the wandering jew, volume 1-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Marshal　of　France！〃　said　Rose　in　astonishment；　without　understanding　the
exact　meaning　of　the　words。

〃Duke　of　Ligny！〃　added　Blanche　with　equal　surprise。

〃Yes；　Peter　Simon；　the　son　of　a　workman；　became　duke　and　marshalthere
is　nothing　higher　except　a　king！〃　resumed　Dagobert；　proudly。　　〃That's　how
the　Emperor　treated　the　sons　of　the　people；　and；　therefore；　the　people
were　devoted　to　him。　　It　was　all　very　fine　to　tell　them　'Your　Emperor
makes　you　food　for　cannon。'　　'Stuff！'　replied　the　people；　who　are　no
fools；　'another　would　make　us　food　for　misery。　　We　prefer　the　cannon；
with　the　chance　of　becoming　captain　or　colonel；　marshal；　kingor
invalid；　that's　better　than　to　perish　with　hunger；　cold；　and　age；　on
straw　in　a　garret；　after　toiling　forty　years　for　others。'〃

〃Even　in　Franceeven　in　Paris；　that　beautiful　citydo　you　mean　to　say
there　are　poor　people　who　die　of　hunger　and　misery；　Dagobert？〃

〃Even　in　Paris？　　Yes；　my　children；　therefore；　I　come　back　to　the　point；
the　cannon　is　better。　　With　it；　one　has　the　chance　of　becoming；　like　your
father；　duke　and　marshal：　when　I　say　duke　and　marshal；　I　am　partly　right
and　partly　wrong；　for　the　title　and　the　rank　were　not　recognized　in　the
end；　because；　after　Montmirail；　came　a　day　of　gloom；　a　day　of　great
mourning；　when；　as　the　general　has　told　me；　old　soldiers　like　myself
weptyes；　wept！on　the　evening　of　a　battle。　　That　day；　my　children；　was
Waterloo！〃

There　was　in　these　simple　words　of　Dagobert　an　expression　of　such　deep
sorrow；　that　it　thrilled　the　hearts　of　the　orphans。

〃Alas！〃　resumed　the　soldier；　with　a　sigh；　〃there　are　days　which　seem　to
have　a　curse　on　them。　　That　same　day；　at　Waterloo；　the　general　fell；
covered　with　wounds；　at　the　head　of　a　division　of　the　Guards。　　When　he
was　nearly　cured；　which　was　not　for　a　long　time；　he　solicited　permission
to　go　to　St。　Helenaanother　island　at　the　far　end　of　the　world；　to　which
the　English　had　carried　the　Emperor；　to　torture　him　at　their　leisure；　for
if　he　was　very　fortunate　in　the　first　instance；　he　had　to　go　through　a
deal　of　hard　rubs　at　last；　my　poor　children。〃

〃If　you　talk　in　that　way；　you　will　make　us　cry；　Dagobert。〃

〃There　is　cause　enough　for　it　…the　Emperor　suffered　so　much！　　He　bled
cruelly　at　the　heart　believe　me。　　Unfortunately；　the　general　was　not　with
him　at　St。　Helena；　he　would　have　been　one　more　to　console　him；　but　they
would　not　allow　him　to　go。　　Then；　exasperated；　like　so　many　others；
against　the　Bourbons；　the　general　engaged　in　a　conspiracy　to　recall　the
son　of　the　Emperor。　　He　relied　especially　on　one　regiment；　nearly　all
composed　of　his　old　soldiers；　and　he　went　down　to　a　place　in　Picardy；
where　they　were　then　in　garrison；　but　the　conspiracy　had　already　been
divulged。　　Arrested　the　moment　of　his　arrival；　the　general　was　taken
before　the　colonel　of　the　regiment。　　And　this　colonel；〃　said　the　soldier；
after　a　brief　pause；　〃who　do　you　think　it　was　again？　　Bah！　it　would　be
too　long　to　tell　you　all；　and　would　only　make　you　more　sad；　but　it　was　a
man　whom　your　father　had　many　reasons　to　hate。　　When　he　found　himself
face　to　face　with　him；　he　said：　'if　you　are　not　a　coward；　you　will　give
me　one　hour's　liberty；　and　we　will　fight　to　the　death；　I　hate　you　for
this；　I　despise　you　for　that'and　so　on。　　The　colonel　accepted　the
challenge；　and　gave　your　father　his　liberty　till　the　morrow。　　The　duel
was　a　desperate　one；　the　colonel　was　left　for　dead　on　the　spot。〃

