the wandering jew, volume 10-第17节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


when　they　believed　themselves　to　be　alone。　　Every　exclamation　of　grief
which　escaped　Hardy　in　his　gloomy　solitude；　was　repeated　to　Father
d'Aigrigny　by　a　mysterious　listener。　　The　reverend　father；　following
scrupulously　Rodin's　instructions；　had　at　first　visited　his　boarder　very
rarely。　　We　have　said；　that　when　Father　d'Aigrigny　wished　it；　he　could
display　an　almost　irresistible　power　of　charming；　and　accordingly　he
threw　all　his　tact　and　skill　into　the　interviews　he　had　with　Hardy；　when
he　came　from　time　to　time　to　inquire　after　his　health。　　Informed　of
everything　by　his　spies；　and　aided　by　his　natural　sagacity；　he　soon　saw
all　the　use　that　might　be　made　of　the　physical　and　moral　prostration　of
the　boarder。　　Certain　beforehand　that　Hardy　would　not　take　the　hint；　he
spoke　to　him　frequently　of　the　gloom　of　the　house；　advising　him
affectionately　to　leave　it；　if　he　felt　oppressed　by　its　monotony；　or　at
all　events　to　seek　beyond　its　walls　for　some　pleasure　and　amusement。　　To
speak　of　pleasure　and　amusement　to　this　unfortunate　man；　was　in　his
present　state　to　insure　a　refusal；　and　so　it　of　course　happened。　　Father
d'Aigrigny　did　not　at　first　try　to　gain　the　recluse's　confidence；　nor　did
he　speak　to　him　of　sorrow；　but　every　time　he　came；　he　appeared　to　take
such　a　tender　interest　in　him；　and　showed　it　by　a　few　simple　and　well…
timed　words。　　By　degrees；　these　interviews；　at　first　so　rare；　became　more
frequent　and　longer。　　Endowed　with　a　flow　of　honeyed；　insinuating；　and
persuasive　eloquence；　Father　d'Aigrigny　naturally　took　for　his　theme
those　gloomy　maxims；　to　which　Hardy's　attention　was　now　so　often
directed。

Supple；　prudent；　skillful；　knowing　that　the　hermit　had　hitherto　professed
that　generous　natural　religion　which　teaches　the　grateful　adoration　of
God；　the　love　of　humanity；　the　worship　of　what　is　just　and　good；　and
which；　disdaining　dogmas；　professes　the　same　veneration　for　Marcus
Aurelius　as　for　Confucius；　for　Plato　as　for　Christ；　for　Moses　as　for
LycurgusFather　d'Aigrigny　did　not　at　first　attempt　to　convert　him；　but
began　by　incessantly　reminding　him　of　the　abominable　deceptions　practised
upon　him；　and；　instead　of　describing　such　treachery　as　an　exception　in
lifeinstead　of　trying　to　calm；　encourage；　and　revive　his　drooping　soul…
…instead　of　exhorting　Hardy　to　seek　oblivion　and　consolation　in　the
discharge　of　his　duties　toward　humanity；　towards　his　brethren；　whom　he
had　previously　loved　and　succored　Father　d'Aigrigny　strove　to　inflame
the　bleeding　wounds　of　the　unfortunate　man；　painted　the　human　race　in　the
most　atrocious　blackness；　and；　by　declaring　all　men　treacherous；
ungrateful；　wicked；　succeeded　in　rendering　his　despair　incurable。　　Having
attained　this　object；　the　Jesuit　took　another　step。　　Knowing　Hardy's
admirable　goodness　of　heart；　and　profiting　by　the　weakened　state　of　his
mind；　he　spoke　to　him　of　the　consolation　to　be　derived　by　a　man
overwhelmed　with　sorrow；　from　the　belief　that　every　one　of　his　tears；
instead　of　being　unfruitful；　was　in　fact　agreeable　to　God；　and　might　aid
in　the　salvation　of　soulsthe　belief；　as　the　reverend　father　adroitly
added；　that　by　faith　alone　can　sorrow　be　made　useful　to　humanity；　and
acceptable　to　Divinity。

