the wandering jew, volume 1-第27节

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convulsive　movement　of　his　thick　moustache；　as　he　stood　looping　Morok
full　in　the　face；　gave　evidence　of　a　severe　internal　conflict。　　Seeing
that　his　adversary　preserved　a　contemptuous　silence；　he　repeated　in　a
sterner　voice：　〃I　ask　you；　why　you　did　not　speak　out　loud　to　Mr。
Burgomaster；　when　you　were　talking　of　me？〃

〃Because　there　are　some　things　so　shameful；　that　one　would　blush　to　utter
them　aloud；〃　answered　Morok　insolently。

Till　then　Dagobert　had　kept　his　arms　folded；　he　now　extended　them
violently；　clenching　his　fists。　　This　sudden　movement　was　so　expressive
that　the　two　sisters　uttered　a　cry　of　terror；　and　drew　closer　to　him。

〃Hark　ye；　Mr。　Burgomaster！〃　said　the　soldier；　grinding　his　teeth　with
rage：　〃bid　that　man　go　down；　or　I　will　not　answer　for　myself！〃

〃What！〃　said　the　burgomaster；　haughtily；　〃do　you　dare　to　give　orders　to
me？〃

〃I　tell　you　to　make　that　man　go　down；〃　resumed　Dagobert；　quite　beside
himself；　〃or　there　will　be　mischief！〃

〃Dagobert！good　heaven！be　calm；〃　cried　the　children；　grasping　his
hands。

〃It　becomes　you；　certainlymiserable　vagabond　that　you　arenot　to　say
worse；〃　returned　the　burgomaster；　in　a　rage：　〃it　becomes　you　to　give
orders　to　me！Oh！　you　think　to　impose　upon　me；　by　telling　me　you　have
lost　your　papers！It　will　not　serve　your　turn；　for　which　you　carry　about
with　you　these　two　girls；　who；　in　spite　of　their　innocent　looks；　are
perhaps　after　all〃

〃Wretch！〃　cried　Dagobert；　with　so　terrible　a　voice　and　gesture　that　the
official　did　not　dare　to　finish。　　Taking　the　children　by　the　arm　before
they　could　speak　a　word；　the　soldier　pushed　them　back　into　the　chamber；
then；　locking　the　door；　and　putting　the　key　into　his　pocket；　he　returned
precipitately　towards　the　burgomaster；　who；　frightened　at　the　menacing
air　and　attitude　of　the　veteran；　retreated　a　couple　of　steps；　and　held　by
one　hand　to　the　rail　of　the　staircase。

〃Listen　to　me！〃　said　the　soldier；　seizing　the　judge　by　the　arm。　　〃Just
now；　that　scoundrel　insulted　meI　bore　with　itfor　it　only　concerned
myself。　　I　have　heard　patiently　all　your　idle　talk；　because　you　seemed
for　a　moment　to　interest　yourself　in　those　poor　children。　　But　since　you
have　neither　soul；　nor　pity；　nor　justiceI　tell　you　that；　burgomaster
though　you　areI　will　spurn　you　as　I　would　spurn　that　dog；〃　pointing
again　to　the　Prophet；　〃if　you　have　the　misfortune　to　mention　those　two
young　girls；　in　any　other　way　than　you　would　speak　of　your　own　child！
Now；　do　you　mark　me？〃

〃What！you　dare　to　say；〃　cried　the　burgomaster；　stammering　with　rage；
〃that　if　I　happen　to　mention　two　adventuresses〃

〃Hats　off！when　you　speak　of　the　daughters　of　the　Duke　of　Ligny；〃　cried
the　soldier；　snatching　the　cap　of　the　burgomaster　and　flinging　it　on　the
ground。　　On　this　act　of　aggression；　Morok　could　not　restrain　his　joy。
Exasperated　and　losing　all　hope；　Dagobert　had　at　length　yielded　to　the
violence　of　his　anger；　after　struggling　so　painfully　against　it　for　some
hours。

