the wandering jew, volume 10-第20节

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from　hot　to　cold。　　For　the　first　time；　his　weakened　mind　caught　a　glimpse
of　the　fatal　pleasures　of　asceticism；　and　of　that　deplorable　catalepsy；
described　in　the　lives　of　St。　Theresa；　St。　Aubierge　and　others。

Rodin　perceived　the　other's　thoughts；　and　continued　〃Oh；　Rancey　was　not
now　the　man　to　content　himself　with　a　vague；　passing　prayer；　uttered　in
the　whirl　of　the　world's　business；　which　swallows　it　up；　and　prevents　it
from　reaching　the　ear　of　heaven。　　No；　no；　in　the　depth　of　solitude；　he
endeavored　to　make　his　prayers　even　more　efficacious；　so　ardently　did　he
desire　the　eternal　salvation　of　his　mistress。〃

〃What　did　he　do　thenoh！　what　did　he　do　in　his　solitude？〃　cried　Hardy；
who　was　now　powerless　in　the　hands　of　the　Jesuit。

〃First　of　all；〃　said　Rodin；　with　a　slight　emphasis；　〃he　became　a　monk。〃

〃A　monk！〃　repeated　Hardy；　with　a　pensive　air。

〃Yes；〃　resumed　Rodin；　〃he　became　a　monk；　because　his　prayers　were　thus
more　likely　to　be　favorably　accepted。　　And　then；　as　in　solitude　our
thoughts　are　apt　to　wander；　he　fasted；　and　mortified　his　flesh；　and
brought　into　subjection　all　that　was　carnal　within　him；　so　that；　becoming
all　spirit；　his　prayers　might　issue　like　a　pure　flame　from　his　bosom；　and
ascend　like　the　perfume　of　incense　to　the　throne　of　the　Most　High！〃

〃Oh！　what　a　delicious　dream！〃　cried　Hardy；　more　and　more　under　the
influence　of　the　spell；　〃to　pray　for　the　woman　we　have　adored；　and　to
become　spiritperfumelight！〃

〃Yes；　spirit；　perfume；　light！〃　said　Rodin；　with　emphasis。　　〃But　it　is　no
dream。　　How　many　monks；　how　many　hermits；　like　Rancey；　have；　by　prayers；
and　austerity；　and　macerations；　attained　a　divine　ecstasy！　and　if　you
only　knew　the　celestial　pleasures　of　such　ecstasies！Thus；　after　he
became　a　monk；　the　terrible　dreams　were　succeeded　by　enchanting　visions。
Many　times；　after　a　day　of　fasting；　and　a　night　passed　in　prayers　and
macerations；　Rancey　sank　down　exhausted　on　the　floor　of　his　cell！　　Then
the　spirit　freed　itself　from　the　vile　clogs　of　matter。　　His　senses　were
absorbed　in　pleasure；　the　sound　of　heavenly　harmony　struck　upon　his
ravished　car；　a　bright；　mild　light；　which　was　not　of　this　world；　dawned
upon　his　half…closed　eyes；　and；　at　the　height　of　the　melodious　vibrations
of　the　golden　harps　of　the　Seraphim；　in　the　centre　of　a　glory；　compared
to　which　the　sun　is　pale；　the　monk　beheld　the　image　of　that　beloved
woman〃

〃Whom　by　his　prayers　he　had　at　length　rescued　from　the　eternal　flames？〃
said　Hardy；　in　a　trembling　voice。

