the wandering jew, volume 10-第5节

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ineffable　hopes。　　Remembering　the　interview　she　had　overheard　between
Rodin　and　Djalma；　when；　concealed　in　the　conservatory；　she　had　wished　to
prove　the　Jesuit's　fidelity；　Adrienne；　asked　herself　if　it　was
reasonable；　if　it　was　possible　to　believe；　that　the　prince；　whose　ideas
of　love　seemed　to　be　so　poetical；　so　elevated；　so　pure；　could　find　any
charm　in　the　disjointed　and　silly　chat　of　this　young　girl？　　Adrienne
could　not　hesitate；　she　pronounced　the　thing　impossible；　from　the　moment
she　had　seen　her　rival　near；　and　witnessed　her　style　both　of　manners　and
conversation；　which；　without　detracting　from　the　prettiness　of　her
features；　gave　them　a　trivial　and　not　very　attractive　character。
Adrienne's　doubts　with　regard　to　the　deep　love　of　the　prince　for　Rose…
Pompon　were　hence　soon　changed　to　complete　incredulity。　　Endowed　with　too
much　sense　and　penetration；　not　to　perceive　that　this　apparent
connection；　so　inconceivable　on　the　part　of　Djalma；　must　conceal　some
mystery；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　felt　her　hopes　revive。　　As　this　consoling
thought　arose　in　her　mind；　her　heart；　until　now　so　painfully　oppressed；
began　once　more　to　dilate；　she　felt　vague　aspirations　towards　a　better
future；　and　yet；　cruelly　warned　by　the　past；　she　feared　to　yield　too
readily　to　a　mere　illusion；　for　she　remembered　the　notorious　fact　that
the　prince　had　really　appeared　in　public　with　this　girl。　　But　now　that
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　could　fully　appreciate　what　she　was；　she　found　the
conduct　of　the　prince　only　the　more　incomprehensible。　　And　how　can　we
judge　soundly　and　surely　of　that　which　is　enveloped　in　mystery？　　And　then
a　secret　presentiment　told　her；　that　it　would；　perhaps；　be　beside　the
couch　of　the　poor　sempstress；　whom　she　had　just　saved　from　death；　that；
by　a　providential　coincidence；　she　would　learn　the　secret　on　which
depended　the　happiness　of　her　life。

The　emotions　which　agitated　she　heart　of　Adrienne；　became　so　violent；
that　her　fine　face　was　flushed　with　a　bright　red；　her　bosom　heaved；　and
her　large；　black　eyes；　lately　dimmed　by　sadness；　once　more　shone　with　a
mild　radiance。　　She　waited　with　inexpressible　impatience　for　what　was　to
follow。　　In　the　interview；　with　which　Rose…Pompon　had　threatened　her；　and
which　a　few　minutes　before　Adrienne　would　have　declined　with　all　the
dignity　of　legitimate　indignation；　she　now　hoped　to　find　the　explanation
of　a　mystery；　which　it　was　of　such　importance　for　her　to　clear　up。　　After
once　more　tenderly　embracing　Mother　Bunch；　Rose…Pompon　got　up　from　the
ground；　and；　turning　towards　Adrienne；　eyed　her　from　head　to　foot；　with
the　utmost　coolness；　and　said　to　her；　in　a　somewhat　impertinent　tone：　〃It
is　now　our　turn；　madame〃the　word　〃madame〃　still　pronounced　with　the
accent　before　described〃we　have　a　little　matter　to　settle　together。〃

〃I　am　at　your　order；〃　answered　Adrienne；　with　much　mildness　and
simplicity。

At　sight　of　the　triumphant　and　decisive　air　of　Rose…Pompon；　and　on
hearing　her　challenge　to　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　the　worthy　Agricola；　after
exchanging　a　few　words　with　Mother　Bunch；　opened　his　eyes　and　ears　very
wide；　and　remained　staring　in　amazement　at　the　effrontery　of　the
grisette；　then；　advancing　towards　her；　he　whispered；　as　he　plucked　her　by
the　sleeve：　〃I　say；　are　you　mad？　　Do　you　know　to　whom　you　speak？〃

