the wandering jew, volume 1-第28节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


meet　the　danger　united。　　Their　sweet　faces；　pale　from　the　effect　of　so
many　painful　emotions；　were　now　expressive　of　simple　resolve；　founded　on
the　blind　faith　they　reposed　in　the　devotion　of　the　soldier。

〃Be　satisfied；　Dagobert！　we'll　not　be　frightened；〃　said　Rose；　in　a　firm
voice。

〃We　will　do　what　must　be　done；〃　added　Blanche；　in　a　no　less　resolute
tone。

〃I　was　sure　of　it；〃　cried　Dagobert；　〃good　blood　is　ever　thicker　than
water。　　Come！　you　are　light　as　feathers；　the　sheet　is　strong；　it　is
hardly　eight　feet　to　the　ground；　and　the　pup　is　waiting　for　you。〃

〃It　is　for　me　to　go　firstI　am　the　eldest　for　to…day；〃　cried　Rose；　when
she　had　tenderly　embraced　Blanche；　and　she　ran　to　the　window；　in　order；
if　there　were　any　danger；　to　expose　herself　to　it　before　her　sister。

Dagobert　easily　guessed　the　cause　of　this　eagerness。　　〃Dear　children！〃
said　he；　〃I　understand　you。　　But　fear　nothing　for　one　anotherthere　is
no　danger。　　I　have　myself　fastened　the　sheet。　　〃Quick；　my　little　Rose！〃

As　light　as　a　bird；　the　young　girl　mounted　the　ledge　of　the　window；　and
assisted　by　Dagobert；　took　hold　of　the　sheet；　and　slid　gently　down
according　to　the　recommendation　of　the　soldier；　who；　leaning　out　his
whole　body；　encouraged　her　with　his　voice。

〃Don't　be　afraid；　sister！〃　said　she；　as　soon　as　she　touched　the　ground；
〃it　is　very　easy　to　come　down　this　way。　　And　Spoil…sport　is　here；　licking
my　hands。〃　　Blanche　did　not　long　keep　her　waiting；　as　courageous　as　her
sister；　she　descended　with　the　same　success。

〃Dear　little　creatures！　what　have　they　done　to　be　so　unfortunate？
Thousand　thunders！　there　must　be　a　curse　upon　the　family；〃　cried
Dagobert；　as；　with　heavy　heart；　he　saw　the　pale；　sweet　face　of　the　young
girl　disappear　amid　the　gloom　of　the　dark　night；　which　violent　squalls　of
wind　and　torrents　of　rain　rendered　still　more　dismal。

〃Dagobert；　we　are　waiting　for　you；　come　quickly！〃　said　the　orphans　in　a
low　voice；　from　beneath　the　window。　　Thanks　to　his　tall　stature；　the
soldier　rather　leaped　than　glided　to　the　ground。

Dagobert　and　the　two　young　girls　had　not　fled　from　the　inn　of　the　White
Falcon　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　when　a　long　crash　resounded
through　the　house。　　The　door　had　yielded　to　the　efforts　of　the
burgomaster　and　Morok；　who　had　made　use　of　a　heavy　table　as　a　battering…
ram。　　Guided　by　the　light；　they　ran　to　the　chamber　of　the　orphans；　now
deserted。　　Morok　saw　the　sheets　floating　from　the　casement；　and　cried：
〃Mr。　Burgomaster；　they　have　escaped　by　the　windowthey　are　on　footin
this　dark　and　stormy　night；　they　cannot　be　far。〃

〃No　doubt；　we　shall　catch　them；　the　miserable　tramps！　Oh；　I　will　be
revenged！　　Quick；　Morok；　your　honor　is　concerned　as　well　as　mine。〃

〃My　honor？Much　more　is　concerned　than　that；　Mr。　Burgomaster；〃　answered
the　Prophet；　in　a　tone　of　great　irritation。　　Then；　rapidly　descending　the
stairs；　he　opened　the　door　of　the　court…yard；　and　shouted　in　a　voice　of
thunder：

