the wandering jew, volume 11-第14部分

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Djalma　made　no　reply；　but；　with　an　almost　respectful　gesture；　he　urged
the　speaker　to　continue。

〃And　then；〃　proceeded　she；　with　a　mixture　of　tenderness　and　pride；　〃from
respect　for　your　dignity　and　mine；　I　would　never　promise　to　keep　a　law
made　by　man　against　woman；　with　contemptuous　and　brutal　egotisma　law；
which　denies　to　woman　soul；　mind；　and　hearta　law；　which　none　can
accept；　without　being　either　a　slave　or　perjureda　law；　which　takes　from
the　girl　her　name；　reduces　the　wife　to　a　state　of　degrading　inferiority；
denies　to　the　mother　all　rights　over　her　own　children；　and　enslaves　one
human　creature　to　the　will　of　another；　who　is　in　all　respects　her　equal
in　the　sight　of　God！You　know；　my　love；〃　added　the　young　lady；　with
passionate　enthusiasm；　〃how　much　I　honor　you；　whose　father　was　called　the
Father　of　the　Generous。　　I　do　not　then　fear；　noble　and　valiant　heart；　to
see　you　use　against　me　these　tyrannical　powers；　but；　throughout　my　life；
I　never　uttered　a　falsehood；　and　our　love　is　too　sacred　and　celestial　to
be　purchased　by　a　double　perjury。　　No；　never　will　I　swear　to　observe　a
law；　that　my　dignity；　and　my　reason　refuse　to　sanction。　　If；　to…morrow；
the　freedom　of　divorce　were　established；　and　the　rights　of　women
recognized；　I　should　be　willing　to　observe　usages；　which　would　then　be　in
accordance　with　my　conscience；　and　with　what　is　just；　possible；　and
humane。〃　　Then；　after　a　pause；　Adrienne　continued；　with　such　deep　and
sweet　emotion；　that　a　tear　of　tenderness　veiled　her　beauteous　eyes：　〃Oh！
if　you　knew；　my　love；　what　your　love　is　to　me：　if　you　knew　how　dear　and
sacred　I　hold　your　happinessyou　would　excuse；　you　would　understand；
these　generous　superstitions　of　a　loving　and　honest　heart；　which　could
only　see　a　fatal　omen　in　forms　degraded　by　falsehood　and　perjury。　　What　I
wish；　is；　to　attach　you　by　love；　to　bind　you　in　chains　of　happinessand
to　leave　you　free；　that　I　may　owe　your　constancy　only　to　your　affection。〃

Djalma　had　listened　to　the　young　girl　with　passionate　attention。　　Proud
and　generous　himself；　he　admired　this　proud　and　generous　character。
After　a　moment's　meditative　silence；　he　answered；　in　his　sweet；　sonorous
voice；　in　an　almost　solemn　tone：　〃Like　you；　I　hold　in　detestation；
falsehood　and　perjury。　　Like　you；　I　think　that　man　degrades　himself；　by
accepting　the　right　of　being　a　cowardly　tyrant；　even　though　resolved
never　to　use　the　power。　　Like　you；　I　could　not　bear　the　thought；　that　I
owed　all　I　most　valued；　not　to　your　love　alone；　but　to　the　eternal
constraint　of　an　indissoluble　bond。　　Like　you；　I　believe　there　is　no
dignity　but　in　freedom。　　But　you　have　said；　that；　for　this　great　and　holy
love；　you　demand　a　religious　consecration；　and　if　you　reject　vows；　that
you　cannot　make　without　folly　and　perjury；　are　there　then　others；　which
your　reason　and　your　heart　approve？Who　will　pronounce　the　required
blessing？　　To　whom　must　these　vows　be　spoken？〃

〃In　a　few　days；　my　love；　I　believe　I　shall　be　able　to　tell　you　all。
Every　evening；　after　your　departure；　I　have　no　other　thought。　　I　wish　to
find　the　means　of　uniting　yourself　and　mein　the　eyes　of　God；　not　of　the
lawwithout　offending　the　habits　and　prejudices　of　a　world；　in　which　it
may　suit　us　hereafter　to　live。　　Yes；　my　friend！　when　you　know　whose　are
the　noble　hands；　that　are　to　join　ours　together；　who　is　to　bless　and
glorify　God　in　our　uniona　sacred　union；　that　will　leave　us　worthy　and
freeyou　will　say；　I　am　sure；　that　never　purer　hands　could　have　been
laid　upon　us。　　Forgive　me；　friend！　all　this　is　in　earnestyes；　earnest
as　our　love；　earnest　as　our　happiness。　　If　my　words　seem　to　you　strange；
my　thoughts　unreasonable；　tell　it　me；　love！　　We　will　seek　and　find　some
better　means；　to　reconcile　that　we　owe　to　heaven；　with　what　we　owe　to　the
world　and　to　ourselves。　　It　is　said；　that　lovers　are　beside　themselves；〃
added　the　young　lady；　with　a　smile；　〃but　I　think　that　no　creatures　are
more　reasonable。〃

