the wandering jew, volume 5-第17部分

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remembrance　of　the　light　seen　that　morning　through　the　seven　openings　in
the　leaden　cover　of　the　belvedere；　and；　in　spite　of　the　firmness　of　his
character；　the　old　man　could　not　repress　a　shudder；　as；　taking　a　second
key　from　his　bunch；　and　reading　upon　the　label；　The　Key　of　the　Red　Room；
he　opened　a　pair　of　large　folding　doors；　leading　to　the　inner　apartments。
The　window　which；　of　all　those　in　the　house；　had　alone　been　opened；
lighted　this　large　room；　hung　with　damask；　the　deep　purple　of　which　had
undergone　no　alteration。　　A　thick　Turkey　carpet　covered　the　floor；　and
large　arm…chairs　of　gilded　wood；　in　the　severe　Louis　XIV。　style；　were
symmetrically　arranged　along　the　wall。　　A　second　door；　leading　to　the
next　room；　was　just　opposite　the　entrance。　　The　wainscoting　and　the
cornice　were　white；　relieved　with　fillets　and　mouldings　of　burnished
gold。　　On　each　side　of　this　door　was　a　large　piece　of　buhl…furniture；
inlaid　with　brass　and　porcelain；　supporting　ornamental　sets　of　sea…
crackle　vases。　　The　window　vas　hung　with　heavy　deep…fringed　damask
curtains；　surmounted　by　scalloped　drapery；　with　silk　tassels；　directly
opposite　the　chimney…piece　of　dark…gray　marble；　adorned　with　carved
brass…work。　　Rich　chandeliers；　and　a　clock　in　the　same　style　as　the
furniture；　were　reflected　in　a　large　Venice　glass；　with　basiled　edges。
A　round　table；　covered　with　a　cloth　of　crimson　velvet；　was　placed　in　the
centre　of　this　saloon。

As　he　approached　this　table；　Samuel　perceived　a　piece　of　white　vellum；　on
which　were　inscribed　these　words：　〃My　testament　is　to　be　opened　in　this
saloon。　　The　other　apartments　are　to　remain　closed；　until　after　the
reading　of　my　last　willM。　De　R。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Jew；　as　he　perused　with　emotion　these　lines　traced　so
long　ago；　〃this　is　the　same　recommendation　as　that　which　I　received　from
my　father；　for　it　would　seem　that　the　other　apartments　of　this　house　are
filled　with　objects；　on　which　M。　de　Rennepont　set　a　high　value；　not　for
their　intrinsic　worth；　but　because　of　their　origin。　　The　Hall　of　Mourning
must　be　a　strange　and　mysterious　chamber。　　Well；〃　added　Samuel；　as　he
drew　from　his　pocket　a　register　bound　in　black　shagreen；　with　a　brass
lock；　from　which　he　drew　the　key；　after　placing　it　upon　the　table；　〃here
is　the　statement　of　the　property　in　hand；　which　I　have　been　ordered　to
bring　hither；　before　the　arrival　of　the　heirs。〃

The　deepest　silence　reigned　in　the　room；　at　the　moment　when　Samuel　placed
the　register　on　the　table。　　Suddenly　a　simple　and　yet　most　startling
occurrence　roused　him　from　his　reverie。　　In　the　next　apartment　was　heard
the　clear；　silvery　tone　of　a　clock；　striking　slowly　ten。　　And　the　hour
was　ten！　　Samuel　had　too　much　sense　to　believe　in　perpetual　motion；　or　in
the　possibility　of　constructing　a　clock　to　go　far　one　hundred　and　fifty
years。　　He　asked　himself；　therefore；　with　surprise　and　alarm；　how　this
clock　could　still　be　going；　and　how　it　could　mark　so　exactly　the　hour　of
the　day。　　Urged　with　restless　curiosity；　the　old　man　was　about　to　enter
the　room；　but　recollecting　the　recommendation　of　his　father；　which　had
now　been　confirmed　by　the　few　lines　he　had　just　read　from　De　Rennepont's
pen；　he　stopped　at　the　door；　and　listened　with　extreme　attention。

