　low　voice。

At　first　apparently　much　astonished；　the　burgomaster　became　by　degrees
deeply　attentive　and　anxious；　every　now　and　then　be　allowed　some
exclamation　of　surprise　or　doubt　to　escape　him；　whilst　he　glanced
covertly　at　the　group　formed　by　Dagobert　and　the　two　young　girls。　　By　the
expression　of　his　countenance；　which　grew　every　moment　more　unquiet；
severe；　and　searching；　it　was　easy　to　perceive　that　the　interest　which
the　magistrate　had　felt　for　the　orphans　and　for　the　soldier；　was
gradually　changed；　by　the　secret　communications　of　the　Prophet；　into　a
sentiment　of　distrust　and　hostility。

Dagobert　saw　this　sudden　revolution；　and　his　fears；　which　had　been
appeased　for　an　instant；　returned　with　redoubled　force；　Rose　and　Blanche；
confused；　and　not　understanding　the　object　of　this　mute　scene；　looked　at
the　soldier　with　increased　perplexity。

〃The　devil！〃　said　the　burgomaster；　rising　abruptly；　〃all　of　this　never
occurred　to　me。　What　could　I　have　been　thinking　of？　…But　you　see；　Morok；
when　one　is　roused　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　one　has　not　always
presence　of　mind。　You　said　well：　it　is　a　great　service　you　came　to　render
me。〃

〃I　assert　nothing　positively；　but〃

〃No　matter；　'tis　a　thousand　to　one　that　you　are　right。〃

〃It　is　only　a　suspicion　founded　upon　divers　circumstances；　but　even　a
suspicion〃

〃May　give　you　scent　of　the　truth。　　And　here　was　I；　going　like　a　gull　into
the　snare！Once　more；　what　could　I　have　been　thinking　of？〃

〃It　is　so　difficult　to　be　on　guard　against　certain　appearances。〃

〃You　need　not　tell　me　so；　my　dear　Morok；　you　need　not　tell　me　so。〃

During　this　mysterious　conversation；　Dagobert　was　on　thorns；　he　saw
vaguely　that　a　violent　storm　was　about　to　burst。　　He　thought　only　of　how
he　should　still　keep　his　anger　within　bounds。

Morok　again　approached　the　judge；　and　glancing　at　the　orphans；
recommenced　speaking　in　a　low　voice。　　〃Oh〃　cried　the　burgomaster；　with；
indignation；　〃you　go　too　far　now。〃

〃I　affirm　nothing；〃　said　Morok；　hastily；　〃it　is　a　mere　supposition
founded　on〃　and　he　again　brought　his　lips　close　to　the　ear　of　the
judge。

〃After　all；　why　not？〃　resumed　the　magistrate；　lifting　up　his　hands；　〃such
people　are　capable　of　anything。　　He　says　that　he　brings　them　from　the
heart　of　Siberia：　why　may　not　all　this　prove　to　be　a　tissue　of　impudent
falsehoods？But　I　am　not　to　be　made　a　dupe　twice；〃　cried　the
burgomaster；　in　an　angry　tone；　for；　like　all　persons　of　a　weak　and
shifting　character；　he　was　without　pity　for　those　whom　he　thought　capable
of　having　beguiled　his　compassion。

〃Do　not　be　in　a　hurry　to　decidedon't　give　to　my　words　more　weight　than
they　deserve；〃　resumed　Morok　with　a　hypocritical　affectation　of　humility。
〃I　am　unhappily　placed　in　so　false　a　position　with　regard　to　this　man；〃
pointing　to　Dagober〃that　I　might　be　thought　to　have　acted　from　private
resentment　for　the　injury　he　has　done　me；　perhaps　I　may　so　act　without
knowing　it；　while　I　fancy　that　I　am　only　influenced　by　love　of　justice；
horror　of　falsehood；　and　respect　for　our　holy　religion。　　Wellwho　lives
long　enough　will　knowand　may　heaven　forgive　me　if　I　am　deceived！In
any　case；　the　law　will　pronounce　upon　it；　and　if　they　should　prove
innocent；　they　will　be　released　in　a　month　or　two。〃

〃And；　for　that　reason；　I　need　not　hesitate。　　It　is　a　mere　measure　of
precaution；　they　will　not　die　of　it。　　Besides；　the　more　I　think　of　it；
the　more　it　seems　probable。　　Yes　this　man　is　doubtless　a　French　spy　or
agitator；　especially　when　I　compare　these　suspicions　with　the　late
demonstration　of　the　students　at　Frankfort。〃

〃And；　upon　that　theory；　nothing　is　better　fitted　to　excite　and　stir　up
those　hot…headed　youths　than〃　He　glanced　significantly　at　the　two
sisters；　then；　after　a　pause；　he　added　with　a　sigh；　〃Satan　does　not　care
by　what　means　he　works　out　his　ends！〃

〃Certainly；　it　would　be　odious；　but　well…devised。〃

〃And　then；　Mr　Burgomaster；　look　at　him　attentively：　you　will　see　that
this　man　has　a　dangerous　face。　　You　will　see〃

In　continuing　thus　to　speak　in　a　low　tone；　Morok　had　evidently　pointed　to
Dagobert。　　The　latter；　notwithstanding　his　self…command；　felt　that　the
restraint　he　had　imposed　upon　himself；　since　his　arrival　at　this　unlucky
inn；　and　above　all　wince　the　commencement　of　the　conversation　between
Morok　and　the　burgomaster；　was　becoming　no　longer　bearable；　besides；　he
saw　clearly　that　all　his　efforts　to　conciliate　the　favor　of　the　judge
were　rendered　completely　null　by　the　fatal　influence　of　the　brute…tamer；
so；　losing　patience；　he　advanced　towards　him　with　his　arms　folded　on　his
breast；　and　said　to　him　in　a　subdued　voice：　〃Was　it　of　me　that　you　were
whispering　to　Mr。　Burgomaster？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Morok；　looking　fixedly　at　him。

〃Why　did　you　not　speak　out　loud？〃　　Having　said　this；　the　almost
convulsive　movement　of　his　thick　moustache；　as　he　stood　looping　Morok
full　in　the　face；　gave　evide