the wandering jew, volume 1-第16部分

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two　years　before；　and　was　extremely　uneasy　about　him。　　But　my　excellent
father　is　the　same　as　ever！　　Age　has　not　weakened　him；　his　character　is
as　energetic；　his　health　as　robust；　as　in　times　paststill　a　workman；
still　proud　of　his　order；　still　faithful　to　his　austere　republican　ideas；
still　hoping　much。

〃For　he　says　to　me；　'the　time　is　at　hand；'　and　he　underlines　those　words。
He　gives　me　also；　as　you　will　see；　good　news　of　the　family　of　old
Dagobert；　our　friendfor　in　truth；　my　dear　Eva；　it　soothes　my　grief　to
think；　that　this　excellent　man　is　with　you；　that　he　will　have　accompanied
you　in　your　exilefor　I　know　hima　kernel　of　gold　beneath　the　rude　rind
of　a　soldier！　　How　he　must　love　our　child！〃

Here　Dagobert　coughed　two　or　three　times；　stooped　down；　and　appeared　to
be　seeking　on　the　ground　the　little　red　and　blue　check…handkerchief
spread　over　his　knees。　　He　remained　thus　bent　for　some　seconds；　and；　when
he　raised　himself；　he　drew　his　hand　across　his　moustache。

〃How　well　father　knows　you！〃

〃How　rightly　has　he　guessed　that　you　would　love　us！〃

〃Well；　well；　children；　pass　over　that！Let's　come　to　the　part　where　the
general　speaks　of　my　little　Agricola；　and　of　Gabriel；　my　wife's　adopted
child。　　Poor　woman！　when　I　think　that　in　three　months　perhapsbut　come；
child；　read；　read；〃　added　the　old　soldier；　wishing　to　conceal　his
emotion。

〃I　still　hope　against　hope；　my　dear　Eva；　that　these　pages　will　one　day
reach　you；　and　therefore　I　wish　to　insert　in　them　all　that　can　be
interesting　to　Dagobert。　　It　will　be　a　consolation　to　him；　to　have　some
news　of　his　family。　　My　father；　who　is　still　foreman　at　Mr。　Hardy's；
tells　me　that　worthy　man　has　also　taken　into　his　house　the　son　of　old
Dagobert。　　Agricola　works　under　my　father；　who　is　enchanted　with　him。　　He
is；　he　tells　me；　a　tall　and　vigorous　lad；　who　wields　the　heavy　forge…
hammer　as　if　it　were　a　feather；　and　is　light…spirited　as　he　is
intelligent　and　laborious。　　He　is　the　best　workman　on　the　establishment；
and　this　does　not　prevent　him　in　the　evening；　after　his　hard　day's　work；
when　he　returns　home　to　his　mother；　whom　he　truly　loves；　from　making
songs　and　writing　excellent　patriotic　verses。　　His　poetry　is　full　of　fire
and　energy；　his　fellow…workmen　sing　nothing　else；　and　his　lays　have　the
power　to　warm　the　coldest　and　the　most　timid　hearts。〃

〃How　proud　you　must　be　of　your　son；　Dagobert；〃　said　Rose；　in　admiration；
〃he　writes　songs。〃

〃Certainly；　it　is　all　very　finebut　what　pleases　me　best　is；　that　he　is
good　to　his　mother；　and　that　he　handles　the　hammer　with　a　will。　　As　for
the　songs；　before　he　makes　a　'Rising　of　the　People；'　or　a　'Marseillaise；'
he　will　have　had　to　beat　a　good　deal　of　iron；　but　where　can　this　rascally
sweet　Agricola　have　learned　to　make　songs　at　all？No　doubt；　it　was　at
school；　where　he　went；　as　you　will　see；　with　his　adopted　brother
Gabriel。〃

At　this　name　of　Gabriel；　which　reminded　them　of　the　imaginary　being　whom
they　called　their　guardian　angel；　the　curiosity　of　the　young　girls　was
greatly　excited。　　With　redoubled　attention；　Blanche　continued　in　these
words：

