the wandering jew, volume 10-第24节

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〃Yes；〃　answered　Dagobert；　〃he　wept　like　a　child。〃

〃And　what　could　these　letters　contain；　father？〃

〃I　did　not　venture　to　ask　him；　he　appeared　so　miserable　and　dejected。〃

〃But　thus　harassed　and　tormented　incessantly；　the　marshal　must　lead　a
wretched　life。〃

〃And　his　poor　little　girls　too！　he　sees　them　grow　sadder　and　sadder；
without　being　able　to　guess　the　cause。　　And　the　death　of　his　father；
killed　almost　in　his　arms！　　Perhaps；　you　will　think　all　this　enough；　but；
no！　I　am　sure　there　is　something　still　more　painful　behind。　　Lately；　you
would　hardly　know　the　marshal。　　He　is　irritable　about　nothing；　and　falls
into　such　fits　of　passion；　that〃　　After　a　moment's　hesitation；　the
soldier　resumed：　〃I　way　tell　this　to　you；　my　poor　boy。　　I　have　just　been
upstairs；　to　take　the　caps　from　his　pistols。〃

〃What；　father！〃　cried　Agricola；　〃you　fear〃

〃In　the　state　of　exasperation　in　which　I　saw　him　yesterday；　there　is
everything　to　fear。〃

〃　What　then　happened？〃

〃Since　some　time；　he　has　often　long　secret　interviews　with　a　gentleman；
who　looks　like　an　old　soldier　and　a　worthy　man。　　I　have　remarked　that　the
gloom　and　agitation　of　the　marshal　are　always　redoubled　after　one　of
these　visits。　　Two　or　three　times；　I　have　spoken　to　him　about　it；　but　I
saw　by　his　look；　that　I　displeased　him；　and　therefore　I　desisted。

〃Well！　yesterday；　this　gentleman　came　in　the　evening。　　He　remained　here
until　eleven　o'clock；　and　his　wife　came　to　fetch　him；　and　waited　for　him
in　a　coach。　　After　his　departure；　I　went　up　to　see　if　the　marshal　wanted
anything。　　He　was　very　pale；　but　calm；　he　thanked　me；　and　I　came　down
again。　　You　know　that　my　room　is　just　under　his。　　I　could　hear　the
marshal　walking　about　as　if　much　agitated；　and　soon　after　he　seemed　to　be
knocking　down　the　furniture。　　In　alarm；　I　once　more　went　upstairs。　　He
asked　me；　with　an　irritated　air；　what　I　wanted；　and　ordered　me　to　leave
the　room。　　Seeing　him　in　that　way；　I　remained；　he　grew　more　angry；　still
I　remained；　perceiving　a　chair　and　table　thrown　down；　I　pointed　to　them
with　so　sad　an　air　that　he　understood　me。　　You　know　that　he　has　the　best
heart　in　the　world；　so；　taking　me　by　the　hand；　he　said　to　me：　‘Forgive　me
for　causing　you　this　uneasiness；　my　good　Dagobert；　but　just　now；　I　lost
my　senses；　and　gave　way　to　a　burst　of　absurd　fury；　I　think　I　should　have
thrown　myself　out　of　the　window；　had　it　been　open。　　I　only　hope；　that　my
poor　dear　girls　have　not　heard　me；'　added　he；　as　he　went　on　tip…toe　to
open　the　door　which　communicates　with　his　daughters'　bedroom。　　When　he
had　listened　anxiously　for　a　moment；　he　returned　to　me；　and　said：
〃Luckily；　they　are　asleep。'Then　I　asked　him　what　was　the　cause　of　his
agitation；　and　if；　in　spite　of　my　precautions；　he　had　received　any　more
anonymous　letters。　　‘No；'　replied　he；　with　a　gloomy　air；　‘but　leave　me；
my　friend。　　I　am　now　better。　　It　has　done　me　good　to　see　you。　　Good
night；　old　comrade！　go　downstairs　to　bed。'I　took　care　not　to　contradict
him；　but；　pretending　to　go　down；　I　came　up　again；　and　seated　myself　on
the　top　stair；　listening。　　No　doubt；　to　calm　himself　entirely；　the
marshal　went　to　embrace　his　children；　for　I　heard　him　open　and　shut　their
door。　　Then　he　returned　to　his　room；　and　walked　about　for　a　long　time；
but　with　a　more　quiet　step。　　At　last；　I　heard　him　throw　himself　on　his
bed；　and　I　came　down　about　break　of　day。　　After　that；　all　remained
tranquil。〃

