the wandering jew, volume 11-第24部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


told　him　to　deliver　the　ivory　fragment　to　Faringhea；　and　to　repeat　the
above　words。　　Being　somewhat　mystified　with　all　this；　the　reverend　father
said　to　the　half…caste：　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　that　crucifix？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Faringhea；　still　absorbed　in　painful　thought。

〃Nothing？〃　resumed　the　reverend　father；　in　astonishment。　　〃What；　then；
was　the　use　of　bringing　it　so　far？〃

Without　satisfying　his　curiosity；　Faringhea　replied：　〃At　what　hour　to…
morrow　does　Father　Rodin　go　to　the　Rue　Saint　Francois？〃

〃Very　early。〃

〃Before　leaving　home；　he　will　go　to　say　prayers　in　the　chapel？〃

〃Yes；　according　to　the　habit　of　our　reverend　fathers。〃

〃You　sleep　near　him？〃

〃Being　his　socius；　I　occupy　the　room　next　to　his。〃

〃It　is　possible；〃　said　Faringhea；　after　a　moment's　silence；　〃that　the
reverend　father；　full　of　the　great　interests　which　occupy　his　mind；　might
forget　to　go　to　the　chapel。　　In　that　case；　pray　remind　him　of　this　pious
duty。〃

〃I　shall　not　fail。〃

〃Pray　do　not　fail；〃　repeated　Faringhea；　anxiously。

〃Be　satisfied；〃　said　the　good　little　father；　〃I　see　that　you　take　great
interest　in　his　salvation。〃

〃Great　interest。〃

〃It　is　very　praiseworthy　in　you。　　Continue　as　you　have　begun；　and　you　may
one　day　belong；　completely　to　our　Company；〃　said　Father　Caboccini；
affectionately。

〃I　am　as　yet　but　a　poor　auxiliary　member；〃　said　Faringhea；　humbly；　〃but
no　one　is　more　devoted　to　the　Society；　body　and　soul。　　Bowanee　is　nothing
to　it。〃

〃Bowanee！　who　is　that；　my　good　friend？〃

〃Bowanee　makes　corpses　which　rot　in　the　ground。　　The　Society　makes
corpses　which　walk　about。〃

〃Ah；　yes！　Perinde　ac　cadaverthey　were　the　last　words　of　our　great
saint；　Ignatius　de　Loyola。　　But　who　is　this　Bowanee？〃

〃Bowanee　is　to　the　Society　what　a　child　is　to　a　man；〃　replied　the
Asiatic；　with　growing　excitement。　　〃Glory　to　the　Companyglory！　　Were　my
father　its　enemy；　I　would　kill　my　father。　　The　man　whose　genius　inspires
me　most　with　admiration；　respect；　and　terrorwere　he　its　enemy；　I　would
kill；　in　spite　of　all；〃　said　the　half…caste；　with　an　effort。　　Then；　after
a　moment's　silence；　he　looked　full　in　Caboccini's　face；　and　added：　〃I　say
this；　that　you　may　report　my　words　to　Cardinal　Malipieri；　and　beg　him　to
mention　them　to〃

Faringhea　stopped　short。　　〃To　whom　should　the　cardinal　mention　your
words？〃　asked　Caboccini。

〃He　knows；〃　replied　the　half…caste；　abruptly。　　〃Good　night！〃

〃Good…night；　my　friend！　　I　can　only　approve　of　your　excellent　sentiments
with　regard　to　our　Company。　　Alas！　it　is　in　want　of　energetic　defenders；
for　there　are　said　to　be　traitors　in　its　bosom。〃

〃For　those；〃　said　Faringhea；　〃we　must　have　no　pity。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　good　little　father；　〃we　understand　one　another。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　the　half…caste。　　〃Do　not；　at　all　events；　forget　to　remind
Father　Rodin　to　go　to　chapel　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃I　will　take　care　of　that；〃　said　Father　Caboccini。

