the wandering jew, volume 5-第10部分

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the　angelic　countenance　of　Gabrielfor　nobleness　and　serenity　of　soul
were　visible　in　the　glance　of　the　young　priest；　and　were　written　upon　his
pure；　white　brow；　already　crowned　with　the　halo　of　martyrdom。　　Samuel
looked　at　Gabriel　with　curiosity　and　benevolent　interest；　but　feeling
that　this　silent　contemplation　must　cause　some　embarrassment　to　his
guest；　he　said　to　him；　〃M。　Abbe；　the　notary　will　not　be　here　before　ten
o'clock。〃

Gabriel　looked　at　him　in　turn；　with　an　air　of　surprise；　and　answered；
〃What　notary；　sir？〃

〃Father　d'Aigrigny　will　explain　all　this　to　you；〃　said　Rodin；　hastily。
Then　addressing　Samuel；　he　added；　〃We　are　a　little　before　the　time。　　Will
you　allow　us　to　wait　for　the　arrival　of　the　notary？〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Samuel；　〃if　you　please　to　walk　into　my　house。〃

〃I　thank　you；　sir；〃　answered　Rodin；　〃and　accept　your　offer。〃

〃Follow　me；　then；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　old　man。

A　few　moments　after；　the　young　priest　and　the　socius；　preceded　by　Samuel；
entered　one　of　the　rooms　occupied　by　the　latter；　on　the　ground…floor　of
the　building；　looking　out　upon　the　court…yard。

〃The　Abbe　d'Aigrigny；　who　has　been　the　guardian　of　M。　Gabriel；　will　soon
be　coming　to　ask　for　us；〃　added　Rodin；　〃will　you　have　the　kindness；　sir
to　show　him　into　this　room？〃

〃I　will　not　fail　to　do　so；　sir；〃　said　Samuel；　as　he　went　out。

The　socius　and　Gabriel　were　left　alone。　　To　the　adorable　gentleness　which
usually　gave　to　the　fine　features　of　the　missionary　so　touching　a　charm；
there　had　succeeded　in　this　moment　a　remarkable　expression　of　sadness；
resolution；　and　severity。　　Rodin　not　having　seen　Gabriel　for　some　days；
was　greatly　struck　by　the　change　he　remarked　in　him。　　He　had　watched　him
silently　all　the　way　from　the　Rue　des　Postes　to　the　Rue　Saint…Francois。
The　young　priest　wore；　as　usual；　a　long　black　cassock；　which　made　still
more　visible　the　transparent　paleness　of　his　countenance。　　When　the　Jew
had　left　the　room；　Gabriel　said　to　Rodin；　in　a　firm　voice；　〃Will　you　at
length　inform　me；　sir；　why；　for　some　days　past；　I　have　been　prevented
from　speaking　to　his　reverence　Father　d'Aigrigny？　　Why　has　he　chosen　this
house　to　grant　me　an　interview？〃

〃It　is　impossible　for　me　to　answer　these　questions；〃　replied　Rodin；
coldly。　　〃His　reverence　will　soon　arrive；　and　will　listen　to　you。　　All　I
can　tell　you　is；　that　the　reverend　father　lays　as　much　stress　upon　this
meeting　as　you　do。　　If　he　has　chosen　this　house　for　the　interview；　it　is
because　you　have　an　interest　to　be　here。　　You　know　it　wellthough　you
affected　astonishment　on　hearing　the　guardian　speak　of　a　notary。〃

So　saying；　Rodin　fixed　a　scrutinizing；　anxious　look　upon　Gabriel；　whose
countenance　expressed　only　surprise。

〃I　do　not　understand　you；〃　said　he；　in　reply　to　Rodin。　　〃What　have　I　to
do　with　this　house？〃

〃It　is　impossible　that　you　should　not　know　it；〃　answered　Rodin；　still
looking　at　him　with　attention。

〃I　have　told　you；　sir；　that　I　do　not　know　it；〃　replied　the　other；　almost
offended　by　the　pertinacity　of　the　socius。

〃What；　then；　did　your　adopted　mother　come　to　tell　you　yesterday？　　Why　did
you　presume　to　receive　her　without　permission　from　Father　d'Aigrigny；　as
I　have　heard　this　morning？　　Did　she　not　speak　with　you　of　certain　family
papers；　found　upon　you　when　she　took　you　in？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　said　Gabriel；　〃those　papers　were　delivered　at　the　time　to　my
adopted　mother's　confessor；　and　they　afterwards　passed　into　Father
d'Aigrigny's　hands。　　This　is　the　first　I　hear　for　a　long　time　of　these
papers。〃