〃Well！　what　then？　　Is　not　one　pretty　woman　worth　another！　　I　say　that　for
the　lady。　　She　will　not　eat　me；　I　suppose；〃　replied　Rose…Pompon；　aloud；
and　with　an　air　of　defiance。　　〃I　have　to　talk　with　madame；　here。　　I　am
sure；　she　knows　why　and　wherefore。　　If　not；　I　will　tell　her；　it　will　not
take　me　long。〃

Adrienne；　who　feared　some　ridiculous　exposure　on　the　subject　of　Djalma；
in　the　presence　of　Agricola；　made　a　sign　to　the　latter；　and　thus　answered
the　grisette：　〃I　am　ready　to　hear　you；　miss；　but　not　in　this　place。　　You
will　understand　why。〃

〃Very　well；　madame；　I　have　my　key。　　You　can　come　to　any　apartments〃the
last　word　pronounced　with　an　air　of　ostentatious　importance。

〃Let　us　go　then　to　your　apartments；　miss　since　you　to　me　the　honor　to
receive　me　there；〃　answered　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　in　her　mild；　sweet
voice；　and　with　a　slight　inclination　of　the　head；　so　full　of　exquisite
politeness；　that　Rose…Pompon　was　daunted；　notwithstanding　all　her
effrontery。

〃What；　lady！〃　said　Agricola　to　Adrienne；　〃you　are　good　enough〃

〃M。　Agricola；〃　said　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　interrupting　him；　〃please　to
remain　with　our　poor　friend：　I　shall　soon　be　back。〃

Then；　approaching　Mother　Bunch；　who　shared　in　Agricola's　astonishment　she
said　to　her：　〃Excuse　me　for　leaving　you　a　few　seconds。　　Only　regain　a
little　strength；　and；　when　I　return；　I　will　take　you　home　with　me；　dear
sister。〃

Then；　turning　towards　Rose…Pompon；　who　was　more　and　more　surprised　at
hearing　so　fine　a　lady　call　the　workgirl　her　sister；　she　added：　〃I　am
ready　whenever　you　please；　mademoiselle。〃

〃Beg　pardon；　madame；　if　I　go　first　to　show　you　the　way；　but　it's　a
regular　break…neck　sort　of　a　place；〃　answered　Rose…Pompon；　pressing　her
elbows　to　her　sides；　and　screwing　up　her　lips　to　prove　that　she　was　no
stranger　to　polite　manners　and　fine　language。　　And　the　two　rivals　quitted
the　garret　together；　leaving　Agricola　alone　with　Mother　Bunch。

Luckily；　the　disfigured　remains　of　the　Bacchanal　Queen　had　been　carried
into　Mother　Arsene's　subterraneous　shop；　so　that　the　crowd　of　spectators；
always　attracted　by　any　fatal　event；　had　assembled　in　front　of　the　house；
and　Rose…Pompon；　meeting　no　one　in　the　little　court　she　had　to　traverse
with　Adrienne；　continued　in　ignorance　of　the　tragical　death　of　her　old
friend　Cephyse。　　In　a　few　moments　the　grisette　and　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville
had　reached　Philemon's　apartment。　　This　singular　abode　remained　in　the
same　state　of　picturesque　disorder　in　which　Rose…Pompon　had　left　it；　when
Ninny　Moulin　came　to　fetch　her　to　act　the　heroine　of　a　mysterious
adventure。

