the wandering jew, volume 10-第3节

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creature　like　myself；　hiding　in　the　depth　of　a　wounded　heart；　a　love　at
once　hopeless　and　ridiculous。　　No；　noin　spite　of　the　delicacy　of　her
attachment；　my　benefactress　must　unconsciously　hurt　my　feelings；　even
whilst　she　pities　mefor　only　sympathetic　sorrows　can　console　each
other。　　Alas！　why　did　she　not　leave　me　to　die？〃

These　reflections　presented　themselves　to　the　thinker's　mind　as　rapidly
as　thought　could　travel。　　Adrienne　observed　her　attentively；　she　remarked
that　the　sewing…girl's　countenance；　which　had　lately　brightened　up；　was
again　clouded；　and　expressed　a　feeling　of　painful　humiliation。　　Terrified
at　this　relapse　into　gloomy　dejection；　the　consequences　of　which　might　be
serious；　for　Mother　Bunch　was　still　very　weak；　and；　as　it　were；　hovering
on　the　brink　of　the　grave；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　resumed　hastily：　〃My
friend；　do　not　you　think　with　me；　that　the　most　cruel　and　humiliating
grief　admits　of　consolation；　when　it　can　be　entrusted　to　a　faithful　and
devoted　heart？〃

〃Yes；　lady；〃　said　the　young　sempstress；　bitterly；　〃but　the　heart　which
suffers　in　silence；　should　be　the　only　judge　of　the　moment　for　making　so
painful　a　confession。　　Until　then；　it　would　perhaps　be　more　humane　to
respect　its　fatal　secret；　even　if　one　had　by　chance　discovered　it。〃

〃You　are　right；　my　child；〃　said　Adrienne；　sorrowfully；　〃if　I　choose　this
solemn　moment　to　entrust　you　with　a　very　painful　secret；　it　is　that；　when
you　have　heard　me；　I　am　sure　you　will　set　more　value　on　your　life；　as
knowing　how　much　I　need　your　tenderness；　consolation；　and　pity。〃

At　these　words；　the　other　half　raised　herself　on　the　mattress；　and　looked
at　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　in　amazement。　　She　could　scarcely　believe　what
she　heard；　far　from　designing　to　intrude　upon　her　confidence；　it　was　her
protectress　who　was　to　make　the　painful　confession；　and　who　came　to
implore　pity　and　consolation　from　her！

〃What！〃　stammered　she；　〃you；　lady！〃

〃I　come　to　tell　you　that　I　suffer；　and　am　ashamed　of　my　sufferings。
Yes；〃　added　the　young　lady；　with　a　touching　expression；　〃yesof　all
confessions；　I　am　about　to　make　the　most　painfulI　loveand　I　blush　for
my　love。〃

〃Like　myself！〃　cried　Mother　Bunch；　involuntarily；　clasping　her　hands
together。

〃I　love；〃　resumed　Adrienne；　with　a　long…pent…up　grief；　〃I　love；　and　am
not　belovedand　my　love　is　miserable；　is　impossibleit　consumes　meit
kills　meand　I　dare　not　confide　to　any　one　the　fatal　secret！〃

〃Like　me；〃　repeated　the　other；　with　a　fixed　look。　　〃Shea　queen　in
beauty；　rank；　wealth；　intelligencesuffers　like　me。　　Like　me；　poor
unfortunate　creature！　she　loves；　and　is　not　loved　again。〃

〃Well；　yes！　like　you；　I　love　and　am　not　loved　again；〃　cried　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville；　〃was　I　wrong　in　saying；　that　to　you　alone　I　could　confide　my
secretbecause；　having　suffered　the　same　pangs；　you　alone　can　pity
them？〃

〃Then；　lady；〃　said　Mother　Bunch；　casting　down　her　eyes；　and　recovering
from　her　first　amazement；　〃you　knew〃

