the wandering jew, volume 5-第19部分

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of　the　man　whom　I　hold　in　the　greatest　reverence；　were　painted　by　me　from
memory；　and　have　been　placed　in　the　Red　Room　in　the　Rue　Saint…Francois
to　be　gratefully　valued；　I　hope；　by　the　descendants　of　my　family。'〃

For　some　moments　Gabriel　had　become　more　and　more　attentive　to　the
reading　of　this　testament。　　He　thought　within　himself　by　how　strange　a
coincidence　one　of　his　ancestors　had；　two　centuries　before；　broken　with
the　Society　of　Jesus；　as　he　himself　had　just　done；　and　that　from　this
rupture；　two　centuries　old；　dated　also　that　species　of　hatred　with　which
the　Society　of　Jesus　had　always　pursued　his　family。　　Nor　did　the　young
priest　find　it　less　strange　that　this　inheritance；　transmitted　to　him
after　a　lapse　of　a　hundred　and　fifty　years；　from　one　of　his　kindred　（the
victim　of　the　Society　of　Jesus）；　should　return　by　a　voluntary　act　to　the
coffers　of　this　same　society。　　When　the　notary　read　the　passage　relative
to　the　two　portraits；　Gabriel；　who；　like　Father　d'Aigrigny；　sat　with　his
back　towards　the　pictures；　turned　round　to　look　at　them。　　Hardly　had　the
missionary　cast　his　eyes　on　the　portrait　of　the　woman；　than　he　uttered　a
loud　cry　of　surprise；　and　almost　terror。　　The　notary　paused　in　his
reading；　and　looked　uneasily　at　the　young　priest。




CHAPTER　XXIV。

THE　LAST　STROKE　OF　NOON。

At　the　cry　uttered　by　Gabriel；　the　notary　had　stopped　reading　the
testament；　and　Father　d'Aigrigny　hastily　drew　near　the　young　priest。　　The
latter　rose　trembling　from　his　seat　and　gazed　with　increasing　stupor　at
the　female　portrait。

Then　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　as　if　speaking　to　himself。　　〃Good　Heaven！
is　it　possible　that　nature　can　produce　such　resemblances？　　Those　eyesso
proud　and　yet　so　sadthat　foreheadthat　pale　complexionyes；　all　her
features；　are　the　sameall　of　them！〃

〃My　dear　son；　what　is　the　matter？〃　said　Father　d'Aigrigny；　as　astonished
as　Samuel　and　the　notary。

〃Eight　months　ago；〃　replied　the　missionary；　in　a　voice　of　deep　emotion；
without　once　taking　his　eyes　from　the　picture；　〃I　was　in　the　power　of　the
Indians；　in　the　heart　of　the　Rocky　Mountains。　　They　had　crucified；　and
were　beginning　to　scalp　me；　I　was　on　the　point　of　death；　when　Divine
Providence　sent　me　unexpected　aidsent　me　this　woman　for　a　deliverer。〃

〃That　woman！〃　cried　Samuel；　Father　d'Aigrigny；　and　the　notary；　all
together。

Rodin　alone　appeared　completely　indifferent　to　this　episode　of　the
picture。　　His　face　contracted　with　angry　impatience；　he　bit　his　nails　to
the　quick；　as　he　contemplated　with　agony　the　slow　progress　of　the　hands
of　his　watch。

〃What！　that　woman　saved　your　life？〃　resumed　Father　d'Aigrigny。

〃Yes；　this　woman；〃　replied　Gabriel；　in　a　still　lower　and　more　trembling
voice；　〃this　womanor　rather　a　woman　so　much　resembling　her；　that　if
this　picture　had　not　been　here　for　a　century　and　a　half；　I　should　have
felt　sure　it　was　the　samenor　can　I　explain　to　myself　that　so　striking　a
resemblance　could　be　the　effect　of　chance。　　Well；〃　added　he；　after　a
moment's　silence；　as　he　heaved　a　profound　sigh；　〃the　mysteries　of　Nature；
and　the　will　of　God；　are　impenetrable。〃

