the wandering jew, volume 10-第12节

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which　was　almost　entirely　concealed　by　the　exquisite　gold　and　silver
embroidery　with　which　it　was　overlaid。

The　countenance　of　the　half…caste　wore　a　dark　and　gloomy　expression。　　He
could　not　deceive　himself。　　The　letter　from　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；
delivered　by　Dupont　to　Djalma；　must　have　been　the　cause　of　the　delight　he
now　experienced；　for；　without　doubt；　he　knew　himself　beloved。　　In　that
event；　his　obstinate　silence　towards　Faringhea；　ever　since　the　latter　had
entered　the　saloon；　greatly　alarmed　the　half…caste；　who　could　not　tell
what　interpretation　to　put　upon　it。　　The　night　before；　after　parting　with
Dupont；　he　had　hastened；　in　a　state　of　anxiety　easily　understood；　to　look
for　the　prince；　in　the　hope　of　ascertaining　the　effect　produced　by　Mdlle。
de　Cardoville's　letter。　　But　he　found　the　parlor　door　closed；　and　when　he
knocked；　he　received　no　answer　from　within。　　Then；　though　the　night　was
far　advanced；　he　had　dispatched　a　note　to　Rodin；　in　which　he　informed　him
of　Dupont's　visit　and　its　probable　intention。　　Djalma　had　indeed　passed
the　night　in　a　tumult　of　happiness　and　hope；　and　a　fever　of　impatience
quite　impossible　to　describe。　　Repairing　to　his　bed…chamber　only　towards
the　morning；　he　had　taken　a　few　moments　of　repose；　and　had　then　dressed
himself　without　assistance。

Many　times；　but　in　vain；　the　half…caste　had　discreetly　knocked　at　the
door　of　Djalma's　apartment。　　It　was　only　in　the　early　part　of　the
afternoon　that　the　prince　had　rung　the　bell　to　order　his　carriage　to　be
ready　by　half…past　two。　　Faringhea　having　presented　himself；　the　prince
had　given　him　the　order　without　looking　at　him；　as　he　might　have　done　to
any　other　of　his　servants。　　Was　this　suspicion；　aversion；　or　mere　absence
of　mind　on　the　part　of　Djalma？　　Such　were　the　questions　which　the　half…
caste　put　to　himself　with　growing　anguish；　for　the　designs　of　which　he
was　the　most　active　and　immediate　instrument　might　all　be　ruined　by　the
least　suspicion　in　the　prince。

〃Oh！　the　hoursthe　hourshow　slow　they　are！〃　cried　the　young　Indian；
suddenly；　in　a　low　and　trembling　voice。

〃The　day　before　yesterday；　my　lord；　you　said　the　hours　were　very　long；〃
observed　Faringhea；　as　he　drew　near　Djalma　in　order　to　attract　his
attention。　　Seeing　that　he　did　not　succeed　in　this　he　advanced　a　few
steps　nearer；　and　resumed：　〃Your　joy　seems　very　great；　my　lord；　tell　the
cause　of　it　to　your　poor　and　faithful　servant；　that　he　also　may　rejoice
with　you。〃

If　he　heard　the　words；　Djalma　did　not　pay　any　attention　to　them。　　He　made
no　answer；　and　his　large　black　eyes　gazed　upon　vacancy。　　He　seemed　to
smile　admiringly　upon　some　enchanting　vision；　and　he　folded　his　two　hands
upon　his　bosom；　in　the　attitude　which　his　countrymen　assume　at　the　hour
of　prayer。　　After　some　instants　of　contemplation；　he　said：　〃What　o'clock
is　it？〃but　he　asked　this　question　of　himself；　rather　than　of　any　third
person。