〃So　you　affirm　that　Frances　Baudoin　did　not　come　to　speak　to　you　on　this
subject？〃　resumed　Rodin；　obstinately；　laying　great　emphasis　on　his　words。

〃This　is　the　second　time；　sir；　that　you　seem　to　doubt　my　affirmation；〃
said　the　young　priest；　mildly；　while　he　repressed　a　movement　of
impatience；　〃I　assure　you　that　I　speak　the　truth。〃

〃He　knows　nothing；〃　thought　Rodin；　for　he　was　too　well　convinced　of
Gabriel's　sincerity　to　retain　the　least　doubt　after　so　positive　a
declaration。　　〃I　believe　you；〃　went　on　he。　　〃The　idea　only　occurred　to　me
in　reflecting　what　could　be　the　reason　of　sufficient　weight　to　induce　you
to　transgress　Father　d'Aigrigny's　orders　with　regard　to　the　absolute
retirement　he　had　commanded；　which　was　to　exclude　all　communication　with
those　without。　　Much　more；　contrary　to　all　the　rules　of　our　house；　you
ventured　to　shut　the　door　of　your　room；　whereas　it　ought　to　remain　half…
open；　that　the　mutual　inspection　enjoined　us　might　be　the　more　easily
practiced。　　I　could　only　explain　these　sins　against　discipline；　by　the
necessity　of　some　very　important　conversation　with　your　adopted　mother。〃

〃It　was　to　a　priest；　and　not　to　her　adopted　son；　that　Madame　Baudoin
wished　to　speak；〃　replied　Gabriel；　in　a　tone　of　deep　seriousness。　　〃I
closed　my　door　because　I　was　to　hear　a　confession。〃

〃And　what　had　Frances　Baudoin　of　such　importance　to　confess？〃

〃You　will　know　that　by…and…bye；　when　I　speak　to　his　reverenceif　it　be
his　pleasure　that　you　should　hear　me。〃

These　words　were　so　firmly　spoken；　that　a　long　silence　ensued。　　Let　us
remind　the　reader　that　Gabriel　had　hitherto　been　kept　by　his　superiors　in
the　most　complete　ignorance　of　the　importance　of　the　family　interests
which　required　his　presence　in　the　Rue　Saint…Francois。　　The　day　before；
Frances　Baudoin；　absorbed　in　her　own　grief；　had　forgotten　to　tell　him
that　the　two　orphans　also　should　be　present　at　this　meeting；　and　had　she
even　thought　of　it；　Dagobert　would　have　prevented　her　mentioning　this
circumstance　to　the　young　priest。

Gabriel　was　therefore　quite　ignorant　of　the　family　ties　which　united　him
with　the　daughters　of　Marshal　Simon；　with　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　with　M。
Hardy；　Prince　Djalma；　and　Sleepinbuff。　　In　a　word；　if　it　had　then　been
revealed　to　him　that　he　was　the　heir　of　Marius　de　Rennepont；　he　would
have　believed　himself　the　only　descendant　of　the　family。　　During　the
moment's　silence　which　succeeded　his　conversation　with　Rodin；　Gabriel
observed　through　the　windows　the　mason's　at　their　work　of　unwalling　the
door。　　Having　finished　this　first　operation；　they　set　about　removing　the
bars　of　iron　by　which　a　plate　of　lead　was　fixed　over　the　same　entrance。

At　this　juncture；　Father　d'Aigrigny；　conducted　by　Samuel；　entered　the
room。　　Before　Gabriel　could　turn　around；　Rodin　had　time　to　whisper　to　the
reverend　father；　〃He　knows　nothingand　we　have　no　longer　anything　to
fear　from　the　Indian。〃