Whatever　impiety；　whatever　atrocious　Machiavelism　there　was　in　these
detestable　maxims；　which　make　of　a　loving…kind　Deity　a　being　delighted
with　the　tears　of　his　creatures；　was　thus　skillfully　concealed　from
Hardy's　eyes；　whose　generous　instincts　were　still　alive。　　Soon　did　this
loving　and　tender　soul；　whom　unworthy　priests　were　driving　to　a　sort　of
moral　suicide；　find　a　mournful　charm　in　the　fiction；　that　his　sorrows
would　at　least　be　profitable　to　other　men。　　It　was　at　first　only　a
fiction；　but　the　enfeebled　mind　which　takes　pleasure　in　such　a　fable；
finishes　by　receiving　it　as　a　reality；　and　by　degrees　will　submit　to　the
consequences。　　Such　was　Hardy's　moral　and　physical　state；　when；　by　means
of　a　servant　who　had　been　bought　over；　he　received　from　Agricola　Baudoin
a　letter　requesting　an　interview。　　Alone；　the　workman　could　not　have
broken　the　band　of　the　Jesuit's　pleadings；　but　he　was　accompanied　by
Gabriel；　whose　eloquence　and　reasonings　were　of　a　most　convincing　nature
to　a　spirit　like　Hardy's。

It　is　unnecessary　to　point　out　to　the　reader；　with　what　dignified　reserve
Gabriel　had　confined　himself　to　the　most　generous　means　of　rescuing　Hardy
from　the　deadly　influence　of　the　reverend　fathers。　　It　was　repugnant　to
the　great　soul　of　the　young　missionary；　to　stoop　to　a　revelation　of　the
odious　plots　of　these　priests。　　He　would　only　have　taken　this　extreme
course；　had　his　powerful　and　sympathetic　words　have　failed　to　have　any
effect　on　Hardy's　blindness。　　About　a　quarter　of　an　hour　had　elapsed
since　Gabriel's　departure；　when　the　servant　appointed　to　wait　on　this
boarder　of　the　reverend　fathers　entered　and　delivered　to　him　a　letter。

〃From　whom　is　this？〃　asked　Hardy。

〃From　a　boarder　in　the　house；　sir；〃　answered　the　servant　bowing。

This　man　had　a　crafty　hypocritical　face；　he　wore　his　hair　combed　over　his
forehead；　spoke　in　a　low　voice；　and　always　cast　clown　his　eyes。　　Waiting
the　answer；　he　joined　his　hands；　and　began　to　twiddle　his　thumbs。　　Hardy
opened　the　letter；　and　read　as　follows：

〃SIR；I　have　only　just　heard；　by　mere　chance；　that　you　also　inhabit　this
respectable　house：　a　long　illness；　and　the　retirement　in　which　I　live；
will　explain　my　ignorance　of　your　being　so　near。　　Though　we　have　only　met
once；　sir；　the　circumstance　which　led　to　that　meeting　was　of　so　serious　a
nature；　that　I　cannot　think　you　have　forgotten　it。

Hardy　stopped；　and　tasked　his　memory　for　an　explanation；　and　not　finding
anything　to　put　him　on　the　right　track；　he　continued　to　read：

〃This　circumstance　excited　in　me　a　feeling　of　such　deep　and　respectful
sympathy　for　you；　sir；　that　I　cannot　resist　my　anxious　desire　to　wait
upon　you；　particularly　as　I　learn；　that　you　intend　leaving　this　house　to…
daya　piece　of　information　I　have　just　derived　from　the　excellent　and
worthy　Abbe　Gabriel；　one　of　the　men　I　most　love；　esteem；　and　reverence。
May　I　venture　to　hope；　sir；　that　just　at　the　moment　of　quitting　our
common　retreat　to　return　to　the　world；　you　will　deign　to　receive
favorably　the　request；　however　intrusive；　of　a　poor　old　man；　whose　life
will　henceforth　be　passed　in　solitude；　and　who　cannot　therefore　have　any
prospect　of　meeting　you；　in　that　vortex　of　society　which　he　has　abandoned
forever。　　Waiting　the　honor　of　your　answer；　I　beg　you　to　accept；　sir；　the
assurance　of　the　sentiments　of　high　esteem　with　which　I　remain；　sir；　with
the　deepest　respect；

