the wandering jew, volume 10-第7节

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serious　matter。　　At　last；　one　day；　I　could　hold　out　no　longer。　　I　said：
‘Never　mind；　I　don't　care　for　the　consequences。　　Philemon；　I　am　sure；　is
having　his　fun　in　the　country。'　　That　set　my　mind　at　ease。　　So　one
morning；　I　dress　myself　in　my　best；　all　very　pretty；　look　in　my　glass；
and　say：　〃Well；　that　will　dohe　can't　stand　that；！'　and；　going　to　his
room；　I　tell　him　all　that　passes　through　my　head；　I　laugh；　I　cryat　last
I　tell　him　that　I　adore　him。　　What　do　you　think　he　answers；　in　his　mild
voice；　and　as　cold　as　a　piece　of　marble？　　Why；　‘Poor　childpoor　child
poor　child！'〃　added　Rose…Pompon；　with　indignation；　〃neither　more　nor　less
than　if　I　had　come　to　complain　to　him　of　the　toothache。　　But　the　worst　of
it　is　that　I　am　sure；　if　he　were　not　in　love　elsewhere；　he　would　be　all
fire　and　gunpowder。　　Only　now　he　is　so　sad；　so　dejected！〃

Then；　pausing　a　moment；　Rose…Pompon　added：　〃No；　I　will　not　tell　you　that；
you　would　be　too　pleased。〃　But；　after　another　pause；　she　continued：
〃Well；　never　mind；　I　will　tell　you；　though〃；　and　this　singular　girl
looked　at　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　with　a　mixture　of　sympathy　and　deference。
〃Why　should　I　keep　it　from　you？　　I　began　by　riding　the　high　horse；　and
saying　that　the　prince　wished　to　marry　me；　and　I　finished　by　confessing
that　he　almost　turned　me　out。　　Well；　it's　not　my　fault；　when　I　try　to
fib；　I　am　sure　to　get　confused。　　So；　madame；　this　is　the　plain　truth：
When　I　met　you　at　poor　Mother　Bunch's；　I　was　at　first　as　angry　as　a
little　turkey…cock；　but　when　I　heard　you；　that　are　such　a　fine　great
lady；　speak　so　kindly　to　the　poor　girl；　and　treat　her　as　your　sister；　do
what　I　would；　my　anger　began　to　go　away。　　Since　we　have　been　here；　I　have
done　my　utmost　to　get　it　up　again；　but　I　find　it　impossible；　and　the　more
I　see　the　difference　between　us；　the　more　I　perceive　that　Prince　Charming
was　right　in　thinking　so　much　of　you。　　For　you　must　know；　madame；　that　he
is　over　head　and　ears　in　love　with　you。　　I　don't　say　so　merely　because　he
killed　the　panther　for　you　at　the　Porte…Saint…Martin；　but　if　you　knew　all
the　tricks　he　played　with　your　bouquet；　and　how　he　will　sit　up　all　night
weeping　in　that　room　where　he　saw　you　for　the　first　timeand　then　your
portrait；　that　he　has　drawn　upon　glass；　after　the　fashion　of　his　country；
and　so　many　other　thingsthe　fact　is；　that　I；　who　was　fond　of　him；　and
saw　all　this　was　at　first　in　a　great　rage；　but　afterwards　it　was　so
touching　that　it　brought　the　tears　into　my　eyes。　　Yes；　madame；　just　as　it
does　now；　when　I　merely　think　of　the　poor　prince。　　Oh；　madame！〃　added
Rose…Pompon；　her　eyes　swimming　in　tears；　and　with　such　an　expression　of
sincere　interest；　that　Adrienne　was　much　moved　by　it；　〃oh；　madame；　you
look　so　mild　and　good；　that　you　will　not　make　this　poor　prince　miserable。
Pray　love　him　a　little　bit；　what　can　it　matter　to　you？〃

