the wandering jew, volume 10-第1节

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The　Wandering　Jew；　Volume　10


By　Eugene　Sue






BOOK　X。

XXXIII。　　　　Confessions
XXXIV。　　　　　More　Confessions
XXXV。　　　　　　The　Rivals
XXXVI。　　　　　The　Interview
XXXVII。　　　　Soothing　Words
XXXVIII。　　　The　Two　Carriages
XXXIX。　　　　　The　Appointment
XL。　　　　　　　　Anxiety
XLI。　　　　　　　Adrienne　and　Djalma
XLII。　　　　　　〃The　Imitation〃
XLIII。　　　　　Prayer
XLIV。　　　　　　Remembrances
XLV。　　　　　　　The　Blockhead
XLVI。　　　　　　The　Anonymous　Letters
XLVII。　　　　　The　Golden　City
XLVIII。　　　　The　Stung　Lion
XLIX。　　　　　　The　Test






CHAPTER　XXXIII。

CONFESSIONS。

During　the　painful　scene　that　we　have　just　described；　a　lively　emotion
glowed　in　the　countenance　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　grown　pale　and　thin
with　sorrow。　　Her　cheeks；　once　so　full；　were　now　slightly　hollowed；
whilst　a　faint　line　of　transparent　azure　encircled　those　large　black
eyes；　no　longer　so　bright　as　formerly。　　But　the　charming　lips；　though
contracted　by　painful　anxiety；　had　retained　their　rich　and　velvet
moisture。　　To　attend　more　easily　to　Mother　Bunch；　Adrienne　had　thrown
aside　her　bonnet；　and　the　silky　waves　of　her　beautiful　golden　hair　almost
concealed　her　face　as　she　bent　over　the　mattress；　rubbing　the　thin；　ivory
hands　of　the　poor　sempstress；　completely　called　to　life　by　the　salubrious
freshness　of　the　air；　and　by　the　strong　action　of　the　salts　which
Adrienne　carried　in　her　smelling…bottle。　　Luckily；　Mother　Bunch　had
fainted；　rather　from　emotion　and　weakness　than　from　the　effects　of
suffocation；　the　senses　of　the　unfortunate　girl　having　failed　her　before
the　deleterious　gas　had　attained　its　highest　degree　of　intensity。

Before　continuing　the　recital　of　the　scene　between　the　sempstress　and　the
patrician；　a　few　retrospective　words　will　be　necessary。　　Since　the
strange　adventure　at　the　theatre　of　the　Porte…Saint…Martin；　where　Djalma；
at　peril　of　his　life；　rushed　upon　the　black　panther　in　sight　of　Mdlle。
de　Cardoville；　the　young　lady　had　been　deeply　affected　in　various　ways。
Forgetting　her　jealousy；　and　the　humiliation　she　had　suffered　in　presence
of　Djalmaof　Djalma　exhibiting　himself　before　every　one　with　a　woman　so
little　worthy　of　himAdrienne　was　for　a　moment　dazzled　by　the　chivalrous
and　heroic　action　of　the　prince；　and　said　to　herself：　〃In　spite　of　odious
appearances；　Djalma　loves　me　enough　to　brave　death　in　order　to　pick　up　my
nosegay。〃

But　with　a　soul　so　delicate　as　that　of　this　young　lady；　a　character　so
generous；　and　a　mind　so　true；　reflection　was　certain　soon　to　demonstrate
the　vanity　of　such　consolations；　powerless　to　cure　the　cruel　wounds　of
offended　dignity　an　love。

〃How　many　times；〃　said　Adrienne　to　herself；　and　with　reason；　〃has　the
prince　encountered；　in　hunting；　from　pure　caprice　and　with　no　gain；　such
danger　as　he　braved　in　picking　up　my　bouquet！　and　then；　who　tells　me　he
did　not　mean　to　offer　it　to　the　woman　who　accompanied　him？〃

Singular　（it　may　be）　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　but　just　and　great　in
those　of　heaven；　the　ideas　which　Adrienne　cherished　with　regard　to　love；
joined　to　her　natural　pride；　presented　an　invincible　obstacle　to　the
thought　of　her　succeeding　this　woman　（whoever　she　might　be）；　thus
publicly　displayed　by　the　prince　as　his　mistress。　　And　yet　Adrienne
hardly　dared　avow　to　herself；　that　she　experienced　a　feeling　of　jealousy；
only　the　more　painful　and　humiliating；　the　less　her　rival　appeared　worthy
to　be　compared　to　her。

