the wandering jew, volume 11-第15部分

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soldier's　business　is　settled。　　A　little　patience　and　he　will　be　wiped
out。〃

Here　the　pale　lips　were　contracted　by　one　of　those　frightful　smiles；
which　gave　to　Rodin's　countenance　so　diabolical　an　expression。

After　a　pause；　he　resumed：　〃The　funeral　of　the　freethinker；　the
philanthropist；　the　workman's　friend；　took　place　yesterday　at　St。　Herem。
Francis　Hardy　went　off　in　a　fit　of　ecstatic　delirium。　　I　had　his
donation；　it　is　true；　but　this　is　more　certain。　　Everything　may　be
disputed　in　this　world；　the　dead　dispute　nothing。〃

Rodin　remained　in　thought　for　some　moments；　then　he　added；　in　a　grave
tone：　〃There　remain　this　red…haired　wench　and　her　mulatto。　　This　is　the
twenty…seventh　of　May；　the　first　of　June　approaches；　and　these　turtle…
doves　still　seem　invulnerable。　　The　princess　thought　she　had　hit　upon　a
good　plan；　and　I　should　have　thought　so　too。　　It　was　a　good　idea　to
mention　the　discovery　of　Agricola　Baudoin　in　the　madcap's　room；　for　it
made　the　Indian　tiger　roar　with　savage　jealousy。　　Yes：　but　then　the　dove
began　to　coo；　and　hold　out　her　pretty　beak；　and　the　foolish　tiger
sheathed　his　claws；　and　rolled　on　the　ground　before　her。　　It's　a　pity；
for　there　was　some　sense　in　the　scheme。〃

The　walk　of　Rodin　became　more　and　more　agitated。　　〃Nothing　is　more
extraordinary；〃　continued　he；　〃than　the　generative　succession　of　ideas。
In　comparing　this　red…haired　jade　to　a　dove　（colombe）；　I　could　not　help
thinking　of　that　infamous　old　woman；　Sainte…Colombe；　whom　that　big　rascal
Jacques　Dumoulin　pays　his　court　to；　and　whom　the　Abbe　Corbinet　will
finish；　I　hope；　by　turning　to　good　account。　　I　have　often　remarked；　that；
as　a　poet　may　find　an　excellent　rhyme　by　mere　chance；　so　the　germ　of　the
best　ideas　is　sometimes　found　in　a　word；　or　in　some　absurd　resemblance
like　the　present。　　That　abominable　hag；　Sainte…Colombo；　and　the　pretty
Adrienne　de　Cardoville；　go　as　well　together；　as　a　ring　would　suit　a　cat；
or　a　necklace　a　fish。　　Well；　there　is　nothing　in　it。〃

Hardly　had　Rodin　pronounced　these　words；　than　he　started　suddenly；　and
his　face　shone　with　a　fatal　joy。　　Then　it　assumed　an　expression　of
meditative　astonishment；　as　happens　when　chance　reveals　some　unexpected
discovery　to　the　surprised　and　charmed　inquirer　after　knowledge。

Soon；　with　raised　head　and　sparkling　eye；　his　hollow　cheeks　swelling　with
joy　and　pride；　Rodin　folded　his　arms　in　triumph　on　his　breast；　and
exclaimed：　〃Oh！　how　admirable　and　marvellous　are　these　mysterious
evolutions　of　the　mind；　how　incomprehensible　is　the　chain　of　human
thought；　which；　starting　from　an　absurd　jingle　of　words；　arrives　at　a
splendid　or　luminous　idea！　　Is　it　weakness？　or　is　it　strength？　　Strange
very　strange！　　I　compare　the　red…haired　girl　to　a　dovea　colombe。　　That
makes　me　think　of　the　hag；　who　traded　in　the　bodies　and　souls　of　so　many
creatures。　　Vulgar　proverbs　occur　to　me；　about　a　ring　and　a　cat；　a　fish
and　a　necklaceand　suddenly；　at　the　word　NECKLACE；　a　new　light　dawns
upon　me。　　Yes：　that　one　word　NECKLACE　shall　be　to　me　a　golden　key；　to
open　the　portals　of　my　brain；　so　long　foolishly　closed。〃

And；　after　again　walking　hastily　up　and　down；　Rodin　continued：　〃Yes；　it
is　worth　attempting。　　The　more　I　reflect　upon　it；　the　more　feasible　it
appears。　　Only　how　to　get　at　that　wretch；　Saint…Colombe？　　Well；　there　is
Jacques　Dumoulin；　and　the　otherwhere　to　find　her？　　That　is　the
stumbling…block。　　I　must　not　shout　before　I　am　out　of　the　wood。〃