〃I　knew　all；　my　poor　childbut　never　should　I　have　mentioned　your
secret；　had　I　not　had　one　to　entrust　you　with；　of　a　still　more　painful
nature。　　Yours　is　cruel；　but　mine　is　humiliating。　　Oh；　my　sister！〃　added
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　in　a　tone　impossible　to　describe；　〃misfortune；　you；
see；　blends　and　confounds　together　what　are　called　distinctions　of　rank
and　fortuneand　often　those　whom　the　world　envies　are　reduced　by
suffering　far　below　the　poorest　and　most　humble；　and　have　to　seek　from
the　latter　pity　and　consolation。〃

Then；　drying　her　tears；　which　nosy　flowed　abundantly；　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville　resumed；　in　a　voice　of　emotion：　〃Come；　sister！　courage；
courage！　let　us　love　and　sustain　each　other。　　Let　this　sad　and　mysterious
bond　unite　us　forever。〃

〃Oh；　lady！　forgive　me。　　But　now　that　you　know　the　secret　of　my　life；〃
said　the　workgirl；　casting　down　her　eyes；　and　unable　to　vanquish　her
confusion；　〃it　seems　to　me；　that　I　can　never　look　at　you　without
blushing。〃

〃And　why？　because　you　love　Agricola？〃　said　Adrienne。　　〃Then　I　must　die　of
shame　before　you；　since；　less　courageous　than　you；　I　had　not　the　strength
to　suffer　and　be　resigned；　and　so　conceal　my　love　in　the　depths　of　my
heart。　　He　that　I　love；　with　a　love　henceforth　deprived　of　hope；　knew　of
that　love　and　despised　itpreferring　to　me　a　woman；　the　very　choice　of
whom　was　a　new　and　grievous　insult；　if　I　am　not　much　deceived　by
appearances。　　I　sometimes　hope　that　I　am　deceived　on　this　point。　　Now
tell　meis　it　for　you　to　blush？〃

〃Alas；　lady！　who　could　tell　you　all　this？〃

〃Which　you　only　entrusted　to　your　journal？　　Well；　thenit　was　the　dying
Florine　who　confessed　her　misdeeds。　　She　had　been　base　enough　to　steal
your　papers；　forced　to　this　odious　act；　by　the　people　who　had　dominion
over　her。　　But　she　had　read　your　journaland　as　every　good　feeling　was
not　dead　within　her；　your　admirable　resignation；　your　melancholy　and
pious　love；　had　left　such　an　impression　on　her　mind；　that　she　was　able　to
repeat　whole　passages　to　me　on　her　death　bed；　and　thus　to　explain　the
cause　of　your　sudden　disappearancefor　she　had　no　doubt　that　the　fear　of
seeing　your　love　for　Agricola　divulged　had　been　the　cause　of　your
flight。〃

〃Alas！　it　is　but　too　true；　lady。〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　answered　Adrienne；　bitterly；　〃those　who　employed　the　wretched
girl　to　act　as　she　did；　well　knew　the　effect　of　the　blow。　　It　was　not
their　first　attempt。　　They　reduced　you　to　despair；　they　would　have　killed
you；　because　you　were　devoted　to　me；　and　because　you　had　guessed　their
intentions。　　Oh！　these　black…gowns　are　implacable；　and　their　power　is
great！〃　said　Adrienne；　shuddering。

〃It　is　fearful；　lady。〃

〃But　do　not　be　alarmed；　dear　child；　you　see；　that　the　arms　of　the　wicked
have　turned　against　themselves；　for　the　moment　I　knew　the　cause　of　your
flight；　you　became　dearer　to　me　than　ever。　　From　that　time　I　made　every
exertion　to　find　out　where　you　were；　after　long　efforts；　it　was　only　this
morning　that　the　person　I　had　employed　succeeded　in　discovering　that　you
inhabited　this　house。　　Agricola　was　with　me　when　I　heard　it；　and
instantly　asked　to　accompany　me。〃

〃Agricola！〃　said　Mother　Bunch；　clasping　her　hands；　〃he　came〃

〃Yes；　my　childbe　calm。　　Whilst　I　attended　to　you；　he　was　busy　with　your
poor　sister。　　You　will　soon　see　him。〃

