the wandering jew, volume 1-第3节

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open　eye；　with　its　tawny　pupil　ever　encircled　by　a　rim　of　white。　　This
fixed；　extraordinary　look；　exercises　a　real　fascination　over　animals
which；　however；　does　not　prevent　the　Prophet　from　also　employing；　to
tame　them；　the　terrible　arsenal　around　him。

Seated　at　a　table；　he　has　just　opened　the　false　bottom　of　a　box；　filled
with　chaplets　and　other　toys；　for　the　use　of　the　devout。　　Beneath　this
false　bottom；　secured　by　a　secret　lock；　are　several　sealed　envelopes；
with　no　other　address　than　a　number；　combined　with　a　letter　of　the
alphabet。　　The　Prophet　takes　one　of　these　packets；　conceals　it　in　the
pocket　of　his　pelisse；　and；　closing　the　secret　fastening　of　the　false
bottom；　replaces　the　box　upon　a　shelf。

This　scene　occurs　about　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　in　the　White
Falcon；　the　only　hostelry　in　the　little　village　of　Mockern；　situated
near　Leipsic；　as　you　come　from　the　north　towards　France。

After　a　few　moments；　the　loft　is　shaken　by　a　hoarse　roaring　from　below。

〃Judas！　be　quiet！〃　exclaims　the　Prophet；　in　a　menacing　tone；　as　he　turns
his　head　towards　the　trap　door。

Another　deep　growl　is　heard；　formidable　as　distant　thunder。

〃Lie　down；　Cain！〃　cries　Morok；　starting　from　his　seat。

A　third　roar；　of　inexpressible　ferocity；　bursts　suddenly　on　the　ear。

〃Death！　Will　you　have　done；〃　cries　the　Prophet；　rushing　towards　the　trap
door；　and　addressing　a　third　invisible　animal；　which　bears　this　ghastly
name。

Notwithstanding　the　habitual　authority　of　his　voicenotwithstanding　his
reiterated　threatsthe　brute…tamer　cannot　obtain　silence：　on　the
contrary；　the　barking　of　several　dogs　is　soon　added　to　the　roaring　of
the　wild　beasts。　　Morok　seizes　a　pike；　and　approaches　the　ladder；　he　is
about　to　descend；　when　he　sees　some　one　issuing　from　the　aperture。

The　new…comer　has　a　brown；　sun…burnt　face；　he　wears　a　gray　hat；　bell…
crowned　and　broad…brimmed；　with　a　short　jacket；　and　wide　trousers　of
green　cloth；　his　dusty　leathern　gaiters　show　that　he　has　walked　some
distance；　a　game…bag　is　fastened　by　straps　to　his　back。

〃The　devil　take　the　brutes！〃　cried　he；　as　he　set　foot　on　the　floor；　〃one
would　think　they'd　forgotten　me　in　three　days。　　Judas　thrust　his　paw
through　the　bars　of　his　cage；　and　Death　danced　like　a　fury。　　They　don't
know　me　any　more；　it　seems？〃

This　was　said　in　German。　　Morok　answered　in　the　same　language；　but　with
a　slightly　foreign　accent。

〃Good　or　bad　news；　Karl？〃　he　inquired；　with　some　uneasiness。

〃Good　news。〃

〃You've　met　them！〃

〃Yesterday；　two　leagues　from　Wittenberg。〃

〃Heaven　be　praised！〃　cried　Morok；　clasping　his　hands　with　intense
satisfaction。

〃Oh；　of　course；　'tis　the　direct　road　from　Russia　to　France；　'twas　a
thousand　to　one　that　we　should　find　them　somewhere　between　Wittenberg
and　Leipsic。〃

〃And　the　description？〃

〃Very　close：　two　young　girls　in　mourning；　horse；　white；　the　old　man　has
long　moustache；　blue　forage…cap；　gray　topcoat　and　a　Siberian　dog　at　his
heels。〃

