the wandering jew, volume 5-第20部分

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their　descendants。　　What　a　perpetuity　of　good！

〃‘In　the　ebony　cabinet　of　the　Hall　of　Mourning　will　be　found　some
practical　suggestions　on　the　subject　of　this　association。

〃‘Such　is　my　last　willor　rather；　such　are　my　last　hopes。

〃‘When　I　require　absolutely　that　the　members　of　my　family　should　appear
in　person　in　the　Rue　Saint…Francois；　on　the　day　of　the　opening　of　this
testament；　it　is　so　that；　united　in　that　solemn　moment；　they　may　see　and
know　each　other。　　My　words　may　then；　perhaps；　have　some　effect　upon　them；
and；　instead　of　living　divided；　they　will　combine　together。　　It　will　be
for　their　own　interest；　and　my　wishes　will　thus　be　accomplished。

〃‘When　I　sent；　a　few　days　ago；　to　those　of　my　family　whom　exile　has
dispersed　over　Europe；　a　medal　on　which　is　engravers　the　date　of　the
convocation　of　my　heirs；　a　century　and　a　half　from　this　time；　I　was
forced　to　keep　secret　my　true　motive；　and　only　to　tell　them；　that　my
descendants　would　find　it　greatly　to　their　interest　to　attend　this
meeting。

〃‘I　have　acted　thus；　because　I　know　the　craft　and　perseverance　of　the
society　of　which　I　have　been　the　victim。　　If　they　could　guess　that　my
descendants　would　hereafter　have　to　divide　immense　sums　between　them；　my
family　would　run　the　risk　of　much　fraud　and　malice；　through　the　fatal
recommendations　handed　down　from　age　to　age　in　the　Society　of　Jesus。

〃‘May　these　precautions　be　successful！　　May　the　wish；　expressed　upon
these　medals；　be　faithfully　transmitted　from　generation　to　generation！

〃‘If　I　fix　a　day　and　hour；　in　which　my　inheritance　shall　irrevocably　fall
to　those　of　my　descendants　who　shall　appear　in　the　Rue　Saint…Francois　on
the　13th　February；　in　1832；　it　is　that　all　delays　must　have　a　term；　and
that　my　heirs　will　have　been　sufficiently　informed　years　before　of　the
great　importance　of　this　meeting。

〃‘After　the　reading　of　my　testament；　the　person　who　shall　then　be　the
trustee　of　the　accumulated　funds；　shall　make　known　their　amount；　so　that；
with　the　last　stroke　of　noon；　they　may　be　divided　between　my　heirs　then
and　there　present。

〃‘The　different　apartments　of　the　house　shall　then　be　opened　to　them。
They　will　see　in　them　divers　objects；　well　worthy　of　interest；　pity；　and
respectparticularly　in　the　Hall　of　Mourning。

〃‘My　desire　is；　that　the　house　may　not　be　sold；　but　that　it　may　remain
furnished　as　it　is；　and　serve　as　a　place　of　meeting　for　my　descendants；
if；　as　I　hope；　they　attend　to　my　last　wishes。

〃‘If；　on　the　contrary；　they　are　divided　amongst　themselvesif；　instead
of　uniting　for　one　of　the　most　generous　enterprises　that　ever　signalized
an　age；　they　yield　to　the　influence　of　selfish　passionsif　they　prefer　a
sterile　individuality　to　a　fruitful　associationif；　in　this　immense
fortune；　they　see　only　an　opportunity　for　frivolous　dissipation；　or
sordid　interestmay　they　be　accursed　by　all　those　whom　they　might　have
loved；　succored；　and　disfettered！and　then　let　this　house　be　utterly
demolished　and　destroyed；　and　the　papers；　of　which　Isaac　Samuel　possesses
the　inventory；　as　well　as　the　two　portraits　in　the　Red　Room；　be　burnt　by
the　guardian　of　the　property。

〃‘I　have　spoken。　　My　duty　is　accomplished。　　In　all　this；　I　have　followed
the　counsels　of　the　man　whom　I　revere　and　love　as　the　image　of　God　upon
earth。

