the wandering jew, volume 5-第21部分

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all　rose　together。

Then　said　the　notary；　in　a　slightly　agitated　voice；　for　there　was
something　extraordinary　and　solemn　in　this　scene

〃No　other　heir　of　M。　Marius　de　Rennepont　having　presented　himself；　before
noon　on　this　day；　I　execute　the　will　of　the　testator；　by　declaring；　in
the　name　of　law　and　justice；　that　M。　Francois　Marie　Gabriel　de　Rennepont；
here　present；　is　the　sole　heir　and　possessor　of　all　the　estate；　real　and
personal；　bequeathed　under　the　said　will；　all　which　estate　the　said
Gabriel　de　Rennepont；　priest；　has　freely　and　voluntarily　made　over　by
deed　of　gift　to　Frederic　Emanuel　de　Bordeville；　Marquis　d'Aigrigny；
priest；　who　has　accepted　the　same；　and　is；　therefore；　the　only　legal
holder　of　such　property；　in　the　room　of　the　said　Gabriel　de　Rennepont；　by
virtue　of　the　said　deed；　drawn　up　and　engrossed　by　me　this　morning；　and
signed　in　my　presence　by　the　said　Gabriel　de　Rennepont　and　Frederic
d'Aigrigny。〃

At　this　moment；　the　sound　of　loud　voices　was　heard　from　the　garden。
Bathsheba　entered　hastily；　and　said　to　her　husband　with　an　agitated　air：
〃Samuela　soldierwho　insists〃

She　had　not　time　to　finish。　　Dagobert　appeared　at　the　door　of　the　Red
Room。　　The　soldier　was　fearfully　pale。　　He　seemed　almost　fainting；　his
left　arm　was　in　a　sling；　and　he　leaned　upon　Agricola。　　At　sight　of
Dagobert；　the　pale　and　flabby　eyelids　of　Rodin　were　suddenly　distended；
as　if　all　the　blood　in　his　body　had　flowed　towards　the　head。　　Then　the
socius　threw　himself　upon　the　casket；　with　the　haste　of　ferocious　rage
and　avidity；　as　if　he　were　resolved　to　cover　it　with　his　body；　and　defend
it　at　the　peril　of　his　life。

＇20＇　This　term　is　sanctioned　by　legal　usage。





CHAPTER　XXV。

THE　DEED　OF　GIFT。

Father　d'Aigrigny　did　not　recognize　Dagobert；　and　had　never　seen
Agricola。　　He　could　not　therefore；　at　first　explain　the　kind　of　angry
alarm　exhibited　by　Rodin。　　But　the　reverend　father　understood　it　all；
when　he　heard　Gabriel　utter　a　cry　of　joy；　and　saw　him　rush　into　the　arms
of　the　smith；　exclaiming：　〃My　brother！　my　second　fatheroh！　it　is　heaven
that　sends　you　to　me。〃

Having　pressed　Gabriel's　hand；　Dagobert　advanced　towards　Father
d'Aigrigny；　with　a　rapid　but　unsteady　step。　　As　he　remarked　the　soldier's
threatening　countenance；　the　reverend　father；　strong　in　his　acquired
rights；　and　feeling　that；　since　noon；　he　was　at　home　here；　drew　back　a
little；　and　said　imperiously　to　the　veteran：　〃Who　are　you；　sir！What　do
you　want　here？〃

Instead　of　answering；　the　soldier　continued　to　advance；　then；　stopping
just　facing　Father　d'Aigrigny；　he　looked　at　him　for　a　second　with　such　an
astounding　mixture　of　curiosity；　disdain；　aversion；　and　audacity；　that
the　ex…colonel　of　hussars　quailed　before　the　pale　face　and　glowing　eye　of
the　veteran。　　The　notary　and　Samuel；　struck　with　surprise；　remained　mute
spectators　of　this　scene；　while　Agricola　and　Gabriel　followed　with
anxiety　Dagobert's　least　movements。　　As　for　Rodin；　he　pretended　to　be
leaning　on　the　casket；　in　order　still　to　cover　it　with　his　body。

Surmounting　at　length　the　embarrassment　caused　by　the　steadfast　look　of
the　soldier；　Father　d'Aigrigny　raised　his　head；　and　repeated。　　〃I　ask
you；　sir；　who　you　are；　and　what　you　want？〃