Rodin　began　again　to　walk；　biting　his　nails　with　an　air　of　deep　thought。
For　some　moments；　such　was　the　tension　of　his　mind；　large　drops　of　sweat
stood　on　his　yellow　brow。　　He　walked　up　and　down；　stopped；　stamped　with
his　foot；　now　raised　his　eyes　as　if　in　search　of　an　inspiration；　and　now
scratched　his　head　violently　with　his　left　hand；　whilst　he　continued　to
gnaw　the　nails　of　the　right。　　Finally；　from　time　to　time；　he　uttered
exclamations　of　rage；　despondency；　or　hope；　as　by　turns　they　took
possession　of　his　mind。　　If　the　cause　of　this　monster's　agitation　had　not
been　horrible；　it　would　have　been　a　curious　and　interesting　spectacle　to
watch　the　labors　of　that　powerful　brainto　follow；　as　it　were；　on　that
shifting　countenance；　the　progress　and　development　of　the　project；　on
which　he　was　now　concentrating　all　the　resources　of　his　strong　intellect。
At　length；　the　work　appeared　to　be　near　completion；　for　Rodin　resumed：
〃Yes；　yes！　it　is　bold；　hazardousbut　then　it　is　prompt；　and　the
consequences　may　be　incalculable。　　Who　can　foresee　the　effects　of　the
explosion　of　a　mine？〃

Then；　yielding　to　a　movement　of　enthusiasm；　which　was　hardly　natural　to
him；　the　Jesuit　exclaimed；　with　rapture：　〃Oh；　the　passions！　the　passions！
what　a　magical　instrument　do　they　form；　if　you　do　but　touch　the　keys　with
a　light；　skillful；　and　vigorous　hand！　　How　beautiful　too　is　the　power　of
thought！　　Talk　of　the　acorn　that　becomes　an　oak；　the　seed　that　grows　up
to　the　cornthe　seed　takes　months；　the　acorn　centuries；　to　unfold　its
splendorsbut　here　is　a　little　word　in　eight　letters；　necklace　and　this
word；　falling　into　my　brain　but　a　few　minutes　ago；　has　grown　and　grown
till　it　has　become　larger　than　any　oak。　　Yes；　that　word　is　the　germ　of　an
idea；　that；　like　the　oak；　lifts　itself　up　towards　heaven；　for　the　greater
glory　of　the　Lordsuch　as　they　call　Him；　and　such　as　I　would　assert　Him
to　be；　should　I　attainand　I　shall　attainfor　these　miserable
Renneponts　will　pass　away　like　a　shadow。　　And　what　matters　it；　after　all；
to　the　moral　order　I　am　reserved　to　guide；　whether　these　people　live　or
die？　　What　do　such　lives　weigh　in　the　balance　of　the　great　destinies　of
the　world？　while　this　inheritance　which　I　shall　boldly　fling　into　the
scale；　will　lift　me　to　a　sphere；　from　which　one　commands　many　kings；　many
nationslet　them　say　and　make　what　noise　they　will。　　The　idiotsthe
stupid　idiots！　or　rather；　the　kind；　blessed；　adorable　idiots！　　They　think
they　have　crushed　us；　when　they　say　to　us　men　of　the　church：　‘You　take
the　spiritual；　but　we　will　keep　the　temporal！'Oh；　their　conscience　or
their　modesty　inspires　them　well；　when　it　bids　them　not　meddle　with
spiritual　things！　　They　abandon　the　spiritual！　they　despise　it；　they　will
have　nothing　to　do　with　itoh；　the　venerable　asses！　they　do　not　see；
that；　even　as　they　go　straight　to　the　mill；　it　is　by　the　spiritual　that
we　go　straight　to　the　temporal。　　As　if　the　mind　did　not　govern　the　body！
They　leave　us　the　spiritualthat　is；　command　of　the　conscience；　soul；
heart；　and　judgmentthe　spiritualthat　is；　the　distribution　of　heaven's
rewards；　and　punishments；　and　pardonswithout　check；　without　control；　in
the　secrecy　of　the　confessionaland　that　dolt；　the　temporal；　has　nothing
but　brute　matter　for　his　portion；　and　yet　rubs　his　paunch　for　joy。　　Only；
from　time　to　time；　he　perceives；　too　late；　that；　if　he　has　the　body；　we
have　the　soul；　and　that　the　soul　governs　the　body；　and　so　the　body　ends
by　coming　with　us　alsoto　the　great　surprise　of　Master　Temporal；　who
stands　staring　with　his　hands　on　his　paunch；　and　says：　〃Dear　me！　is　it
possible？〃