He　heard　nothingabsolutely　nothing；　but　the　last　dying　vibration　of　the
clock。　　After　having　long　reflected　upon　this　strange　fact；　Samuel；
comparing　it　with　the　no　less　extraordinary　circumstance　of　the　light
perceived　that　morning　through　the　apertures　in　the　belvedere；　concluded
that　there　must　be　some　connection　between　these　two　incidents。　　If　the
old　man　could　not　penetrate　the　true　cause　of　these　extraordinary
appearances；　he　at　least　explained　them　to　himself；　by　remembering　the
subterraneous　communications；　which；　according　to　tradition；　were　said　to
exist　between　the　cellars　of　this　house　and　distant　places；　and　he
conjectured　that　unknown　and　mysterious　personages　thus　gained　access　to
it　two　or　three　times　in　a　century。　　Absorbed　in　these　thoughts　Samuel
approached　the　fireplace；　which；　as　we　have　said；　was　directly　opposite
the　window。　　Just　then；　a　bright　ray　of　sunlight；　piercing　the　clouds；
shone　full　upon　two　large　portraits；　hung　upon　either　side　of　the
fireplace；　and　not　before　remarked　by　the　Jew。　　They　were　painted　life…
size；　and　represented　one　a　woman；　the　other　a　man。　　By　the　sober　yet
powerful　coloring　of　these　paintings；　by　the　large　and　vigorous　style；　it
was　easy　to　recognize　a　master's　hand。　　It　would　have　been　difficult　to
find　models　more　fitted　to　inspire　a　great　painter。　　The　woman　appeared
to　be　from　five…and…twenty　to　thirty　years　of　age。　　Magnificent　brown
hair；　with　golden　tints；　crooned　a　forehead；　white；　noble；　and　lofty。
Her　head…dress；　far　from　recalling　the　fashion；　which　Madame　de　Sevigne
brought　in　during　the　age　of　Louis　XIV。；　reminded　one　rather　of　some　of
the　portraits　of　Paul　Veronese；　in　which　the　hair　encircles　the　face　in
broad；　undulating　bands；　surmounted　by　a　thick　plait；　like　a　crown；　at
the　back　of　the　head。　　The　eyebrows；　finely　pencilled；　were　arched　over
large　eyes　of　bright；　sapphire　blue。　　Their　gaze　at　once　proud　and
mournful；　had　something　fatal　about　it。　　The　nose；　finely　formed；
terminated　in　slight　dilated　nostrils：　a　half　smile；　almost　of　pain；
contracted　the　mouth；　the　face　was　a　long　oval；　and　the　complexion；
extremely　pale；　was　hardly　shaded　on　the　cheek　by　a　light　rose…color。
The　position　of　the　head　and　neck　announced　a　rare　mixture　of　grace　and
dignity。　　A　sort　of　tunic　or　robe；　of　glossy　black　material；　came　as　high
as　the　commencement　of　her　shoulders；　and　just　marking　her　lithe　and　tall
figure；　reached　down　to　her　feet；　which　were　almost　entirely　concealed　by
the　folds　of　this　garment。

The　attitude　was　full　of　nobleness　and　simplicity。　　The　head　looked　white
and　luminous；　standing　out　from　a　dark　gray　sky；　marbled　at　the　horizon
by　purple　clouds；　upon　which　were　visible　the　bluish　summits　of　distant
hills；　in　deep　shadow。　　The　arrangement　of　the　picture；　as　well　as　the
warm　tints　of　the　foreground；　contrasting　strongly　with　these　distant
objects；　showed　that　the　woman　was　placed　upon　an　eminence；　from　which
she　could　view　the　whole　horizon。　　The　countenance　was　deeply　pensive　and
desponding。　　There　was　an　expression　of　supplicating　and　resigned　grief；
particularly　in　her　look；　half　raised　to　heaven；　which　one　would　have
thought　impossible　to　picture。　　On　the　left　side　of　the　fireplace　was　the
other　portrait；　painted　with　like　vigor。　　It　represented　a　man；　between
thirty　and　thirty…five　years　of　age；　of　tall　stature。　　A　large　brown
cloak；　which　hung　round　him　in　graceful　folds；　did　not　quite　conceal　a
black　doublet；　buttoned　up　to　the　neck；　over　which　fell　a　square　white
collar。　　The　handsome　and　expressive　head　was　marked　with　stern　powerful
lines；　which　did　not　exclude　an　admirable　air　of　suffering；　resignation；
and　ineffable　goodness。　　The　hair；　as　well　as　the　beard　and　eyebrows；　was
black；　and　the　latter；　by　some　singular　caprice　of　nature；　instead　of
being　separated　and　forming　two　distinct　arches；　extended　from　one　temple
to　the　other；　in　a　single　bow；　and　seemed　to　mark　the　forehead　of　this
man　with　a　black　line。