〃Goliath！　unchain　the　dogs！and；　landlord！　bring　us　lanterns；　torches
arm　your　peopleopen　the　doors！We　must　pursue　the　fugitives；　they
cannot　escape　us；　we　must　have　themalive　or　dead！〃




CHAPTER　XV。

THE　DESPATCHES。

When　we　read；　in　the　rules　of　the　order　of　the　Jesuits；　under　the　title
De　formula　scribendi　（Institut。　2；　11；　p。　125；　129）；　the　development　of
the　8th　part　of　the　constitutions；　we　are　appalled　by　the　number　of
letters；　narratives；　registers；　and　writings　of　all　kinds；　preserved　in
the　archives　of　the　society。

It　is　a　police　infinitely　more　exact　and　better　informed　than　has　ever
been　that　of　any　state。　　Even　the　government　of　Venice　found　itself
surpassed　by　the　Jesuits：　when　it　drove　them　out　in　1606；　it　seized　all
their　papers；　and　reproached　them　for　their　great　and　laborious
curiosity。　　This　police；　this　secret　inquisition；　carried　to　such　a
degree　of　perfection；　may　give　some　idea　of　the　strength　of　a　government；
so　well…informed　so　persevering　in　its　projects；　so　powerful　by　its
unity；　and；　as　the　constitutions　have　it；　by　the　union　of　its　members。
It　is　not　hard　to　understand；　what　immense　force　must　belong　to　the　heads
of　this　society；　and　how　the　general　of　the　Jesuits　could　say　to　the　Duke
de　Brissac：　〃From　this　room；　your　grace；　I　govern　not　only　Paris；　but
China…　not　only　China；　but　the　whole　worldand　all　without　any　one
knowing　how　it　is　done：〃
（Constitution　of　the　Jesuits；　edited　by　Paulin；　Paris；　1843。）

Morok；　the　lion…tamer；　seeing　Dagobert　deprived　of　his　horse；　and
stripped　of　his　money　and　papers；　and　thinking　it　was　thus　out　of　his
power　to　continue　his　journey；　had；　previous　to　the　arrival　of　the
burgomaster；　despatched　Karl　to　Leipsic；　as　the　bearer　of　a　letter　which
he　was　to　put　immediately　into　the　post。　　The　address　of　this　letter　was
as　follows：　〃A　Monsieur　Rodin；　Rue　du　Milieu　des　Ursins；　Paris。〃

About　the　middle　of　this　obscure　and　solitary　street；　situate　below　the
level　of　the　Quai　Napoleon；　which　it　joins　not　far　from　the　Rue　Saint
Landry；　there　stood　a　house　of　unpretentious　appearance；　at　the　bottom　of
a　dark　and　narrow　court…yard；　separated　from　the　street　by　a　low　building
in　front；　with　arched　doorway；　and　two　windows　protected　by　thick　iron
bars。　　Nothing　could　be　more　simple　than　the　interior　of　this　quiet
dwelling；　as　was　sufficiently　shown　by　the　furniture　of　a　pretty　large
room　on　the　ground　floor。　　The　walls　of　this　apartment　were　lined　with
old　gray　wainscot；　the　tiled　floor　was　painted　red；　and　carefully
polished；　curtains　of　white　calico　shaded　the　windows。

A　sphere　of　about　four　feet　in　diameter；　raised　on　a　pedestal　of　massive
oak；　stood　at　one　end　of　the　room；　opposite　to　the　fireplace。　　Upon　this
globe；　which　was　painted　on　a　large　scale；　a　host　of　little　red　crosses
appeared　scattered　over　all　parts　of　the　worldfrom　the　North　to　the
South；　from　the　rising　to　the　setting　sun；　from　the　most　barbarous
countries；　from　the　most　distant　isles；　to　the　centres　of　civilization；
to　France　itself。　　There　was　not　a　single　country　which　did　not　present
some　spots　marked　with　these　red　crosses；　evidently　indicative　of
stations；　or　serving　as　points　of　reference。