Then；　with　a　laugh　of　savage　contempt；　Rodin　began　to　walk　with　great
strides；　and　thus　continued：　〃Oh！　let　me　reach　itlet　me　but　reach　the
place　of　SIXTUS　V。and　the　world　shall　see　（one　day；　when　it　awakes）
what　it　is　to　have　the　spiritual　power　in　hands　like　minein　the　hands
of　a　priest；　who；　for　fifty　years；　has　lived　hardly；　frugally；　chastely；
and　who；　were　he　pope；　would　continue　to　live　hardly；　frugally；
chastely！〃

Rodin　became　terrible；　as　he　spoke　thus。　　All　the　sanguinary；
sacrilegious；　execrable　ambition　of　the　worst　popes　seemed　written　in
fiery　characters　on　the　brow　of　this　son　of　Ignatius。　　A　morbid　desire　of
rule　seemed　to　stir　up　the　Jesuit's　impure　blood；　he　was　bathed　in　a
burning　sweat；　and　a　kind　of　nauseous　vapor　spread　itself　round　about
him。　　Suddenly；　the　noise　of　a　travelling…carriage；　which　entered　the
courtyard　of　the　house；　attracted　his　attention。　　Regretting　his
momentary　excitement；　he　drew　from　his　pocket　his　dirty　white　and　red
cotton　handkerchief；　and　dipping　it　in　a　glass　of　water；　he　applied　it　to
his　cheeks　and　temples；　while　he　approached　the　window；　to　look　through
the　half…open　blinds　at　the　traveller　who　had　just　arrived。　　The
projection　of　a　portico；　over　the　door　at　which　the　carriage　had　stopped；
intercepted　Rodin's　view。

〃No　matter；〃　said　he；　recovering　his　coolness：　〃I　shall　know　presently
who　is　there。　　I　must　write　at　once　to　Jacques　Dumoulin；　to　come　hither
immediately。　　He　served　me　well；　with　regard　to　that　little　slut　in　the
Rue　Clovis；　who　made　my　hair　stand　on　end　with　her　infernal　Beranger。
This　time；　Dumoulin　may　serve　me　again。　　I　have　him　in　my　clutches；　and
he　will　obey　me。〃

Rodin　sat　down　to　his　desk　and　wrote。　　A　few　seconds　later；　some　one
knocked　at　the　door；　which　was　double…locked；　quite　contrary　to　the
rules　of　the　order。　　But；　sure　of　his　own　influence　and　importance；
Rodin；　who　had　obtained　from　the　general　permission　to　be　rid　for　a　time
of　the　inconvenient　company　of　a　socius；　often　took　upon　himself　to　break
through　a　number　of　the　rules。　　A　servant　entered　and　delivered　a　letter
to　Rodin。　　Before　opening　it　the　latter　said　to　the　man：　〃What　carriage
is　that　which　just　arrived？〃

〃It　comes　from　Rome；　father；〃　answered　the　servant；　bowing。

〃From　Rome！〃　said　Rodin；　hastily；　and　in　spite　of　himself；　a　vague
uneasiness　was　expressed　in　his　countenance。　　But；　still　holding　the
letter　in　his　hands；　he　added：　〃Who　comes　in　the　carriage。〃

〃A　reverend　father　of　our　blessed　Company。〃

Notwithstanding　his　ardent　curiosity；　for　he　knew　that　a　reverend　father；
travelling　post；　is　always　charged　with　some　important　mission；　Rodin
asked　no　more　questions　on　the　subject；　but　said；　as　he　pointed　to　the
paper　in　his　hand：　〃Whence　comes　this　letter？〃

〃From　our　house　at　St。　Herem；　father。〃

Rodin　looked　more　attentively　at　the　writing；　and　recognized　the　hand　of
Father　d'Aigrigny；　who　had　been　commissioned　to　attend　M。　Hardy　in　his
last　moments。　　The　letter　ran　as　follows：

〃I　send　a　despatch　to　inform　your　reverence　of　a　fact　which　is；　perhaps；
more　singular　than　important。　　After　the　funeral　of　M。　　Francis　Hardy；
the　coffin；　which　con