the wandering jew, volume 10-第11节

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is　a　Jewthe　keeper　of　the　house　in　the　Rue　Saint…Francoisyou　know
what　I　mean。〃　　Here　the　man　in　the　cloak　started。

〃Yes；　I　know；　but　what　is　the　matter？　why　do　you　stop　short？〃

〃Because　in　that　house　there　has　been　for　a　hundred　and　fifty　years　the
portrait　of　a　man　whom　I　once　met　in　the　centre　of　India；　on　the　banks　of
the　Ganges。〃　And　the　man　in　the　cloak　again　paused　and　shuddered。

〃A　singular　resemblance；　no　doubt。〃

〃Yes；　my　lord；　a　singular　resemblancenothing　more。〃

〃But　the　Jewthe　old　Jew？〃

〃I　am　coming　to　that；　my　lord。　　Still　weeping；　he　said　to　a　gravedigger；
‘Well！　and　the　coffin？'　　‘You　were　right；'　answered　the　man；　‘I　found　it
in　the　second　row　of　the　other　grave。　　It　had　the　figure　of　a　cross　on
it；　formed　by　seven　black　nails。　　But　how　could　you　know　the　place　and
the　mark？'　　'Alas！　it　is　no　matter；'　replied　the　old　Jew；　with　bitter
melancholy。　　‘You　see　that　I　was　but　too　well　informed　on　the　subject。
But　where　is　the　coffin？'　　‘Behind　the　great　tomb　of　black　marble；　I　have
hidden　it　there。　　So　make　haste；　for；　in　the　confusion；　nothing　will　be
noticed。　　You　have　paid　me　well；　and　I　wish　you　to　succeed　in　what　you
require。'〃

〃And　what　did　the　old　Jew　do　with　the　coffin　marked　with　the　seven　black
nails？〃

〃Two　men　accompanied　him；　my　lord；　bearing　a　covered　litter；　with
curtains　drawn　round　it。　　He　lighted　a　lantern；　and；　followed　by　these
two　men；　went　towards　the　place　pointed　out　by　the　gravedigger。　　A
stoppage；　occasioned　by　the　dead…carts；　made　me　lose　sight　of　the　old
Jew；　whom　I　was　following　amongst　the　tombs。　　Afterwards　I　was　unable　to
find　him。〃

〃It　is　indeed　a　strange　affair。　　What　could　this　old　Jew　want　with　the
coffin？〃

〃It　is　said；　my　lord；　that　they　use　dead　bodies　in　preparing　their　magic
charms。〃

〃Those　unbelievers　are　capable　of　anythingeven　of　holding　communication
with　the　Enemy　of　mankind。　　However；　we　will　look　after　this：　the
discovery　may　be　of　importance。〃

At　this　instant　a　clock　struck　twelve　in　the　distance。

〃Midnight！　already？〃

〃Yes；　my　lord。〃

〃I　must　be　gone。　　Good…byebut　for　the　last　time　swear　to　me　that；
should　matters　so　turn　out；　as　soon　as　you　receive　the　other　half　of　the
ivory　crucifix　I　have　just　given　you；　you　will　keep　your　promise。〃

〃I　have　sworn　it　by　Bowanee；　my　lord。〃

〃Don't　forget　that；　to　make　all　sure；　the　person　who　will　deliver　to　you
the　other　half　of　the　crucifix　is　to　saycome；　what　is　he　to　say？〃

〃He　is　to　say；　my　lord：　‘There　is　many　a　slip　'twixt　the　cup　and　the
lip。'〃

〃Very　well。　　Adieu！　secrecy　and　fidelity！〃

〃Secrecy　and　fidelity；　my　lord；〃　answered　the　man　in　the　cloak。

Some　seconds　after　the　hackney…coach　started；　carrying　with　it　Cardinal
Malipieri；　one　of　the　speakers　in　the　above　dialogue。　　The　other；　whom
the　reader　has　no　doubt　recognized　as　Faringhea；　returned　to　the　little
garden…door　of　the　house　occupied　by　Djalma。　　At　the　moment　he　was
putting　the　key　into　the　lock；　the　door　opened；　to　his　great
astonishment；　and　a　man　came　forth。　　Faringhea　rushed　upon　the　unknown；
seized　him　violently　by　the　collar；　and　exclaimed：　〃Who　are　you？　whence
came　you？〃

