the wandering jew, volume 1-第14部分

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man？〃

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

〃When　was　that？　　We　never　heard　of　it。〃

〃You　remember　that；　on　the　day　your　mother　died；　you　went　to　the　pine…
forest　with　old　Fedora？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Rose；　mournfully；　〃to　fetch　some　heath；　of　which　our
mother　was　so　fond。〃

〃Poor　mother！〃　added　Blanche；　〃she　appeared　so　well　that　morning；　that　we
could　not　dream　of　the　calamity　which　awaited　us　before　night。〃

〃True；　my　children；　I　sang　and　worked　that　morning　in　the　garden；
expecting；　no　more　than　you　did；　what　was　to　happen。　　Well；　as　I　was
singing　at　my　work；　on　a　sudden　I　heard　a　voice　ask　me　in　French：　'Is
this　the　village　of　Milosk？'I　turned　round；　and　saw　before　me　a
stranger；　I　looked　at　him　attentively；　and；　instead　of　replying；　fell
back　two　steps；　quite　stupefied。〃

〃Ah；　why？〃

〃He　was　of　tall　stature；　very　pale；　with　a　high　and　open　forehead；　but
his　eyebrows　met；　and　seemed　to　form　one　black　streak　across　it。〃

〃Then　it　was　the　same　man　who　had　twice　been　with　our　father　in　battle？〃

〃Yesit　was　he。〃

〃But；　Dagobert；〃　said　Rose；　thoughtfully；　〃is　it　not　a　long　time　since
these　battles？〃

〃About　sixteen　years；〃

〃And　of　what　age　was　this　stranger？〃

〃Hardly　more　than　thirty。〃

〃Then　how　can　it　be　the　same　man；　who　sixteen　years　before；　had　been　with
our　father　in　the　wars？〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　Dagobert；　after　a　moment's　silence；　and　shrugging
his　shoulders：　〃I　may　have　been　deceived　by　a　chance　likenessand　yet〃

〃Or；　if　it　were　the　same；　he　could　not　have　got　older　all　that　while。〃

〃But　did　you　ask　him；　if　he　had　not　formerly　relieved　our　father？〃

〃At　first　I　was　so　surprised　that　I　did　not　think　of　it；　and　afterwards；
he　remained　so　short　a　time；　that　I　had　no　opportunity。　　Well；　he　asked
me　for　the　village　of　Milosk。　　'You　are　there；　sir；'　said　I；　‘but　how　do
you　know　that　I　am　a　Frenchman？'　'I　heard　you　singing　as　I　passed；'
replied　he；　'could　you　tell　me　the　house　of　Madame　Simon；　the　general's
wife？'　'She　lives　here；　sir。'　Then　looking　at　me　for　some　seconds　in
silence；　he　took　me　by　the　hand　and　said：　　　'You　are　the　friend　of
General　Simonhis　best　friend？'　Judge　of　my　astonishment；　as　I　answered：
'But；　sir；　how　do　you　know？'　'He　has　often　spoken　of　you　with　gratitude。'
'You　have　seen　the　general　then？'　'Yes；　some　time　ago；　in　India。　　I　am
also　his　friend：　I　bring　news　of　him　to　his　wife；　whom　I　knew　to　be
exiled　in　Siberia。　　At　Tobolsk；　whence　I　come；　I　learned　that　she
inhabits　this　village。　　Conduct　me　to　her！'〃

〃The　good　travellerI　love　him　already；〃　said　Rose。

〃Yes；　being　father's　friend。〃

〃I　begged　him　to　wait　an　instant；　whilst　I　went　to　inform　your　mother；　so
that　the　surprise　might　not　do　her　harm；　five　minutes　after；　he　was
beside　her。〃

〃And　what　kind　of　man　was　this　traveller；　Dagobert？〃

〃He　was　very　tall；　he　wore　a　dark　pelisse；　and　a　fur　cap；　and　had　long
black　hair。〃

〃Was　he　handsome？〃

〃Yes；　my　childrenvery　handsome；　but　with　so　mild　and　melancholy　an　air；
that　it　pained　my　heart　to　see　him。〃

〃Poor　man！　he　had　doubtless　known　some　great　sorrow。〃

〃Your　mother　had　been　closeted　with　him　for　some　minutes；　when　she　called
me　to　her　and　said　that　she　had　just　received　good　news　of　the　general。
She　was　in　tears；　and　had　before　her　a　large　packet　of　papers；　it　was　a
kind　of　journal；　which　your　father　had　written　every　evening　to　console
himself；　not　being　able　to　speak　to　her；　he　told　the　paper　all　that　he
would　have　told　her。〃