〃Yes；　herself；〃　replied　Rodin；　with　eloquent　enthusiasm；　for　this　monster
was　skilled　in　every　style　of　speech。　　〃Thanks　to　the　prayers　of　her
lover；　which　the　Lord　had　granted；　this　woman　no　longer　shed　tears　of
bloodno　longer　writhed　her　beautiful　arms　in　the　convulsions　of
infernal　anguish。　　No；　no；　still　fairoh！　a　thousand　times　fairer　than
when　she　dwelt　on　earthfair　with　the　everlasting　beauty　of　angelsshe
smiled　on　her　lover　with　ineffable　ardor；　and；　her　eyes　beaming　with　a
mild　radiance；　she　said　to　him　in　a　tender　and　passionate　voice：　‘Glory
to　the　Lord！　glory　to　thee；　O　my　beloved！　　Thy　prayers　and　austerities
have　saved　me。　　I　am　numbered　amongst　the　chosen。　　Thanks；　my　beloved；
and　glory！'And　therewith；　radiant　in　her　felicity；　she　stooped　to　kiss；
with　lips　fragrant　with　immortality；　the　lips　of　the　enraptured　monkand
their　souls　mingled　in　that　kiss；　burning　as　love；　chaste　as　divine　grace
immense　as　eternity！〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Hardy；　completely　beside　himself；　〃a　whole　life　of　prayer；
fasting；　torture；　for　such　a　momentwith　her；　whom　I　mournwith　her；
whom　I　have　perhaps　led　to　perdition！〃

〃What　do　you　say？　such　a　moment！〃　cried　Rodin；　whose　yellow　forehead　was
bathed　in　sweat　like　that　of　a　magnetizer；　and　who　now　took　Hardy　by　the
hand；　and　drew　still　closer；　as　if　to　breathe　into　him　the　burning
delirium；　〃it　was　not　once　in　his　religious　lifeit　was　almost　every
day；　that　Rancey；　plunged　in　divine　ecstasy；　enjoyed　these　delicious；
ineffable；　superhuman　pleasures；　which　are　to　the　pleasures　of　earth　what
eternity　is　to　man's　existence！〃

Seeing；　no　doubt；　that　Hardy　was　now　at　the　point　to　which　he　wished　to
bring　him；　and　the　night　being　almost　entirely　come；　the　reverend　father
coughed　two　or　three　times　in　a　significant　manner；　and　looked　towards
the　door。　　At　this　moment；　Hardy；　in　the　height　of　his　frenzy；　exclaimed；
with　a　supplicating　voice：　〃A　cella　tomband　the　Ecstatic　Vision！〃

The　door　of　the　room　opened；　and　Father　d'Aigrigny　entered；　with　a　cloak
under　his　arm。　　A　servant　followed　him；　bearing　a　light。

About　ten　minutes　after　this　scene；　a　dozen　robust　men　with　frank；　open
countenances；　led　by　Agricola；　entered　the　Rue　de　Vaugirard；　and　advanced
joyously　towards　the　house　of　the　reverend　fathers。　　It　was　a　deputation
from　the　former　workmen　of　M。　Hardy。　　They　came　to　escort　him；　and　to
congratulate　him　on　his　return　amongst　them。　　Agricola　walked　at　their
head。　　Suddenly　he　saw　a　carriage　with　post…horses　issuing　from　the
gateway　of　the　house。　　The　postilion　whipped　up　the　horses；　and　they
started　at　full　gallop。　　Was　it　chance　or　instinct？　　The　nearer　the
carriage　approached　the　group　of　which　he　formed　a　part；　the　more　did
Agricola's　heart　sink　within　him。

The　impression　became　so　vivid　that　it　was　soon　changed　into　a　terrible
apprehension；　and　at　the　moment　when　the　vehicle；　which　had　its　blinds
down；　was　about　to　pass　close　by　him；　the　smith；　in　obedience　to　a
resistless　impulse；　exclaimed；　as　he　rushed　to　the　horses'　heads：　〃Help；
friends！　stop　them！〃

〃Postilion！　ten　louis　if　you　ride　over　him！〃　cried　from　the　carriage　the
military　voice　of　Father　d'Aigrigny。

The　cholera　was　still　raging。　　The　postilion　had　heard　of　the　murder　of
the　poisoners。　　Already　frightened　at　the　sudden　attack　of　Agricola；　he
struck　him　a　heavy　blow　on　the　head　with　the　butt　of　his　whip　which
stretched　him　senseless　on　the　ground。　　Then；　spurring　with　all　his
might；　he　urged　his　three　horses　into　a　triple　gallop；　and　the　carriage
rapidly　disappeared；　whilst　Agricola's　companions；　who　had　neither
understood　his　actions　nor　the　sense　of　his　words；　crowded　around　the
smith；　and　did　their　best　to　revive　him。