The　two　men　parted。　　On　his　return　to　the　house；　Caboccini　learned　that　a
courier；　only　arrived　that　night　from　Rome；　had　brought　despatches　to
Rodin。




CHAPTER　LXVIII。

THE　FIRST　OF　JUNE。

The　chapel　belonging　to　the　house　of　the　reverend　fathers　in　the　Rue　de
Vaugirard；　was　gay　and　elegant。　　Large　panes　of　stained　glass　admitted　a
mysterious　light；　the　altar　shone　with　gold　and　silver；　and　at　the
entrance　of　this　little　church；　in　an　obscure　corner　beneath　the　organ…
loft；　was　a　font　for　holy　water　in　sculptured　marble。　　It　was　close　to
this　font；　in　a　dark　nook　where　he　could　hardly　be　seen；　that　Faringhea
knelt　down；　early　on　the　1st　of　June；　as　soon　indeed　as　the　chapel　doors
were　opened。　　The　half…caste　was　exceedingly　sad。　　From　time　to　time　he
started　and　sighed；　as　if　agitated　by　a　violent　internal　struggle。　　This
wild；　untamable　being；　possessed　with　the　monomania　of　evil　and
destruction；　felt；　as　may　be　imagined；　a　profound　admiration　for　Rodin；
who　exercised　over　him　a　kind　of　magnetic　fascination。　　The　half…caste；
almost　a　wild　beast　in　human　form；　saw　something　supernatural　in　the
infernal　genius　of　Rodin。　　And　the　latter；　too　sagacious　not　to　have
discovered　the　savage　devotion　of　this　wretch；　had　made；　as　we　have　seen；
good　use　of　him；　is　bringing　about　the　tragical　termination　of　the　loves
of　Adrienne　and　Djalma。　　But　what　excited　to　an　incredible　degree　the
admiration　of　Faringhea；　was　what　he　knew　of　the　Society　of　Jesus。　　This
immense；　occult　power；　which　undermined　the　world　by　its　subterraneous
ramifications；　and　reached　its　ends　by　diabolical　means；　had　inspired　the
half…caste　with　a　wild　enthusiasm。　　And　if　anything　in　the　world
surpassed　his　fanatical　admiration　for　Rodin；　it　was　his　blind　devotion
to　the　Company　of　Ignatius　de　Loyola；　which；　as　he　said；　could　make
corpses　that　walk　about。　　Hid　in　the　shadow　of　the　organ…loft；　Faringhea
was　reflecting　deeply　on　these　things；　when　footsteps　were　heard；　and
Rodin　entered　the　chapel；　accompanied　by　his　socius；　the　little　one…eyed
father。

Whether　from　absence　of　mind；　or　that　the　shadow　of　the　orange…loft
completely　concealed　the　half…caste；　Rodin　dipped　his　fingers　into　the
font　without　perceiving　Faringhea；　who　stood　motionless　as　a　statue；
though　a　cold　sweat　streamed　from　his　brow。　　The　prayer　of　Rodin　was；　as
may　be　supposed；　short；　he　was　in　haste　to　get　to　the　Rue　Saint…Francois。
After　kneeling　down　with　Father　Caboccini　for　a　few　seconds；　he　rose；
bowed　respectfully　to　the　altar；　and　returned　towards　the　door；　followed
by　his　socius。　　At　the　moment　Rodin　approached　the　font　he　perceived　the
tall　figure　of　the　half…caste　standing　out　from　the　midst　of　the　dark
shadow；　advancing　a　little；　Faringhea　bowed　respectfully　to　Rodin；　who
said　to　him；　in　a　low　voice；　〃Come　to　me　at　two　o'clock。〃

So　saying；　Rodin　stretched　forth　his　hand　to　dip　it　into　the　holy　water；
but　Faringhea　spared　him　the　trouble；　by　offering　him　the　sprinkling…
brush；　which　generally　stood　in　the　font。

