the wandering jew, volume 5-第18部分

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delicacy。　　He　had　made　this　donation　freely；　many　years　before。　　He　would
have　looked　upon　it　as　infamy　now　to　withdraw　it。　　It　was　hard　enough　to
be　suspected　of　cowardice：　for　nothing　in　the　world　would　he　have
incurred　the　least　reproach　of　cupidity。

The　missionary　must　have　been　endowed　with　a　very　rare　and　excellent
nature；　or　this　flower　of　scrupulous　probity　would　have　withered　beneath
the　deleterious　and　demoralizing　influence　of　his　education；　but　happily；
as　cold　sometimes　preserves　from　corruption；　the　icy　atmosphere　in　which
he　had　passed　a　portion　of　his　childhood　and　youth　had　benumbed；　but　not
vitiated；　his　generous　qualities；　which　had　indeed　soon　revived　in　the
warm　air　of　liberty。　　Father　d'Aigrigny；　much　paler　and　more　agitated
than　Gabriel；　strove　to　excuse　and　explain　his　anxiety　by　attributing　it
to　the　sorrow　he　experienced　at　the　rupture　of　his　dear　son　with　the
Order。　　Rodin；　calm；　and　perfectly　master　of　himself；　saw　with　secret
rage　the　strong　emotion　of　Father　d'Aigrigny；　which　might　have　inspired　a
man　less　confiding　than　Gabriel　with　strange　suspicions。　　Yet；
notwithstanding　his　apparent　indifference；　the　socius　was　perhaps　still
more　ardently　impatient　than　his　superior　for　the　success　of　this
important　affair。　　Samuel　appeared　quite　desponding；　no　other　heir　but
Gabriel　having　presented　himself。　　No　doubt　the　old　man　felt　a　lively
sympathy　for　the　young　priest；　but　then　he　was　a　priest；　and　with　him
would　finish　the　line　of　Rennepont；　and　this　immense　fortune；　accumulated
with　so　much　labor；　would　either　be　again　distributed；　or　employed
otherwise　than　the　testator　had　desired。　　The　different　actors　in　this
scene　were　standing　around　the　table。　　As　they　were　about　to　seat
themselves；　at　the　invitation　of　the　notary；　Samuel　pointed　to　the
register　bound　in　black　shagreen；　and　said：　〃I　was　ordered；　sir；　to
deposit　here　this　register。　　It　is　locked。　　I　will　deliver　up　the　key；
immediately　after　the　reading　of　the　will。〃

〃This　course　is；　in　fact；　directed　by　the　note　which　accompanies　the
will；〃　said　M。　Dumesnil；　〃as　it　was　deposited；　in　the　year　1682；　in　the
hands　of　Master　Thomas　Le　Semelier；　king's　counsel；　and　notary　of　the
Chatelet　of　Paris；　then　living　at　No。　13；　Place　Royale。〃

So　saying；　M。　Dumesnil　drew　from　a　portfolio　of　red　morocco　a　large
parchment　envelope；　grown　yellow　with　time；　to　this　envelope　was　annexed；
by　a　silken　thread；　a　note　also　upon　vellum。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　notary；　〃if　you　please　to　sit　down；　I　will　read　the
subjoined　note；　to　regulate　the　formalities　at　the　opening　of　the　will。〃

The　notary；　Rodin；　Father　d'Aigrigny；　and　Gabriel；　took　seats。　　The　young
priest；　having　his　back　turned　to　the　fireplace；　could　not　see　the　two
portraits。　　In　spite　of　the　notary's　invitation；　Samuel　remained　standing
behind　the　chair　of　that　functionary；　who　read　as　follows：

〃‘On　the　13th　February；　1832；　my　will　shall　be　carried　to　No。　3；　in　the
Rue　Saint…Francois。

　‘At　ten　o'clock　precisely；　the　door　of　the　Red　Room　shall　be　opened　to
my　heirs；　who　will　no　doubt　have　arrived　long　before　at　Paris；　in
anticipation　of　this　day；　and　will　have　had　time　to　establish　their　line
of　descent。

〃‘As　soon　as　they　are　assembled；　the　will　shall　be　read；　and；　at　the　last
stroke　of　noon；　the　inheritance　shall　be　finally　settled　in　favor　of
those　of　my　kindred；　who　according　to　my　recommendation　（preserved；　I
hope；　by　tradition　in　my　family；　during　a　century　and　a　half）；　shall
present　themselves　in　person；　and　not　by　agents；　before　twelve　o'clock；
on　the　13th　of　February；　in　the　Rue　Saint…Francois。'〃

