the wandering jew, volume 5-第22部分

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mission　shall　be　accomplished；　though　I　have　to　cancel　the　donation　I
have　made。〃

On　these　words；　Father　d'Aigrigny　and　Rodin　looked　at　each　other　with　a
slight　shrug　of　the　shoulders。　　At　a　sign　from　the　socius；　the　reverend
father　began　to　speak　with　immovable　calmness；　in　a　slow　and　sanctified
voice；　keeping　eyes　constantly　cast　down：　〃There　are　many　incidents
connected　with　this　inheritance　of　M。　de　Rennepont；　which　appear　very
complicatedmany　phantoms；　which　seem　un　usually　menacingand　yet；
nothing　could　be　really　more　simple　and　natural。　　Let　us　proceed　in
regular　order。　　Let　us　put　aside　all　these　calumnious　imputations；　we
will　return　to　them　afterwards。　　M。　Gabriel　de　Rennepontand　I
humbly　beg　him　to　contradict　me；　if　I　depart　in　the　least　instance　from
the　exact　truthM。　Gabriel　de　Rennepont；　in　acknowledgment　of　the　care
formerly　bestowed　on　him　by　the　society　to　which　I　have　the　honor　to
belong；　made　over　to　me；　as　its　representative；　freely　and　voluntarily；
all　the　property　that　might　come　to　him　one　day；　the　value　of　which　was
unknown　to　him；　as　well　as　to　myself。〃

Father　d'Aigrigny　here　looked　at　Gabriel；　as　if　appealing　to　him　for　the
truth　of　this　statement。

〃It　is　true；〃　said　the　young　priest：　〃I　made　this　donation　freely。〃

〃This　morning；　in　consequence　of　a　private　conversation；　which　I　will　not
repeatand　in　this；　I　am　certain　beforehand；　of　the　Abbe　Gabriel〃

〃True；〃　replied　Gabriel；　generously；　〃the　subject　of　this　conversation　is
of　little　importance。〃

〃It　was　then；　in　consequence　of　this　conversation　that　the　Abbe　Gabriel
manifested　the　desire　to　confirm　this　donationnot　in　my　favor；　for　I
have　little　to　do　with　earthly　wealthbut　in　favor　of　the　sacred　and
charitable　works　of　which　our　Company　is　the　trustee。　　I　appeal　to　the
honor　of　M。　Gabriel　to　declare　if　he　have　not　engaged　himself　towards　us；
not　only　by　a　solemn　oath；　but　by　a　perfectly　legal　act；　executed　in
presence　of　M。　Dumesnil；　here　present？〃

〃It　is　all　true；〃　answered　Gabriel。

〃The　deed　was　prepared　by　me；〃　added　the　notary。

〃But　Gabriel　could　only　give　you　what　belonged　to　him；〃　cried　Dagobert。
〃The　dear　boy　never　supposed　that　you　were　making　use　of　him　to　rob　other
people。〃

〃Do　me　the　favor；　sir；　to　allow　me　to　explain　myself；〃　replied　Father
d'Aigrigny；　courteously；　〃you　can　afterwards　make　answer。〃

Dagobert　repressed　with　difficulty　his　painful　impatience。　　The　reverend
father　continued：　〃The　Abbe　Gabriel　has　therefore；　by　the　double
engagement　of　an　oath　and　a　legal　act；　confirmed　his　donation。　　Much
more；〃　resumed　Father　d'Aigrigny：　〃when　to　his　great　astonishment　and　to
ours；　the　enormous　amount　of　the　inheritance　became　known；　the　Abbe
Gabriel；　faithful　to　his　own　admirable　generosity；　far　from　repenting　of
his　gifts；　consecrated　them　once　more　by　a　pious　movement　of　gratitude　to
Providencefor　M。　Notary　will　doubtless　remember；　that；　after　embracing
the　Abbe　Gabriel　with　transport；　and　telling　him　that　he　was　a　second
Vincent　de　Paul　in　charity；　I　took　him　by　the　hand；　and　we　both　knelt
down　together　to　thank　heaven　for　having　inspired　him　with　the　thought
too　offer　these　immense　riches　to　the　Greater　Glory　of　the　Lord。〃

〃That　is　true；　also；〃　said　Gabriel；　honestly；　〃so　long　as　myself　was
concerned；　though　I　might　be　astounded　for　a　moment　by　the　revelation　of
so　enormous　a　fortune；　I　did　not　think　for　an　instant　of　cancelling　the
donation　I　had　freely　made。〃

