the wandering jew, volume 5-第3部分

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of　burial；　dragged　upon　a　hurdle；　and　given　to　the　dogs。E。　S。




CHAPTER　XV。

THE　THUG。

After　a　moment's　silence；　Father　d'Aigrigny　resumed　〃Read　me　to…day's
report　on　the　situation　of　each　of　the　persons　designated。〃

〃Here　is　that　of　this　evening；　it　has　just　come。〃

〃Let　us　hear。〃

Rodin　read　as　follows：　〃Jacques　Rennepont；　alias　Sleepinbuff；　was　seen　in
the　interior　of　the　debtors'　prison　at　eight　o'clock　this　evening。〃

〃He　will　not　disturb　us　to…morrow。　　One；　go　on。〃

〃The　lady　superior　of　St。　Mary's　Convent；　warned　by　the　Princess　de
Saint…Dizier；　has　thought　fit　to　confine　still　more　strictly　the
Demoiselles　Rose　and　Blanche　Simon。　　This　evening；　at　nine　o'clock；　they
have　been　carefully　locked　in　their　cells；　and　armed　men　will　make　their
round　in　the　convent　garden　during　the　night。〃

〃Thanks　to　these　precautions；　there　is　nothing　to　fear　from　that　side；〃
said　Father　d'Aigrigny。　　〃Go　on。〃

〃Dr。　Baleinier；　also　warned　by　the　Princess　de　Saint…Dizier；　continues　to
have　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　very　closely　watched。　　At　a　quarter　to　nine　the
door　of　the　building　in　which　she　is　lodged　was　locked　and　bolted。〃

〃That　is　still　another　cause　the　less　for　uneasiness。〃

〃As　for　M。　Hardy；〃　resumed　Rodin　〃I　have　received　this　morning；　from
Toulouse；　a　letter　from　his　intimate　friend；　M。　de　Bressac；　who　has　been
of　such　service　to　us　in　keeping　the　manufacturer　away　for　some　days
longer。　　This　letter　contains　a　note；　addressed　by　M。　Hardy　to　a
confidential　person；　which　M。　de　Bressac　has　thought　fit　to　intercept；
and　send　to　us　as　another　proof　of　the　success　of　the　steps　he　has　taken；
and　for　which　he　hopes　we　shall　give　him　creditas　to　serve　us；　he　adds；
he　betrays　his　friend　in　the　most　shameful　manner；　and　acts　a　part　in　an
odious　comedy。　　M。　de　Bressac　trusts　that；　in　return　for　these　good
offices；　we　will　deliver　up　to　him　those　papers；　which　place　him　in　our
absolute　dependence；　as　they　might　ruin　for　ever　a　woman　he　loves　with　an
adulterous　passion。　　He　says　that　we　ought　to　have　pity　on　the　horrible
alternative　in　which　he　is　placedeither　to　dishonor　and　ruin　the　woman
he　adores；　or　infamously　to　betray　the　confidence　of　his　bosom　friend。〃

〃These　adulterous　lamentations　are　not　deserving　of　pity；〃　answered
Father　d'Aigrigny；　with　contempt。　　〃We　will　see　about　that；　M。　de　Bressac
may　still　be　useful　to　us。　　But　let　us　hear　this　letter　of　M。　Hardy；　that
impious　and　republican　manufacturer；　worthy　descendant　of　an　accursed
race；　whom　it　is　of　the　first　importance　to　keep　away。〃

〃Here　is　M。　Hardy's　letter；〃　resumed　Rodin。　　〃To…morrow；　we　will　send　it
to　the　person　to　whom　it　is　addressed。〃　　Rodin　read　as　follows：