Having　read　these　words　in　a　sonorous　voice；　the　notary　stopped　an
instant；　and　resumed；　in　a　solemn　tone：　〃M。　Gabriel　Francois　Marie　de
Rennepont；　priest；　having　established；　by　legal　documents；　his　descent　on
the　father's　side；　and　his　relationship　to　the　testator；　and　being　at
this　hour　the　only　one　of　the　descendants　of　the　Rennepont　family　here
present；　I　open　the　testament　in　his　presence；　as　it　has　been　ordered。〃

So　saying；　the　notary　drew　from　its　envelope　the　will；　which　had　been
previously　opened　by　the　President　of　the　Tribunal；　with　the　formalities
required　by　law。　　Father　d'Aigrigny　leaned　forward；　and　resting　his　elbow
on　the　table；　seemed　to　pant　for　breath。　　Gabriel　prepared　himself　to
listen　with　more　curiosity　than　interest。　　Rodin　was　seated　at　some
distance　from　the　table；　with　his　old　hat　between　his　knees；　in　the
bottom　of　which；　half　hidden　by　the　folds　of　a　shabby　blue　cotton
handkerchief；　he　had　placed　his　watch。　　The　attention　of　the　socius　was
divided　between　the　least　noise　from　without；　and　the　slow　evolution　of
the　hands　of　the　watch；　which　he　followed　with　his　little；　wrathful　eye；
as　if　hastening　their　progress；　so　great　was　his　impatience　for　the　hour
of　noon。

The　notary；　unfolding　the　sheet　of　parchment；　read　what　follows；　in　the
midst　of　profound　attention：

Hameau　de　Villetaneuse；

〃‘February　13th；　1682。

〃‘I　am　about　to　escape；　by　death；　from　the　disgrace　of　the　galleys；　to
which　the　implacable　enemies　of　my　family　have　caused　me　to　be　condemned
as　a　relapsed　heretic。

〃‘Moreover；　life　is　too　bitter　for　me　since　the　death　of　my　son；　the
victim　of　a　mysterious　crime。

〃‘At　nineteen　years　of　agepoor　henry！and　his　murderers　unknownno；
not　unknownif　I　may　trust　my　presentiments。

〃‘To　preserve　my　fortune　for　my　son；　I　had　feigned　to　abjure　the
Protestant　faith。　　As　long　as　that　beloved　boy　lived；　I　scrupulously　kept
up　Catholic　appearances。　　The　imposture　revolted　me；　but　the　interest　of
my　son　was　concerned。

〃‘When　they　killed　him；　this　deceit　became　insupportable　to　me。　　I　was
watched；　accused；　and　condemned　as　relapsed。　　My　property　has　been
confiscated；　and　I　am　sentenced　to　the　galleys。

〃'Tis　a　terrible　time　we　live　in！　　Misery　and　servitude！　sanguinary
despotism　and　religious　intolerance！　　Oh；　it　is　sweet　to　abandon　life！
sweet　to　rest　and　see　no　more　such　evils　and　such　sorrows！

〃‘In　a　few　hours；　I　shall　enjoy　that　rest。　　I　shall　die。　　Let　me　think　of
those　who　will　surviveor　rather；　of　those　who　will　live　perhaps　in
better　times。

〃‘Out　of　all　my　fortune；　there　remains　to　me　a　sum　of　fifty　thousand
crowns；　deposited　in　a　friend's　hands。

〃‘I　have　no　longer　a　son；　but　I　have　numerous　relations；　exiled　in
various　parts　of　Europe。　　This　sum　of　fifty　thousand　crowns；　divided
between　them；　would　profit　each　of　them　very　little。　　I　have　disposed　of
it　differently。

〃‘In　this　I　have　followed　the　wise　counsels　of　a　man；　whom　I　venerate　as
the　image　of　God　on　earth；　for　his　intelligence；　wisdom；　and　goodness　are
almost　divine。

〃‘Twice　in　the　course　of　my　life　have　I　seen　this　man；　under　very　fatal
circumstancestwice　have　I　owed　him　safety；　once　of　the　soul；　once　of
the　body。

