the wandering jew, volume 10-第27节

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calumny　has　been　circulated　with　regard　to　you。''Do　not　call　me　〃my
lord　duke；〃　my　dear　D'Havrincourt；　we　are　old　fellow…soldiers　and
friends；　my　honor　is　somewhat　touchy；　I　confess；　and　I　find　that　you　and
our　comrades　do　not　receive　me　so　cordially；　as　in　times　past。　　You　do
not　deny　it；　I　see；　I　know；　I　feel　it。'　　To　all　this　D'Havrincourt
answered；　with　the　same　coldness：　‘I　have　never　seen　any　one　wanting　in
respect　towards　you。''I　am　not　talking　of　respect；'　exclaimed　I；　as　I
clasped　his　hand　affectionately；　though　I　observed　that　he　but　feebly
returned　the　pressure；　‘I　speak　of　cordiality；　confidence；　which　I　once
enjoyed；　while　now　I　am　treated　like　a　stranger。　　Why　is　it？　　What　has
occasioned　this　change？'Still　cold　and　reserved；　he　answered：　‘These
distinctions　are　so　nice；　marshal；　that　it　is　impossible　for　me　to　give
you　any　opinion　on　the　subject。'My　heart　swelled　with　grief　and　anger。
What　was　I　to　do？　　To　quarrel　with　D'Havrincourt　would　have　been　absurd。
A　sense　of　dignity　forced　me　to　break　off　the　interview；　but　it　has　only
confirmed　my　fears。　　Thus；〃　added　the　marshal；　getting　more　and　more
animated；　〃thus　am　I　fallen　from　the　esteem　to　which　I　am　entitled；　thus
am　I　despised；　without　even　knowing　the　cause！　　Is　it　not　odious？　　If
they　would　only　utter　a　charge　against　meI　should　at　least　be　able　to
defend　myself；　and　to　find　an　answer。　　But　no；　no！　not　even　a　wordonly
the　cold　politeness　that　is　worse　than　any　insult。　　Oh！　it　is　too　much；
too　much！　for　all　this　comes　but　in　addition　to　other　cares。　　What　a　life
is　mine　since　the　death　of　my　father！　　If　I　did　but　find　rest　and
happiness　at　homebut　no！　I　come　in；　but　to　read　shameful　letters；　and
still　worse；〃　added　the　marshal；　in　a　heartrending　tone；　and　after　a
moment's　hesitation；　〃to　find　my　children　grow　more　and　more　indifferent
towards　me

〃Yes；〃　continued　he；　perceiving　the　amazement　of　Dagobert；　〃and　yet　they
know　how　much　I　love　them！〃

〃Your　daughters　indifferent！〃　exclaimed　Dagobert；　in　astonishment。　　〃You
make　them　such　a　reproach？〃

〃Oh！　I　do　not　blame　them。　　They　have　hardly　had　time　to　know　me。〃

〃Not　had　time　to　know　you？〃　returned　the　soldier；　in　a　tone　of
remonstrance；　and　warming　up　in　his　turn。　　〃Ah！　of　what　did　their　mother
talk　to　them；　except　you？　　and　I　too！　what　could　I　teach　your　children
except　to　know　and　love　you？〃

〃You　take　their　partthat　is　naturalthey　love　you　better　than　they　do
me；〃　said　the　marshal；　with　growing　bitterness。　　Dagobert　felt　himself　so
painfully　affected；　that　he　looked　at　the　marshal　without　answering。

〃Yes！〃　continued　the　other；　〃yes！　it　may　be　base　and　ungratefulbut　no
matter！Twenty　times　I　have　felt　jealous　of　the　affectionate　confidence
which　my　children　display　towards　you；　while　with　me　they　seem　always　to
be　in　fear。　　If　their　melancholy　faces　ever　grow　animated　for　a　moment；
it　is　in　talking　to　you；　in　seeing　you；　while　for　me　they　have　nothing
but　cold　respectand　that　kills　me。　　Sure　of　the　affection　of　my
children；　I　would　have　braved　and　surmounted　every　difficulty〃　　Then；
seeing　that　Dagobert　rushed　towards　the　door　which　led　to　the　chamber　of
Rose　and　Blanche；　the　marshal　asked：　〃Where　are　you　going？〃