〃And　where　did　you　leave　them？〃

〃A　league　hence。　　They　will　be　here　within　the　hour。〃

〃And　in　this　innsince　it　is　the　only　one　in　the　village；〃　said　Morok；
with　a　pensive　air。

〃And　night　drawing　on；〃　added　Karl。

〃Did　you　get　the　old　man　to　talk？〃

〃Him！you　don't　suppose　it！〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Go；　and　try　yourself。〃

〃And　for　what　reason？〃

〃Impossible。〃

〃Impossiblewhy？〃

〃You　shall　know　all　about　it。　　Yesterday；　as　if　I　had　fallen　in　with
them　by　chance；　I　followed　them　to　the　place　where　they　stopped　for　the
night。　I　spoke　in　German　to　the　tall　old　man；　accosting　him；　as　is　usual
with　wayfarers；　'Good…day；　and　a　pleasant　journey；　comrade！'　　But；　for
an　answer；　he　looked　askant　at　me；　and　pointed　with；　the　end　of　his
stick　to　the　other　side　of　the　road。〃

〃He　is　a　Frenchman；　and；　perhaps；　does　not　understand　German。〃

〃He　speaks　it；　at　least　as　well　as　you；　for　at　the　inn　I　heard　him　ask
the　host　for　whatever　he　and　the　young　girls　wanted。〃

〃And　did　you　not　again　attempt　to　engage　him　in　conversation？〃

〃Once　only；　but　I　met　with　such　a　rough　reception；　that　for　fear　of
making　mischief；　I　did　not　try　again。　　Besides；　between　ourselves；　I　can
tell　you　this　man　has　a　devilish　ugly　look；　believe　me；　in　spite　of　his
gray　moustache；　he　looks　so　vigorous　and　resolute；　though　with　no　more
flesh　on　him　than　a　carcass；　that　I　don't　know　whether　he　or　my　mate
Giant　Goliath；　would　have　the　best　of　it　in　a　struggle。　　〃I　know　not
your　plans：　only　take　care；　mastertake　care！〃

〃My　black　panther　of　Java　was　also　very　vigorous　and　very　vicious；〃　said
Morok；　with　a　grim；　disdainful；　smile。

〃What；　Death？　　Yes；　in　truth；　and　she　is　vigorous　and　vicious　as　ever。
Only　to　you　she　is　almost　mild。〃

〃And　thus　I　will　break　this　tall　old　man；　notwithstanding　his　strength
and　surliness。〃

〃Humph！　humph！　be　on　your　guard；　master。　　You　are　clever；　you　are　as
brave　as　any　one；　but；　believe　me；　you　will　never　make　a　lamb　out　of　the
old　wolf　that　will　be　here　presently。〃

〃Does　not　my　lion；　Caindoes　not　my　tiger；　Judas；　crouch　in　terror
before　me？〃

〃Yes；　I　believe　you　therebecause　you　have　means〃

〃Because　I　have　faith：　that　is　alland　it　is　all；〃　said　Morok；
imperiously　interrupting　Karl；　and　accompanying　these　words　with　such　a
look；　that　the　other　hung　his　head　and　was　silent。

〃Why　should　not　he　whom　the　Lord　upholds　in　his　struggle　with　wild
beasts；　be　also　upheld　in　his　struggle　with　men；　when　those　men　are
perverse　and　impious？〃　added　the　Prophet；　with　a　triumphant；　inspired
air。

Whether　from　belief　in　his　master's　conviction；　or　from　inability　to
engage　in　a　controversy　with　him　on　so　delicate　a　subject；　Karl　answered
the　Prophet；　humbly：　〃you　are　wiser　than　I　am；　master；　what　you　do　must
be　well　done。〃

〃Did　you　follow　this　old　man　and　these　two　young　girls　all　day　long？〃
resumed　the　Prophet；　after　a　moment's　silence。

〃Yes；　but　at　a　distance。　　As　I　know　the　country　well；　I　sometimes　cut
across　a　valley；　sometimes　over　a　hill；　keeping　my　eye　upon　the　road；
where　they　were　always　to　be　seen。　　The　last　time　I　saw　them；　I　was　hid
behind　the　water…mill　by　the　potteries。　　As　they　were　on　the　highway　for
this　place；　and　night　was　drawing　on；　I　quickened　my　pace　to　get　here
before　them；　and　be　the　bearer　of　what　you　call　good　news。〃

