the wandering jew, volume 10-第4节

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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　lethargy。
With　the　help　of　Abbe　Gabriel；　a　sublime；　oh！　a　sublime　priestthe　ideal
of　a　true　Christianthe　worthy　brother　of　AgricolaI　courageously
entered　on　the　struggle。　　What　shall　I　say　to　you；　my　child？　　The
performance　of　these　duties；　the　hope　of　finding　you　again；　have　been
some　relief　to　me　in　my　trouble。　　If　I　was　not　consoled；　I　was　at　least
occupied。　　Your　tender　friendship；　the　example　of　your　resignation；　will
do　the　restI　think　soI　am　sure　soand　I　shall　forget　this　fatal
love。〃

At　the　moment　Adrienne　pronounced　these　words；　rapid　footsteps　were　heard
upon　the　stairs；　and　a　young；　clear　voice　exclaimed：　〃Oh！　dear　me；　poor
Mother　Bunch！　How　lucky　I　have　come　just　now！　If　only　I　could　be　of　some
use　to　her！〃

Almost　immediately；　Rose…Pompon　entered　the　garret　with　precipitation。
Agricola　soon　followed　the　grisette；　and　pointing　to　the　open　window；
tried　to　make　Adrienne　understand　by　signs；　that　she　was　not　to　mention
to　the　girl　the　deplorable　end　of　the　Bacchanal　Queen。　　This　pantomime
was　lost　on　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville。　　Adrienne's　heart　swelled　with　grief；
indignation；　pride；　as　she　recognized　the　girl　she　had　seen　at　the　Porte…
Saint…Martin　in　company　with　Djalma；　and　who　alone　was　the　cause　of　the
dreadful　sufferings　she　endured　since　that　fatal　evening。　　And；　strange
irony　of　fate！　it　was　at　the　very　moment　when　Adrienne　had　just　made　the
humiliating　and　cruel　confession　of　her　despised　love；　that　the　woman；　to
whom　she　believed　herself　sacrificed；　appeared　before　her。

If　the　surprise　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　was　great；　Rose…Pompon's　was　not
less　so。　　Not　only　did　she　recognize　in　Adrienne　the　fair　young　lady　with
the　golden　locks；　who　had　sat　opposite　to　her　at　the　theatre；　on　the
night　of　the　adventure　of　the　black　panther；　but　she　had　serious　reasons
for　desiring　most　ardently　this　unexpected　interview。　　It　is　impossible
to　paint　the　look　of　malignant　joy　and　triumph；　that　she　affected　to　cast
upon　Adrienne。　　The　first　impulse　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　was　to　quit　the
room。　　But　she　could　not　bear　to　leave　Mother　Bunch　at　this　moment；　or　to
give；　in　the　presence　of　Agricola；　her　reasons　for　such　an　abrupt
departure；　and　moreover；　an　inexplicable　and　fatal　curiosity　held　her
back；　in　spite　of　her　offended　pride。　　She　remained；　therefore；　and　was
about　to　examine　closely；　to　hear　and　to　judge；　this　rival；　who　had
nearly　occasioned　her　death；　to　whom；　in　her　jealous　agony；　she　had
ascribed　so　many　different　aspects；　in　order　to　explain　Djalma's　love　for
such　a　creature。




CHAPTER　XXXV。

THE　RIVALS。

Rose…Pompon；　whose　presence　caused　such　deep　emotion　in　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville；　was　dressed　in　the　most　showy　and　extravagant　bad　taste。　　Her
very　small；　narrow；　rose…colored　satin　bonnet；　placed　so　forward　over　her
face　as　almost　to　touch　the　tip　of　her　little　nose；　left　uncovered　behind
half　of　her　light；　silky　hair；　her　plaid　dress；　of　an　excessively　broad
pattern；　was　open　in　front；　and　the　almost　transparent　gauze；　rather　too
honest　in　its　revelations；　hardly　covered　the　charms　of　the　form　beneath。