Before　a　table　of　black　wood；　loaded　with　papers；　and　resting　against　the
wall　near　the　chimney；　a　chair　stood　empty。　　Further　on；　between　the　two
windows；　was　a　large　walnut…wood　desk；　surmounted　by　shelves　full　of
pasteboard　boxes。

At　the　end　of　the　month　of　October；　1831；　about　eight　o'clock　in　the
morning；　a　man　sat　writing　at　this　desk。　　This　was　M。　Rodin；　the
correspondent　of　Morok；　the　brute…tamer。

About　fifty　years　of　age；　he　wore　an　old；　shabby；　olive　greatcoat；　with　a
greasy　collar；　a　snuff…powdered　cotton　handkerchief　for　a　cravat；　and
waistcoat　and　trousers　of　threadbare　black　cloth。　　His　feet；　buried　in
loose　varnished　shoes；　rested　on　a　petty　piece　of　green　baize　upon　the
red；　polished　floor。　　His　gray　hair　lay　flat　on　his　temples；　and
encircled　his　bald　forehead；　his　eyebrows　were　scarcely　marked；　his　upper
eyelid；　flabby　and　overhanging；　like　the　membrane　which　shades　the　eyes
of　reptiles；　half　concealed　his　small；　sharp；　black　eye。　　His　thin　lips；
absolutely　colorless；　were　hardly　distinguishable　from　the　wan　hue　of　his
lean　visage；　with　its　pointed　nose　and　chin；　and　this　livid　mask
（deprived　as　it　were　of　lips）　appeared　only　the　more　singular；　from　its
maintaining　a　death…like　immobility。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　rapid
movement　of　his　fingers；　as；　bending　over　the　desk；　he　scratched　along
with　his　pen；　M。　Rodin　might　have　been　mistaken　for　a　corpse。

By　the　aid　of　a　cipher　（or　secret　alphabet）　placed　before　him　he　was
copying　certain　passages　from　a　long　sheet　full　of　writing；　in　a　manner
quite　unintelligible　to　those　who　did　not　possess　the　key　to　the　system。
Whilst　the　darkness　of　the　day　increased　the　gloom　of　the　large；　cold；
naked…looking　apartment；　there　was　something　awful　in　the　chilling　aspect
of　this　man；　tracing　his　mysterious　characters　in　the　midst　of　profound
silence。

The　clock　struck　eight。　　The　dull　sound　of　the　knocker　at　the　outer　door
was　heard；　then　a　bell　tinkled　twice；　several　doors　opened　and　shut；　and
a　new　personage　entered　the　chamber。　　On　seeing　him；　M。　Rodin　rose　from
the　desk；　stuck　his　pen　between　his　teeth；　bowed　with　a　deeply　submissive
air；　and　sat　down　again　to　his　work　without　uttering　a　word

The　two　formed　a　striking　contrast　to　one　another。　　The　newcomer；　though
really　older　than　he　seemed；　would　have　passed　for　thirty…six　or　thirty…
eight　years　of　age　at　most。　　His　figure　was　tall　and　shapely；　and　few
could　have　encountered　the　brightness　of　his　large　gray　eye；　brilliant　as
polished　steel。　　His　nose；　broad　at　the　commencement；　formed　a　well…cut
square　at　its　termination；　his　chin　was　prominent；　and　the　bluish　tints
of　his　close…shaved　beard　were　contrasted　with　the　bright　carnation　of
his　lips；　and　the　whiteness　of　his　fine　teeth。　　When　he　took　off　his　hat
to　change　it　for　a　black　velvet　cap　which　he　found　on　the　small　table；　he
displayed　a　quantity　of　light　chestnut　hair；　not　yet　silvered　by　time。
He　was　dressed　in　a　long　frock…coat；　buttoned　up　to　the　neck　in　military
fashion。

The　piercing　glance　and　broad　forehead　of　t