〃'Alas！　he　might　perhaps　have　saved　my　poor　child；　but　he　came　too　late
too　late。

〃‘Before　he　left　me；　he　wished　to　divert　me　from　the　intention　of　dying
for　he　knew　all。　　But　his　voice　was　powerless。　　My　grief；　my　regret；　my
discouragement；　were　too　much　for　him。

〃‘It　is　strange！　when　he　was　convinced　of　my　resolution　to　finish　my　days
by　violence；　some　words　of　terrible　bitterness　escaped　him；　making　me
believe　that　he　envied　memy　fatemy　death！

〃‘Is　he　perhaps　condemned　to　live？

〃‘Yes；　he　has；　no　doubt；　condemned　himself　to　be　useful　to　humanity；　and
yet　life　is　heavy　on　him；　for　I　heard　him　repeat　one　day；　with　an
expression　of　despair　and　weariness　that　I　have　never　forgotten：　〃Life！
life！　who　will　deliver　me　from　it？〃

〃‘Is　life　then　so　very　burdensome　to　him？

〃‘He　is　gone。　　His　last　words　have　made　me　look　for　my　departure　with
serenity。　　Thanks　to　him；　my　death　shall　not　be　without　fruit。

〃‘Thanks　to　him；　these　lines；　written　at　this　moment　by　a　man　who；　in　a
few　hours；　will　have　ceased　to　live；　may　perhaps　be　the　parents　of　great
things　a　century　and　a　half　henceyes！　great　and　noble　things；　if　my
last　will　is　piously　followed　by　my　descendants；　for　it　is　to　them　that　I
here　address　myself。

〃‘That　they　may　understand　and　appreciate　this　last　willwhich　I　commend
to　the　care　of　the　unborn；　who　dwell　in　the　future　whither　I　am
hasteningthey　must　know　the　persecutors　of　my　family　and　avenge　their
ancestor；　but　by　a　noble　vengeance。

〃‘My　grandfather　was　a　Catholic。　　Induced　by　perfidious　counsels　rather
than　religious　zeal；　he　attached　himself；　though　a　layman；　to　a　Society
whose　power　has　always　been　terrible　and　mysteriousthe　Society　of
Jesus'〃

At　these　words　of　the　testament；　Father　d'Aigrigny；　Rodin；　and　Gabriel
looked　involuntarily　at　each　other：　The　notary；　who　had　not　perceived
this　action；　continued　to　read：

〃‘After　some　years；　during　which　he　had　never　ceased　to　profess　the　most
absolute　devotion　to　this　Society；　he　was　suddenly　enlightened　by　fearful
revelations　as　to　the　secret　ends　it　pursued；　and　the　means　it　employed。

〃‘This　was　in　1510；　a　month　before　the　assassination　of　Henry　IV。

〃‘My　grandfather；　terrified　at　the　secret　of　which　he　had　become　the
unwilling　depositary；　and　which　was　to　be　fully　explained　by　the　death　of
the　best　of　kings；　not　only　broke　with　the　Society；　but；　as　if
Catholicism　itself　had　been　answerable　for　the　crimes　of　its　members；　he
abandoned　the　Romish　religion；　in　which　he　had　hitherto　lived；　and　became
a　Protestant。

〃‘Undeniable　proofs；　attesting　the　connivance　of　two　members　of　the
Company　with　Ravaillac；　a　connivance　also　proved　in　the　case　of　Jean
Chatel；　the　regicide；　were　in　my　grandfather's　possession。

〃'This　was　the　first　cause　of　the　violent　hatred　of　the　Society　for　our
family。　　Thank　Heaven；　these　papers　have　been　placed　in　safety；　and　if　my
last　will　is　executed；　will　be　found　marked　A。　M。C。　D。　G。；　in　the　ebony
casket　in　the　Hall　of　Mourning；　in　the　house　in　the　Rue　Saint…Francois。

〃'My　father　was　also　exposed　to　these　secret　persecutions。　　His　ruin；　and
perhaps　his　death；　would　have　been　the　consequence；　had　it　not　been　for
the　intervention　of　an　angelic　woman；　towards　whom　he　felt　an　almost
religious　veneration。

〃‘The　portrait　of　this　woman；　whom　I　saw　a　few　years　ago；　as　well　as　that
of　the　man　whom　I　hold　in　the　greatest　reverence；　were