〃When　I　hear　you　speak　thus　of　our　happiness；〃　said　Djalma；　deeply　moved；
〃with　so　much　calm　and　earnest　tenderness；　I　think　I　see　a　mother
occupied　with　the　future　prospects　of　her　darling　childtrying　to
surround　him　with　all　that　can　make　him　strong；　valiant；　and　generous
trying　to　remove　far　from　him　all　that　is　ignoble　and　unworthy。　　You　ask
me　to　tell　you　if　your　thoughts　seem　strange　to　me；　Adrienne。　　You
forget；　that　what　makes　my　faith　in　our　love；　is　my　feeling　exactly　as
you　do。　　What　offends　you；　offends　me　also；　what　disgusts　you；　disgusts
me。　　Just　now；　when　you　cited　to　me　the　laws　of　this　country；　which
respect　in　a　woman　not　even　a　mother's　rightI　thought　with　pride　of　our
barbarous　countries；　where　woman；　though　a　slave；　is　made　free　when　she
becomes　a　mother。　　No；　no；　such　laws　are　not　made　either　for　you　or　me。
Is　it　not　to　prove　your　sacred　respect　for　our　love；　to　wish　to　raise　it
above　the　shameful　servitude　that　would　degrade　it？　　You　see；　Adrienne；　I
have　often　heard　said　by　the　priests　of　my　country；　that　there　were
beings　inferior　to　the　gods；　but　superior　to　every　other　creature。　　I　did
not　believe　those　priests；　but　now　I　do。〃　　These　last　words　were　uttered；
not　in　the　tone　of　flattery；　but　with　an　accent　of　sincere　conviction；
and　with　that　sort　of　passionate　veneration　and　almost　timid　fervor；
which　mark　the　believer　talking　of　his　faith；　but　what　is　impossible　to
describe；　is　the　ineffable　harmony　of　these　almost　religious　words；　with
the　mild；　deep　tone　of　the　young　Oriental's　voiceas　well　as　the　ardent
expression　of　amorous　melancholy；　which　gave　an　irresistible　charm　to　his
enchanting　features。

Adrienne　had　listened　to　Djalma　with　an　indescribable　mixture　of　joy；
gratitude；　and　pride。　　Laying　her　hand　on　her　bosom；　as　if　to　keep　down
its　violent　pulsations；　she　resumed；　as　she　looked　at　the　prince　with
delight：　〃Behold　him；　ever　the　same！just；　good；　great！Oh；　my　heart！
my　heart！　how　proudly　it　beats。　　Blessed　be　God；　who　created　me　for　this
adored　lover！　　He　must　mean　to　astonish　the　world；　by　the　prodigies　of
tenderness　and　charity；　that　such　a　love　may　produce。　　They　do　not　yet
know　the　sovereign　might　of　free；　happy；　ardent　love。　　Yes；　Djalma！　on
the　day　when　our　hands　are　joined　together；　what　hymns　of　gratitude　will
ascend　to　heaven！Ah！　they　do　not　know　the　immense；　the　insatiable
longing　for　joy　aria　delight；　which　possesses　two　hearts　like　ours；　they
do　not　know　what　rays　of　happiness　stream　from　the　celestial　halo　of　such
a　flame！Oh；　yes！　I　feel　it。　　Many　tears　will　be　dried；　many　cold　hearts
warmed；　at　the　divine　fire　of　our　love。　　And　it　will　be　by　the
benedictions　of　those　we　serve；　that　they　will　learn　the　intoxication　of
our　rapture！〃

To　the　dazzled　eyes　of　Djalma；　Adrienne　appeared　more　and　more　an　ideal
beingpartaking　of　the　Divinity　by　her　goodness；　of　the　animal　nature　by
passionfor；　yielding　to　the　intensity　of　excitement；　Adrienne　fixed
upon　Djalma　looks　that　sparkled　with　love。

