the wandering jew, volume 11-第17部分

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that　you　may　be　good。　　Would　you　have　gold？you　shall　have　it。　　Would
you　have　a　friend？though　you　are　a　slave；　a　king's　son　offers　you　his
friendship。〃

Faringhea　had　refused　the　gold；　and　appeared　to　accept　the　friendship　of
the　son　of　Kadja…sing。　　Endowed　with　remarkable　intelligence；　and
extraordinary　power　of　dissimulation　the　half…breed　had　easily　persuaded
the　prince　of　the　sincerity　of　his　repentance；　and　obtained　credit　for
his　gratitude　and　attachment　from　so　confiding　and　generous　a　character。
Besides；　what　motives　could　Djalma　have　to　suspect　the　slave；　now　become
his　friend？　　Certain　of　the　love　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　with　whom　he
passed　a　portion　of　every　day；　her　salutary　influence　would　have　guarded
him　against　any　dangerous　counsels　or　calumnies　of　the　half…caste；　a
faithful　and　secret　instrument　of　Rodin；　and　attached　by　him　to　the
Company。　　But　Faringhea；　whose　tact　was　amazing；　did　not　act　so　lightly；
he　never　spoke　to　the　prince　of　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；　and　waited
unobtrusively　for　the　confidential　communications　into　which　Djalma　was
sometimes　hurried　by　his　excessive　joy。　　A　few　days　after　the　interview
last　described　between　Adrienne　and　Djalma；　and　on　the　morrow　of　the　day
when　Rodin；　certain　of　the　success　of　Ninny　Moulin's　mission　to　Sainte…
Colombe；　had　himself　put　a　letter　in　the　post　to　the　address　of　Agricola
Baudoin；　the　half…caste；　who　for　some　time　had　appeared　oppressed　with　a
violent　grief；　seemed　to　get　so　much　worse；　that　the　prince；　struck　with
the　desponding　air　of　the　man；　asked　him　kindly　and　repeatedly　the　cause
of　his　sorrow。　　But　Faringhea；　while　he　gratefully　thanked　the　prince　for
the　interest　he　took　in　him；　maintained　the　most　absolute　silence　and
reserve　on　the　subject　of　his　grief。

These　preliminaries　will　enable　the　reader　to　understand　the　following
scene；　which　took　place　about　noon　in　the　house　in　the　Rue　de　Clichy
occupied　by　the　Hindoo。　　Contrary　to　his　habit；　Djalma　had　not　passed
that　morning　with　Adrienne。　　He　had　been　informed　the　evening　before；　by
the　young　lady；　that　she　must　ask　of　him　the　sacrifice　of　this　whole　day；
to　take　the　necessary　measures　to　make　their　marriage　sacred　and
acceptable　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　and　yet　free　from　the　restrictions
which　she　and　Djalma　disapproved。　As　for　the　means　to　be　employed　by
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　to　attain　this　end；　and　the　name　of　the　pure　and
honorable　person　who　was　to　consecrate　their　union；　these　were　secrets
which；　not　belonging　exclusively　to　the　young　lady；　could　not　yet　be
communicated　to　Djalma。　　To　the　Indian；　so　long　accustomed　to　devote
every　instant　to　Adrienne；　this　day　seemed　interminable。　　By　turns　a　prey
to　the　most　burning　agitation；　and　to　a　kind　of　stupor；　in　which　he
plunged　himself　to　escape　from　the　thoughts　that　caused　his　tortures；
Djalma　lay　stretched　upon　a　divan；　with　his　face　buried　in　his　hands；　as
if　to　shut　out　the　view　of　a　too　enchanting　vision。　　Suddenly；　without
knocking　at　the　door；　as　usual；　Faringhea　entered　the　prince's　apartment。

At　the　noise　the　half…caste　made　in　entering　Djalma　started；　raised　his
head；　and　looked　round　him　with　surprise；　but；　on　seeing　the　pale
agitated　countenance　of　the　slave；　he　rose　hastily；　and　advancing　towards
him；　exclaimed；　〃What　is　the　matter；　Faringhea！〃

After　a　moment's　silence；　and　as　if　struggling　with　a　painful　feeling　of
hesitation；　Faringhea　threw　himself　at　the　feet　of　Djalma；　and　murmured
in　a　weak；　despairing；　almost　supplicating　voice：　〃I　am　very　miserable。
Pity　me；　my　good　lord！〃