〃Oh！　where　are　these　papers；　Dagobert？〃

〃There；　in　the　knapsack；　with　my　cross　and　our　purse。　　One　day　I　will
give　them　to　you：　but　I　have　picked　out　a　few　leaves　here　and　there　for
you　to　read　presently。　　You　will　see　why。〃

〃Had　our　father　been　long　in　India？〃

〃I　gathered　from　the　few　words　which　your　mother　said；　that　the　general
had　gone　to　that　country；　after　fighting　for　the　Greeks　against　the
Turksfor　he　always　liked　to　side　with　the　weak　against　the　strong。　　In
India　he　made　fierce　war　against　the　English；　they　had　murdered　our
prisoners　in　pontoons；　and　tortured　the　Emperor　at　St。　Helena；　and　the
war　was　a　doubly　good　one；　for　in　harming　them　he　served　a　just　cause。〃

〃What　cause　did　he　serve　then？〃

〃That　of　one　of　the　poor　native　princes；　whose　territories　the　English；
lay　waste；　till　the　day　when　they　can　take　possession　of　them　against　law
and　right。　　You　see；　my　children；　it　was　once　more　the　weak　against　the
strong；　and　your　father　did　not　miss　this　opportunity。　　In　a　few　months
he　had　so　well…trained　and　disciplined　the　twelve　or　fifteen　thousand　men
of　the　prince；　that；　in　two　encounters；　they　cut　to　pieces　the　English
sent　against　them；　and　who；　no　doubt；　had　in　their　reckoning　left　out
your　brave　father；　my　children。　　But　come；　you　shall　read　some　pages　of
his　journal；　which　will　tell　you　more　and　better　than　I　can。　　Moreover；
you　will　find　in　them　a　name　which　you　ought　always　to　remember；　that's
why　I　chose　this　passage。〃

〃Oh；　what　happiness！　　To　read　the　pages　written　by　our　father；　is　almost
to　hear　him　speak；〃　said　Rose。

〃It　is　as　if　he　were　close　beside　us；〃　added　Blanche。

And　the　girls　stretched　out　their　hands　with　eagerness；　to　catch　hold　of
the　leaves　that　Dagobert　had　taken　from　his　pocket。　　Then；　by　a
simultaneous　movement；　full　of　touching　grace；　they　pressed　the　writing
of　their　father　in　silence　to　their　lips。

〃You　will　see　also；　my　children；　at　the　end　of　this　letter；　why　I　was
surprised　that　your　guardian　angel；　as　you　say；　should　be　called　Gabriel。
Read；　read；〃　added　the　soldier；　observing　the　puzzled　air　of　the　orphans。
〃Only　I　ought　to　tell　you　that；　when　he　wrote　this；　the　general　had　not
yet　fallen　in　with　the　traveller　who　brought　the　papers。〃

Rose；　sitting　up　in　her　bed；　took　the　leaves；　and　began　to　read　in　a　soft
and　trembling　voice；　Blanche；　with　her　head　resting　on　her　sister's
shoulder；　followed　attentively　every　word。　　One　could　even　see；　by　the
slight　motion　of　her　lips；　that　she　too　was　reading；　but　only　to　herself。




CHAPTER　VIII。

EXTRACTS　FROM　GENERAL　SIMON'S　DIARY。

Bivouac　on　the　Mountains　of　Avers　February　the　20th；　1830。

〃Each　time　I　add　some　pages　to　this　journal；　written　now　in　the　heart　of
India；　where　the　fortune　of　my　wandering　and　proscribed　existence　has
thrown　mea　journal　which；　alas！　my　beloved　Eva；　you　may　never　readI
experience　a　sweet；　yet　painful　emotion；　for；　although　to　converse　thus
with　you　is　a　consolation；　it　brings　back　the　bitter　thought　that　I　am
unable　to　see　or　speak　to　you。

