the wandering jew, volume 5-第8部分

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second　time　in　thirty　years。〃

〃No　matter　for　that；　Samuel；　it　does　strike　one　as　if　it　was　something
supernatural。〃

〃The　days　of　miracles　are　over。〃　said　the　Jew；　shaking　his　head
sorrowfully：　〃many　of　the　old　houses　in　this　quarter　have　subterraneous
communications　with　distant　placessome　extending　even　to　the　Seine　and
the　Catacombs。　　Doubtless；　this　house　is　so　situated；　and　the　persons　who
make　these　rare　visits　enter　by　some　such　means。〃

〃But　that　the　belvedere　should　be　thus　lighted　up？〃

〃According　to　the　plan　of　the　building；　you　know　that　the　belvedere　forms
a　kind　of　skylight　to　the　apartment　called　the　Great　Hall　of　Mourning；
situated　on　the　upper　story。　　As　it　is　completely　dark；　in　consequence　of
the　closing　of　all　the　windows；　they　must　use　a　light　to　visit　this　Hall
of　Mourninga　room　which　is　said　to　contain　some　very　strange　and　gloomy
things；〃　added　the　Jew；　with　a　shudder。

Bathsheba；　as　well　as　her　husband；　gazed　attentively　on　the　seven
luminous　points；　which　diminished　in　brightness　as　the　daylight　gradually
increased。

〃As　you　say；　Samuel；　the　mystery　may　be　thus　explained；〃　resumed　the
Hebrew's　wife。　　〃Besides；　the　day　is　so　important　a　one　for　the　family　of
Rennepont；　that　this　apparition：　ought　not　to　astonish　us　under　the
circumstances。〃

〃Only　to　think；〃　remarked　Samuel；　〃that　these　lights　have　appeared　at
several　different　times　throughout　a　century　and　a　half！　　There　must；
therefore；　be　another　family　that；　like　ours；　has　devoted　itself；　from
generation　to　generation；　to　accomplish　a　pious　duty。〃

〃But　what　is　this　duty？　　It　will　perhaps　be　explained　today。〃

〃Come；　come；　Bathsheba；〃　suddenly　exclaimed　Samuel；　as　if　roused　from　his
reverie；　and　reproaching　himself　with　idleness；　this　is　the　day；　and；
before　eight　o'clock；　our　cash　account　must　be　in　order；　and　these　titles
to　immense　property　arranged；　so　that　they　may　be　delivered　to　the
rightful　owners〃and　he　pointed　to　the　cedar…wood　box。

〃You　are　right；　Samuel；　this　day　does　not　belong　to　us。　　It　is　a　solemn
dayone　that　would　have　been　sweet；　oh！　very　sweet　to　you　and　meif　now
any　days　could　be　sweet　to　us；〃　said　Bathsheba　bitterly；　for　she　was
thinking　of　her　son。

〃Bathsheba；〃　said　Samuel；　mournfully；　as　he　laid　his　hand　on　his　wife's；
〃we　shall　at　least　have　the　stern　satisfaction　of　having　done　our　duty。
And　has　not　the　Lord　been　very　favorable　to　us；　though　He　has　thus
severely　tried　us　by　the　death　of　our　son？　　Is　it　not　thanks　to　His
providence　that　three　generations　of　my　family　have　been　able　to
commence；　continue；　and　finish　this　great　work？〃

〃Yes；　Samuel；〃　said　the　Jewess；　affectionately；　〃and　for　you　at　least
this　satisfaction　will　be　combined　with　calm　and　quietness；　for　on　the
stroke　of　noon　you　will　be　delivered　from　a　very　terrible
responsibility。〃

So　saying；　Bathsheba　pointed　to　the　box。

〃It　is　true；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃I　had　rather　these　immense　riches
were　in　the　hands　of　those　to　whom　they　belong；　than　in　mine；　but；　to…
day；　I　shall　cease　to　be　their　trustee。　　Once　more　then；　I　will　check　the
account　for　the　last　time；　and　compare　the　register　with　the　cash…book
that　you　hold　in　your　hand。〃