The　tone　was　so　touching；　the　grief　under　which　the　half…breed　suffered
seemed　to　give　to　his　features；　generally　fixed　and　hard　as　bronze；　such
a　heart…rending　expression；　that　Djalma　was　deeply　affected；　and；　bending
to　raise　him　from　the　ground；　said　to　him；　in　a　kindly　voice：　〃Speak　to
me！　　Confidence　appeases　the　torments　of　the　heart。　　Trust　me；　friend
for　my　angel　herself　said　to　me；　that　happy　love　cannot　bear　to　see　tears
about　him。〃

〃But　unhappy　love；　miserable　love；　betrayed　loveweeps　tears　of　blood；〃
replied　Faringhea；　with　painful　dejection。

〃Of　what　love　dost　thou　speak？〃　asked　Djalma；　in　surprise。

〃I　speak　of　my　love；〃　answered　the　half…caste；　with　a　gloomy　air。

〃Of　your　love？〃　said　Djalma；　more　and　more　astonished；　not　that　the　half…
caste；　still　young；　and　with　a　countenance　of　sombre　beauty；　appeared　to
him　incapable　of　inspiring　or　feeling　the　tender　passion；　but　that；　until
now；　he　had　never　imagined　him　capable　of　conceiving　so　deep　a　sorrow。

〃My　lord；〃　resumed　the　half…caste；　〃you　told　me；　that　misfortune　had　made
me　wicked；　and　that　happiness　would　make　me　good。　　In　those　words；　I　saw
a　presentiment；　and　a　noble　love　entered　my　heart；　at　the　moment　when
hatred　and　treachery　departed　from　it。　　I；　the　half…savage；　found　a
woman；　beautiful　and　young；　to　respond　to　my　passion。　　At　least　I　thought
so。　　But　I　had　betrayed　you；　my　lord；　and　there　is　no　happiness　for　a
traitor；　even　though　he　repent。　　In　my　turn；　I　have　been　shamefully
betrayed。〃

Then；　seeing　the　surprise　of　the　prince；　the　half…caste　added；　as　if
overwhelmed　with　confusion：　〃Do　not　mock　me；　my　lord！　The　most　frightful
tortures　would　not　have　wrung　this　confession　from　me；　but　you；　the　son
of　a　king；　deigned　to　call　the　poor　slave　your　friend！〃

〃And　your　friend　thanks　you　for　the　confidence；〃　answered　Djalma。　　〃Far
from　mocking；　he　will　console　you。　　Mock　you！　do　you　think　it　possible？〃

〃Betrayed　love　merits　contempt　and　insult；〃　said　Faringhea；　bitterly。
〃Even　cowards　may　point　at　one　with　scornfor；　in　this　country；　the
sight　of　the　man　deceived　in　what　is　dearest　to　his　soul；　the　very　life…
blood　of　his　life；　only　makes　people　shrug　their　shoulders　and　laugh。〃

〃But　are　you　certain　of　this　treachery？〃　said　Djalma；　mildly。　　Then　he
added；　with　visible　hesitation；　that　proved　the　goodness　of　his　heart：
〃Listen　to　me；　and　forgive　me　for　speaking　of　the　past！　　It　will　only　be
another　proof；　that　I　cherish　no　evil　memories；　and　that　I　fully　believe
in　your　repentance　and　affection。　　Remember；　that　I　also　once　thought；
that　she；　who　is　the　angel　of　my　life；　did　not　love　meand　yet　it　was
false。　　Who　tells　you；　that　you　are　not；　like　me；　deceived　by　false
appearances？〃

〃Alas；　my　lord！　could　I　only　believe　so！　　But　I　dare　not　hope　it。　　My
brain　wanders　uncertain；　I　cannot　come　to　any　resolution；　and　therefore　I
have　recourse　to　you。〃

〃But　what　causes　your　suspicions？〃

〃Her　coldness；　which　sometimes　succeeds　to　apparent　tenderness。　　The
refusals　she　gives　me　in　the　name　of　duty。　　Yes；〃　added　the　half…caste；
after　a　moment's　silence。　　〃she　reasons　about　her　lovea　proof；　that　she
has　never　loved　me；　or　that　she　loves　me　no　more。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　she　perhaps　loves　you　all　the　more；　that　she　takes　into
consideration　the　interest　and　the　dignity　of　her　love。〃