〃Do　you　not　recognize　me？〃　said　Dagobert；　hardly　able　to　restrain
himself。

〃No；　sir〃

〃In　truth；〃　returned　the　soldier；　with　profound　contempt；　〃You　cast　down
your　eyes　for　shame　when；　at　Leipsic；　you　fought　for　the　Russians　against
the　French；　and　when　General　Simon；　covered　with　wounds；　answered　you；
renegade　that　you　were；　when　you　asked　him　for　his　sword；　‘I　do　not
surrender　to　a　traitor！'and　dragged　himself　along　to　one　of　the　Russian
grenadiers；　to　whom　he　yielded　up　his　weapon。　　Well！　there　was　then　a
wounded　soldier　by　the　side　of　General　SimonI　am　he。〃

〃In　brief；　sir；　what　do　you　want？〃　said　Father　d'Aigrigny；　hardly；　able
to　control　himself。

〃I　have　come　to　unmask　youyou；　that　are　as　false　and　hateful　a　priest；
as　Gabriel　is　admirable　and　beloved　by　all。〃

〃Sir！〃　cried　the　marquis；　becoming　livid　with　rage　and　emotion。

〃I　tell　you；　that　you　are　infamous；〃　resumed　the　soldier；　with　still
greater　force。　　〃To　rob　Marshal　Simon's　daughters；　and　Gabriel；　and
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　of　their　inheritance；　you　have　had　recourse　to　the
most　shameful　means。〃

〃What　do　you　say？〃　cried　Gabriel。　　〃The　daughters　of　Marshal　Simon？〃

〃Are　your　relations；　my　dear　boy；　as　is　also　that　worthy　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville；　the　benefactress　of　Agricola。　　Now；　this　priest；〃　he　added；
pointing　to　Father　d'Aigrigny；　〃has　had　them　shut　upthe　one　as　mad；　in
a　lunatic　asylumthe　others　in　a　convent。　　As　for　you；　my　dear　boy；　I
did　not　hope　to　find　you　here；　believing　that　they　would　have　prevented
you；　like　the　others；　from　coming　hither　this　morning。　　But；　thank　God；
you　are　here；　and　I　arrive　in　time。　　I　should　have　been　sooner；　but　for
my　wound。　　I　have　lost　so　much　blood；　that　I　have　done　nothing　but　faint
all　the　morning。〃

〃Truly！〃　cried　Gabriel；　with　uneasiness。　　〃I　had　not　remarked　your　arm　in
a　sling。　　What　is　the　wound？〃

At　a　sign　from　Agricola；　Dagobert　answered：　〃Nothing；　the　consequence　of
a　fall。　　But　here　I　am；　to　unveil　many　infamies。〃

It　is　impossible　to　paint　the　curiosity；　anguish；　surprise；　or　fear；　of
the　different　actors　in　this　scene；　as　they　listened　to　Dagobert's
threatening　words。　　But　the　most　overcome　was　Gabriel。　　His　angelic
countenance　was　distorted；　his　knees　trembled　under　him。　　Struck　by　the
communication　of　Dagobert　which　revealed　the　existence　of　other　heirs；　he
was　unable　to　speak　for　some　time；　at　length；　he　cried　out；　in　a　tone　of
despair：　〃And　it　is　Ioh；　God！　　Iwho　am　the　cause　of　the　spoliation　of
this　family！〃

〃You；　brother？〃　exclaimed　Agricola。

〃Did　they　not　wish　to　rob　you　also？〃　added　Dagobert。

〃The　will；〃　cried　Gabriel；　with　increasing　agony；　〃gave　the　property　to
those　of　the　heirs　that　should　appear　before　noon。〃

〃Well？〃　said　Dagobert；　alarmed　at　the　emotion　of　the　young　priest。

〃Twelve　o'clock　has　struck；〃　resumed　the　latter。　　〃Of　all　the　family；　I
alone　was　present。　　Do　you　understand　it　now？　　The　term　is　expired。　　The
heirs　have　been　thrust　aside　by　me！〃

〃By　you！〃　said　Dagobert；　stammering　with　joy。　　〃By　you；　my　brave　boy！
then　all　is　well。〃

〃But〃

〃All　is　well；〃　resumed　Dagobert；　radiant　with　delight。　　〃You　will　share
with　the　othersI　know　you。〃

〃But　all　this　property　I　have　irrevocably；　made　over　to　another；〃　cried
Gabriel；　in　despair。

〃Made　over　the　property！〃　cried　Dagobert；　quite　petrified。　　〃To　whom；
then？to　whom？〃