Adrienne；　completely　ignorant　of　the　eccentric　modes　of　life　of　students
and　their　companions；　could　not；　in　spite　of　the　thoughts　which　occupied
her　mind；　forebear　examining；　with　a　mixture　of　surprise　and　curiosity；
this　strange　and　grotesque　chaos；　composed　of　the　most　dissimilar
objectsdisguises　for　masked　balls；　skulls　with　pipes　in　their　mouths；
odd　boots　standing　on　book　shelves；　monstrous　bottles；　women's　clothes；
ends　of　tobacco　pipes；　etc。；　etc。　　To　the　first　astonishment　of　Adrienne
succeeded　an　impression　of　painful　repugnance。　　The　young　lady　felt
herself　uneasy　and　out　of　place　in　this　abode；　not　of　poverty；　but
disorder；　whilst；　on　the　contrary；　the　sewing…girl's　miserable　garret　had
caused　her　no　such　feeling。

Rose…Pompon；　notwithstanding　all　her　airs；　was　considerably　troubled　when
she　found　herself　alone　with　Mdlle；　de　Cardoville；　the　rare　beauty　of　the
young　patrician；　her　fashionable　look；　the　elegance　of　her　manners；　the
style；　both　dignified　and　affable；　with　which　she　had　answered　the
impertinent　address　of　the　grisette；　began　to　have　their　effect　upon　the
latter；　who；　being　moreover　a　good…natured　girl；　had　been　touched　at
hearing　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　call　the　hunchback　〃friend　and　sister。〃
Without　knowing　exactly　who　Adrienne　was；　Rose…Pompon　was　not　ignorant
that　she　belonged　to　the　richest　and　highest　class　of　society；　she　felt
already　some　remorse　at　having　attacked　her　so　cavalierly；　and　her
intentions；　at　first　very　hostile　with　regard　to　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；
were　gradually　much　modified。　　Yet；　being　very　obstinate；　and　not　wishing
to　appear　to　submit　to　an　influence　that　offended　her　pride；　Rose…Pompon
endeavored　to　recover　her　assurance；　and；　having　bolted　the　door；　she
said　to　Adrienne：　〃Pray　do　me　the　favor　to　sit　down；　madame〃still　with
the　intention　of　showing　that　she　was　no　stranger　to　refined　manners　and
conversation。

Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　was　about　mechanically　to　take　a　chair；　when　Rose…
Pompon；　worthy　to　practise　those　ancient　virtues　of　hospitality；　which
regarded　even　an　enemy　as　sacred　in　the　person　of　a　guest；　cried　out
hastily：　〃Don't　take　that　chair；　madame；　it　wants　a　leg。〃

Adrienne　laid　her　hand　on　another　chair。

〃Nor　that　either；　the　back　is　quite　loose；〃　again　exclaimed　Rose…Pompon。
And　she　spoke　the　truth；　for　the　chair…back；　which　was　made　in　the　form
of　a　lyre；　remained　in　the　hands　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　who　said；　as
she　replaced　it　discreetly　in　its　former　position：　〃I　think；　miss；　that
we　can　very　well　talk　standing。〃

〃As　you　please；　madame；〃　replied　Rose…Pompon；　steadying　herself　the　more
bravely　the　more　uneasy　she　felt。　　And　the　interview　of　the　lady　and　the
grisette　began　in　this　fashion。




CHAPTER　XXXVI。

THE　INTERVIEW。

After　a　minute's　hesitation；　Rose…Pompon　said　to　Adrienne；　whose　heart
was　beating　violently：　〃I　will　tell　you　directly；　madame；　what　I　have　on
my　mind。　　I　should　not　have　gone　out　of　my　way　to　seek　you；　but；　as　I
happen　to　fall　in　with　you；　it　is　very　natural　I　should　take　advantage　of
it。〃

〃But；　miss；〃　said　Adrienne；　mildly；　〃may　I　at　least　know　the　subject　of
the　conversation　we　are　to　have　together？〃

〃Yes；　madame；〃　replied　Rose…Pompon；　affecting　an　air　of　still　more
decided　confidence；　〃first　of　all；　you　must　not　suppose　I　am　unhappy