〃But　whatever　can　be　the　matter　with　him；　father？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　　When　I　went　up　to　him；　I　was　astonished　at　the　agitation
of　his　countenance；　and　the　brilliancy　of　his　eyes。　　He　would　have　looked
much　the　same；　had　he　been　delirious；　or　in　a　burning　feverso　that；
when　I　heard　him　say；　he　could　have　thrown　himself　out　of　the　window；　had
it　been　open；　I　thought　it　more　prudent　to　remove　the　caps　from　his
pistols。〃

〃I　cannot　understand　it！〃　said　Agricola。　　〃So　firm；　intrepid；　and　cool　a
man　as　the　marshal；　a　prey　to　such　violence！〃

〃I　tell　you　that　something　very　extraordinary　is　passing　within　him。　　For
two　days；　he　has　not　been　to　see　his　children；　which　is　always　a　bad　sign
with　himto　say　nothing　of　the　poor　little　angels　themselves；　who　are
miserable　at　the　notion　that　they　have　displeased　their　father。　　They
displease　him！　　If　you　only　knew　the　life　they　lead；　dear　creatures！　a
walk　or　ride　with　me　and　their　companion；　for　I　never　let　them　go　out
alone；　and；　the　rest　of　their　time；　at　their　studies；　reading；　or
needleworkalways　togetherand　then　to　bed。　　Yet　their　duenna；　who　is；
I　think；　a　worthy　woman；　tells　me　that　sometimes　at　night；　she　has　seen
them　shed　tears　in　their　sleep。　　Poor　children！　they　have　hitherto　known
but　little　happiness；〃　added　the　soldier；　with　a　sigh。

At　this　moment；　hearing　some　one　walk　hastily　across　the　courtyard；
Dagobert　raised　his　eyes；　and　saw　Marshal　Simon；　with　pale　face　and
bewildered　air；　holding　in　his　two　hands　a　letter；　which　he　seemed　to
read　with　devouring　anxiety。




CHAPTER　XLVII。

THE　GOLDEN　CITY。

While　Marshal　Simon　was　crossing　the　little　court　with　so　agitated　an
air；　reading　the　anonymous　letter；　which　he　had　received　by　Spoil…sport's
unexpected　medium；　Rose　and　Blanche　were　alone　together；　in　the　sitting…
room　they　usually　occupied；　which　had　been　entered　for　a　moment　by　Loony
during　their　absence。　　The　poor　children　seemed　destined　to　a　succession
of　sorrows。　　At　the　moment　their　mourning　for　their　mother　drew　near　its
close；　the　tragical　death　of　their　grandfather　had　again　dressed　them　in
funereal　weeds。　　They　were　seated　together　upon　a　couch；　in　front　of
their　work…table。　　Grief　often　produces　the　effect　of　years。　　Hence；　in　a
few　months；　Rose　and　Blanche　had　become　quite　young　women。　　To　the
infantine　grace　of　their　charming　faces；　formerly　so　plump　and　rosy；　but
now　pale　and　thin；　had　succeeded　an　expression　of　grave　and　touching
sadness。　　Their　large；　mild　eyes　of　limpid　azure；　which　always　had　a
dreamy　character；　were　now　never　bathed　in　those　joyous　tears；　with　which
a　burst　of　frank　and　hearty　laughter　used　of　old　to　adorn　their　silky
lashes；　when　the　comic　coolness　of　Dagobert；　or　some　funny　trick　of
Spoil…sport；　cheered　them　in　the　course　of　their　long　and　weary
pilgrimage。