〃It　will　soon　be　two　o'clock；　my　lord；〃　said　Faringhea。

Having　heard　this　answer；　Djalma　seated　himself；　and　hid　his　face　in　his
hands；　as　if　completely　absorbed　in　some　ineffable　meditation。　　Urged　on
by　his　growing　anxiety；　and　wishing　at　any　cost　to　attract　the　attention
of　Djalma；　Faringhea　approached　still　nearer　to　him；　and；　almost　certain
of　the　effect　of　the　words　he　was　about　to　utter；　said　to　him　in　a　slow
and　emphatic　voice：　〃My　lord；　I　am　sure　that　you　owe　the　happiness　which
now　transports　you　to　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville。〃

Hardly　had　this　name　been　pronounced；　than　Djalma　started　from　his　chair；
looked　the　half…breed　full　in　the　face；　and　exclaimed；　as　if　only　just
aware　of　his　presence；　〃Faringhea！　you　here！what　is　the　matter？〃

〃Your　faithful　servant　shares　in　your　joy；　my　lord。〃

〃What　joy？〃

〃That　which　the　letter　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　has　occasioned；　my　lord。〃

Djalma　returned　no　answer；　but　his　eye　shone　with　so　much　serene
happiness；　that　the　half…caste　recovered　from　his　apprehensions。　　No
cloud　of　doubt　or　suspicion　obscured　the　radiant　features　of　the　prince。
After　a　few　moments　of　silence；　Djalma　fixed　upon　the　half…caste　a　look
half…veiled　with　a　tear　of　joy；　and　said　to　him；　with　the　expression　of
one　whose　heart　overflows　with　love　and　happiness：　〃Oh！　such　delight　is
goodgreatlike　heaven！for　it　is　heaven　which〃

〃You　deserve　this　happiness；　my　lord；　after　so　many　sufferings。〃

〃What　sufferings？Oh！　yes。　　I　formerly　suffered　at　Java；　but　that　was
years　ago。〃

〃My　lord；　this　great　good　fortune　does　not　astonish　me。　　What　have　I
always　told　you？　　Do　not　despair；　feign　a　violent　passion　for　some　other
woman；　and　then　this　proud　young　lady〃

At　these　words　Djalma　looked　at　the　half…caste　with　so　piercing　a　glance；
that　the　latter　stopped　short；　but　the　prince　said　to　him　with
affectionate　goodness；　〃Go　on！　I　listen。〃

Then；　leaning　his　chin　upon　his　hand；　and　his　elbow　on　his　knee；　he　gazed
so　intently　on　Faringhea；　and　yet　with　such　unutterable　mildness；　that
even　that　iron　soul　was　touched　for　a　moment　with　a　slight　feeling　of
remorse。

〃I　was　saying；　my　lord；〃　he　resumed；　〃that　by　following　the　counsels　of
your　faithful　slave；　who　persuaded　you　to　feign　a　passionate　love　for
another　woman；　you　have　brought　the　proud　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　to　come　to
you。　　Did　I　not　tell　you　it　would　be　so？〃

〃Yes；　you　did　tell　me　so；〃　answered　Djalma；　still　maintaining　the　same
position；　and　examining　the　half…caste　with　the　same　fixed　and　mild
attention。

The　surprise　of　Faringhea　increased；　generally；　the　prince；　without
treating　him　with　the　least　harshness；　preserved　the　somewhat　distant　and
imperious　manners　of　their　common　country；　and　he　had　never　before　spoken
to　him　with　such　extreme　mildness。　　Knowing　all　the　evil　he　had　done　the
prince；　and　suspicious　as　the　wicked　must　ever　be；　the　half…caste　thought
for　a　moment；　that　his　master's　apparent　kindness　might　conceal　a　snare。
He　continued；　therefore；　with　less　assurance；　〃Believe　me；　my　lord；　this
day；　if　you　do　but　know　how　to　profit　by　your　advantages；　will　console
you　for　all　your　troubles；　which　have　indeed　been　greatfor　only
yesterday；　though　you　were　generous　enough　to　forget　it；　only　yesterday
you　suffered　cruellybut　you　were　not　alone　in　your　sufferings。　　This
proud　young　lady　suffered　also！〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃　said　Djalma。