CHAPTER　XLIV。

REMEMBRANCES。

Other　events　took　place　a　few　days　after　the　fatal　evening　in　which　M。
Hardy；　fascinated　and　misled　by　the　deplorable；　mystic　jargon　of　Rodin；
had　implored　Father　d'Aigrigny　on　his　knees　to　remove　him　far　from　Paris；
into　some　deep　solitude　where　he　might　devote　himself　to　a　life　of　prayer
and　ascetic　austerities。　　Marshal　Simon；　since　his　arrival　in　Paris；　had
occupied；　with　his　two　daughters；　a　house　in　the　Rue　des　Trois…Freres。
Before　introducing　the　reader　into　this　modest　dwelling；　we　are　obliged
to　recall　to　his　memory　some　preceding　facts。　　The　day　of　the　burning　of
Hardy　's　factory；　Marshal　Simon　had　come　to　consult　with　his　father　on　a
question　of　the　highest　importance；　and　to　communicate　to　him　his　painful
apprehensions　on　the　subject　of　the　growing　sadness　of　his　twin
daughters；　which　he　was　unable　to　explain。

Marshal　Simon　held　in　religious　reverence　the　memory　of　the　Great
Emperor。　　His　gratitude　to　the　hero　was　boundless；　his　devotion　blind；
his　enthusiasm　founded　upon　reason；　his　affection　warm　as　the　most
sincere　and　passionate　friendship。　　But　this　was　not　all。

One　day　the　emperor；　in　a　burst　of　joy　and　paternal　tenderness；　had　led
the　marshal　to　the　cradle　of　the　sleeping　King　of　Rome；　and　said　to　him；
as　he　proudly　pointed　to　the　beautiful　child：　〃My　old　friend；　swear　to　me
that　you　will　serve　the　son　as　you　have　served　the　father！〃

Marshal　Simon　took　and　kept　that　vow。　　During　the　Restoration；　the　chief
of　a　military　conspiracy　in　favor　of　Napoleon　II。；　he　had　attempted　in
vain　to　secure　a　regiment　of　cavalry；　at　that　time　commanded　by　the
Marquis　d'Aigrigny。　　Betrayed　and　denounced；　the　marshal；　after　a
desperate　duel　with　the　future　Jesuit；　had　succeeded　in　reaching　Poland；
and　thus　escaping　a　sentence　of　death。　　It　is　useless　to　repeat　the
series　of　events　which　led　the　marshal　from　Poland　to　India；　and　then
brought　him　back　to　Paris　after　the　Revolution　of　Julyan　epoch　at　which
a　number　of　his　old　comrades　in　arms　had　solicited　and　obtained　from　the
government；　without　his　knowledge；　the　confirmation　of　the　rank　and　title
which　the　emperor　had　bestowed　upon　him　just　before　Waterloo。

On　his　return　to　Paris；　after　his　long　exile；　in　spite　of　all　the
happiness　he　felt　in　at　length　embracing　his　children；　Marshal　Simon　was
deeply　affected　on　learning　the　death　of　their　mother；　whom　he　adored。
Till　the　last　moment；　he　had　hoped　to　find　her　in　Paris。　　The
disappointment　was　dreadful；　and　he　felt　it　cruelly；　though　he　sought
consolation　in　his　children's　affection。

But　soon　new　causes　of　trouble　and　anxiety　were　interwoven　with　his　life
by　the　machinations　of　Rodin。　　Thanks　to　the　secret　intrigues　of　the
reverend　father　at　the　Courts　of　Rome　and　Vienna；　one　of　his　emissaries；
in　a　condition　to　inspire　full　confidence；　and　provided　with　undeniable
evidence　to　support　his　words；　went　to　Marshal　Simon；　and　said　to　him：
〃The　son　of　the　emperor　is　dying；　the　victim　of　the