The　grisette　having　run　all　the　way　upstairs；　held　in　her　hands　the　ends
of　her　large　blue　shawl；　which；　falling　from　her　shoulders；　had　slid　down
to　her　wasp…like　waist；　and　there　been　stopped　by　the　swell　of　the
figure。　　If　we　enter　into　these　details；　it　is　to　explain　how；　at　the
sight　of　this　pretty　creature；　dressed　in　so　impertinent　and　almost
indecent；　a　fashion；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　who　thought　she　saw　in　her　a
successful　rival；　felt　her　indignation；　grief；　and　shame　redoubled。

But　judge　of　the　surprise　and　confusion　of　Adrienne；　when　Mdlle。　Rose…
Pompon　said　to　her；　with　the　utmost　freedom　and　pertness；　〃I　am　delighted
to　see　you；　madame。　　You　and　I　must　have　a　long　talk　together。　　Only　I
must　begin　by　kissing　poor　Mother　Bunchwith　your　permission；　madame！〃

To　understand　the　tone　and　manner　with　which　this　word　；〃madame〃　was
pronounced；　you　must　have　been　present　at　some　stormy　discussion　between
two　Rose…Pompons；　jealous　of　each　other；　then　you　would　be　able　to　judge
how　much　provoking　hostility　may　be　compressed　into　the　word　〃madame；〃
under　certain　circumstances。　　Amazed　at　the　impudence　of　Rose…Pompon；
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　remained　mute；　whilst　Agricola；　entirely　occupied
with　the　interest　he　took　in　the　workgirl；　who　had　never　withdrawn　her
eyes　from　him　since　he　entered　the　room；　and　with　the　remembrance　of　the
painful　scene　he　had　just　quitted；　whispered　to　Adrienne；　without
remarking　the　grisette's　effrontery；　〃Alas；　lady！　it　is　all　over。
Cephyse　has　just　breathed　her　last　sigh；　without　recovering　her　senses。〃

〃Unfortunate　girl！〃　said　Adrienne；　with　emotion；　and　for　the　moment　she
forgot　Rose…Pompon。

〃We　must　keep　this　sad　news　from　Mother　Bunch；　and　only　let　her　know　it
hereafter；　with　great　caution；〃　resumed　Agricola。　〃Luckily；　little　Rose…
Pompon　knows　nothing　about　it。'

And　he　pointed　to　the　grisette；　who　was　now　stooping　down　by　the　side　of
the　workgirl。　　On　hearing　Agricola　speak　so　familiarly　of　Rose…Pompon；
Adrienne's　amazement　increased。　　It　is　impossible　to　describe　what　she
felt；　yet；　strangely　enough；　her　sufferings　grew　less　and　less；　and　her
anxiety　diminished；　as　she　listened　to　the　chatter　of　the　grisette。

〃Oh；　my　good　dear！〃　said　the　latter；　with　as　much　volubility　as　emotion；
while　her　pretty　blue　eyes　were　filled　with　tears；　〃is　it　possible　that
you　did　so　stupid　a　thing？　　Do　not　poor　people　help　one　another？　　Could
you　not　apply　to　me？　　You　knew　that　others　are　welcome　to　whatever　is
mine；　and　I　would　have　made　a　raffle　of　Philemon's　bazaar；〃　added　this
singular　girl；　with　a　burst　of　feeling；　at　once　sincere；　touching；　and
grotesque；　〃I　would　have　sold　his　three　boots；　pipes；　boating…costume；
bed；　and　even　his　great　drinking…glass；　and　at　all　events　you　should　not
have　been　brought　to　such　an　ugly　pass。　　Philemon　would　not　have　minded；
for　he　is　a　good　fellow；　and　if　he　had　minded；　it　would　have　been　all　the
same。　　Thank　heaven！　we　are　not　married。　　I　am　only　wishing　to　remind　you
that　you　should　have　thought　of　little　Rose…Pompon。〃