When　the　burgomaster　saw　his　cap　at　his　feet；　he　looked　at　the　brute…
tamer　with　an　air　of　stupefaction；　as　if　he　hesitated　to　believe　so　great
an　enormity。　　Dagobert；　regretting；　his　violence；　and　feeling　that　no
means　of　conciliation　note　remained；　threw　a　rapid　glance　around　him；
and；　retreating　several　paces；　gained　the　topmost　steps　of　the　staircase。
The　burgomaster　stood　near　the　bench；　in　a　corner　of　the　landing…　place；
whilst　Morok；　with　his　arm　in　the　sling；　to　give　the　more　serious
appearance　to　his　wound；　was　close　beside　him。　　〃So！〃　cried　the
magistrate；　deceived　by　the　backward　movement　of　Dagobert；　〃you　think　to
escape；　after　daring　to　lift　hand　against　me！Old　villain！〃

〃Forgive　me；　Mr。　Burgomaster！　　It　was　a　burst　of　rashness　that　I　was　not
able　to　control。　　I　am　sorry　for　it；〃　said　Dagobert　in　a　repentant　voice；
and　hanging　his　head　humbly。

〃No　pity　for　thee；　rascal！　　You　would　begin　again　to　smooth　me　over　with
your　coaxing　ways；　but　I　have　penetrated　your　secret　designs。　　You　are
not　what　you　appear　to　be；　and　there　is　perhaps　an　affair　of　state　at　the
bottom　of　all　this；〃　added　the　magistrate；　in　a　very　diplomatic　tone。
〃All　means　are　alike　to　those　who　wish　to　set　Europe　in　flames。〃

〃I　am　only　a　poor　devil；　Mr。　Burgomaster；　you；　that　have　a　good　heart；
will　show　me　some　mercy。〃

〃What！　when　you　have　pulled　off　my　cap？〃

〃And　you；〃　added　the　soldier；　turning　towards　Morok；　〃you；　that　have　been
the　cause　of　all　thishave　same　pity　upon　medo　not　bear　malice！You；
a　holy　man；　speak　a　word　in　my　favor　to　Mr。　Burgomaster。〃

〃I　have　spoken　to　him　what　I　was　bound　to　speak；〃　answered　the　Prophet
ironically。

〃Oho！　you　can　look　foolish　enough　now；　you　old　vagabond！　　Did　you　think
to　impose　on　me　with　lamentations？〃　resumed　the　burgomaster；　advancing
towards　Dagobert。　　〃Thanks　be；　I　am　no　longer　your　dupe！You　shall　see
that　we　have　good　dungeons　at　Leipsic　for　French　agitators　and　female
vagrants；　for　your　damsels　are　no　better　than　you　are。　　Come；〃　added　he；
puffing　out　his　cheeks　with　an　important　air；　〃go　down　before　meand　as
for　you；　Morok〃

The　burgomaster　was　unable　to　finish。　　For　some　minutes　Dagobert　had　only
sought　to　gain　time；　and　had　cast　many　a　side…glance　at　a　half…open　door
on　the　landing…place；　just　opposite　to　the　chamber　occupied　by　the
orphans：　finding　the　moment　favorable；　he　now　rushed　quick　as　lightning
on　the　burgomaster；　seized　him　by　the　throat；　and　dashed　him　with　such
violence　against　the　door　in　question；　that　the　magistrate；　stupefied　by
this　sudden　attack；　and　unable　to　speak　a　word　or　utter　a　cry；　rolled
over　to　the　further　end　of　the　room；　which　was　completely　dark。　　Then；
turning　towards　Morok；　who；　with　his　arm　encumbered　by　the　sling；　made　a
rush　for　the　staircase；　the　soldier　caught　him　by　his　long；　streaming
hair；　pulled　him　back；　clasped　him　with　hands　of　iron；　clapped　his　hand
over　his　mouth　to　stifle　his　outcries；　and　notwithstanding　his　desperate
resistance；　dragged　him　into　the　chamber；　on　the　floor　of　which　the
burgomaster　lay　bruised　and　stunned。