〃Under　these　circumstances；〃　resumed　Father　d'Aigrigny；　〃the　hour　fixed
for　the　settlement　of　the　inheritance　having　struck；　and　Abbe　Gabriel
being　the　only　heir　that　presented　himself；　he　became　necessarily　the
only　legitimate　possessor　of　this　immense　wealthenormous；　no　doubtand
charity　makes　me　rejoice　that　it　is　enormous；　for；　thanks　to　it；　many
miseries　will　be　relieved　and　many　tears　wiped　away。　　But；　all　on　a
sudden；　here　comes　this　gentleman；〃　said　Father　d'Aigrigny；　pointing　to
Dagobert；　〃and；　under　some　delusion；　which　I　forgive　from　the　bottom　of
my　soul；　and　which　I　am　sure　he　will　himself　regret；　accuses　me；　with
insults　and　threats；　with　having　carried　off　（I　know　not　where）　some
persons　（I　know　not　whom）；　in　order　to　prevent　their　being　here　at　the
proper　time〃

〃Yes；　I　accuse　you　of　this　infamy！〃　cried　the　soldier　exasperated　by　the
calmness　and　audacity　of　the　reverend　father：　〃yesand　I　will〃

〃Once　again；　sir；　I　conjure　you　to　be　so　good　as　to　let　me　finish；　you
can　reply　afterwards；〃　said　Father　d'Aigrigny；　humbly；　in　the　softest　and
most　honeyed　accents。

〃Yes；　I　will　reply；　and　confound　you！〃　cried　Dagobert。

〃Let　him　finish；　father。　　You　can　speak　presently；〃　said　Agricola。

The　soldier　was　silent　as　Father　d'Aigrigny　continued　with　new　assurance：
〃Doubtless；　if　there　should　really　be　any　other　heirs；　besides　the　Abbe
Gabriel；　it　is　unfortunate　for　them　that　they　have　not　appeared　in　proper
time。　　And　if；　instead　of　defending　the　cause　of　the　poor　and　needy；　I
had　only　to　look　to　my　own　interest；　I　should　be　far　from　availing　myself
of　this　advantage；　due　only　to　chance；　but；　as　a　trustee　for　the　great
family　of　the　poor；　I　am　obliged　to　maintain　my　absolute　right　to　this
inheritance；　and　I　do　not　doubt　that　M。　Notary　will　acknowledge　the
validity　of　my　claim；　and　deliver　to　me　these　securities；　which　are　now
my　legitimate　property。〃

〃My　only　mission；〃　replied　the　notary；　in　an　agitated　voice；　〃is
faithfully　to　execute　the　will　of　the　testator。　　The　Abbe　Gabriel　de
Rennepont　alone　presented　himself；　within　the　term　fixed　by　the
testament。　　The　deed　of　gift　is　in　due　form；　I　cannot　refuse；　therefore；
to　deliver　to　the　person　named　in　the　deed　the　amount　of　the　heritage〃

On　these　words　Samuel　hid　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　heaved　a　deep　sigh；
he　was　obliged　to　acknowledge　the　rigorous　justice　of　the　notary's
observations。

〃But；　sir；〃　cried　Dagobert；　addressing　the　man　of　law；　〃this　cannot　be。
You　will　not　allow　two　poor　orphans　to　be　despoiled。　　It　is　in　the　name
of　their　father　and　mother　that　I　speak　to　you。　　I　give　you　my　honorthe
honor　of　a　soldier！that　they　took　advantage　of　the　weakness　of　my　wife
to　carry　the　daughters　of　Marshal　Simon　to　a　convent；　and　thus　prevent　me
bringing　them　here　this　morning。　　It　is　so　true；　that　I　have　already　laid
my　charge　before　a　magistrate。〃

〃And　what　answer　did　you　receive？〃　said　the　notary。

〃That　my　deposition　was　not　sufficient　for　the　law　to　remove　these　young
girls　from　the　convent　in　which　they　were；　and　that　inquiries　would　be
made〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　added　Agricola；　〃and　it　was　the　same　with　regard　to　Mdlle。
de　Cardoville；　detained　as　mad　in　a　lunatic　asylum；　though　in　the　full
enjoyment　of　her　reason。　　Like　Marshal　Simon's　daughters；　she　too　has　a
claim　to　this　inheritance。　　I　took　the　same　steps　for　her；　as　my　father
took　for　Marshal　Simon's　daughters。〃