The　background　of　this　picture　also　represented　a　stormy　sky；　but；　beyond
some　rocks　in　the　distance；　the　sea　was　visible；　and　appeared　to　mingle
with　the　dark　clouds。　　The　sun；　just　now　shining　upon　these　two
remarkable　figures　（which　it　appeared　impossible　to　forget；　after　once
seeing　them）；　augmented　their　brilliancy。

Starting　from　his　reverie；　and　casting　his　eyes　by　chance　upon　these
portraits；　Samuel　was　greatly　struck　with　them。　　They　appeared　almost
alive。　　〃What　noble　and　handsome　faces！〃　he　exclaimed；　as　he　approached
to　examine　them　more　closely。　　〃Whose　are　these　portraits？　　They　are　not
those　of　any　of　the　Rennepont　family；　for　my　father　told　me　that　they　are
all　in　the　Hall　of　Mourning。　　Alas！〃　added　the　old　man；　〃one　might　think；
from　the　great　sorrow　expressed　in　their　countenances；　that　they　ought　to
have　a　place　in　that　mourning…chamber。〃

After　a　moment's　silence；　Samuel　resumed：　〃Let　me　prepare　everything　for
this　solemn　assembly；　for　it　has　struck　ten。〃　　So　saying；　he　placed　the
gilded　arm…chairs　round　the　table；　and　then　continued；　with　a　pensive
air：　〃The　hour　approaches；　and　of　the　descendants　of　my　grandfather's
benefactor；　we　have　seen　only　this　young　priest；　with　the　angelic
countenance。　　Can　he　be　the　sole　representative　of　the　Rennepont　family？
He　is　a　priest；　and　this　family　will　finish　with　him！　　Well！　the　moment
is　come　when　I　must　open　this　door；　that　the　will　may　be　read。　　Bathsheba
is　bringing　hither　the　notary。　　They　knock　at　the　door；　it　is　time！〃　　And
Samuel；　after　casting　a　last　glance　towards　the　place　where　the　clock　had
struck　ten；　hastened　to　the　outer　door；　behind　which　voices　were　now
audible。

He　turned　the　key　twice　in　the　lock；　and　threw　the　portals　open。　　To　his
great　regret；　he　saw　only　Gabriel　on　the　steps；　between　Rodin　and　Father
d'Aigrigny。　　The　notary；　and　Bathsheba；　who　had　served　them　as　a　guide；
waited　a　little　behind　the　principal　group。

Samuel　could　not　repress　a　sigh；　as　he　stood　bowing　on　the　threshold；　and
said　to　them：　〃All　is　ready；　gentlemen。　　You　may　walk　in。〃




CHAPTER　XXIII。

THE　TESTAMENT。

When　Gabriel；　Rodin；　and　Father　d'Aigrigny　entered　the　Red　Room；　they
were　differently　affected。　　Gabriel；　pale　and　sad；　felt　a　kind　of　painful
impatience。　　He　was　anxious　to　quit　this　house；　though　he　had　already
relieved　himself　of　a　great　weight；　by　executing　before　the　notary；
secured　by　every　legal　formality；　a　deed　making　over　all　his　rights　of
inheritance　to　Father　d'Aigrigny。　　Until　now　it　had　not　occurred　to　the
young　priest；　that　in　bestowing　the　care　upon　him；　which　he　was　about　to
reward　so　generously；　and　in　forcing　his　vocation　by　a　sacrilegious
falsehood；　the　only　object　of　Father　d'Aigrigny　might　have　been　to　secure
the　success　of　a　dark　intrigue。　　In　acting　as　he　did；　Gabriel　was　not
yielding；　in　his　view　of　the　question；　to　a　sentiment　of　exaggerated
delicacy。　　He　had　made　this　donation　freely；　many　years　before。　　He　would
have　looked　upon