So　saying；　Rose…Pompon；　with　a　perfectly　simple；　though　too　familiar；
gesture；　took　hold　of　Adrienne's　hand；　as　if　to　enforce　her　request。　　It
had　required　great　self…command　in　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　to　repress　the
rush　of　joy　that　was　mounting　from　her　heart　to　her　lips；　to　check　the
torrent　of　questions　which　she　burned　to　address　to　Rose…Pompon；　and　to
restrain　the　sweet　tears　of　happiness　that　for　some　seconds　had　trembled
in　her　eyes；　and；　strangely　enough；　when　Rose…Pompon　took　her　hand；
Adrienne；　instead　of　withdrawing　it；　pressed　the　offered　hand　almost
affectionately；　and　led　her　towards　the　window；　as　if　to　examine　her
sweet　face　more　attentively。

On　entering　the　room；　the　grisette　had　thrown　her　bonnet　and　shawl　down
upon　the　bed；　so　that　Adrienne　could　admire　the　thick　and　silky　masses　of
light　hair　that　crowned　the　fresh　face　of　the　charming　girl；　with　its
firm；　rosy　cheeks；　its　mouth　as　red　as　a　cherry；　and　its　large　blue
laughing　eyes；　and；　thanks　to　the　somewhat　scanty　dress　of　Rose…Pompon；
Adrienne　could　fully　appreciate　the　various　graces　of　her　nymph…like
figure。　　Strange　as　it　may　appear；　Adrienne　was　delighted　at　finding　the
girl　still　prettier　than　she　had　at　first　imagined。　　The　stoical
indifference　of　Djalma　to　so　attractive　a　creature　was　the　best　proof　of
the　sincerity　of　the　passion　by　which　he　was　actuated。

Having　taken　the　hand　of　Adrienne；　Rose…Pompon　was　herself　confused　and
surprised　at　the　kindness　with　which　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　permitted　this
familiarity。　　Emboldened　by　this　indulgence；　and　by　the　silence　of
Adrienne；　who　for　some　moments　had　been　contemplating　her　with　almost
grateful　benevolence；　the　grisette　resumed：　〃Oh；　you　will　not　refuse；
madame？　　You　will　take　pity　on　this　poor　prince？〃

We　cannot　tell　how　Adrienne　would　have　answered　this　indiscreet　question
of　Rose…Pompon；　for　suddenly　a　loud；　wild；　shrill；　piercing　sound；
evidently　intended　to　imitate　the　crowing　of　a　cock；　was　heard　close　to
the　door　of　the　room。

Adrienne　started　in　alarm；　but　the　countenance　of　Rose　Pompon；　just　now
so　sad；　brightened　up　joyously　at　this　signal；　and；　clapping　her　hands
she　exclaimed；　〃It　is　Philemon！〃

〃Whatwho？〃　said　Adrienne；　hastily。

〃My　lover；　oh；　the　monster！　he　must　have　come　upstairs　on　tiptoe；　to　take
me　by　surprise　with　his　crowing。　　Just　like　him！〃

A　second　cock…a…doodle…doo；　still　louder　than　the　first；　was　heard　close
to　the　door。　　〃What　a　stupid；　droll　creature　it　is！　　Always　the　same
joke；　and　yet　it　always　amuses　me；〃　said　Rose…Pompon。

And　drying　her　tears　with　the　back　of　her　hand；　she　began　to　laugh　like
one　bewitched　at　Philemon's　jest；　which；　though　well　known　to　her；　always
seemed　new　and　agreeable。

〃Do　not　open　the　door；〃　whispered　Adrienne；　much　embarrassed；　〃do　not
answer；　I　beg　of　you。〃

〃Though　the　door　is　bolted；　the　key　is　on　the　outside；　Philemon　can　see
that　there　is　some　one　at　home。〃

〃No　matterdo　not　let　him　in。〃

〃But；　madame；　he　lives　here；　the　room　belongs　to　him。〃

In　fact；　Philemon；　probably　growing　tired　of　the　little　effect　produced
by　his　two　ornithological　imitations；　turned　the　key　in　the　lock；　and
finding　himself　unable　to　open　the　door；　said　in　a　deep　bass　voice：
〃What；　dearest　puss；　have　you　shut　yourself　in？　　Are　you　praying　Saint…
Flambard　for　the　return　of　Philly？〃　（short　for　Philemon。）