〃Your　very　humble　and　most　obedient　servant；

〃RODIN。〃


After　reading　this　letter　and　the　signature　of　the　writer；　Hardy　remained
for　some　time　in　deep　thought；　without　being　able　to　recollect　the　name
of　Rodin；　or　to　what　serious　circumstances　he　alluded。

After　a　silence　of　some　duration；　he　said　to　the　servant　〃M。　Rodin　gave
you　this　letter？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃And　who　is　M。　Rodin？〃

〃A　good　old　gentleman；　who　is　just　recovering　from　a　long　illness；　that
almost　carried　him　off。　　Lately；　he　has　been　getting　better；　but　he　is
still　so　weak　and　melancholy；　that　it　makes　one　sad　to　see　him。　　It　is　a
great　pity；　for　there　is　not　a　better　and　more　worthy　gentleman　in　the
houseunless　it　be　you；　sir；〃　added　the　servant；　bowing　with　an　air　of
flattering　respect。

〃M。　Rodin；〃　said　Hardy；　thoughtfully。　　〃It　is　singular；　that　I　should　not
remember　the　name　nor　any　circumstance　connected　with　it。〃

〃If　you　will　give　me　your　answer；　sir；〃　resumed　the　servant；　〃I　will　take
it　to　M。　Rodin。　　He　is　now　with　Father　d'Aigrigny；　to　whom　he　is　bidding
farewell。〃

〃Farewell？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　the　post…horses　have　just　come。〃

〃Post…horses　for　whom？〃　asked　Hardy。

〃For　Father　d'Aigrigny；　sir。〃

〃He　is　going　on　a　journey　then！〃　said　Hardy；　with　some　surprise。

〃Oh！　he　will　not；　I　think　be　long　absent；〃　said　the　servant；　with　a
confidential　air；　〃for　the　reverend　father　takes　no　one　with　him；　and　but
very　light　luggage。　　No　doubt；　the　reverend　father　will　come　to　say
farewell　to　you；　sir；　before　he　starts。　　But　what　answer　shall　I　give　M。
Rodin？〃

The　letter；　just　received；　was　couched　in　such　polite　termsit　spoke　of
Gabriel　with　so　much　respectthat　Hardy；　urged　moreover　by　a　natural
curiosity；　and　seeing　no　motive　to　refuse　this　interview　before　quitting
the　house；　said　to　the　servant：　〃Please　tell　M。　Rodin；　that　if　he　will
give　himself　the　trouble　to　come　to　me；　I　shall　be　glad　to　see　him。〃

〃I　will　let　him　know　immediately；　sir；〃　answered　the　servant；　bowing　as
he　left　the　room。

When　alone；　Hardy；　while　wondering　who　this　M。　Rodin　could　be；　began　to
make　some　slight　preparations　for　his　departure。　　For　nothing　in　the
world　would　he　have　passed　another　night　in　this　house；　and；　in　order　to
keep　up　his　courage；　he　recalled　every　instant　the　mild；　evangelical
language　of　Gabriel；　just　as　the　superstitious　recite　certain　litanies；
with　a　view　of　escaping　from　temptation。

The　servant　soon　returned；　and　said：　〃M。　Rodin　is　here；　sir。〃

〃Beg　him　to　walk　in。〃

Rodin　entered；　clad　in　his　long　black　dressing…gown；　and　with　his　old
silk　cap　in　his　ha