〃TOULOUSE；　February　the　10th。

〃At　length　I　find　a　moment　to　write　to　you；　and　to　explain　the　cause　of
the　sudden　departure　which；　without　alarming；　must　at　least　have
astonished　you。　　I　write　also　to　ask　you　a　service；　the　facts　may　be
stated　in　a　few　words。　　I　have　often　spoken　to　you　of　Felix　de　Bressac；
one　of　my　boyhood　mates；　though　not　nearly　so　old　as　myself。　　We　have
always　loved　each　other　tenderly；　and　have　shown　too　many　proofs　of
mutual　affection　not　to　count　upon　one　another。　　He　is　a　brother　to　me。
You　know　all　I　mean　by　that　expression。　　Wella　few　days　ago；　he　wrote
to　me　from　Toulouse；　where　he　was　to　spend　some　time：　‘If　you　love　me；
come；　I　have　the　greatest　need　of　you。　　At　once！　　Your　consolations　may
perhaps　give　me　the　courage　to　live。　　If　you　arrive　too　latewhy；
forgive　meand　think　sometimes　of　him　who　will　be　yours　to　the　last。'
Judge　of　my　grief　and　fear　on　receipt　of　the　above。　　I　seat　instantly　for
post…horses。　　My　old　foreman；　whom　I　esteem　and　revere　（the　father　of
General　Simon）；　hearing　that　I　was　going　to　the　south；　begged　me　to　take
him　with　me；　and　to　leave　him　for　some　days　in　the　department　of　the
Creuse；　to　examine　some　ironworks　recently　founded　there。　　I　consented
willingly　to　this　proposition；　as　I　should　thus　at　least　have　some　one　to
whom　I　could　pour　out　the　grief　and　anxiety　which　had　been　caused　by　this
letter　from　Bressac。　　I　arrive　at　Toulouse；　they　tell　me　that　he　left　the
evening　before；　taking　arms　with　him；　a　prey　to　the　most　violent　despair。
It　was　impossible　at　first　to　tell　whither　he　had　gone；　after　two　days；
some　indications；　collected　with　great　trouble；　put　me　upon　his　track。
At　last；　after　a　thousand　adventures；　I　found　him　in　a　miserable　village。
Neverno；　never；　have　I　seen　despair　like　this。　　No　violence；　but　a
dreadful　dejection；　a　savage　silence。　　At　first；　he　almost　repulsed　me；
then；　this　horrible　agony　having　reached　its　height；　he　softened　by
degrees；　and；　in　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　threw　himself　into　my　arms；
bathed　in　tears。　　Beside　him　were　his　loaded　pistols：　one　day　later；　and
all　would　have　been　over。　　I　cannot　tell　you　the　reason　of　his　despair；　I
am　not　at　liberty　to　do　so；　but　it　did　not　greatly　astonish　me。　　Now
there　is　a　complete　cure　to　effect。　　We　must　calm；　and　soothe；　and　heal
this　poor　soul；　which　has　been　cruelly　wounded。　　The　hand　of　friendship
is　alone　equal　to　this　delicate　task；　and　I　have　good　hope　of　success。　　I
have　therefore　persuaded　him　to　travel　for　some　time；　movement　and　change
of　scene　will　be　favorable　to　him。　　I　shall　take　him　first　to　Nice；　we
set　out　tomorrow。　　If　he　wishes　to　prolong　this　excursion。　　I　shall　do　so
too；　for　my　affairs　do　not　imperiously　demand　my　presence　in　Paris　before
the　end　of　March。　　As　for　the　service　I　have　to　ask　of　you；　it　is
conditional。　　These　are　the　facts。　　According　to　some　family　papers　that
belonged　to　my　mother；　it　seems　I　have　a　certain　interest　to　present
myself　at　No。　3；　Rue　Saint…Francois；　in　Paris；　on　the　13th　of　February。
I　had　inquired　about　it；　and　could　learn　nothing；　except　that　this　house
of　very　antique　appearance；　has　been　shut　up　for　the　last　hundred　and
fifty　years；　through　a　whim　of　one　of　my　maternal　ancestors；　and　that　it
is　to　be　opened　on　the　13th　of　this　month；　in　presence　of　the　co…heirs
who；　if　I　have　any；　are　quite　unknown　to　me。　　Not　being　able　to　attend
myself；　I　have　written　to　my　foreman；　the　father　of　General　Simon；　in
whom　I　have　the　greatest　confidence；　and　whom　I　had　left　behind　in　the
department　of　the　Creuse；　to　set　out　for　Paris；　and　to　be　present　at　the
opening　of　this　house；　not　as　an　agent　（which　would　be　useless）；　but　as　a
spectator；　and　inform　me　at　Nice　what　has　been　the　result　of　this
romantic　notion　of　my　ancestor's。　　As　it　is　possible　that　my　foreman　may
arrive　too　late　to　accomplish　this　mission；　I　should　be　much　obliged　if
you　would　inquire　at　my　house　at　Plessy；　if　he　has　yet　come；　and；　in　case
of　his　still　being　absent；　if　you　would　take　his　place　at　the　opening　of
the　house　in　the　Rue　Saint…Francois。　　I　believe　that　I　have　made　a　very
small　sacrifice　for　my　friend　Bressac；　in　not　being　in　Paris　on　that　day。
But　had　the　sacrifice　been　immense；　I　should　have　made　it　with　pleasure；
for　my　care　and　friendship　are　at　present　most　necessary　to　the　man　whom
I　look　upon　as　a　brother。　　I　count　upon　your　compliance　with　my　request；
and；　begging　you　to　be　kind　enough　to　write　me；　‘to　be　called　for；'　at
Nice；　the　result　of　your　visit　of　inquiry；　I　remain；　etc。；　etc。