〃Merciful　heaven！〃

〃The　general　was　yet　wiping　his　sword；　when　a　faithful　friend　came　to
him；　and　told　him　he　had　only　just　time　to　save　himself。　　In　fact；　he
happily　succeeded　in　leaving　Franceyes；　happilyfor　a　fortnight　after；
he　was　condemned　to　death　as　a　conspirator。〃

〃What　misfortunes；　good　heaven！〃

〃There　was　some　luck；　however；　in　the　midst　of　his　troubles。　　Your　mother
had　kept　her　promise　bravely；　and　was　still　waiting　for　him。　　She　had
written　to　him：　'The　Emperor　first；　and　me　next！'　both　unable　to　do
anything　more　for　the　Emperor；　nor　even　for　his　son；　the　general；
banished　from　France；　set　out　for　Warsaw。　　Your　mother　had　lost　her
parents；　and　was　now　free；　they　were　marriedand　I　am　one　of　the
witnesses　to　the　marriage。〃

〃You　are　right；　Dagobert；　that　was　great　happiness　in　the　midst　of　great
misfortunes！〃

〃Yes；　they　were　very　happy；　but；　as　it　happened　with　all　good　hearts；　the
happier　they　were　themselves；　the　more　they　felt　for　the　sorrows　of
othersand　there　was　quite　enough　to　grieve　them　at　Warsaw。　　The
Russians　had　again　begun　to　treat　the　Poles　as　their　slaves；　your　brave
mother；　though　of　French　origin；　was　a　Pole　in　heart　and　soul；　she　spoke
out　boldly　what　others　did　not　dare　speak　in　a　whisper；　and　all　the
unfortunate　called　her　their　protecting　angel。　　That　was　enough　to　excite
the　suspicions　of　the　Russian　governor。　　One　day；　a　friend　of　the
general's；　formerly　a　colonel　in　the　lancers；　a　brave　and　worthy　man；　was
condemned　to　be　exiled　to　Siberia　for　a　military　plot　against　the
Russians。　　He　took　refuge　in　your　father's　house；　and　lay　hid　there；　but
his　retreat　was　discovered。　　During　the　next　night；　a　party　of　Cossacks；
commanded　by　an　officer；　and　followed　by　a　travelling…carriage；　arrive　at
our　door；　they　rouse　the　general　from　his　sleep　and　take　him　away　with
them。〃

〃Oh；　heaven！　what　did　they　mean　to　do　with　him？〃

〃Conduct　him　out　of　the　Russian　dominions；　with　a　charge　never　to　return；
on　pain　of　perpetual　imprisonment。　　His　last　words　were：　'Dagobert；　I
entrust　to　thee　my　wife　and　child！'for　it　wanted　yet　some　months　of　the
time　when　you　were　to　be　born。　　Well；　notwithstanding　that；　they　exiled
your　mother　to　Siberia；　it　was　an　opportunity　to　get　rid　of　her；　she　did
too　much　good　at　Warsaw；　and　they　feared　her　accordingly。　　Not　content
with　banishing　her；　they　confiscated　all　her　property；　the　only　favor　she
could　obtain　was；　that　I　should　accompany　her；　and；　had　it　not　been　for
Jovial；　whom　the　general　had　given　to　me；　she　would　have　had　to　make　the
journey　on　foot。　　It　was　thus；　with　her　on　horseback；　and　I　leading　her
as　I　lead　you；　my　children；　that　we　arrived　at　the　poverty…stricken
village；　where；　three　months　after；　you　poor　little　things　were　born！〃

〃And　our　father？〃

〃It　was　impossible　for　him　to　return　to　Russia；　impossible　for　your
mother　to　think　of　flight；　with　two　children；　impossible　for　the　general
to　write　to　her；　as　he　knew　not　where　she　was。〃