'Then；　almost　beside　himself；　the　Asiatic　fell　prostrate　at　the　feet　of
the　maiden；　and　exclaimed；　in　a　supplicating　voice：　〃Mercy！　my　courage
fails　me。　　Have　pity　on　me！　do　not　talk　thus。　　Oh；　that　day！　what　years
of　my　life　would　I　not　give　to　hasten　it！〃

〃Silence！　no　blasphemy。　　Do　not　your　years　belong　to　me？〃

〃Adrienne！　you　love　me！〃

The　young　lady　did　not　answer；　but　her　half…veiled；　burning　glance；　dealt
the　last　blow　to　reason。　　Seizing　her　hands　in　his　own；　he　exclaimed；
with　a　tremulous　voice：　〃That　day；　in　which　we　shall　mount　to　heaven；　in
which　we　shall　be　gods　in　happinesswhy　postpone　it　any　longer？〃

〃Because　our　love　must　be　consecrated　by　the　benediction　of　heaven。〃

〃Are　we　not　free？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　my　love；　we　are　free。　　Let　us　be　worthy　of　our　liberty！〃

〃Adrienne！　mercy！〃

〃I　ask　you　also　to　have　mercyto　have　mercy　on　the　sacredness　of　our
love。　　Do　not　profane　it　in　its　very　flower。　　Believe　my　heart！　believe
my　presentiments！　to　profane　it　would　be　to　kill。　　Courage；　my　adored
lover！　a　few　days　longerand　then　happinesswithout　regret；　and　without
remorse！〃

〃And；　until　then；　hell！　tortures　without　a　name！　　You　do　not；　cannot　know
what　I　suffer　when　I　leave　your　presence。　　Your　image　follows　me；　your
breath　burns　me　up；　I　cannot　sleep；　but　call　on　you　every　night　with
sighs　and　tearsjust　as　I　called　on；　you；　when　I　thought　you　did　not
love　meand　yet　I　know　you　love　me；　I　know　you　are　mine。　　But　to　see　you
every　day　more　beautiful；　more　adoredand　every　day　to　quit　you　more
impassionedoh！　you　cannot　tell〃

Djalma　was　unable　to　proceed。　　What　he　said　of　his　devouring　tortures；
Adrienne　had　felt；　perhaps　even　more　intensely。　　Electrified　by　the
passionate　words　of　Djalma；　so　beautiful　in　his　excitement；　her　courage
failed；　and　she　perceived　that　an　irresistible　languor　was　creeping　over
her。　　By　a　last　chaste　effort　of　the　will；　she　rose　abruptly；　and
hastening　to　the　door；　which　communicated　with　Mother　Bunch's　chamber；
she　exclaimed：　〃My；　sister！　help　me！〃

In　another　moment；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　her　face　bathed　in　tears；
clasped　the　young　sempstress　in　her　arms；　while　Djalma　knelt　respectfully
on　the　threshold　he　did　not　dare　to　pass。




CHAPTER　LXI。

AMBITION。

A　few　days　after　the　interview　of　Djalma　and　Adrienne；　just　described；
Rodin　was　alone　in　his　bed…chamber；　in　the　house　in　the　Rue　de　Vaugirard；
walking　up　and　down　the　room　where　he　had　so　valiantly　undergone　the
moxas　of　Dr。　Baleinier。　　With　his　hands　thrust　into　the　hind…pockets　of
his　greatcoat；　and　his　head　bowed　upon　his　breast；　the　Jesuit　seemed　to
be　reflecting　profoundly；　and　his　varying　walk；　now　slow；　now　quick；
betrayed　the　agitation　of　his　mind。

〃On　the　side　of　Rome；〃　said　Rodin　to　himself；　〃I　am　tranquil。　　All　is
going　well。　　The　abdication　is　as　good　as　settled；　and　if　I　can　pay　them
the　price　agreed；　the　Prince　Cardinal　can　secure　me　a　majority　of　nine
voices　in　the　conclave。　　Our　General　is　with　me；　the　doubts　of　Cardinal
Malipieri　are　at　an　end；　or　have　found　no　echo。　　Yet　I　am　not　quite　easy；
with　regard　to　the　reported　correspondence　between　Father　d'Aigrigny　and
Malipieri。　　I　have　not　been　able　to　intercept　any　of　it。　　No　matter；　that
soldier's　business　is　settled。　　A　little　patience　an