〃‘The　faithful　friend；　who　preserved　for　me　the　fifty　thousand　crowns；
the　wreck　of　my　fortune；　knows　the　use　I　mean　to　make　of　them。　　I　could
not　refuse　his　friendship　this　mark　of　confidence。　　But　I　have　concealed
from　him　the　name　of　Isaac　Samuelfor　to　have　mentioned　it　might　have
exposed　this　latter　and　his　descendants　to　great　dangers。

〃‘In　a　short　time；　this　friend；　who　knows　not　that　my　resolution　to　die
is　so　near　its　accomplishment；　will　come　hither　with　my　notary。　　Into
their　hands；　after　the　usual　formalities；　I　shall　deliver　my　sealed
testament。

〃‘Such　is　my　last　will。　　I　leave　its　execution　to　the　superintending　care
of　Providence。　　God　will　protect　the　cause　of　love；　peace；　union；　and
liberty。

〃‘This　mystic　testament；＇20＇　having　been　freely　made　by　me；　and　written
entirely　with　my　own　hand；　I　intend　and　will　its　scrupulous　execution
both　in　spirit　and　the　letter。

〃‘This　13th　day　of　February；　1682；　at　one　o'clock　in　the
afternoon。　　〃'MARIUS　DE　RENNEPONT。'〃

As　the　notary　had　proceeded　with　the　reading　of　the　testament；　Gabriel
was　successively　agitated　by　divers　painful　impressions。　　At　first；　as　we
have　before　said；　he　was　struck　with　the　singular　fatality　which　restored
this　immense　fortune；　derived　from　a　victim　of　the　Society　of　Jesus；　to
the　hands　of　that　very　association；　by　the　renewal　of　his　deed　of　gift。
Then；　as　his　charitable　and　lofty　soul　began　fully　to　comprehend　the
admirable　tendency　of　the　association　so　earnestly　recommended　by　Marius
de　Rennepont；　he　reflected　with　bitter　remorse；　that；　in　consequence　of
his　act　of　renunciation；　and　of　the　absence　of　any　other　heir；　this　great
idea　would　never　be　realized；　and　a　fortune；　far　more　considerable　than
had　even　been　expected；　would　fall　to　the　share　of　an　ill…omened　society；
in　whose　hands　it　would　become　a　terrible　means　of　action。　　At　the　same
time；　it　must　be　said　that　the　soul　of　Gabriel　was　too　pure　and　noble　to
feel　the　slightest　personal　regret；　on　hearing　the　great　probable　value
of　the　property　he　had　renounced。　　He　rejoiced　rather　in　withdrawing　his
mind；　by　a　touching　contrast；　from　the　thought　of　the　wealth　he　had
abandoned；　to　the　humble　parsonage；　where　he　hoped　to　pass　the　remainder
of　his　life；　in　the　practice　of　most　evangelical　virtue。

These　ideas　passed　confusedly　through　his　brain。　　The　sight　of　that
woman's　portrait；　the　dark　revelations　contained　in　the　testament；　the
grandeur　of　the　views　exhibited　in　this　last　will　of　M。　de　Rennepont；　all
these　extraordinary　incidents　had　thrown　Gabriel　into　a　sort　of　stupor；
in　which　he　was　still　plunged；　when　Samuel　offered　the　key　of　the
register　to　the　notary；　saying：　〃You　will　find；　sir；　in　this　register；
the　exact　statement　of　the　sums　in　my　possession；　derived　from　the
investment　and　accumulation　of　the　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs；
entrusted　to　my　grandfather　by　M。　Marius　de　Rennepont。〃

〃Your　grandfather！〃　cried　Father　d'Aigrigny；　with　the　utmost　surprise；
〃it　is　then　your　family　that　has　always　had　the　management　of　this
property。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　and；　in　a　few　minutes；　my　wife　will　bring　hither　the　casket
which　contains　the　vouchers。〃

〃And　to　what　sum　does　this　property　amount？〃　asked　Rodin；　with　an　air　of
the　most　complete　indifference。

〃As　M。　Notary　may　convince　himself　by　this　statement；〃　replied　Samuel；
with　perfect　frankness；　and　as　if　he　were　only　talking　of　the　original
one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs；　〃I　have　in　my　possession　various
current　securities　to　the　amount　of　two　hundred　and　twelve　millions；　one
hundred　and　seventy〃

〃You　say；　sir'〃　cried　Father　d'Aigrigny；　without　giving　Samuel　time　to
finish；　for　the　odd　money　did　not　at　all　interest　his　reverence。