〃So；　since　that　time；　you　have　had　no　news　of　him？〃

〃Yes；　my　childrenonce　we　had　news。〃

〃And　by　whom？〃

After　a　moment's　silence；　Dagobert　resumed　with　a　singular　expression　of
countenance：　〃By　whom？by　one　who　is　not　like　other　men。　　Yesthat　you
may　understand　me　better；　I　will　relate　to　you　an　extraordinary
adventure；　which　happened　to　your　father　during　his　last　French　campaign。
He　had　been　ordered　by　the　Emperor　to　carry　a　battery；　which　was　playing
heavily　on　our　army；　after　several　unsuccessful　efforts；　the　general　put
himself　at　the　head　of　a　regiment　of　cuirassiers；　and　charged　the
battery；　intending；　as　was　his　custom；　to　cut　down　the　men　at　their　guns。
He　was　on　horseback；　just　before　the　mouth　of　a　cannon；　where　all　the
artillerymen　had　been　either　killed　or　wounded；　when　one　of　them　still
found　strength　to　raise　himself　upon　one　knee；　and　to　apply　the　lighted
match　to　the　touchholeand　that　when　your　father　was　about　ten　paces　in
front　of　the　loaded　piece。〃

〃Oh！　what　a　peril　for　our　father！〃

〃Never；　he　told　me；　had　he　run　such　imminent　danger　for　he　saw　the
artilleryman　apply　the　match；　and　the　gun　go　offbut；　at　the　very　nick；
a　man　of　tall　stature；　dressed　as　a　peasant；　and　whom　he　had　not　before
remarked；　threw　himself　in　front　of　the　cannon。〃

〃Unfortunate　creature！　what　a　horrible　death！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Dagobert；　thoughtfully；　〃it　should　have　been　so。　　He　ought　by
rights　to　have　been　blown　into　a　thousand　pieces。　　But　nonothing　of　the
kind！〃

〃What　do　you　tell　us？〃

〃What　the　general　told　me。　　'At　the　moment　when　the　gun　went　off；'　as　he
often　repeated　to　me；　'I　shut　my　eyes　by　an　involuntary　movement；　that　I
might　not　see　the　mutilated　body　of　the　poor　wretch　who　had　sacrificed
himself　in　my　place。　　When　I　again　opened　them；　the　first　thing　I　saw　in
the　midst　of　the　smoke；　was　the　tall　figure　of　this　man；　standing　erect
and　calm　on　the　same　spot；　and　casting　a　sad　mild　look　on　the
artilleryman；　who；　with　one　knee　on　the　ground；　and　his　body　thrown
backward；　gazed　on　him　in　as　much　terror　as　if　he　had　been　the　devil。
Afterwards；　I　lost　sight　of　this　man　in　the　tumult；'　added　your　father。〃

〃Bless　me　Dagobert！　how　can　this　be　possible？〃

〃That　is　just　what　I　said　to　the　general。　　He　answered　me　that　he　had
never　been　able　to　explain　to　himself　this　event；　which　seemed　as
incredible　as　it　was　true。　　Moreover；　your　father　must　have　been　greatly
struck　with　the　countenance　of　this　man；　who　appeared；　he　said；　about
thirty　years　of　agefor　he　remarked；　that　his　extremely　black　eyebrows
were　joined　together；　and　formed；　as　it　were；　one　line　from　temple　to
temple；　so　that　he　seemed　to　have　a　black　streak　across　his　forehead。
Remember　this；　my　children；　you　will　soon　see　why。〃

〃Oh；　Dagobert！　we　shall　not　forget　it；〃　said　the　orphans；　growing　more
and　more　astonished　as　he　proceeded。

〃Is　it　not　strangethis　man　with　a　black　seam　on　his　forehead？〃

〃Well；　you　shall　hear。　　The　general　had；　as　I　told　you；　been　left　for
dead　at　Waterloo。　　During　the　night　which　he　passed　on　the　field　of
battle；　in　a　sort　of　delirium　brought　on　by　the　fever　of　his　wounds；　he
saw；　or　fancied　he　saw；　this　same　man　bending　over　him；　with　a　look　of
great　mildness　and　deep　melancholy；　stanching　his　wounds；　and　using　every
effort　to　revive　him。　　But　as　your　father；　whose　senses　were　still
wandering；　repulsed　his　kindness　saying；　that　after　such　a　defeat；　it
only　remained　to　dieit　appeared　as　if　this　man　replied　to　him；　'You
must　live　for　Eva！'　meaning　your　mother；　whom　the　general　had　left　at
Warsaw；　to　join　the　Emperor；　and　make　this　campaign　of　France。〃

〃How　strange；　Dagobert！And　since　then；　did　our　father　never　see　this
man？〃

〃Yes；　he　saw　himfor　it　was　he　who　brought　news　of　the　general　to　your
poor　mother。〃

〃When　wa