the wandering jew, volume 1-第32节

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without　religious　feeling。　　Marked　as　very　dangerous。　　This　causes　his
intimacy　with　Gabriel　to　be　feared。

〃‘The　latter；　notwithstanding　his　excellent　qualities；　sometimes　causes
uneasiness。　　We　have　even　delayed　confiding　in　him　fully。　　A　false　step
might　make　him；　too；　one　of　the　most　dangerous。　　Much　precaution　must　be
used　then；　especially　till　the　13th　of　February；　since；　we　repeat　it；　on
him；　on　his　presence　in　Paris　at　that　time；　depend　immense　hopes　and
equally　important　interests。

〃‘Among　other　precautions；　we　have　consented　to　his　taking　part　in　the
American　mission；　for　he　unites　with　angelic　sweetness　of　character　a
calm　intrepidity　and　adventurous　spirit　which　could　only　be　satisfied　by
allowing　him　to　engage　in　the　perilous　existence　of　the　missionaries。
Luckily；　his　superiors　at　Charlestown　have　received　the　strictest　orders
not　to　endanger；　on　any　account；　so　precious　a　life。　　They　are　to　send
him　to　Paris；　at　least　a　month　or　two　before　February　13th。〃'

Rodin's　master　again　interrupted　him；　and　said：　〃Read　the　letter　from
Charlestown；　and　see　what　it　tells　you　in　order　to　complete　the
information　upon　this　point　also。〃

When　he　had　read　the　letter；　Rodin　went　on：　〃Gabriel　is　expected　every
day　from　the　Rocky　Mountains；　whither　he　had　absolutely　insisted　on　going
alone　upon　a　mission。〃

〃What　imprudence！〃

〃He　has　no　doubt　escaped　all　danger；　as　he　himself　announces　his　speedy
return　to　Charlestown。　　As　soon　as　he　arrives；　which　cannot　（they　write）
be　later　than　the　middle　of　this　month；　he　will　be　shipped　off　for
France。〃

〃Add　this　to　the　note　which　concerns　him；〃　said　Rodin's　master。

〃It　is　written；〃　replied　the　secretary；　a　few　moments　later。

〃Proceed；　then；〃　said　his　master。　　Rodin　continued


〃‘NOTE；　No。　VI。

〃‘ADRIENNE　RENNEPONT　DE　CARDOVILLE。

〃‘Distantly　related　（without　knowing　it）　to　Jacques　Rennepont；　alias
Sleepinbuff；　and　Gabriel　Rennepont；　missionary　priest。　　She　will　soon　be
twenty…one　years　of　age；　the　most　attractive　person　in　the　world
extraordinary　beauty；　though　red…haireda　mind　remarkable　for　its
originalityimmense　fortuneall　the　animal　instincts。　　The　incredible
independence　of　her　character　makes　one　tremble　for　the　future　fate　of
this　young　person。　　Happily；　her　appointed　guardian；　Baron　Tripeaud　（a
baron　of　1829　creation；　formerly　agent　to　the　late　Count　of　Rennepont；
Duke　of　Cardoville）；　is　quite　in　the　interest；　and　almost　in　the
dependence；　of　the　young　lady's　aunt。　　We　count；　with　reason；　upon　this
worthy　and　respectable　relative；　and　on　the　Baron　Tripeaud；　to　oppose　and
repress　the　singular；　unheard…of　designs　which　this　young　person；　as
resolute　as　independent；　does　not　fear　to　avowand　which；　unfortunately；
cannot　be　turned　to　account　in　the　interest　of　the　affair　in　question
for〃

Rodin　was　here　interrupted　by　two　discreet　taps　at　the　door。　　The
secretary　rose；　went　to　see　who　knocked；　remained　a　moment　without；　and
then　returned　with　two　letters　in　his　hand；　saying：　〃The　princess　has
profited　by　the　departure　of　a　courier　to〃