〃Oh！　it　is　quite　sure；　my　lord。　　What　must　she　not　have　felt；　when　she
saw　you　at　the　theatre　with　another　woman！If　she　loved　you　only　a
little；　she　must　have　been　deeply　wounded　in　her　self…esteem；　if　she
loved　you　with　passion；　she　must　have　been　struck　to　the　heart。　　At
length；　you　see；　wearied　out　with　suffering；　she　has　come　to　you。〃

〃So　that；　any　way；　she　must　have　sufferedand　that　does　not　move　your
pity？〃　said　Djalma；　in　a　constrained；　but　still　very　mild　voice。

〃Before　thinking　of　others；　my　lord；　I　think　of　your　distresses；　and　they
touch　me　too　nearly　to　leave　me　any　pity　for　other　woes；〃　added　Faringhea
hypocritically；　so　greatly　had　the　influence　of　Rodin　already　modified
the　character　of　the　Phansegar。

〃It　is　strange！〃　said　Djalma；　speaking　to　himself；　as　he　viewed　the　half…
caste　with　a　glance　still　kind　but　piercing。

〃What　is　strange；　my　lord？〃

〃Nothing。　　But　tell　me；　since　your　advice　has　hitherto　prospered　so　well；
what　think　you　of　the　future？〃

〃Of　the　future；　my　lord？〃

〃Yes；　in　an　hour　I　shall　be　with　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville。〃

〃That　is　a　serious　matter；　my　lord。　　The　whole　future　will　depend　upon
this　interview。〃

〃That　is　what　I　was　just　thinking。〃

〃Believe　me；　my　lord；　women　never　love　any　so　well；　as　the　bold　man　who
spares　them　the　embarrassment　of　a　refusal。〃

〃Explain　more　fully。〃

〃Well；　my　lord；　they　despise　the　timid　and　languishing　lover；　who　asks
humbly　for　what　he　might　take　by　force。〃

〃But　to…day　I　shall　meet　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　for　the　first　time。〃

〃You　have　met　her　a　thousand　times　in　your　dreams；　my　lord；　and　depend
upon　it；　she　has　seen　you　also　in　her　dreams；　since　she　loves　you。　　Every
one　of　your　amorous　thoughts　has　found　an　echo　in　her　heart。　　All　your
ardent　adorations　have　been　responded　to　by　her。　　Love　has　not　two
languages；　and；　without　meeting；　you　have　said　all　that　you　had　to　say　to
each　other。　　Now；　it　is　for　you　to　act　as　her　master；　and　she　will　be
yours　entirely。〃

〃It　is　strangevery　strange！〃　said　Djalma；　a　second　time；　without
removing　his　eyes　from　Faringhea's　face。

Mistaking　the　sense　which　the　prince　attached　to　these　words；　the　half…
caste　resumed：　〃Believe　me；　my　lord；　however　strange　it　may　appear；　this
is　the　wisest　course。　　Remember　the　past。　　Was　it　by　playing　the　part　of
a　timid　lover　that　you　have　brought　to　your　feet　this　proud　young　lady；
my　lord？　　No；　it　was　by　pretending　to　despise　her；　in　favor　of　another
woman。　　Therefore；　let　us　have　no　weakness。　　The　lion　does　not　woo　like
the　poor　turtle…dove。　　What　cares　the　sultan　of　the　desert　for　a　few
plaintive　howls　from　the　lioness；　who　is　more　pleased　than　angry　at　his
rude　and　wild　caresses？　　Soon　submissive；　fearful　and　happy；　she　follows
in　the　track　of　her　master。　　Believe　me；　my　lordtry　everythingdare
everythingand　to…day　you　will　become　the　adored　sultan　of　this　young
lady；　whose　beauty　all　Paris　admires。