the wandering jew, volume 5-第4部分

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little　reptile…eyes　on　Faringhea；　and　said　to　him　courteously：　〃To　whom；
sir；　have　I　the　honor　of　speaking？〃




CHAPTER　XVI。

THE　TWO　BROTHERS　OF　THE　GOOD　WORK。

Faringhea；　as　we　have　before　stated；　though　born　in　India；　had　travelled
a　good　deal；　and　frequented　the　European　factories　in　different　parts　of
Asia。　　Speaking　well　both　English　and　French；　and　full　of　intelligence
and　sagacity；　he　was　perfectly　civilized。

Instead　of　answering　Rodin's　question；　he　turned　upon　him　a　fixed　and
searching　look。　　The　socius；　provoked　by　this　silence；　and　forseeing
vaguely　that　Faringhea's　arrival　had　some　connectiondirect　or　indirect…
…with　Djalma；　repeated；　though　still　with　the　greatest　coolness：　〃To
whom；　sir；　have　I　the　honor　of　speaking？〃

〃Do　you　not　recognize　me；〃　said　Faringhea；　advancing　two　steps　nearer　to
Rodin's　chair。

〃I　do　not　think　I　have　ever　had　the　honor　of　seeing　you；〃　answered　the
other；　coldly。

〃But　I　recognize　you；〃　said　Faringhea；　〃I　saw　you　at　Cardoville　Castle
the　day　that　a　ship　and　a　steamer　were　wrecked　together。〃

〃At　Cardoville　Castle？　　It　is　very　possible；　sir。　　I　was　there　when　a
shipwreck　took　place。〃

〃And　that　day　I　called　you　by　your　name；　and　you　asked　me　what　I　wanted。
I　replied：　‘Nothing　now；　brotherhereafter；　much。'　　The　time　has
arrived。　　I　have　come　to　ask　for　much。〃

〃My　dear　sir；〃　said　Rodin；　still　impassible；　〃before　we　continue　this
conversation；　which　appears　hitherto　tolerably　obscure；　I　must　repeat　my
wish　to　be　informed　to　whom　I　have　the　advantage　of　speaking。　　You　have
introduced　yourself　here　under　pretext　of　a　commission　from　Mynheer
Joshua　Van　Dael；　a　respectable　merchant　of　Batavia；　and〃

〃You　know　the　writing　of　M。　Van　Dael？〃　said　Faringhea；　interrupting
Rodin。

〃I　know　it　perfectly。〃

〃Look！〃　　The　half…caste　drew　from　his　pocket　（he　was　shabbily　dressed　in
European　clothes）　a　long　dispatch；　which　he　had　taken　from　one　Mahal　the
Smuggler；　after　strangling　him　on　the　beach　near　Batavia。　　These　papers
he　placed　before　Rodin's　eyes；　but　without　quitting　his　hold　of　them。

〃It　is；　indeed；　M。　Van　Dael's　writing；〃　said　Rodin；　and　he　stretched　out
his　hard　towards　the　letter；　which　Faringhea　quickly　and　prudently
returned　to　his　pocket。

〃Allow　me　to　observe；　my　dear　sir；　that　you　have　a　singular　manner　of
executing　a　commission；〃　said　Rodin。　　〃This　letter；　being　to　my　address；
and　having　been　entrusted　to　you　by　M。　Van　Dael；　you　ought〃

〃This　letter　was　not　entrusted　to　me　by　M。　Van　Dael；〃　said　Faringhea；
interrupting　Rodin。

〃How；　then；　is　it　in　your　possession？〃

〃A　Javanese　smuggler　betrayed　me。　　Van　Dael　had　secured　a　passage　to
Alexandria　for　this　man；　and　had　given　him　this　letter　to　carry　with　him
for　the　European　mail。　　I　strangled　the　smuggler；　took　the　letter；　made
the　passageand　here　I　am。〃

The　Thug　had　pronounced　these　words　with　an　air　of　savage　boasting；　his
wild；　intrepid　glance　did　not　quail　before　the　piercing　look　of　Rodin；
who；　at　this　strange　confession；　had　hastily　raised　his　head　to　observe
the　speaker。

Faringhea　thought　to　astonish　or　intimidate　Rodin　by　these　ferocious
words；　but；　to　his　great　surprise；　the　socius；　impassible　as　a　corpse；
said　to　him；　quite　simply：　〃Oh！　they　strangle　people　in　Java？〃

〃Yes；　there　and　elsewhere；〃　answered　Faringhea；　with　a　bitter　smile。

〃I　would　prefer　to　disbelieve　you；　but　I　am　surprised　at　your　sincerity
M。；　what　is　your　name？〃