In　a　word；　those　delightful　faces；　which　the　flowery　pencil　of　Greuze
could　alone　have　painted　in　all　their　velvet　freshness；　were　now　worthy
of　inspiring　the　melancholy　ideal　of　the　immortal　Ary　Scheffer；　who　gave
us　Mignon　aspiring　to　Paradise；　and　Margaret　dreaming　of　Faust。　　Rose；
leaning　back　on　the　couch；　held　her　head　somewhat　bowed　upon　her　bosom；
over　which　was　crossed　a　handkerchief　of　black　crape。　　The　light
streaming　from　a　window　opposite；　shone　softly　on　her　pure；　white
forehead；　crowned　by　two　thick　bands　of　chestnut　hair。　　Her　look　was
fixed；　and　the　open　arch　of　her　eyebrows；　now　somewhat　contracted；
announced　a　mind　occupied　with　painful　thoughts。　　Her　thin；　white　little
hands　had　fallen　upon　her　knees；　but　still　held　the　embroidery；　on　which
she　had　been　engaged。　　The　profile　of　Blanche　was　visible；　leaning　a
little　towards　her　sister；　with　an　expression　of　tender　and　anxious
solicitude；　whilst　her　needle　remained　in　the　canvas；　as　if　she　had　just
ceased　to　work。

〃Sister；〃　said　Blanche；　in　a　low　voice；　after　some　moments　of　silence；
during　which　the　tears　seemed　to　mount　to　her　eyes；　〃tell　me　what　you　are
thinking　of。　　You　look　so　sad。〃

〃I　think　of　the　Golden　City　of　our　dreams；〃　replied　Rose；　almost　in　a
whisper；　after　another　short　silence。

Blanche　understood　the　bitterness　of　these　words。　　Without　speaking；　she
threw　herself　on　her　sister's　neck；　and　wept。　　Poor　girls！　the　Golden
City　of　their　dreams　was　Paris；　with　their　father　in　itParis；　the
marvellous　city　of　joys　and　festivals；　through　all　of　which　the　orphans
had　beheld　the　radiant　and　smiling　countenance　of　their　sire！　　But；　alas！
the　Beautiful　City　had　been　changed　into　a　place　of　tears；　and　death；　and
mourning。　　The　same　terrible　pestilence　which　had　struck　down　their
mother　in　the　heart　of　Siberia；　seemed　to　have　followed　them　like　a　dark
and　fatal　cloud；　which；　always　hovering　above　them；　hid　the　mild　blue　of
the　sky；　and　the　joyous　light　of　the　sun。

The　Golden　City　of　their　dreams！　　It　was　the　place；　where　perhaps　one　day
their　father　would　present　to　them　two　young　lovers；　good　and　fair　as
themselves。　　〃They　love　you；〃　he　was　to　say；　〃　they　are　worthy　of　you。
Let　each　of　you　have　a　brother；　and　me　two　sons。〃　Then　what　chaste；
enchanting　confusion　for　those　two　orphans；　whose　hearts；　pure　as
crystal；　had　never　reflected　any　image　but　that　of　Gabriel；　the　celestial
messenger　sent　by　their　mother　to　protect　them！

We　can　therefore　understand　the　painful　emotion　of　Blanche；　when　she
heard　her　sister　repeat；　with　bitter　melancholy；　those　words　which
described　their　whole　situation：　〃I　think　of　the　Golden　City　of　our
dreams！〃

〃Who　knows？〃　proceeded　Blanche；　drying　her　sister's　tears；　〃perhaps；
happiness　may　yet　be　in　store　for　us。〃

〃Alas！　if　we　are　not　happy　with　our　father　by　usshall　we　ever　be　so？〃

〃Yes；　when　we　rejoin　our　mother；〃　said　Blanche；　lifting　her　eyes　to
heaven。

〃Then；　sister；　this　dream　may　be　a　warn