The　stranger　evidently　found　the　tone　of　this　question　anything　but
satisfactory；　for；　instead　of　answering；　he　struggled　to　disengage
himself　from　Faringhea's　hold；　and　cried　out；　in　a　loud　voice：　〃Help！
Peter！〃

Instantly　the　carriage；　which　had　been　standing　a　few　yards　off；　dashed
up　at　full　speed；　and　Peter；　the　tall　footman；　seizing　the　half…breed　by
the　shoulders；　flung　him　back　several　paces；　and　thus　made　a　seasonable
diversion　in　favor　of　the　unknown。

〃Now；　sir；〃　said　the　latter　to　Faringhea；　shaking　himself；　and　still
protected　by　the　gigantic　footman；　〃I　am　in　a　state　to　answer　your
questions；　though　you　certainly　have　a　very　rough　way　of　receiving　an　old
acquaintance。　　I　am　Dupont；　ex…bailiff　of　the　estate　of　Cardoville；　and
it　was　I　who　helped　to　fish　you　out　of　the　water；　when　the　ship　was
wrecked　in　which　you　had　embarked。〃

By　the　light　of　the　carriage…lamps；　indeed；　the　half…caste　recognized　the
good；　honest　face　of　Dupont；　formerly　bailiff；　and　now　house…steward；　to
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville。　　It　must　not　be　forgotten　that　Dupont　had　been　the
first　to　write　to　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　to　ask　her　to　interest　herself
for　Djalma；　who　was　then　detained　at　Cardoville　Castle　by　the　injuries　he
had　received　during　the　shipwreck。

〃But；　sir；　what　is　your　business　here？　　Why　do　you　introduce　yourself
clandestinely　into　this　house？〃　said　Faringhea；　in　an　abrupt　and
suspicious　tone。

〃I　willjust　observe　to　you　that　there　is　nothing　clandestine　in　the
matter。　　I　came　here　in　a　carriage；　with　servants　in　the　livery　of　my
excellent　mistress；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　charged　by　her；　without　any
disguise　or　mystery；　to　deliver　a　letter　to　Prince　Djalma；　her　cousin；〃
replied　Dupont；　with　dignity。

On　these　words；　Faringhea　trembled　with　mute　rage；　as　he　answered：　〃And
why；　sir；　come　at　this　late　hour；　and　introduce　yourself　by　this　little
door？〃

〃I　came　at　this　hour；　my　dear　sir；　because　such　was　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville's　command；　and　I　entered　by　this　little　gate　because　there　is
every　reason　to　believe　that　if　I　had　gone　around　to　the　other　I　should
not　have　been　permitted　to　see　the　prince。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　sir；〃　replied　the　half…caste。

〃It　is　possible：　but　as　we　knew　that　the　prince　usually　passed　a　good
portion　of　the　night　in　the　little　saloon；　which　communicates　with　the
greenhouse；　and　as　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　had　kept　a　duplicate　key　of　this
door；　I　was　pretty　certain；　by　taking　this　course；　to　be　able　to　deliver
into　the　prince's　own　hands　the　letter　from　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　his
cousin；　which　I　have　now　had　the　honor　of　doing；　my　dear　sir；　and　I　have
been　deeply　touched　by　the　kindness　with　which　the　prince　deigned　to
receive　me　and　to　remember　our　last　interview。〃

〃And　who　kept　you　so　well　informed；　sir；　of　the　prince's　habits？〃　said
Faringhea；　unable　to　control　his　vexation。