〃Faringhea。〃

〃Well；　then；　M。　Faringhea；　what　do　you　wish　to　come　to？　　You　have
obtained　by　an　abominable　crime；　a　letter　addressed　to　me；　and　now　you
hesitate　to　deliver　it　〃

〃Because　I　have　read　it；　and　it　may　be　useful　to　me。〃

〃Oh！　you　have　read　it？〃　said　Rodin；　disconcerted　for　a　moment。　　Then　he
resumed：　〃It　is　true；　that　judging　by　your　mode　of　possessing　yourself　of
other　people's　correspondence；　we　cannot　expect　any　great　amount　of
honesty　on　your　part。　　And　pray　what　have　you　found　so　useful　to　you　in
this　letter？〃

〃I　have　found；　brother；　that　you　are；　like　myself；　a　son　of　the　Good
Work。〃

〃Of　what　good　work　do　you　speak〃　asked　Rodin　not　a　little　surprised。

Faringhea　replied　with　an　expression　of　bitter　irony。　　〃Joshua　says　to
you　in　his　letter‘Obedience　and　courage；　secrecy　and　patience；　craft
and　audacity；　union　between　us；　who　have　the　world　for　our　country；　the
brethren　for　our　family；　Rome　for　our　queen。'〃

〃It　is　possible　that　M。　Van　Dael　has　written　thus　to　me　Pray；　sir；　what
do　you　conclude　from　it？〃

〃We；　too；　have　the　world　for　our　country；　brother；　our　accomplices　for
our　family；　and　for　our　queen　Bowanee。〃

〃I　do　not　know　that　saint；〃　said　Rodin；　humbly。

〃It　is　our　Rome；〃　answered　the　Strangler。　　〃Van　Dael　speaks　to　you　of
those　of　your　Order；　who；　scattered　over　all　the　earth；　labor　for　the
glory　of　Rome；　your　queen。　　Those　of　our　band　labor　also　in　divers
countries；　for　the　glory　of　Bowanee。〃

〃And　who　are　these　sons　of　Bowanee；　M。　Faringhea？〃

〃Men　of　resolution；　audacious；　patient；　crafty；　obstinate；　who；　to　make
the　Good　Work　succeed；　would　sacrifice　country　and　parents；　and　sister
and　brother；　and　who　regard　as　enemies　all　not　of　their　band！〃

〃There　seems　to　be　much　that　is　good　in　the　persevering　and　exclusively
religious　spirit　of　such　an　order；〃　said　Rodin；　with　a　modest　and
sanctified　air；　〃only；　one　must　know　your　ends　and　objects。〃

〃The　same　as　your　own；　brotherwe　make　corpses。〃＇13＇

〃Corpses！〃　cried　Rodin。

〃In　this　letter；〃　resumed　Faringhea；　〃Van　Dael　tells　you　that　the
greatest　glory　of　your　Order　is　to　make　‘a　corpse　of　man。'　Our　work　also
is　to　make　corpses　of　men。　　Man's　death　is　sweet　to　Bowanee。〃

〃But　sir；〃　cried　Rodin；　〃M。　Van　Dael　speaks　of　the　soul；　of　the　will；　of
the　mind；　which　are　to　be　brought　down　by　discipline。〃

〃It　is　trueyou　kill　the　soul；　and　we　the　body。　　Give　me　your　hand；
brother；　for　you　also　are　hunters　of　men。〃

〃But　once　more；　sir；understand；　that　we　only　meddle　with　the　will；　the
mind；〃　said　Rodin。

〃And　what　are　bodies　deprived　of　soul；　will；　thought；　but　mere　corpses？
Comecome；　brother；　the　dead　we　make　by　the　cord　are　not　more　icy　and
inanimate　than　those　you　make　by　your　discipline。　　Take　my　hand；　brother；
Rome　and　Bowanee　are　sisters。〃

Notwithstanding　his　apparent　calmness；　Rodin　could　not　behold；　without
some　secret　alarm；　a　wretch　like　Faringhea　in　possession　of　a　long　letter
from　Van　Dael；　wherein　mention　must　necessarily　have　been　made　of　Djalma。
Rodin　believed；　indeed；　that　he　had　rendered　it　impossible　for　the　young
Indian　to　be　at　Paris　on　the　morrow；　but　not　knowing　what　connection
might　have　been　formed；　since　the　shipwreck；　between　the　prince　and　the
half…caste；　he　looked　upon　Faringhea　as　a　man　who　might　probably　be　very
dangerous。　　But　the　more　uneasy　the　socius　felt　in　himself；　the　more　he
affected　to　appear　calm　and　disdainful。　　He　replied；　therefore：　〃　This
comparison　between　Rome　and　Bowanee　is　no　doubt　very　amusing；　but　what；
sir；　do　you　deduce　from　it？〃