Bathsheba　bowed　her　head　affirmatively；　and　Samuel；　taking　up　his　pen；
occupied　himself　once　more　with　his　calculations。　　His　wife；　in　spite　of
herself；　again　yielded　to　the　sad　thoughts　which　that　fatal　date　had
awakened；　by　reminding　her　of　the　death　of　her　son。

Let　us　now　trace　rapidly　the　history；　in　appearance　so　romantic　and
marvellous；　in　reality　so　simple；　of　the　fifty　thousand　crowns；　which；
thanks　to　the　law　of　accumulation；　and　to　a　prudent；　intelligent　and
faithful　investment；　had　naturally；　and　necessarily；　been　transformed；　in
the　space　of　a　century　and　a　half；　into　a　sum　far　more　important　than　the
forty　millions　estimated　by　Father　d'Aigrignywho；　partially　informed　on
this　subject；　and　reckoning　the　disastrous　accidents；　losses；　and
bankruptcies　which　might　have　occurred　during　so　long　a　period；　believed
that　forty　millions　might　well　b　e　considered　enormous。

The　history　of　this　fortune　being　closely　connected　with　that　of　the
Samuel　family；　by　whom　it　had　been　managed　for　three　generations；　we
shall　give　it　again　in　a　few　words。

About　the　period　1670；　some　years　before　his　death；　Marius　de　Rennepont；
then　travelling　in　Portugal；　had　been　enabled；　by　means　of　powerful
interest；　to　save　the　life　of　an　unfortunate　Jew；　condemned　to　be　burnt
alive　by　the　Inquisition；　because　of　his　religion。　　This　Jew　was　Isaac
Samuel；　grandfather　of　the　present　guardian　of　the　house　in　the　Rue
Saint…Francois。

Generous　men　often　attach　themselves　to　those　they　have　served；　as　much；
at　least；　as　the　obliged　parties　are　attached　to　their　benefactors。
Having　ascertained　that　Isaac；　who　at　that　time　carried　on　a　petty
broker's　business　at　Lisbon；　was　industrious；　honest；　active；　laborious；
and　intelligent；　M。　de　Rennepont；　who　then　possessed　large　property　in
France；　proposed　to　the　Jew　to　accompany　him；　and　undertake　the
management　of　his　affairs。　　The　same　hatred　and　suspicion　with　which　the
Israelites　have　always　been　followed；　was　then　at　its　height。　　Isaac　was
therefore　doubly　grateful　for　this　mark　of　confidence　on　the　part　of　M。
de　Rennepont。　　He　accepted　the　offer；　and　promised　from　that　day　to
devote　his　existence　to　the　service　of　him　who　had　first　saved　his　life；
and　then　trusted　implicitly　to　his　good　faith　and　uprightness；　although
he　was　a　Jew；　and　belonged　to　a　race　generally　suspected　and　despised。
M。　de　Rennepont；　a　man　of　great　soul；　endowed　with　a　good　spirit；　was　not
deceived　in　his　choice。　　Until　he　was　deprived　of　his　fortune；　it
prospered　wonderfully　in　the　hands　of　Isaac　Samuel；　who；　gifted　with　an
admirable　aptitude　for　business；　applied　himself　exclusively　to　advance
the　interests　of　his　benefactor。

Then　came　the　persecution　and　ruin　of　M。　de　Rennepont；　whose　property　was
confiscated　and　given　up　to　the　reverend　fathers　of　the　Company　of　Jesus
only　a　few　days　before　his　death。　　Concealed　in　the　retreat　he　had
chosen；　therein　to　put　a　violent　end　to　his　life；　he　sent　secretly　for
Isaac　Samuel；　and　delivered　to　him　fifty　thousand　crowns　in　gold；　the
last　remains　of　his　fortune。　　This　faithful　servant　was　to　invest　the
money　to　the　best　advantage；　and；　if　he　should　have　a　son；　transmit　to
him　the　same　obligation；　or；　should　he　have　no　child；　he　was　to　seek　out
some　relation　worthy　of　continuing　this　trust；　to　which　would　moreover　be
annexed　a　fair　reward。　　It　was　thus　to　be　transmitted　and　perpetuated
from　relative　to　relative；　until　the　expiration　of　a　century　and　a　half。
M。　de　Rennepont　also　begged　Isaac　to　take　charge；　during　his　life；　of　the
house　in　the　Rue　Saint…Francois；　where　he　would　be　lodged　gratis；　and　to
leave　this　function　likewise　to　his　descendants；　if　it　were　possible。