〃Alas；　lady！〃　resumed　the　hunchback；　in　alarm。　　〃He　doubtless　knows〃

〃Your　love！　No；　no；　be　satisfied。　　Only　think　of　the　happiness　of　again
seeing　your　good　and　worthy　brother。〃

〃Ah；　lady！　may　he　never　know　what　caused　me　so　much　shame；　that　I　was
like　to　die　of　it。　　Thank　God；　he　is　not　aware　of　it！〃

〃Then　let　us　have　no　more　sad　thoughts；　my　child。　　Only　remember；　that
this　worthy　brother　came　here　in　time　to　save　us　from　everlasting
regretsand　you　from　a　great　fault。　　Oh！　I　do　not　speak　of　the
prejudices　of　the　world；　with　regard　to　the　right　of　every　creature　to
return　to　heaven　a　life　that　has　become　too　burdensome！I　only　say　that
you　ought　not　to　have　died；　because　those　who　love　you；　and　whom　you
love；　were　still　in　need　of　your　assistance。〃

〃I　thought　you　happy；　Agricola　was　married　to　the　girl　of　his　choice；　who
will；　I　am　sure；　make　him　happy。　　To　whom　could　I　be　useful？〃

〃First；　to　myself；　as　you　seeand　then；　who　tells　you　that　Agricola　will
never　have　need　of　you？　　Who　tells　you；　that　his　happiness；　or　that　of
his　family；　will　last　forever；　and　will　not　be　tried　by　cruel　shocks？
And　even　if　those　you　love　had　been　destined　to　be　always　happy；　could
their　happiness　be　complete　without　you？　　And　would　not　your　death；　with
which　they　would　perhaps　have　reproached　themselves；　have　left　behind　it
endless　regrets？〃

〃It　is　true；　lady；〃　answered　the　other；　〃I　was　wrongthe　dizziness　of
despair　had　seized　mefrightful　misery　weighed　upon　uswe　had　not　been
able　to　find　work　for　some　dayswe　lived　on　the　charity　of　a　poor　woman；
and　her　the　cholera　carried　off。　　To…morrow　or　next　day；　we　must　have
died　of　hunger。〃

〃Die　of　hunger！and　you　knew　where　I　lived！〃

〃I　had　written　to　you；　lady；　and　receiving　no　answer；　I　thought　you
offended　at　my　abrupt　departure。〃

〃Poor；　dear　child！　you　must　have　been；　as　you　say；　seized　with　dizziness
in　that　terrible　moment；　so　that　I　have　not　the　courage　to　reproach　you
for　doubting　me　a　single　instant。　　How　can　I　blame　you？　　Did　I　not　myself
think　of　terminating　my　life？〃

〃You；　lady！〃　cried　the　hunchback。

〃Yes；　I　thought　of　itwhen　they　came　to　tell　me；　that　Florine；　dying；
wished　to　speak　to　me。　　I　heard　what　she　had　to　say；　her　revelations
changed　my　projects。　　This　dark　and　mournful　life　which　had　become
insupportable　to　me；　was　suddenly　lighted　up。　　The　sense　of　duty　woke
within　me。　　You　were　no　doubt　a　prey　to　horrible　misery；　it　was　my　duty
to　seek　and　save　you。　　Florine's　confessions　unveiled　to　me　the　new　plots
of　the　enemies　of　my　scattered　family；　dispersed　by　sorrows　and　cruel
losses；　it　was　my　duty　to　warn　them　of　their　danger；　and　to　unite　them
against　the　common　enemy。　　I　had　been　the　victim　of　odious　manoeuvres：　it
was　my　duty　to　punish　their　authors；　for　fear　that；　encouraged　by
impunity；　these　black…gowns　should　make　other　victims。　　Then　the　sense　of
duty　gave　me　strength；　and　I　was　able　to　rouse　myself　from　my　let