〃Well？〃　asked　the　notary。

〃Unfortunately；　sir；〃　answered　Agricola；　〃they　told　me；　as　they　did　my
father；　that　my　deposition　would　not　suffice；　and　that　they　must　make
inquiries。〃

At　this　moment；　Bathsheba；　having　heard　the　street…bell　ring；　left　the
Red　Room　at　a　sign　from　Samuel。　　The　notary　resumed；　addressing　Agricola
and　his　father：　〃Far　be　it　from　me；　gentlemen；　to　call　in　question　your
good　faith；　but　I　cannot；　to　my　great　regret；　attach　such　importance　to
your　accusations；　which　are　not　supported　by　proof；　as　to　suspend　the
regular　legal　course。　　According　to　your　own　confession；　gentlemen；　the
authorities；　to　whom　you　addressed　yourselves；　did　not　see　fit　to
interfere　on　your　depositions；　and　told　you　they　would　inquire　further。
Now；　really；　gentlemen；　I　appeal　to　you：　how　can　I；　in　so　serious　a
matter；　take　upon　myself　a　responsibility；　which　the　magistrates
themselves　have　refused　to　take？〃

〃Yes；　you　should　do　so；　in　the　name　of　justice　and　honor？〃　cried
Dagobert。

〃It　may　be　so；　sir；　in　your　opinion；　but　in　my　view　of　the　case；　I　remain
faithful　to　justice　and　honor；　by　executing　with　exactness　the　last　will
of　the　dead。　　For　the　rest　you　have　no　occasion　to　despair。　　If　the
persons；　whose　interests　you　represent；　consider　themselves　injured；　they
may　hereafter　have　recourse　to　an　action　at　law；　against　the　person
receiving　as　donee　of　the　Abbe　Gabrielbut　in　the　meanwhile；　it　is　my
duty　to　put　him　in　immediate　possession　of　the　securities。　　I　should　be
gravely　injured；　were　I　to　act　in　any；　other　manner。〃

The　notary's　observations　seemed　so　reasonable；　that　Samuel；　Dagobert　and
Agricola　were　quite　confounded。　　After　a　moment's　thought；　Gabriel
appeared　to　take　a　desperate　resolution；　and　said　to　the　notary；　in　a
firm　voice

〃Since；　under　these　circumstances；　the　law　is　powerless　to　obtain　the
right；　I　must　adopt；　sir；　an　extreme　course。　　Before　doing　so；　I　will　ask
M。　l'Abbe　d'Aigrigny；　for　the　last　time；　if　he　will　content　himself　with
that　portion　of　the　property　which　falls　justly　to　me；　on　condition　that
the　rest　shall　be　placed　in　safe　hands；　till　the　heirs；　whose　names　have
been　brought　forward；　shall　prove　their　claim。〃

〃To　this　proposition　I　must　answer　as　I　have　done　already；〃　replied
Father　d'Aigrigny；　〃it　is　not　I　who　am　concerned；　but　an　immense　work　of
charity。　　I　am；　therefore；　obliged　to　refuse　the　part…offer　of　the　Abbe
Gabriel；　and　to　remind　him　of　his　engagements　of　every　kind。〃

〃Then　you　refuse　this　arrangement？〃　asked　Gabriel；　in　an　agitated　voice。

〃Charity　commands　me　to　do　so。〃

〃You　refuse　itabsolutely？〃

〃I　think　of　all　the　good　and　pious　institutions　that　these　treasures　will
enable　us　to　establish　for　the　Greater　Glory　of　the　Lord；　and　I　have
neither　the　courage　nor　the　desire　to　make　the　least　concession。〃

〃Then；　sir；〃　resumed　the　good　priest；　in　a　still　more　agitated　manner；
〃since　you　force　me　to　do　it；　I　revoke　my　donation。　　I　only　intended　to
dispose　of　my　own　property；　and　not　of　that　which　did　not　belong　to　me。〃

〃Take　care　M。　l'Abbe；〃　said　rather　d'Aigrigny；　〃I　would　observe　that　I
hold　in　my　hand　a　written；　formal　promise。〃

〃I　know　it；　sir；；　you　have　a　written　paper；　in　which　I　take　an　oath　never
to　revoke　this　donation；　upon　any　pretext　whatever；　and　on　pain　of
incurring　the　aversion　and　contempt　of　all　honest　men。