〃Still；　if　these　pages　should　ever　meet　your　eyes；　your　generous　heart
will　throb　at　the　name　of　the　intrepid　being；　to　whom　I　am　this　day
indebted　for　my　life；　and　to　whom　I　may　thus　perhaps　owe　the　happiness　of
seeing　you　againyou　and　my　childfor　of　course　our　child　lives。　　Yes；
it　must　befor　else；　poor　wife；　what　an　existence　would　be　yours　amid
the　horrors　of　exile！　　Dear　soul！　he　must　now　be　fourteen。　　Whom　does　he
resemble？　　Is　he　like　you？　　Has　he　your　large　and　beautiful　blue　eyes？
Madman　that　I　am！　how　many　times；　in　this　long　day…book；　have　I　already
asked　the　same　idle　question；　to　which　you　can　return　no　answer！How
many　times　shall　I　continue　to　ask　it？But　you　will　teach　our　child　to
speak　and　love　the　somewhat　savage　name　of　Djalma。〃

〃Djalma！〃　said　Rose；　as　with　moist　eyes　she　left　off　reading。

〃Djalma！〃　repeated　Blanche；　who　shared　the　emotion　of　her　sister。　　〃Oh；
we　shall　never　forget　that　name。〃

〃And　you　will　do　well；　my　children；　for　it　seems　to　be　the　name　of　a
famous　soldier；　though　a　very　young　one。　　But　go　on；　my　little　Rose！〃

〃I　have　told　you　in　the　preceding　pages；　my　dear　Eva；　of　the　two　glorious
days　we　had　this　month。　　The　troops　of　my　old　friend；　the　prince；　which
daily　make　fresh　advances　in　European　discipline；　have　performed　wonders。
We　have　beaten　the　English；　and　obliged　them　to　abandon　a　portion　of　this
unhappy　country；　which　they　had　invaded　in　contempt　of　all　the　rights　of
justice；　and　which　they　continue　to　ravage　without　mercy；　for；　in　these
parts；　warfare　is　another　name　for　treachery；　pillage；　and　massacre。
This　morning；　after　a　toilsome　march　through　a　rocky　and　mountainous
district；　we　received　information　from　our　scouts；　that　the　enemy　had
been　reinforced；　and　was　preparing　to　act　on　the　offensive；　and；　as　we
were　separated　from　them　by　a　distance　of　a　few　leagues　only；　an
engagement　became　inevitable。　　My　old　friend　the　prince；　the　father　of　my
deliverer；　was　impatient　to　march　to　the　attack。　　The　action　began　about
three　o'clock；　it　was　very　bloody　and　furious。　　Seeing　that　our　men
wavered　for　a　moment；　for　they　were　inferior　in　number；　and　the　English
reinforcements　consisted　of　fresh　troops；　I　charged　at　the　head　of　our
weak　reserve　of　cavalry。　　The　old　prince　was　in　the　centre；　fighting；　as
he　always　fights；　intrepidly；　his　son；　Djalma；　scarcely　eighteen；　as
brave　as　his　father；　did　not　leave　my　side。　　In　the　hottest　part　of　the
engagement；　my　horse　was　killed　under　me；　and　rolling　over　into　a　ravine；
along　the　edge　of　which　I　was　riding；　I　found　myself　so　awkwardly
entangled　beneath　him；　that　for　an　instant　I　thought　my　thigh　was
broken。〃

〃Poor　father！〃　said　Blanche。

〃This　time；　happily；　nothing　more　dangerous　ensued　thanks　to　Djalma！　　You
see；　Dagobert；〃　added　Rose；　〃that　I　remember　the　name。〃　　And　she
continued　to　read；

〃The　English　thoughtand　a　very　flattering　opinion　it　wasthat；　if　they
could　kill　me；　they　would　make　short　work　of　the　prince's　army。　　So　a
Sepoy　officer；　with　five　or　six　irregularscowardly；　ferocious
plunderersseeing　me　roll　down　the　ravine；　threw　themselves　into　it　to
despatch　me。　　Surrounded　by　fire　and　smoke；　and　carried　away　by　their
ardor；　our　mountaineers　had　not　seen　me　fall；　but　Djalma　never　left　me。
He　leaped　into　the　ravine　to　my　assistance；　and　his　cool　intrepidity
saved　my　life。　　He　had　held　the　fire　of　his　double…barrelled　carbine；
with　one　load；　he　killed　the　officer　on　the　spot；　with　the　other　he　broke
the　arm　of　an　irregular；　who　had　already　pierced　my　left　hand　with　his
bayonet。　　But　do　not　be　alarmed；　dear　Eva；　it　is　nothingonly　a
scratch。〃

〃Woundedagain　woundedala