〃For　your　daughters；　general。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃To　bring　them　face　to　face　with　youto　tell　them：　‘My　children；　your
father　thinks　that　you　do　not　love　him。'I　will　only　say　thatand　then
you　will　see。〃

〃Dagobert！　I　forbid　you　to　do　it；〃　cried　the　marshal；　hastily。

〃I　don't　care　for　thatyou　have　no　right　to　be　unjust　to　the　poor
children；〃　said　the　soldier；　as　he　again　advanced　towards　the　door。

〃Dagobert；　I　command　you　to　remain　here；〃　cried　the　marshal。

〃Listen　to　me；　general。　　I　am　your　soldier；　your　inferior；　your　servant；
if　you　will；〃　said　the　old　grenadier；　roughly；　〃but　neither　rank　nor
station　shall　keep　me　silent；　when　I　have　to　defend　your　daughters。　　All
must　be　explainedI　know　but　one　wayand　that　is　to　bring　honest　people
face　to　face。〃

If　the　marshal　had　not　seized　him　by　the　arm；　Dagobert　would　have　entered
the　apartment　of　the　young　girls。

〃Remain！〃　said　the　marshal；　so　imperiously　that　the　soldier；　accustomed
to　obedience；　hung　his　head；　and　stood　still。

〃What　would　you　do？〃　resumed　the　marshal。　　〃Tell　my　children；　that　I
think　they　do　not　love　me？　induce　them　to　affect　a　tenderness　they　do　not
feelwhen　it　is　not　their　fault；　but　mine？〃

〃Oh；　general！〃　said　Dagobert；　in　a　tone　of　despair；　〃I　no　longer　feel
anger；　in　hearing　you　speak　thus　of　your　children。　　It　is　such　grief；
that　it　breaks　my　heart！〃

Touched　by　the　expression　of　the　soldier's　countenance；　the　marshal
continued；　less　abruptly：　〃Come；　I　may　be　wrong；　and　yet　I　ask　you；
without　bitterness　or　jealousy；　are　not　my　children　more　confiding；　more
familiar；　with　you　than　with　me？〃

〃God　bless　me；　general！〃　cried　Dagobert；　〃if　you　come　to　that；　they　are
more　familiar　with　Spoil…sport　than　with　either　of　us。　　You　are　their
father；　and；　however　kind　a　father　may　be；　he　must　always　command　some
respect。　　Familiar　with　me！　　I　should　think　so。　　A　fine　story！　　What　the
devil　should　they　respect　in　me；　who；　except　that　I　am　six　feet　high；　and
wear　a　moustache；　might　pass　for　the　old　woman　that　nursed　them？and
then　I　must　say；　that；　even　before　the　death　of　your　worthy　father；　you
were　sad　and　full　of　thought；　the　children　have　remarked　that；　and　what
you　take　for　coldness　on　their　part；　is；　I　am　sure；　anxiety　for　you。
Come；　general；　you　are　not　just。　　You　complain；　because　they　love　you　too
much。〃

〃I　complain；　because　I　suffer；〃　said　the　marshal；　in　an　agony　of
excitement。　　〃I　alone　know　my　sufferings。〃

〃They　must　indeed　be　grievous；　general；〃　said　Dagobert；　carried　further
than　he　would　otherwise　have　gone　by　his　attachment　for　the　orphans；
〃since　those　who　love　you　feel　them　so　cruelly。〃

〃What；　sir！　more　reproaches？〃

〃Yes；　general；　reproaches；〃　cried　Dagobert。　　〃Your　children　have　the
right　to　complain　of　you；　since　you　accuse　them　so　unjustly。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　the　marshal；　scarcely　able　to　contain　himself；　‘this　is
enoughthis　is　too　much！〃