〃Give　me　the　letter！〃　cried　his　master；　without　leaving　him　time　to
finish。　　〃At　length；〃　he　added；　〃I　shall　have　news　of　my　mother〃

He　had　scarcely　read　the　first　few　lines　of　the　letter；　when　he　grew
deadly　pale；　and　his　features　took　an　expression　of　painful　astonishment
and　poignant　grief。　　〃My　mother！〃　he　cried；　〃oh；　heavens！　my　mother！〃

〃What　misfortune　has　happened！〃　asked　Rodin；　with　a　look　of　alarm；　as　he
rose　at　the　exclamation　of　his　master。

〃The　symptoms　of　improvement　were　fallacious；〃　replied　the　other；
dejectedly；　〃she　has　now　relapsed　into　a　nearly　hopeless　state。　　And　yet
the　doctor　thinks　my　presence　might　save　her；　for　she　calls　for　me
without　ceasing。　　She　wishes　to　see　me　for　the　last　time；　that　she　may
die　in　peace。　　Oh；　that　wish　is　sacred！　　Not　to　grant　it　would　be
matricide。　　If　I　can　but　arrive　in　time！　　Travelling　day　and　night；　it
will　take　nearly　two　days。〃

〃Alas！　　what　a　misfortune！〃　said　Rodin；　wringing　his　hands；　and　raising
his　eyes　to　heaven。

His　master　rang　the　bell　violently；　and　said　to　the　old　servant　that
opened　tile　door：　〃Just　put　what　is　indispensable　into　the　portmanteau　of
my　travelling…carriage。　　Let　the　porter　take　a　cab；　and　go　for　post…
horses　instantly。　　Within　an　hour；　I　must　be　on　the　road。　　Mother！
mother！〃　cried　he；　as　the　servant　departed　in　haste。　　〃Not　to　see　her
againoh；　it　would　be　frightful！〃　　　And　sinking　upon　a　chair；
overwhelmed　with　sorrow；　he　covered　his　face　with　his　hands。

This　great　grief　was　sincerehe　loved　tenderly　his　mother　that　divine
sentiment　had　accompanied　him；　unalterable　and　pure；　through　all　the
phases　of　a　too　often　guilty　life。

After　a　few　minutes；　Rodin　ventured　to　say　to　his　master；　as　he　showed
him　the　second　letter：　〃This；　also；　has　just　been　brought　from　M。
Duplessis。　　It　is　very　importantvery　pressing〃

〃See　what　it　is；　and　answer　it。　　I　have　no　head　for　business。〃

〃The　letter　is　confidential；〃　said　Rodin；　presenting　it　to　his　master。
〃I　dare　not　open　it；　as　you　may　see　by　the　mark　on　the　cover。〃

At　sight　of　this　mark；　the　countenance　of　Rodin's　master　assumed　an
indefinable　expression　of　respect　and　fear。　　With　a　trembling　hand　he
broke　the　seal。　　The　note　contained　only　the　following　words：　〃Leave　all
business；　and　without　losing　a　minute；　set　out　and　come。　　M。　Duplessis
will　replace　you。　　He　has　orders。〃

〃Great　God！〃　cried　this　man　in　despair。　　〃Set　out　before　I　have　seen　my
mother！　　It　is　frightful；　impossibleit　would　perhaps　kill　heryes；　it
would　be　matricide！〃

Whilst　he　uttered　these　words；　his　eyes　rested　on　the　huge　globe；　marked
with　red　crosses。　　A　sudden　revolution　seemed　to　take　place　within　him；
he　appeared　to　repent　of　the　violence　of　his　regrets；　his　face；　though
still　sad；　became　once　more　calm　and　grave。　　He　handed　the　fatal　letter
to　his　secretary；　and　said　to　him；　whilst　he　stifled　a　sigh：　〃To　be
classed　under　its　proper　number。〃