〃That　is　what　they　all　say；〃　replied　the　half…caste；　with　bitter　irony；
as　he　fixed　a　penetrating　look　on　Djalma；　〃thus　speak　all　those　who　love
weakly；　coldly；　but　those　who　love　valiantly；　never　show　these　insulting
suspicions。　　For　them；　a　word　from　the　man　they　adore　is　a　command；　they
do　not　haggle　and　bargain；　for　the　cruel　pleasure　of　exciting　the　passion
of　their　lover　to　madness；　and　so　ruling　him　more　surely。　　No；　what　their
lover　asks　of　them；　were　it　to　cost　life　and　honor；　they　would　grant　it
without　hesitationbecause；　with　them；　the　will　of　the　man　they　love　is
above　every　other　consideration；　divine　and　human。　　But　those　crafty
women；　whose　pride　it　is　to　tame　and　conquer　manwho　take　delight　in
irritating　his　passion；　and　sometimes　appear　on　the　point　of　yielding　to
itare　demons；　who　rejoice　in　the　tears　and　torments　of　the　wretch；　that
loves　them　with　the　miserable　weakness　of　a　child。　　While　we　expire　with
love　at　their　feet；　the　perfidious　creatures　are　calculating　the　effects
of　their　refusals；　and　seeing　how　far　they　can　go；　without　quite　driving
their　victim　to　despair。　　Oh！　how　cold　and　cowardly　are　they；　compared　to
the　valiant；　true…hearted　women；　who　say　to　the　men　of　their　choice：　‘Let
me　be　thine　to…day…and　to…morrow；　come　shame；　despair；　and　deathit
matters　little！　　Be　happy！　my　life　is　not　worth　one　tear　of　thine！〃

Djalma's　brow　had　darkened；　as　he　listened。　　Having　kept　inviolable　the
secret　of　the　various　incidents　of　his　passion　for　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；
he　could　not　but　see　in　these　words　a　quite　involuntary　allusion　to　the
delays　and　refusals　of　Adrienne。　　And　yet　Djalma　suffered　a　moment　in　his
pride；　at　the　thought　of　considerations　and　duties；　that　a　woman　holds
dearer　than　her　love。　　But　this　bitter　and　painful　thought　was　soon
effaced　from　the　oriental's　mind；　thanks　to　the　beneficent　influence　of
the　remembrance　of　Adrienne。　　His　brow　again　cleared；　and　he　answered　the
half…caste；　who　was　watching　him　attentively　with　a　sidelong　glance：　〃You
are　deluded　by　grief。　　If　you　have　no　other　reason　to　doubt　her　you　love；
than　these　refusals　and　vague　suspicions；　be　satisfied！　　You　are　perhaps
loved　better　than　you　can　imagine。〃

〃Alas！　would　it　were　so；　my　lord！〃　replied　the　half…caste；　dejectedly；　as
if　he　had　been　deeply　touched　by　the　words　of　Djalma。　　〃Yet　I　say　to
myself：　There　is　for　this　woman　something　stronger　than　her　love
delicacy；　dignity；　honor；　what　you　willbut　she　does　not　love　me　enough
to　sacrifice　for　me　this　something！〃

〃Friend；　you　are　deceived；〃　answered　Djalma；　mildly；　though　the　words
affected　him　with　a　painful　impression。　　〃The　greater　the　love　of　a
woman；　the　more　it　should　be　chaste　and　noble。　　It　is　love　itself　that
awakens　this　delicacy　and　these　scruples。　　He　rules；　instead　of　being
ruled。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　replied　the　half…caste；　with　bitter　irony；　〃Love　so　rules
me；　that　this　woman　bids　me　love　in　her　own　fashion；　and　I　have　only　to
submit。〃

Pausing　suddenly；　Faringhea　hid　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　heaved　a　deep…
drawn　sigh。　　His　features　expressed　a　mixture　of　hate；　rage；　and　despair；
at　once　so　terrible　and　so　painful；　that　Djalma；　more　and　more　affected；
exclaimed；　as　he　seized　the　other's　hand：　〃Calm　this　fury；　and　listen　to
the　voice　of　friendship！　It　will　disperse　this　evil　influence。　　S