Notwithstanding　his　affected　calmness；　Father　d'Aigrigny's　countenance
was　pale　and　contracted；　like　that　of　a　player　who　is　about　to　stake　all
on　a　last；　decisive　game。　　Hitherto；　all　had　favored　the　designs　of　the
Society；　but　he　could　not　think　without　alarm　of　the　four　hours　which
still　remained　before　they　should　reach　the　fatal　moment。　　Gabriel　having
turned　towards　him；　Father　d'Aigrigny　offered　him　his　hand　with　a　smile；
and　said　to　him　in　an　affectionate　and　cordial　tone；　〃My　dear　son；　it　has
pained　me　a　good　deal　to　have　been　obliged　to　refuse　you　till　now　the
interview　that　you　so　much　desired。　　It　has　been　no　less　distressing　to
me　to　impose　on　you　a　confinement　of　some　days。　　Though　I　cannot　give　any
explanation　of　what　I　may　think　fit　to　order；　I　will　just　observe　to　you
that　I　have　acted　only　for　your　interest。〃

〃I　am　bound　to　believe　your　reverence；〃　answered　Gabriel；　bowing　his
head。

In　spite　of　himself；　the　young　priest　felt　a　vague　sense　of　fear；　for
until　his　departure　for　his　American　mission；　Father　d'Aigrigny；　at　whose
feet　he　had　pronounced　the　formidable　vows　which　bound　him　irrevocably　to
the　Society　of　Jesus；　had　exercised　over　him　that　frightful　species　of
influence　which；　acting　only　by　despotism；　suppression；　and　intimidation；
breaks　down　all　the　living　forces　of　the　soul；　and　leaves　it　inert；
trembling；　and　terrified。　　Impressions　of　early　youth　are　indelible；　and
this　was　the　first　time；　since　his　return　from　America；　that　Gabriel
found　himself　in　presence　of　Father　d'Aigrigny；　and　although　he　did　not
shrink　from　the　resolution　he　had　taken；　he　regretted　not　to　have　been
able；　as　he　had　hoped；　to　gather　new　strength　and　courage　from　an
interview　with　Agricola　and　Dagobert。　　Father　d'Aigrigny　knew　mankind　too
well　not　to　have　remarked　the　emotion　of　the　young　priest；　and　to　have
endeavored　to　explain　its　cause。　　This　emotion　appeared　to　him　a
favorable　omen；　he　redoubled；　therefore；　his　seductive　arts；　his　air　of
tenderness　and　amenity；　reserving　to　himself；　if　necessary；　the　choice　of
assuming　another　mask。　　He　sat　down；　while　Gabriel　and　Rodin　remained
standing　in　a　respectful　position；　and　said　to　the　former：　〃You　desire；
my　dear　son；　to　have　an　important　interview　with　me？〃

〃Yes；　father；〃　said　Gabriel；　involuntarily　casting　down　his　eyes　before
the　large；　glittering　gray　pupil　of　his　superior。

〃And　I　also　have　matters　of　great　importance　to　communicate　to　you。
Listen　to　me　first；　you　can　speak　afterwards。〃

〃I　listen；　father。〃

〃It　is　about　twelve　years　ago；　my　dear　son；〃　said　Father　d'Aigrigny；
affectionately；　〃that　the　confessor　of　your　adopted　mother；　addressing
himself　to　me　through　M。　Rodin；　called　my　attention　to　yourself；　by
reporting　the　astonishing　progress　you　had　made　at　the　school　of　the
Brothers。　　I　soon　found；　indeed；　that　your　excellent　conduct；　your
gentle；　modest　character；　and　your　precocious　intelligence；　were　worthy
of　the　most　tender　interest。　　From　that　moment　I　kept　my　eyes　upon　you；
and　at　the　end　of　some　time；　seeing　that　you　did　not　fall　off；　it
appeared　to　me　that　there　was　something　more　in　you　than　the　stuff　that
makes　a　workman。　　We　agreed　with　your　adopted　mother；　and　through　my
intervention；　you　were　admitted　gratuitously　to　one　of　the　schools　of　our
Company。　　Thus　one　burden　the　less　weighed　upon　the　excellent　woman　who
had　taken　charge　of　you；　and　you　received　from　our　paternal　care　all　the
benefits　of　a　religious　education。　　Is　not　this　true；　my　dear　son？〃

〃It　is　true；　father；〃　answered　Gabriel；　casting　down　his　eyes。

〃As　you　grew　up；　excellent　and　rare　virtues　displayed　themselves　in　your
character。　　Your　obedience　and　mildness　were　above　all　exemplary。　　You
made　rapid　progress　in　your　studies。　　I　knew　not　then　to　wh