Gabriel　fell　back　into　his　chair；　in　the　midst　of　a　general　silence；
which　was　broken　by　Father　d'Aigrigny　saying；　〃It　is　a　case　of
extraordinary　resemblance；　that　is　all；　my　dear　son。　　Only；　the　natural
gratitude　which　you　feel　towards　your　benefactress；　makes　you　take　a　deep
interest　in　this　singular　coincidence。〃

Rodin；　bursting　with　impatience；　here　said　to　the　notary；　by　whose　side
he　stood；　〃It　seems　to　me；　sir；　that　all　this　little　romance　has　nothing
to　do　with　the　testament。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　answered　the　notary；　resuming　his　seat；　〃but　the　fact　is
so　extraordinary；　and　as　you　say；　romantic；　that　one　cannot　help　sharing
in　this　gentleman's　astonishment。〃

He　pointed　to　Gabriel；　who；　with　his　elbow　resting　on　the　arms　of　the
chair；　leaned　his　forehead　upon　his　hand；　apparently　quite　absorbed　in
thought。　　The　notary　continued　the　reading　of　the　will；　as　follows：

〃'Such　are　the　persecutions　to　which　my　family　has　been　exposed　on　the
part　of　the　Society　of　Jesus。

〃‘The　Society　possesses　at　this　hour　the　whole　of　my　confiscated
property。　　I　am　about　to　die。　　May　its　hatred　perish　with　me；　and　spare
my　kindred；　whose　fate　at　this　solemn　moment　is　my　last　and　only　thought。

〃‘This　morning　I　sent　for　a　man　of　long　tried　probity　Isaac　Samuel。　　He
owes　his　life　to　me；　and　every　day　I　congratulate　myself　on　having　been
able　to　preserve　to　the　world　so　honest　and　excellent　a　creature。

〃‘Before　the　confiscation　of　my　property；　Isaac　Samuel　had　long　managed
it　with　as　much　intelligence　as　uprightness。　　I　have　entrusted　him　with
the　fifty　thousand　crowns；　returned　to　me　by　a　faithful　friend。　　Isaac
Samuel；　and　his　descendants　after　him；　to　whom　he　will　leave　this　debt　of
gratitude；　will　invest　the　above　sum；　and　allow　it　to　accumulate；　until
the　expiration　of　the　hundred　and　fiftieth　year　from　this　time。

〃‘The　amount　thus　accumulated　may　become　enormous；　and　constitute　a　royal
fortune；　if　no　unfavorable　event　should　occur。　　May　my　descendants　attend
to　my　wishes；　as　to　the　division　and　employment　of　this　immense　sum！

〃‘In　a　century　and　a　half；　there　happen　so　many　changes；　so　many
varieties　of　fortunes；　such　a　rise　and　fall　in　the　condition　of　the
successive　generations　of　a　family；　that　probably；　a　hundred　and　fifty
years　hence；　my　descendants　will　belong　to　various　classes　of　society；
and　thus　represent　the　divers　social　elements　of　their　time。

〃‘There　may；　perhaps；　be　among　them　men　of　great　intelligence　great
courage；　or　great　virtuelearned　men；　or　names　illustrious　in　arts　and
arms。　　There　may；　perhaps；　also　be　obscure　workmen；　or　humble　citizens
perhaps；　also；　alas！　great　criminals。

〃‘However；　this　may　be；　my　most　earnest　desire　is　that　my　descendants
should　combine　together；　and；　reconstituting　one　family；　by　a　close　and
sincere　union；　put　into　practice　the　divine　words　of　Christ；　〃Love　ye　one
another。〃

〃‘This　union　would　have　a　salutary　tendency；　for　it　seems　to　me　that　upon
union；　upon　the　association　of　men　together；　must　depend　the　future
happiness　of　mankind。

〃‘The　Company；　which　so　long　persecuted　my　family；　is　one　of　the　most
striking　examples　of　the　power　of　association；　even　when　applied　to　evil。

〃‘There　is　something　so　fruitful　and　divine　in　this　principle；　that　it
sometimes　forces　to　good　the　worst　and　most　dangerous　combinations。

〃‘Thus；　the　missions　have　thrown　a　scanty　but　pure　and　generous　light　on
the　darkness　of　this　Company　of　Jesusfounded　with　the　detestable　and
impious　aim　of　destroying；　by　a　homicidal　education；　all　will；　thought；
liberty；　and　intelligence；　in　the　people；　so　as　to　deliver　them；
trembling；　superstitious；　brutal；　and　helpless；　to　the　despotism　of
kings；　governed　in　their　turn　by　confessors　belonging　to　the　Society。'〃