〃FRANCIS　HARDY。〃


〃Though　his　presence　cannot　be　of　any　great　importance；　it　would　be
preferable　that　Marshal　Simon's　father　should　not　attend　at　the　opening
of　this　house　to…morrow；〃　said　Father　d'Aigrigny。　　〃But　no　matter。　　M。
Hardy　himself　is　out　of　the　way。　　There　only　remains　the　young　Indian。〃

〃As　for　him；〃　continued　the　abbe；　with　a　thoughtful　air；　〃we　acted　wisely
in　letting　M。　Norval　set　out　with　the　presents　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville。
The　doctor　who　accompanies　M。　Norval；　and　who　was　chosen　by　M。　Baleinier；
will　inspire　no　suspicion？〃

〃None；〃　answered　Rod　in。　　〃His　letter　of　yesterday　is　completely
satisfactory。〃

〃There　is　nothing；　then；　to　fear　from　the　Indian　prince；〃　said
D'Aigrigny。　　〃All　goes　well。〃

〃As　for　Gabriel；〃　resumed　Rodin；　〃he　has　again　written　this　morning；　to
obtain　from　your　reverence　the　interview　that　he　has　vainly　solicited　for
the　last　three　days。　　He　is　affected　by　the　rigor　exercised　towards　him；
in　forbidding　him　to　leave　the　house　for　these　five　days　past。〃

〃To…morrow；　when　we　take　him　to　the　Rue　Saint…Francois；　I　will　hear　what
he　has　to　say。　　It　will　be　time　enough。　　Thus；　at　this　hour；〃　said　Father
d'Aigrigny；　with　an　air　of　triumphant　satisfaction；　〃all　the　descendants
of　this　family；　whose　presence　might　ruin　our　projects；　are　so　placed
that　it　is　absolutely　impossible　for　them　to　be　at　the　Rue　Saint…Francois
to…morrow　before　noon；　while　Gabriel　will　he　sure　to　be　there。　　At　last
our　end　is　gained。〃

Two　cautious　knocks　at　the　door　interrupted　Father　d'Aigrigny。　　〃Come
in；〃　said　he。

An　old　servant　in　black　presented　himself；　and　said：　　〃There　is　a　man
downstairs　who　wishes　to　speak　instantly　to　M。　Rodin　on　very　urgent
business。〃

〃His　name？〃　asked　Father　d'Aigrigny。

〃He　would　not　tell　his　name；　but　he　says　that　he　comes　from　M。　Van　Dael；
a　merchant　in　Java。〃

Father　d'Aigrigny　and　Rodin　exchanged　a　glance　of　surprise；　almost　of
alarm。

〃See　what　this　man　is；〃　said　D'Aigrigny　to　Rodin；　unable　to　conceal　his
uneasiness；　〃and　then　come　and　give　me　an　account　of　it。〃　　Then；
addressing　the　servant；　he　added：　　〃Show　him　in〃and　exchanging　another
expressive　sign　with　Rodin；　Father　d'Aigrigny　disappeared　by　a　side…door。

A　minute　after；　Faringhea；　the　ex…chief　of　the　Stranglers；　appeared
before　Rodin；　who　instantly　remembered　having　seen　him　at　Cardoville
Castle。

The　socius　started；　but　he　did　not　wish　to　appear　to　recollect　his
visitor。　　Still　bending　over　his　desk；　he　seemed　not　to　seen　Faringhea；
but　wrote　hastily　some　words　on　a　sheet　of　paper　that　lay　before　him。

〃Sir；〃　said　the　servant；　astonished　at　the　silence　of　Rodin；　〃here　is　the
person。〃

Rodin　folded　the　note　that　he　had　so　precipitately　written；　and　said　to
the　servant：　〃Let　this　be　taken　to　its　address。　　Wait　for　an　answer。〃

The　servant　bowed；　and　went　out。　　Then　Rodin；　without　rising；　fixed　his
little　reptile…eyes　on　Faringhea；　and　said　to　him　courteously：　〃To　whom；
sir；　have　I　the　honor　of　spe