Adrienne；　not　coshing　to　increase；　by　prolonging　it；　the　awkwardness　of
this　ridiculous　situation；　went　straight　to　the　door　and　opened　it；　to
the　great　surprise　of　Philemon；　who　recoiled　two　or　three　steps。
Notwithstanding　the　annoyance　of　this　incident；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville
could　not　help　smiling　at　sight　of　Rose…Pompon's　lover；　and　of　the
articles　he　carried　in　his　hand　or　under　his　arm。

Philemon　was　a　tall　fellow；　with　dark　hair　and　a　very　fresh　color；　and；
being　just　arrived　from　a　journey；　he　wore　a　white　cap；　his　thick；　black
beard　flowed　down　on　his　sky…blue　waistcoat；　and　a　short　olive…colored
velvet　shooting…coat；　with　extravagantly　large　plaid　trousers；　completed
his　costume。　　As　for　the　accessories　which　had　provoked　a　smile　from
Adrienne；　they　consisted：　first；　of　a　portmanteau　tucked　under　his　arm；
with　the　head　and　neck　of　a　goose　protruding　from　it；　secondly；　of　a　cage
held　in　his　hand；　with　an　enormous　white　rabbit　all　alive　within　it。

〃Oh！　the　darling　white　rabbit！　what　pretty　red　eyes！〃　　Such；　it　must　be
confessed；　was　the　first　exclamation　of　Rose…Pompon；　though　Philemon；　to
whom　it　was　not　addressed；　had　returned　after　a　long　absence；　but　the
student　far　from　being　shocked　at　seeing　himself　thus　sacrificed　to　his
long…earned　companion；　smiled　complacently；　rejoicing　at　the　success　of
his　attempt　to　please　his　mistress。

All　this　passed　very　rapidly。　　While　Rose…Pompon；　kneeling　before　the
cage；　was　still　occupied　with　her　admiration　of　the　rabbit；　Philemon；
struck　with　the　lofty　air　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　raised　his　hand　to　his
cap；　and　bowed　respectfully　as　he　made　way　for　her　to　pass。　　Adrienne
returned　his　salutation　with　politeness；　full　of　grace　and　dignity；　and；
lightly　descending　the　stairs；　soon　disappeared。　　Dazzled　by　her　beauty；
as　well　as　impressed　with　her　noble　and　lofty　bearing；　and　curious　to
know　how　in　the　world　Rose…Pompon　had　fallen　in　with　such　an
acquaintance；　Philemon　said　to　her；　in　his　amorous　jargon：　〃Dearest　puss！
tell　her　Philly　who　is　that　fine　lady？〃

〃One　of　my　school…fellows；　you　great　satyr！〃　said　Rose…Pompon；　still
playing　with　the　rabbit。

Then；　glancing　at　a　box；　which　Philemon　deposited　close　to　the　cage　and
the　portmanteau；　she　added：　〃I'll　wager　anything　you　have　brought　me　some
more　preserves！〃

〃Philly　has　brought　something　better　to　his　dear　puss；〃　said　the　student；
imprinting　two　vigorous　kisses　on　the　rosy　cheeks　of　Rose…Pompon；　who　had
at　length；　consented　to　stand　up；　〃Philly　has　brought　her　his　heart。〃

〃Fudge！〃　said　the　grisette；　delicately　placing　the　thumb　of　her　left　hand
on　the　tip　of　her　nose；　and　opening　the　fingers；　which　she　slightly　moved
to　and　fro。　　Philemon　answered　this　provocation　by　putting　his　arm　around
her　waist；　and　then　the　happy　pair　shut　their　door。




CHAPTER　XXXVII。

SOOTHING　WORDS。

During　the　interview　of　Adrienne　with　Rose…Pompon　a　touching　scene　took
place　between　Agricola　and　Mother　Bunch；　who　had　been　much　surprised　at
Mdll