〃I　wish　to　show　you；　brother；　what　I　am；　and　of　what　I　am　capable；　to
convince　you　that　it　is　better　to　have　me　for　a　friend　than　an　enemy。〃

〃In　other　terms；　sir；〃　said　Rodin；　with　contemptuous　irony；　〃you　belong
to　a　murderous　sect　in　India；　and；　you　wish；　by　a　transparent　allegory；
to　lead　me　to　reflect　on　the　fate　of　the　man　from　whom　you　have　stolen
the　letter　addressed　to　me。　　In　my　turn；　I　will　take　the　freedom　just　to
observe　to　you；　in　all　humility；　M。　Faringhea；　that　here　it　is　not
permitted　to　strangle　anybody；　and　that　if　you　were　to　think　fit　to　make
any　corpses　for　the　love　of　Bowanee；　your　goddess；　we　should　make　you　a
head　shorter；　for　the　love　of　another　divinity　commonly　called　justice。〃

〃And　what　would　they　do　to　me；　if　I　tried　to　poison　any　one？〃

〃I　will　again　humbly　observe　to　you；　M。　Faringhea；　that　I　have　no　time　to
give　you　a　course　of　criminal　jurisprudence；　but；　believe　me；　you　had
better　resist　the　temptation　to　strangle　or　poison　any　one。　　One　word
more：　will　you　deliver　up　to　me　the　letters　of　M。　Van　Dael；　or　not？〃

〃The　letters　relative　to　Prince　Djalma？〃　said　the　half…caste；　looking
fixedly　at　Rodin；　who；　notwithstanding　a　sharp　and　sudden　twinge；
remained　impenetrable；　and　answered　with　the　utmost　simplicity：　〃Not
knowing　what　the　letters　which　you；　sir；　are　pleased　to　keep　from　me；　may
contain；　it　is　impossible　for　me　to　answer　your　question。　　I　beg；　and　if
necessary；　I　demand；　that　you　will　hand　me　those　lettersor　that　you
will　retire。〃

〃In　a　few　minutes；　brother；　you　will　entreat　me　to　remain。〃

〃I　doubt　it。〃

〃A　few　words　will　operatethis　miracle。　　If　just　now　I　spoke　to　you
about　poisoning；　brother；　it　was　because　you　sent　a　doctor　to　Cardoville
Castle；　to　poison　（at　least　for　a　time）　Prince　Djalma。〃

In　spite　of　himself；　Rodin　started　almost　imperceptibly；　as　he　replied：
〃I　do　not　understand　you。〃

〃It　is　true；　that　I　am　a　poor　foreigner；　and　doubtless　speak　with　an
accent；　I　will　try　and　explain　myself　better。　　I　know；　by　Van　Dael's
letters；　the　interest　you　have　that　Prince　Djalma　should　not　be　here　to…
morrow；　and　all　that　you　have　done　with　this　view。　　Do　you　understand　me
now？〃

〃I　have　no　answer　for　you。〃

Two　cautious　taps　at　the　door　here　interrupted　the　conversation。　　〃Come
in；〃　said　Rodin。

〃The　letter　has　been　taken　to　its　address；　sir；〃　said　the　old　servant；
bowing；　〃and　here　is　the　answer。〃

Rodin　took　the　paper；　and；　before　he　opened　it；　said　courteously　to
Faringhea：　〃With　your　permission；　sir？〃

〃Make　no　ceremonies；〃　said　the　half…caste。

〃You　are　very　kind；〃　replied　Rodin；　as；　having　read　the　letter　he
received；　he　wrote　hastily　some　words　at　the　bottom；　saying：　〃Send　this
back　to　the　same　address。〃

The　servant　bowed　respectfully；　and　withdrew。

〃Now　can　I　continue〃'　asked　the　half…caste；　of　Rodin。

〃Certainly。〃

〃I　will　continue；　then；〃　resumed　Faringhea：

〃The　day　before　yesterday；　just　as　the　prince；　all　wounded　as　he　was；　was
about；　by　my　advice；　to　take　his　departure　for　Paris；　a　fine　carriage
arrived；　with　superb　presents　for　Djalma；　from　an　unknown　friend。　　In
this　carriage　were　two　menone　sent　by　the　unknown　friendthe　other　a
doctor；　sent　by　you　to　attend　upon　Djalma；