Having　double…locked　the　door；　and　put　the　key　in　his　pocket；　Dagobert
descended　the　stairs　at　two　bounds；　and　found　himself　in　a　passage；　that
opened　on　the　court…yard。　　The　gate　of　the　inn　was　shut；　and　there　was　no
possibility　of　escape　on　that　side。　　The　rain　fell　in　torrents。　　He　could
see　through　the　window　of　a　parlor；　in　which　a　fire　was　burning；　the　host
and　his　people　waiting　for　the　decision　of　the　burgomaster。　　To　bolt　the
door　of　the　passage；　and　thus　intercept　all　communication　with　the　yard；
was　for　the　soldier　the　affair　of　an　instant；　and　he　hastened　upstairs
again　to　rejoin　the　orphans。

Morok；　recovering　from　his　surprise；　was　calling　for　help　with　all　his
might；　but；　even　if　the　distance　had　permitted　him　to　be　heard；　the　noise
of　the　wind　and　rain　would　have　drowned　his　outcries。　　Dagobert　had　about
an　hour　before　him；　for　it　would　require　some　time　to　elapse　before　the
length　of　his　interview　with　the　magistrate　would　excite　astonishment；
and；　suspicion　or　fear　once　awakened；　it　would　be　necessary　to　break　open
two　doorsthat　which　separated　the　passage　from　the　court…yard；　and　that
of　the　room　in　which　the　burgomaster　and　the　Prophet　were　confined。

〃My　children；　it　is　now　time　to　prove　that　you　have　a　soldier's　blood　in
your　veins；〃　said　Dagobert；　as　he　entered　abruptly　the　chamber　of　the
young　girls；　who　were　terrified　at　the　racket　they　had　heard　for　some
minutes。

〃Good　heaven；　Dagobert！　what　has　happened？〃　cried　Blanche。

〃What　do　you　wish　us　to　do？〃　added　Rose。

Without　answering；　the　soldier　ran　to　the　bed；　tore　off　the　sheets；　tied
them　strongly　together；　made　a　knot　at　one　end；　passed　it　over　the　top　of
the　left　half　of　the　casement；　and　so　shut　it　in。　　Thus　made　fast　by　the
size　of　the　knot；　which　could　not　slip　through；　the　sheets；　floating　on
the　outside；　touched　the　ground。　　The　second　half　of　the　window　was　left
open；　to　afford　a　passage　to　the　fugitives。

The　veteran　next　took　his　knapsack；　the　children's　portmanteau；　and　the
reindeer　pelisse；　and　threw　them　all　out　of　the　window；　making　a　sign　to
Spoil…sport　to　follow；　to　watch　over　them。　　The　dog　did　not　hesitate；　but
disappeared　at　a　single　bound。　　Rose　and　Blanche　looked　at　Dagobert　in
amazement；　without　uttering　a　word。

〃Now；　children；〃　said　he　to　them；　〃the　doors　of　the　inn　are　shut；　and　it
is　by　this　way；〃　pointing　to　the　window；　〃that　we　must　passif　we　would
not　be　arrested；　put　in　prisonyou　in　one　place；　and　I　in　the　otherand
have　our　journey　altogether　knocked　on　the　head。〃

〃Arrested！　put　in　prison！〃　cried　Rose。

〃Separated　from　you！〃　exclaimed　Blanche。

〃Yes；　my　poor　children！They　have　killed　Jovialwe　must　make　our　escape
on　foot；　and　try　to　reach　Leipsicwhen　you　are　tired；　I　will　carry　you；
and；　though　I　have　to　beg　my　way；　we　will　go　through　with　it。　　But　a
quarter　of　an　hour　later；　and　all　will　be　lost。　　Come；　children；　have
trust　in　meshow　that　the　daughters　of　General　Simon　are　no　cowardsand
there　is　yet　hope。〃

By　a　sympathetic　movement；　the　sisters　joined　hands；　as　though　they　would
meet　the　danger　united。　　Their　sweet　faces；　pale　from　the　effect　of　so
many　painful　emotions；