Rodin　took　the　letter；　wrote　a　number　upon　it；　and　placed　it　in　a
particular　box。　　After　a　moment's　silence；　his　master　resumed：　〃You　will
take　orders　from　M。　Duplessis；　and　work　with　him。　　You　will　deliver　to
him　the　note　on　the　affair　of　the　medals；　he　knows　to　whom　to　address　it。
You　will　write　to　Batavia；　Leipsic；　and　Charlestown；　in　the　sense　agreed。
Prevent；　at　any　price；　the　daughters　of　General　Simon　from　quitting
Leipsic；　hasten　the　arrival　of　Gabriel　in　Paris；　and　should　Prince　Djalma
come　to　Batavia；　tell　M。　Joshua　Van　Dael；　that　we　count　on　his　zeal　and
obedience　to　keep　him　there。〃

And　this　man；　who；　while　his　dying　mother　called　to　him　in　vain；　could
thus　preserve　his　presence　of　mind；　entered　his　own　apartments；　whilst
Rodin　busied　himself　with　the　answers　he　had　been　ordered　to　write；　and
transcribed　them　in　cipher。

In　about　three　quarters　of　an　hour；　the　bells　of　the　post…horses　were
heard　jingling　without。　　The　old　servant　again　entered；　after　discreetly
knocking　at　the　door；　and　said：

〃The　carriage　is　ready。〃

Rodin　nodded；　and　the　servant　withdrew。　　The　secretary；　in　his　turn；　went
to　knock　at　the　door　of　the　inner　room。　　His　master　appeared；　still　grave
and　cold；　but　fearfully　pale；　and　holding　a　letter　in　his　hand。

〃This　for　my　mother；〃　said　he　to　Rodin；　〃you　will　send　a　courier　on　the
instant。〃

〃On　the　instant；〃　replied　the　secretary。

〃Let　the　three　letters　for　Leipsic；　Batavia　and　Charlestown；　leave　to…day
by　the　ordinary　channel。　　They　are　of　the　last　importance。　　You　know　it。〃

Those　were　his　last　words。　　Executing　merciless　orders　with　a　merciless
obedience；　he　departed　without　even　attempting　to　see　his　mother。　　His
secretary　accompanied　him　respectfully　to　his　carriage。

〃What　road；　sir？〃　asked　the　postilion；　turning　round　on　his　saddle。

〃The　road　to　ITALY！〃　answered　Rodin's　master；　with　so　deep　a　sigh　that　it
almost　resembled　a　sob。

As　the　horses　started　at　full　gallop；　Rodin　made　a　low　bow；　then　he
returned　to　the　large；　cold；　bare　apartment。　　The　attitude；　countenance；
and　gait　of　this　personage　seemed　to　have　undergone　a　sudden　change。　　He
appeared　to　have　increased　in　dimensions。　　He　was　no　longer　an　automaton；
moved　by　the　mechanism　of　humble　obedience。　　His　features；　till　now
impassible；　his　glance；　hitherto　subdued；　became　suddenly　animated　with
an　expression　of　diabolical　craft；　a　sardonic　smile　curled　his　thin；　pale
lips；　and　a　look　of　grim　satisfaction　relaxed　his　cadaverous　face。

In　turn；　he　stopped　before　the　huge　globe。　　In　turn；　he　contemplated　it
in　silence；　even　as　his　master　had　done。　　Then；　bending　over　it；　and
embracing　it；　as　it　were；　in　his　arms；　he　gloated　with　his　reptile…eye　on
it　for　some　moments；　drew　his　coarse　finger　along　its　polished　surface；
and　tapped　his　flat；　dirty　nail　on　three　of　the　places　dotted　with　red
crosses。　　And；　whilst　he　thus　pointed　to　three　towns；　in　very　different
parts　of　the　world；　he　named　them　aloud；　with　a　sneer。　　〃Leipsic
CharlestownBatavia。〃

〃In　each　of　these　three　places；〃　he　added；　〃distant　as　they　are　from　one
another；　there　exist　persons　who　little　think　that　here；　in　this　obscure
street；　from　the　recesses　of　this　chamber；　wakeful　eyes　are