At　this　passage　of　the　will；　there　was　another　strange　look　exchanged
between　Gabriel　and　Father　d'Aigrigny。　　The　notary　continued：

〃‘If　a　perverse　association；　based　upon　the　degradation　of　humanity；　upon
fear　and　despotism；　and　followed　by　the　maledictions　of　the　people；　has
survived　for　centuries；　and　often　governed　the　world　by　craft　and　terror…
…how　would　it　be　with　an　association；　which；　taking　fraternity　and
evangelic　love　for　its　means；　had　for　its　end　to　deliver　man　and　woman
from　all　degrading　slavery；　to　invite　to　the　enjoyment　of　terrestrial
happiness　those　who　have　hitherto　known　nothing　of　life　but　its　sorrows
and　miseries；　and　to　glorify　and　enrich　the　labor　that　feeds　the　state？
to　enlighten　those　whom　ignorance　has　depraved？to　favor　the　free
expansion　of　all　the　passions；　which　God；　in　His　infinite　wisdom；　and
inexhaustible　goodness；　gave　to　man　as　so　many　powerful　levers？to
sanctify　all　the　gifts　of　Heaven：　love；　maternity；　strength；
intelligence；　beauty；　genius？to　make　men　truly　religious；　and　deeply
grateful　to　their　Creator；　by　making　them　understand　the　splendors　of
Nature；　and　bestowing　on　them　their　rightful　share　in　the　treasures　which
have　been　poured　upon　us？

〃'Oh！　if　it　be　Heaven's　will　that；　in　a　century　and　a　half；　the
descendants　of　my　family；　faithful　to　the　last　wishes　of　a　heart　that
loved　humanity；　meet　in　this　sacred　union！if　it　be　Heaven's　will　that
amongst　them　be　found　charitable　and　passionate　souls；　full　of
commiseration　for　those　who　suffer；　and　lofty　minds；　ardent　for　liberty！
warm　and　eloquent　natures！　resolute　characters！　women；　who　unite　beauty
and　wit　with　goodnessoh！　then；　how　fruitful；　how　powerful　will　be　the
harmonious　union　of　all　these　ideas；　and　influences；　and　forcesof　all
these　attractions　grouped　round　that　princely　fortune；　which；
concentrated　by　association；　and　wisely　managed；　would　render　practicable
the　most　admirable　Utopias！

〃‘What　a　wondrous　centre　of　fertile　and　generous　thoughts！　What　precious
and　life…giving　rays　would　stream　incessantly　from　this　focus　of　charity；
emancipation；　and　love！　　What　great　things　might　be　attempted　what
magnificent　examples　given　to　the　world！　　What　a　divine　mission！　　What　an
irresistible　tendency　towards　good　might　be　impressed　on　the　whole　human
race　by　a　family　thus　situated；　and　in　possession　of　such　means！

〃‘And；　then；　such　a　beneficent　association　would　be　able　to　combat　the
fatal　conspiracy　of　which　I　am　the　victim；　and　which；　in　a　century　and　a
half；　may　have　lost　none　of　its　formidable　power。

〃‘So；　to　this　work　of　darkness；　restraint；　and　despotism；　which　weighs
heavily　on　the　Christian　world；　my　family　would　oppose　their　work　of
light；　expansion；　and　liberty！

〃‘The　genii　of　good　and　evil　would　stand　face　to　face。　　The　struggle
would　commence；　and　God　would　protect　the　right。

〃‘And　that　these　immense　pecuniary　resources；　which　will　give　so　much
power　to　my　family；　may　not　be　exhausted　by　the　course　of　years；　my
heirs；　following　my　last　will；　are　to　place　out；　upon　the　same
conditions；　double　the　sum　that　I　have　investedso　that；　a　century　and　a
half　later；　a　new　source　of　power　and　action　will　be　at　the　disposal　of
their　descendants。　　What　a　perpetuity　of　good！

〃‘In　the　ebony　cabinet　of　the　Hall　of　Mourning　will　be　found　some
practical　suggestions　on　the　sub