〃If　I　have　been　well　informed　as　to　his　habits；　my　dear　sir；　I　have　had
no　such　correct　knowledge　of　yours；〃　answered　Dupont；　with　a　mocking　air；
〃for　I　assure　you　that　I　had　no　more　notion　of　seeing　you　than　you　had　of
seeing　me。〃

So　saying；　M。　Dupont　bowed　with　something　like　mock　politeness　to　the
half…caste；　and　got　into　the　carriage；　which　drove　off　rapidly；　leaving
Faringhea　in　a　state　of　the　utmost　surprise　and　anger。




CHAPTER　XXXIX。

THE　APPOINTMENT。

The　morning　afterDupont's　mission　to　Prince　Djalma；　the　latter　was
walking　with　hasty　and　impatient　step　up　and　down　the　little　saloon；
which　communicated；　as　we　already　know；　with　the　greenhouse　from　which
Adrienne　had　entered　when　she　first　appeared　to　him。　　In　remembrance　of
that　day；　he　had　chosen　to　dress　himself　as　on　the　occasion　in　question；
he　wore　the　same　tunic　of　white　cashmere；　with　a　cherry…colored　turban；
to　match　with　his　girdle；　his　gaiters；　of　scarlet　velvet；　embroidered
with　silver；　displayed　the　fine　form　of　his　leg；　and　terminated　in　small
white　morocco　slippers；　with　red　heels。　　Happiness　has　so　instantaneous；
and；　as　it　were；　material　an　influence　upon　young；　lively；　and　ardent
natures；　that　Djalma；　dejected　and　despairing　only　the　day　before；　was　no
longer　like　the　same　person。　　The　pale；　transparent　gold　of　his
complexion　was　no　longer　tarnished　by　a　livid　hue。　　His　large　eyes；　of
late　obscured　like　black　diamonds　by　a　humid　vapor；　now　shone　with　mild
radiance　in　the　centre　of　their　pearly　setting；　his　lips；　long　pale；　had
recovered　their　natural　color；　which　was　rich　and　soft　as　the　fine　purple
flowers　of　his　country。

Ever　and　anon；　pausing　in　his　hasty　walk；　he　stopped　suddenly；　and　drew
from　his　bosom　a　little　piece　of　paper；　carefully　folded；　which　he
pressed　to　his　lips　with　enthusiastic　ardor。　　Then；　unable　to　restrain
the　expression　of　his　full　happiness；　he　uttered　a　full　and　sonorous　cry
of　joy；　and　with　a　bound　he　was　in　front　of　the　plate…glass　which
separated　the　saloon　from　the　conservatory；　in　which　he　had　first　seen
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville。　　By　a　singular　power　of　remembrance；　or　marvellous
hallucination　of　a　mind　possessed　by　a　fixed　idea；　Djalma　had　often　seen；
or　fancied　he　saw；　the　adored　semblance　of　Adrienne　appear　to　him　through
this　sheet　of　crystal。　　The　illusion　had　been　so　complete；　that；　with　his
eyes　ardently　fixed　on　the　vision　he　invoked；　he　had　been　able；　with　the
aid　of　a　pencil　dipped　in　carmine；　to　trace　with　astonishing　exactness；
the　profile　of　the　ideal　countenance　which　the　delirium　of　his
imagination　had　presented　to　his　view。＇42＇　　It　was　before　these　delicate
lines　of　bright　carmine　that　Djalma　now　stood　in　deep　contemplation；
after　perusing　and　reperusing；　and　raising　twenty　times　to　his　lips；　the
letter　he　had　received　the　night　before　from　the　hands　of　Dupont。　　Djalma
was　not　alone。　　Faringhea　watched　all　the　movements　of　the　prince；　with　a
subtle；　attentive；　and　gloomy　aspect。　　Standing　respectfully　in　a　corner
of　the　saloon；　the　half…caste　appeared　to　be　occupied　in　unfolding　and
spreading　out　Djalma's　sash；　light；　silky　Indian　web；　the　brown　ground　of
which　was　almost　entirely　concealed　by　the　e