〃Oh；　yes！　it　is　enough；〃　replied　Dagobert；　with　rising　emotion。　　〃Why
defend　unfortunate　children；　who　can　only　love　and　submit？　　Why　defend
them　against　your　unhappy　blindness？〃

The　marshal　started　with　anger　and　impatience；　but　then　replied；　with　a
forced　calmness：　〃I　needs　must　remember　all　that　I　owe　youand　I　will
not　forget　it；　say　what　you　will。〃

〃But；　general；〃　cried　Dagobert；　〃why　will　you　not　let　me　fetch　your
children？〃

〃Do　you　not　see　that　this　scene　is　killing　me？〃　cried　the　exasperated
marshal。　　〃Do　you　not　understand；　that　I　will　not　have　my　children
witness　what　I　suffer？　　A　father's　grief　has　its　dignity；　sir；　and　you
ought　to　feel　for　and　respect　it。〃

〃Respect　it？　nonot　when　it　is　founded　on　injustice！〃

〃Enough；　sirenough！〃

〃And　not　content　with　tormenting　yourself；〃　cried　Dagobert；　unable　any
longer　to　control　his　feelings；　〃do　you　know　what　you　will　do？　　You　will
make　your　children　die　of　sorrow。　　Was　it　for　this；　that　I　brought　them
to　you　from　the　depths　of　Siberia？〃

〃More　reproaches！〃

〃Yes；　for　the　worst　ingratitude　towards　me；　is　to　make　your　children
unhappy。〃

〃Leave　the　room；　sir！〃　cried　the　marshal；　quite　beside　himself；　and　so
terrible　with　rage　and　grief；　that　Dagobert；　regretting　that　he　had　gone
so　far；　resumed：　〃I　was　wrong；　general。　　I　have　perhaps　been　wanting　in
respect　to　youforgive　mebut〃

〃I　forgive　youonly　leave　me！〃　said　the　marshal；　hardly　restraining
himself。

〃One　word；　general〃

〃I　entreat　you　to　leave　meI　ask　it　as　a　serviceis　that　enough？〃　said
the　marshal；　with　renewed　efforts　to　control　the　violence　of　his
emotions。

A　deadly　paleness　succeeded　to　the　high　color　which　during　this　painful
scene　had　inflamed　the　cheeks　of　the　marshal。　　Alarmed　at　this　symptom；
Dagobert　redoubled　his　entreaties。　　〃I　implore　you；　general；〃　said　he；　in
an　agitated　mice；　〃to　permit　me　for　one　moment〃

〃Since　you　will　have　it　so；　sir；　I　must　be　the　one　to　leave；〃　said　the
marshal；　making　a　step　towards　the　door。

These　words　were　said　in　such　a　manner；　that　Dagobert　could　no　longer
resist。　　He　hung　his　head　in　despair；　looked　for　a　moment　in　silent
supplication　at　the　marshal；　and　then；　as　the　latter　seemed　yielding　to　a
new　movement　of　rage；　the　soldier　slowly　quitted　the　room。

A　few　minutes　had　scarcely　elapsed　since　the　departure　of　Dagobert；　when
the　marshal；　who；　after　a　long　and　gloomy　silence；　had　repeatedly　drawn
near　the　door　of　his　daughters'　apartment　with　a　mixture　of　hesitation
and　anguish；　suddenly　made　a　violent　effort；　wiped　the　cold　sweat　from
his　brow；　and　entered　the　chamber　in　which　Rose　and　Blanche　had　taken
refuge。




CHAPTER　XLIX。

THE　TEST。

Dagobert　was　right　in　defending　his　children；　as　he　paternally　called
Rose　and　Blanche；　and　yet　the　apprehensions　of　the　marshal　with　regard　to
the　coldness　of　his　daughters；　were　unfortunately　justified　by
appearances。　　As　he　had　told　his　father；　unable　to　explain　the　sad；　and
almost　trembling　embarrassment；　which　his　daughters　felt　in　his　presence；
he　sought　in　vain　for　the　cause　of　what　he　termed　their　ind