If　even　Isaac　Samuel　had　not　had　children；　the　powerful　bond　of　union
which　exists　between　certain　Jewish　families；　would　have　rendered
practicable　the　last　will　of　De　Rennepont。　　The　relations　of　Isaac　would
have　become　partner；　in　his　gratitude　to　his　benefactor；　and　they；　and
their　succeeding　generations；　would　have　religiously　accomplished　the
task　imposed　upon　one　of　their　race。　　But；　several　years　after　the　death
of　De　Rennepont；　Isaac　had　a　son。

This　son；　Levy　Samuel；　born　in　1689；　not　having　had　any　children　by　his
first　wife；　married　again　at　nearly　sixty　years　of　age；　and；　in　1750；　he
also　had　a　sonDavid　Samuel；　the　guardian　of　the　house　in　the　Rue　Saint…
Francois；　who；　in　1832　（the　date　of　this　narrative）；　was　eighty…two　years
old；　and　seemed　likely　to　live　as　long　as　his　father；　who　had　died　at　the
age　of　ninety…three。　　Finally；　Abel　Samuel；　the　son　whom　Bathsheba　so
bitterly　regretted；　born　in　1790；　had　perished　under　the　Russian　knout；
at　the　age　of　thirty…six。

Having　established　this　humble　genealogy；　we　easily　understand　how　this
successive　longevity　of　three　members　of　the　Samuel　family；　all　of　whom
had　been　guardians　of　the　walled　house；　by　uniting；　as　it　were；　the
nineteenth　with　the　seventeenth　century；　simplified　and　facilitated　the
execution　of　M。　de　Rennepont's　will；　the　latter　having　declared　his
desire　to　the　grandfather　of　the　Samuels；　that　the　capital　should　only　be
augmented　by　interest　at　five　per　cent。so　that　the　fortune　might　come
to　his　descendants　free　from　all　taint　of　usurious　speculation。

The　fellow　men　of　the　Samuel　family；　the　first　inventors　of　the　bill　of
exchange；　which　served　them　in　the　Middle　Ages　to　transport　mysteriously
considerable　amounts　from　one　end　of　the　world　to　the　other；　to　conceal
their　fortune；　and　to　shield　it　from　the　rapacity　of　their　enemiesthe
Jews；　we　say；　having　almost　the　monopoly　of　the　trade　in　money　and
exchanges；　until　the　end　of　the　eighteenth　century；　aided　the　secret
transactions　and　financial　operations　of　this　family；　which；　up　to　about
1820；　placed　their　different　securities；　which　had　become　progressively
immense；　in　the　hands　of　the　principal　Israelitish　bankers　and　merchants
of　Europe。　　This　sure　and　secret　manner　of　acting　had　enabled　the　present
guardian　of　the　house　in　the　Rue　Saint…Francois；　to　effect　enormous
investments；　unknown　to　all；　and　it　was　more　especially　during　the　period
of　his　management；　that　the　capital　sum　had　acquired；　by　the　mere　fact　of
compound　interest；　an　almost　incalculable　development。　　Compared　with
him；　his　father　and　grandfather　had　only　small　amounts　to　manage。　　Though
it　had　only　been　necessary　to　find　successively　sure　and　immediate
investments；　so　that　the　money　might　not　remain　as　it　were　one　day
without　bearing　interest；　it　had　acquired　financial　capacity　to　attain
this　result；　when　so　many　millions　were　in　question。　　The　last　of　the
Samuels；　brought　up　in　the　school　of　his　father；　had　exhibited　this
capacity　in　a　very　high　degree；　as　will　be　seen　immediately　by　the
results。　　Nothing　could　be　more　touching；　noble；　and　respectable；　than
the　conduct　of　the　members　of　this　Jewish　family；　who；　partners　in　the
engagement　of　gratitude　taken　by　their　ancestor；　devote　themselves　for
long　years；　with　as　much　disinterestedness　as　intelligence　and　honesty；
to　t