〃Very　goodyes　…very　good：　and　you　shall　be　rewarded；　for　if　these
people　had　escaped　me〃

The　Prophet　started；　and　did　not　conclude　the　sentence。　　The　expression
of　his　face；　and　the　tones　of　his　voice；　indicated　the　importance　of　the
intelligence　which　had　just　been　brought　him。

〃In　truth；〃　rejoined　Karl；　〃it　may　be　worth　attending　to；　for　that
Russian　courier；　all　plastered　with　lace；　who　came；　without　slacking
bridle；　from　St。　Petersburg　to　Leipsic；　only　to　see　you；　rode　so　fast；
perhaps；　for　the　purpose〃

Morok　abruptly　interrupted　Karl；　and　said：

〃Who　told　you　that　the　arrival　of　the　courier　had　anything　to　do　with
these　travellers？　　You　are　mistaken；　you　should　only　know　what　I　choose
to　tell　you。〃

〃Well；　master；　forgive　me；　and　let's　say　no　more　about　it。　　So！　　I　will
get　rid　of　my　game…bag；　and　go　help　Goliath　to　feed　the　brutes；　for
their　supper　time　draws　near；　if　it　is　not　already　past。　　Does　our　big
giant　grow　lazy；　master？〃

〃Goliath　is　gone　out；　he　must　not　know　that　you　are　returned；　above　all；
the　tall　old　man　and　the　maidens　must　not　see　you　here　…it　would　make
them　suspect　something。〃

〃Where　do　you　wish　me　to　go；　then？〃

〃Into　the　loft；　at　the　end　of　the　stable；　and　wait　my　orders；　you　may
this　night　have　to　set　out　for　Leipsic。〃

〃As　you　please；　I　have　some　provisions　left　in　my　pouch；　and　can　sup　in
the　loft　whilst　I　rest　myself。〃

〃Go。〃

〃Master；　remember　what　I　told　you。　　Beware　of　that　old　fellow　with　the
gray　moustache；　I　think　he's　devilish　tough；　I'm　up　to　these　things
he's　an　ugly　customerbe　on　your　guard！〃

〃Be　quite　easy！　　I　am　always　on　my　guard；〃　said　Morok。

〃Then　good　luck　to　you；　master！〃and　Karl；　having　reached　the　ladder；
suddenly　disappeared。

After　making　a　friendly　farewell　gesture　to　his　servant；　the　Prophet
walked　up　and　down　for　some　time；　with　an　air　of　deep　meditation；　then；
approaching　the　box　which　contained　the　papers；　he　took　out　a　pretty
long　letter；　and　read　it　over　and　over　with　profound　attention。　　From
time　to　time　he　rose　and　went　to　the　closed　window；　which　looked　upon
the　inner　court　of　the　inn；　and　appealed　to　listen　anxiously；　for　he
waited　with　impatience　the　arrival　of　the　three　persons　whose　approach
had　just　been　announced　to　him。




CHAPTER　II。

THE　TRAVELLERS。

While　the　above　scene　was　passing　in　the　White　Falcon　at　Mockern；　the
three　persons　whose　arrival　Morok　was　so　anxiously　expecting；　travelled
on　leisurely　in　the　midst　of　smiling　meadows；　bounded　on　one　side　by　a
river；　the　current　of　which　turned　a　mill；　and　on　the　other　by　the
highway　leading　to　the　village；　which　was　situated　on　an　eminence；　at
about　a　league's　distance。

The　sky　was　beautifully　serene；　the　bubbling　of　the　river；　beaten　by　the
mill…wheel　and　sparkling　with　foam；　alone　broke　upon　the　silence　of　an
evening　profoundly　calm。　　Thick　willows；　bending　over　the　river；　covered
it　with　their　green　tr