〃To　this　gentleman；〃　said　Gabriel；　pointing　to　Father　d'Aigrigny。

〃To　him！〃　exclaimed　Dagobert；　overwhelmed　by　the　news；　〃to　himthe
renegadewho　has　always　been　the　evil　genius　of　this　family！〃

〃But；　brother；〃　cried　Agricola；　〃did　you　then　know　your　claim　to　this
inheritance？〃

〃No；〃　answered　the　young　priest；　with　deep　dejection；　〃noI　only　learned
it　this　morning；　from　Father　d'Aigrigny。　　He　told　me；　that　he　had　only
recently　been　informed　of　my　rights；　by　family　papers　long　ago　found　upon
me；　and　sent　by　our　mother　to　her　confessor。〃

A　sudden　light　seemed　to　dawn　upon　the　mind　of　the　smith；　as　he
exclaimed：　〃I　understand　it　all　now。　　They　discovered　in　these　papers；
that　you　would　one　day　have　a　chance　of　becoming　rich。　　Therefore；　they
interested　themselves　about　youtherefore；　they　took　you　into　their
college；　where　we　could　never　see　youtherefore；　they　deceived　you　in
your　vocation　by　shameful　falsehoods；　to　force　you　to　become　a　priest；
and　to　lead　you　to　make　this　deed　of　gift。　　Oh；　sir！〃　resumed　Agricola；
turning　towards　Father　d'Aigrigny；　with　indignation；　〃my　father　is　right…
…such　machinations　are　indeed　infamous！〃

During　this　scene；　the　reverend　father　and　his　socius；　at　first　alarmed
and　shaken　in　their　audacity；　had　by　degrees　recovered　all　their
coolness。　　Rodin；　still　leaning　upon　the　casket；　had　said　a　few　words　in
a　low　voice　to　Father　d'Aigrigny。　　So　that　when　Agricola；　carried　away　by
his　indignation；　reproached　the　latter　with　his　infamous　machinations；　he
bowed　his　head　humbly；　and　answered：　〃　We　are　bound　to　forgive　injuries；
and　offer　them　to　the　Lord　as　a　mark　of　our　humility。〃

Dagobert；　confounded　at　all　he　had　just　heard；　felt　his　reason　begin　to
wander。　　After　so　much　anxiety；　his　strength　failed　beneath　this　new　and
terrible　blow。　　Agricola's　just　and　sensible　words；　in　connection　with
certain　passages　of　the　testament；　at　once　enlightened　Gabriel　as　to　the
views　of　Father　d'Aigrigny；　in　taking　charge　of　his　education；　and
leading　him　to　join　the　Society　of　Jesus。　　For　the　first　time　in　his
life；　Gabriel　was　able　to　take　in　at　a　glance　all　the　secret　springs　of
the　dark　intrigue；　of　which　he　had　been　the　victim。　　Then；　indignation
and　despair　surmounting　his　natural　timidity；　the　missionary；　with
flashing　eye；　and　cheeks　inflamed　with　noble　wrath；　exclaimed；　as　he
addressed　Father　d'Aigrigny：　〃So；　father；　when　you　placed　me　in　one　of
your　colleges；　it　was　not　from　any　feeling　of　kindness　or　commiseration；
but　only　in　the　hope　of　bringing　me　one　day　to　renounce　in　favor　of　your
Order　my　share　in　this　inheritance；　and　it　did　not　even　suffice　you　to
sacrifice　me　to　your　cupidity；　but　I　must　also　be　rendered　the
involuntary　instrument　of　a　shameful　spoliation！　　If　only　I　were
concernedif　you　only　coveted　my　claim　to　all　this　wealth；　I　should　not
complain。　　I　am　the　minister　of　a　religion　which　honors　and　sanctifies
poverty；　I　have　consented　to　the　donation　in　your　favor；　and　I　have　not；
I　could　never　have　any　claim　upon　it。　　But　property　is　concerned　which
belong　to　poor　orphans；　brought　from　a　distant　exile　by　my　adopted
father；　and　I　will　not　see　them　wronged。　　But　the　benefactress　of　my
adopted　brother　is　concerned；　and　I　will　not　see　her　wronged。　　But　the
last　will　of　a　dying　man　is　concerned；　who；　in　his　ardent　love　of
humanity；　bequeathed　to　his　descendants　an　evangelic　missionan
admirable　mission　of　progress；　love；　union；　libertyand　I　will　not　see
this　mission　blighted　in　its　bud。　　No；　no；　I　tell　you；　that　this　his
mission　shall　be　accomplished；　though　I　have　to　cancel　the　donation　I
have　made。〃

On　these　wor