At　other　times；　on　the　contrary；　in　spite　of　a　conscious　sense　of　her　own
value；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　remembering　the　charming　countenance　of
Rose…Pompon；　asked　herself　if　the　bad　taste　and　improper　manners　of　this
pretty　creature　resulted　from　precocious　and　depraved　effrontery；　or　from
a　complete　ignorance　of　the　usages　of　society。　　In　the　latter　case；　such
ignorance；　arising　from　a　simple　and　ingenuous　nature；　might　in　itself
have　a　great　charm；　and　if　to　this　attraction；　combined　with　that　of
incontestable　beauty；　were　added　sincere　love　and　a　pure　soul；　the
obscure　birth；　or　neglected　education　of　the　girl　might　be　of　little
consequence；　and　she　might　be　capable　of　inspiring　Djalma　with　a　profound
passion。　　If　Adrienne　hesitated　to　see　a　lost　creature　in　Rose…Pompon；
notwithstanding　unfavorable　appearances；　it　was　because；　remembering　what
so　many　travellers　had　related　of　Djalma's　greatness　of　soul；　and
recalling　the　conversation　she　had　overheard　between　him　and　Rodin；　she
could　not　bring　herself　to　believe　that　a　man　of　such　remarkable
intelligence；　with　so　tender　a　heart；　so　poetical；　imaginative　and
enthusiastic　a　mind　could　be　capable　of　loving　a　depraved　and　vulgar
creature；　and　of　openly　exhibiting　himself　in　public　along　with　her。
There　was　a　mystery　in　the　transaction；　which　Adrienne　sought　in　vain　to
penetrate。　　These　trying　doubts；　this　cruel　curiosity；　only　served　to
nourish　Adrienne's　fatal　love；　and　we　may　imagine　her　incurable　despair；
when　she　found　that　the　indifference；　or　even　disdain　of　Djalma；　was
unable　to　stifle　a　passion　that　now　burned　more　fiercely　than　ever。
Sometimes；　having　recourse　to　notions　of　fatality；　she　fancied　that　she
was　destined　to　feel　this　love；　that　Djalma　must　therefore　deserve　it；
and　that　one　day　whatever　was　incomprehensible　in　the　conduct　of　the
prince　would　be　explained　to　his　advantage。　　At　other　times；　on　the
contrary；　she　felt　ashamed　of　excusing　Djalma；　and　the　consciousness　of
this　weakness　was　for　Adrienne　a　constant　occasion　for　remorse　and
torture。　　The　victim　of　all　these　agonies；　she　lived　in　perfect　solitude。

The　cholera　soon　broke　out；　startling　as　a　clap　of　thunder。　　Too　unhappy
to　fear　the　pestilence　on　her　own　account；　Adrienne　was　only　moved　by　the
sorrows　of　others。　　She　was　amongst　the　first　to　contribute　to　those
charitable　donations；　which　were　now　flowing　in　from　all　sides　in　the
admirable　spirit　of　benevolence。　　Florine　was　suddenly　attacked　by　the
epidemic。　　In　spite　of　the　danger；　her　mistress　insisted　on　seeing　her；
and　endeavored　to　revive　her　failing　courage。　　Conquered　by　this　new　mark
of　kindness；　Florine　could　no　longer　conceal　the　treachery　in　which　she
had　borne　a　part。　　Death　was　about　to　deliver　her　from　the　odious　tyranny
of　the　people　whose　yoke　weighed　upon　her；　and　she　was　at　length　in　a
position　to　reveal　everything　to　Adrienne。　　The　latter　thus　learned　how
she　had　been　continually　betrayed　by　Florine；　and　also　the　cause　of　the
sewing…girl's　abrupt　departure。　　At　these　revelations；　Adrienne　felt　her
affection　and　tender　pity　for　the　poor　sempstress　greatly　increase。　　By
her　command；　the　most　active　steps　were　taken　to　discover　traces　of　the
hunchback；　but　Florine's　confession　had　a　still　more　important　result。
Justly　alarmed　at　this　new　evidence　of　Rodin's　machinations；　Adrienne
remembered　the　projects　formed；　when；　believing　herself　beloved；　the
instinct　of　affection　had　revealed　to　her　the　perils　to　which　Djalma　and
other　members　of　the　Rennepont　family　were　exposed。　　To　assemble　the　race
around　her；　and　bid　them　rally　against　the　common　enemy；　such　was
Adrienne's　first　thought；　when　she　heard　the　confession　of　Florine。　　She
regarded　it　as　a　duty　to　accomplish　this　project。　　In　a　struggle　with
such　dangerous　and　powerful　adversaries　as　Rodin；　Father　d'Aigrigny；　and
the　Princess　de　Saint…Dizier；　and　their　allies；　Adrienne　saw　not　only　the
praiseworthy　and　perilous　task　of　unmasking　hypocrisy　and　cupidity；　but
also；　if　not　a　consolation；　at　least　a　generous　diversion　in　the　midst　of
terrible　sorrows。

From　this　moment；　a　restless；　feverish　activity　took　the　place　of　the
mournful　apathy　in　which　the　young　lady　had　languished。　　She　called　round
her　all　the　members　of　her　family　capable　of　answering　the　appeal；　and；
as　had　been　mentioned　in　the　secret　note　delivered　to　Father　d'Aigrigny；
Cardoville　House　soon　became　the　centre　of　the　most　active　and　unceasing
operations；　and　also　a　place　of　meeting；　in　which　the　modes　of　attack　and
defence　were　fully　discussed。　　Perfectly　correct　in　all　points；　the
secret　note　of　which　we　have　spoken　stated；　as　a　mere　conjecture；　that
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　had　granted　an　interview　to　Djalma。　　This　fact　was
untrue；　but　the　cause　which　led　to　the　supposition　will　be　explained
hereafter。　　Far　from　such　being　the　case；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　scarcely
found；　in　attending　to　the　great　family　interests　now　at　stake；　a
momentary　diversion　from　the　fatal　love；　which　was　slowly　undermining　her
health；　and　with　which　she　so　bitterly　reproached　herself。

The　morning　of　the　day　on　which　Adrienne；　at　length　discovering　Mother
Bunch's　residence；　came　so　miraculously　to　rescue　her　from　death；
Agricola　Baudoin　had　been　to　Cardoville　House　to　confer　on　the　subject　of
Francis　Hardy；　and　had　begged　Adrienne　to　permit　him　to　accompany　her　to
the　Rue　Clovis；　whither　they　repaired　in　haste。

Thus；　once　again；　there　was　a　noble　spectacle；　a　touching　symbol！　　Mdlle。
de　Cardoville　and　Mother　Bunch；　the　two　extremities　of　the　social　chain；
were　united　on　equal　termsfor　the　sempstress　and　the　fair　patrician
were　equal　in　intelligence　and　heartand　equal　also；　because　the　one　was
the　ideal　of　riches；　grace；　and　beauty；　and　the　other　the　ideal　of
resignation　and　unmerited　misfortuneand　does　not