〃I　know　you　are　obliging　and　kind；　miss；〃　said　Mother　Bunch：　for　she　had
heard　from　her　sister　that　Rose…Pompon；　like　so　many　of　her　class；　had　a
warm　and　generous　heart。

〃After　all；〃　resumed　the　grisette；　wiping　with　the　back　of　her　hand　the
tip　of　her　little　nose；　down　which　a　tear　was　trickling；　〃you　may　tell　me
that　you　did　not　know　where　I　had　taken　up　my　quarters。　　It's　a　queer
story；　I　can　tell　you。　　When　I　say　queer；〃　added　Rose…Pompon；　with　a　deep
sigh；　〃it　is　quite　the　contrarybut　no　matter：　I　need　not　trouble　you
with　that。　　One　thing　is　certain；　you　are　getting　betterand　you　and
Cephyse　will　not　do　such　a　thing　again。　　She　is　said　to　be　very　weak。
Can　I　not　see　her　yet；　M。　Agricola？

〃No；〃　said　the　smith；　with　embarrassment；　for　Mother　Bunch　kept　her　eyes
fixed　upon　him；　〃you　must　have　patience。〃

〃But　I　may　see　her　to…day；　Agricola？〃　exclaimed　the　hunchback。

〃We　will　talk　about　that。　　Only　be　calm；　I　entreat。〃

〃Agricola　is　right；　you　must　be　reasonable；　my　good　dear；〃　resumed　Rose…
Pompon；　〃we　will　wait　patiently。　　I　can　wait　too；　for　I　have　to　talk
presently　to　this　lady；〃　and　Rose…Pompon　glanced　at　Adrienne　with　the
expression　of　an　angry　cat。　　〃Yes；　yes；　I　can　wait；　for　I　long　to　tell
Cephyse　also　that　she　may　reckon　upon　me。〃　　Here　Rose…Pompon　bridled　up
very　prettily；　and　thus　continued；　〃Do　not　be　uneasy！　It　is　the　least　one
can　do；　when　one　is　in　a　good　position；　to　share　the　advantages　with
one's　friends；　who　are　not　so　well　off。　　It　would　be　a　fine　thing　to　keep
one's　happiness　to　one's　self！　to　stuff　it　with　straw；　and　put　it　under　a
glass；　and　let　no　one　touch　it！　　When　I　talk　of　happiness；　it's　only　to
make　talk；　it　is　true　in　one　sense；　but　to　another；　you　see；　my　good
dearBah！　I　am　only　seventeenbut　no　matterI　might　go　on　talking　till
tomorrow；　and　you　would　not　be　any　the　wiser。　　So　let　me　kiss　you　once
more；　and　don't　be　down…heartednor　Cephyse　either；　do　you　hear？　　for　I
shall　be　close　at　hand。〃

And；　stooping　still　lower；　Rose…Pompon　cordially　embraced　Mother　Bunch。
It　is　impossible　to　express　what　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　felt　during　this
conversation；　or　rather　during　this　monologue　of　the　grisette　on　the
subject　of　the　attempted　suicide。　　The　eccentric　jargon　of　Mdlle。　Rose…
Pompon；　her　liberal　facility　in　disposing　of　Philemon's　bazaar；　to　the
owner　of　which　（as　she　said）　she　was　luckily　not　marriedthe　goodness　of
her　heart；　which　revealed　itself　in　her　offers　of　serviceher　contrasts；
her　impertinence；　her　drolleryall　this　was　so　new　and　inexplicable　to
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　that　she　remained　for　some　time　mute　and　motionless
with　surprise。　　Such；　then；　was　the　creature　to　whom　Djalma　had
sacrificed　her！

If　Adrienne's　first　impression　at　sight　of　Rose…Pompon　had　been　horribly
painful；　reflection　soon　awakened　doubts；　which　were　to　become　shortly
ineffable　hopes。　　Remembering　the　interview　she　had　overheard　between
Rodin　and　Djalma