〃The　adopted　brother　of　Agricola；　the　poor　deserted　child　whom　the　wife
of　our　good　Dagobert　so　generously　took　in；　forms；　my　father　tells　me；　a
great　contrast　with　Agricola；　not　in　heart；　for　they　have　both　excellent
hearts；　but　Gabriel　is　as　thoughtful　and　melancholy　as　Agricola　is
lively；　joyous；　and　active。　　Moreover；　adds　my　father；　each　of　them；　so
to　speak；　has　the　aspect；　which　belongs　to　his　character。　　Agricola　is
dark；　tall；　and　strong；　with　a　gay　and　bold　air；　Gabriel；　on　the
contrary；　is　weak；　fair；　timid　as　a　girl；　and　his　face　wears　an
expression　of　angelic　mildness。〃

The　orphans　looked　at　each　other　in　surprise；　then；　as　they　turned
towards　the　soldier　their　ingenuous　countenances；　Rose　said　to　him；　〃Have
you　heard；　Dagobert？　　Father　says；　that　your　Gabriel　is　fair；　and　has　the
face　of　an　angel。　　Why；　'tis　exactly　like　ours！〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　heard　very　well；　it　is　that　which　surprised　me；　in　your
dream。〃

〃I　should　like　to　know；　if　he　has　also　blue　eyes；〃　said　Rose。

〃As　for　that；　my　children；　though　the　general　says　nothing　about　it；　I
will　answer　for　it：　your　fair　boys　have　always　blue　eyes。　　But；　blue　or
black；　he　will　not　use　them　to　stare　at　young　ladies；　go　on；　and　you　will
see　why。〃

Blanche　resumed：

〃His　face　wears　an　expression　of　angelic　mildness。　　One　of　the　Brothers
of　the　Christian　Schools；　where　he　went　with　Agricola　and　other　children
of　his　quarter；　struck　with　his　intelligence　and　good　disposition；　spoke
of　him　to　a　person　of　consequence；　who；　becoming　interested　in　the　lad；
placed　him　in　a　seminary　for　the　clergy；　and；　since　the　last　two　years；
Gabriel　is　a　priest。　　He　intends　devoting　himself　to　foreign　missions；
and　will　soon　set　out　for　America。〃

〃Your　Gabriel　is　a　priest；　it　appears？〃　said　Rose；　looking　at　Dagobert。

〃While　ours　is　an　angel；〃　added　Blanche。

〃Which　only　proves　that　yours　is　a　step　higher　than　mine。　　Well；　every
one　to　his　taste；　there　are　good　people　in　all　trades；　but　I　prefer　that
it　should　be　Gabriel　who　has　chosen　the　black　gown。　　I'd　rather　see　my
boy　with　arms　bare；　hammer　in　hand；　and　a　leathern　apron　round　him；
neither　more　nor　less　than　your　old　grandfather；　my　childrenthe　father
of　Marshal　Simon；　Duke　of　Lignyfor；　after　all；　marshal　and　duke　he　is
by　the　grace　of　the　Emperor。　　Now　finish　your　letter。〃

〃Soon；　alas；　yes！〃　said　Blanche；　〃there　are　only　a　few　lines　left。〃　　And
she　proceeded：

〃Thus；　my　dear；　loving　Eva；　if　this　journal　should　ever　reach　its
destination；　you　will　be　able　to　satisfy　Dagobert　as　to　the　position　of
his　wife　and　son；　whom　he　left　for　our　sakes。　　How　can　we　ever　repay　such
a　sacrifice？　　But　I　feel　sure；　that　your　good　and　generous　heart　will
have　found　some　means　of　compensation。

〃Adieu！Again　adieu；　for　to…day；　my　beloved　Eva；　I　left　off　writing　for
a　moment；　to　visit　the　tent　of　Djalma。　　He　slept　peacefully；　and　his
father　watched　beside　him；　with　a　smile；　he　banished　my　fears。　　This
intrepid　young　man　is　no　longer　in　any　danger。　　May　he　still　be　spared　in
the　combat　of　to…morrow！　　Adieu；　my　gentle　Eva！　the　night　is　silent　and
calm；　the　fires　of　the　bivouac　are　slowly　dying　out；　and　our　poor
mountaineers　repose　after　this　bloody　day；　I　can　hear；　from　hour　to　hour；
the　distant　all's　well　of　our　sentinels。　　Those　foreign　words　bring　back
my　grief；　they　remind　me　of　what　I　sometimes　forget　in　writingthat　I　am
faraway；　separated　from　you　and　from　my　child！　　Poor；　beloved　beings！
what　will　be　your　destiny？　　Ah！　if　I　could　only　send　you；　in　time；　that
medal；　which；　by　a　fatal　accident；　I　carried　away　with　me　from　Warsaw；
you　might；　perhaps；　obtain　leave　to　visit　France；　or　at　least　to　send　our
child　there　with　Dagobert；　for　you　know　of　what　importanceBut　why　add
this　sorrow　to　all　the　rest？　　Unfortunately；　the　years　are　passing　away；
the　fatal　day　will　arrive；　and　this　last　hope；　in　which　I　live　for　you；
will　also　be　taken　from　me：　but　I　will　not　close　the　evening　by　so　sad　a
thought。　　Adieu；　my　beloved　Eva！　　Clasp　our　child　to　your　bosom；　and
cover　it　with　all　the　kisses　which　I　send　to　both　of　you　from　the　depths
of　exile！〃