〃Yes；　the　sum！〃　added　Rodin；　in　an　agitated　voice；　and；　for　the　first
time；　perhaps；　in　his　life　losing　his　presence　of　mind；　〃the　sumthe
sumthe　sum！〃

〃I　say；　sir；〃　resumed　the　old　man；　〃that　I　hold　securities　for　two
hundred　and　twelve　millions；　one　hundred　and　seventy…five　thousand
francs；　payable　to　self　or　beareras　you　may　soon　convince　yourself；　M。
Notary；　for　here　is　my　wife　with　the　casket。〃

Indeed；　at　this　moment；　Bathsheba　entered；　holding　in　her　arms　the　cedar…
wood　chest；　which　contained　the　securities　in　question；　she　placed　it
upon　the　table；　and　withdrew；　after　exchanging　an　affectionate　glance
with　Samuel。　　When　the　latter　declared　the　enormous　amount　of　the　sum　in
hand；　his　words　were　received　with　silent　stupor。　　All　the　actors　in　this
scene；　except　himself；　believed　that　they　were　the　sport　of　some
delusion。　　Father　d'Aigrigny　and　Rodin　had　counted　upon　forty　millions。
This　sum；　in　itself　enormous；　was　more　than　quintupled。　　Gabriel；　when　he
heard　the　notary　read　those　passages　in　the　testament；　which　spoke　of　a
princely　fortune；　being　quite　ignorant　of　the　prodigious　effects　of
eligible　investments；　had　valued　the　property　at　some　three　or　four
millions。　　He　was；　therefore；　struck　dumb　with　amazement　at　the
exorbitant　amount　named。　　Notwithstanding　his　admirable　disinterestedness
and　scrupulous　honor；　he　felt　dazzled　and　giddy　at　the　thought；　that　all
these　immense　riches　might　have　belonged　to　himalone。　　The　notary；
almost　as　much　amazed　as　Gabriel；　examined　the　statement；　and　could
hardly　believe　his　eyes。　　The　Jew　also　remained　mute；　and　seemed
painfully　absorbed　in　thought；　that　no　other　heir　made　his　appearance。

In　the　depth　of　this　profound　silence；　the　clock　in　the　next　room　began
slowly　to　strike　twelve。　　Samuel　started；　and　heaved　a　deep　sigh。　　A　few
seconds　more；　and　the　fatal　term　would　be　at　an　end。　　Rodin；　Father
d'Aigrigny；　Gabriel；　and　the　notary；　were　all　under　the　influence　of　such
complete　surprise；　that　not　one　of　them　even　remarked　how　strange　it　was
to　hear　the　sound　of　this　clock。

〃Noon！〃　cried　Rodin；　as；　by　an　involuntary　movement；　he　hastily　placed
his　two　hands　upon　the　casket；　as　if　to　take　possession　of　it。

〃At　last！〃　cried　Father　d'Aigrigny；　with　an　expression　of　joy；　triumph
transport；　which　it　is　impossible　to　describe。　　Then　he　added；　as　he
threw　himself　into　Gabriel's　arms；　whom　he　embraced　warmly：　〃Oh；　my　dear
son！　how　the　poor　will　bless　you！　　You　will　be　a　second　Vincent　de　Paul。
You　will　be　canonized；　I　promise　you。〃

〃Let　us　first　thank　Providence；〃　said　Rodin；　in　a　grave　and　solemn　tone；
as　he　fell　upon　his　knees；　〃let　us　thank　Providence；　that　He　has
permitted　so　much　wealth　to　be　employed　for　His　glory！〃'

Father　d'Aigrigny；　having　again　embraced　Gabriel；　took　him　by　the　hand；
and　said：　〃Rodin　is　right。　　Let　us　kneel；　my　dear　son；　and　render　thanks
to　Providence！〃

So　saying；　Father　d'Aigrigny　knelt　down；　dragging　Gabriel　with　him；　and
the　latter；　confused　and　giddy　with　so　many　precipitate　events；　yielded
mechanically　to　the　impulse。　　It　was　the　last　stroke　of　twelve　when　they
all　rose　together。

Then　said　the　notary；　in　a　slightly　agitated　voice；　for　there　was
som