〃Till　to…morrowafter　the　battle！〃

The　reading　of　this　touching　letter　was　followed　by　long　silence。　　The
tears　of　Rose　and　Blanche　flowed　together。　　Dagobert；　with　his　head
resting　on　his　hand；　was　absorbed　in　painful　reflections。

Without　doors；　the　wind　had　now　augmented　in　violence；　a　heavy　rain　began
to　beat　on　the　sounding　panes；　the　most　profound　silence　reigned　in　the
interior　of　the　inn。　　But；　whilst　the　daughters　of　General　Simon　were
reading　with　such　deep　emotion；　these　fragments　of　their　father's
journal；　a　strange　and　mysterious　scene　transpired　in　the　menagerie　of
the　brute…tamer。




CHAPTER　IX。

THE　CAGES。

Morok　had　prepared　himself。　　Over　his　deer…skin　vest　he　had　drawn　the
coat　of　mailthat　steel　tissue；　as　pliable　as　cloth；　as　hard　as
diamonds；　next；　clothing　his　arms　and　legs　in　their　proper　armor；　and　his
feet　in　iron…bound　buskins；　and　concealing　all　this　defensive　equipment
under　loose　trousers　and　an　ample　pelisse　carefully　buttoned；　he　took　in
his　hand　a　long　bar　of　iron；　white…hot；　set　in　a　wooden　handle。

Though　long　ago　daunted　by　the　skill　and　energy　of　the　Prophet；　his　tiger
Cain；　his　lion　Judas；　and　his　black　panther　Death；　had　sometimes
attempted；　in　a　moment　of　rebellion；　to　try　their　fangs　and　claws　on　his
person；　but；　thanks　to　the　armor　concealed　beneath　his　pelisse；　they
blunted　their　claws　upon　a　skin　of　steel；　and　notched　their　fangs　upon
arms　or　legs　of　iron；　whilst　a　slight　touch　of　their　master's　metallic
wand　left　a　deep　furrow　in　their　smoking；　shrivelled　flesh。

Finding　the　inutility　of　their　efforts；　and　endowed　with　strong　memory；
the　beasts　soon　learned　that　their　teeth　and　claws　were　powerless　when
directed　against　this　invulnerable　being。　　Hence；　their　terrified
submission　reached　to　such　a　point　that；　in　his　public　representations；
their　master　could　make　them　crouch　and　cower　at　his　feet　by　the　least
movement　of　a　little　wand　covered　with　flame…colored　paper。

The　Prophet；　thus　armed　with　care；　and　holding　in　his　hand　the　iron　made
hot　by　Goliath；　descended　by　the　trapdoor　of　the　loft　into　the　large　shed
beneath；　in　which　were　deposited　the　cages　of　his　animals。　　A　mere　wooden
partition　separated　this　shed　from　the　stable　that　contained　his　horses。

A　lantern；　with　a　reflector；　threw　a　vivid　light　on　the　cages。　　They　were
four　in　number。　　A　wide　iron　grating　formed　their　sides；　turning　at　one
end　upon　hinges　like　a　door；　so　as　to　give　ingress　to　the　animal；　the
bottom　of　each　den　rested　on　two　axle…trees　and　four　small　iron　castors；
so　that　they　could　easily　be　removed　to　the　large　covered　wagon　in　which
they　were　placed　during　a　journey。　　One　of　them　was　empty；　the　other
three　contained；　as　already　intimated；　a　panther；　a　tiger；　and　a　lion。

The　panther；　originally　from　Java；　seemed　to　merit　the　gloomy　name　of
Death；　by　her　grim；　ferocious　aspect。　　Completely　black；　she　lay
crouching　and　rolled　up　in　the　bottom　of　her　cage；　and　her　dark　hues
mingling　with　the　obscurity　which