Pressing　between　his　dirty　fingers　the　damp　hairs　of　the　brush；　which　the
half…caste　held　by　the　handle；　Rodin　wetted　his　thumb　and　forefinger；
and；　according　to　custom；　traced　the　sign　of　the　cross　upon　his　forehead。
Then；　opening　the　door　of　the　chapel；　he　went　out；　after　again　repeating
to　Faringhea：　〃Come　to　me　at　two　o'clock。〃

Thinking　he　would　also　make　use　of　the　sprinkling…brush；　which；
Faringhea；　still　motionless；　held　with　a　trembling　hand；　Father　Caboccini
stretched　out　his　fingers　to　reach　it；　when　the　half…breed；　as　if
determined　to　confine　his　favors　to　Rodin；　hastily　withdrew　the
instrument。　　Deceived　in　his　expectation；　Father　Caboccini　lost　no　time
in　following　Rodin；　whom　he　was　not　to　leave　that　day　for　a　single
moment；　and；　getting　into　a　hackney…coach　with　him；　set　out　for　the　Rue
Saint…Francois。　　It　is　impossible　to　describe　the　look　which　the　half…
breed　fixed　upon　Rodin　as　the　latter　quitted　the　chapel。　　Left　alone　in
the　sacred　edifice；　Faringhea　sank　upon　the　stones；　half　kneeling；　half
crouching；　with　his　face　buried　in　his　hands。　　As　the　coach　drew　near　the
quarter　of　the　Marais；　in　which　was　situated　the　house　of　Marius　de
Rennepont；　a　feverish　agitation；　and　the　devouring　impatience　of　triumph；
were　visible　on　the　countenance　of　Rodin。　　Two　or　three　times　he　opened
his　pocketbook；　and　read　and　arranged　the　different　certificates　of　death
of　the　various　members　of　the　Rennepont　family；　and　from　time　to　time　he
thrust　his　head　anxiously　from　the　coach…window；　as　if　he　had　wished　to
hasten　the　slow　progress　of　the　vehicle。

The　good　little　father；　his　socius；　did　not　take　his　eye　off　Rodin；　and
his　look　had　a　strange　and　crafty　expression。　　At　last　the　coach　entered
the　Rue　Saint…Francois；　and　stopped　before　the　iron…studded　door　of　the
old　house；　which　had　been　closed　for　a　century　and　a　half。　　Rodin　sprang
from　the　coach　with　the　agility　of　a　young　man；　and　knocked　violently　at
the　door；　whilst　Father　Caboccini；　less　light　of　foot；　descended　more
prudently　to　the　ground。　　No　answer　was　returned　to　the　loud　knocking　of
Rodin。　　Trembling　with　anxiety；　he　knocked　again。　　This　time；　as　he
listened　attentively；　he　heard　slow　steps　approaching。　　They　stopped　at
some　distance　from　the　door；　which　was　not　yet　opened。

〃It　is　keeping　one　upon　red…hot　coals；〃　said　Rodin；　for　he　felt　as　if
there　was　a　burning　fire　in　his　chest。　　He　again　shook　the　door
violently；　and　began　to　gnaw　his　nails　according　to　his　custom。

Suddenly　the　door　opened；　and　Samuel；　the　Jew　guardian；　appeared　beneath
the　porch。　　The　countenance　of　the　old　man　expressed　bitter　grief。　　Upon
his　venerable　cheeks　were　the　traces　of　recent　tears；　which　he　strove　to
dry　with　his　trembling　hands；　as　he　opened　the　door　to　Rodin。

〃Who　are　you；　gentlemen？〃　said　Samuel。

〃I　am　the　bearer　of　a　power　of　attorney　from　the　Abbe　Gabriel；　the　only
living　representative　of　the　Rennepont　family；〃　answered　Rodin；　hastily。
〃This　gentleman　is　my　secretary；〃　added　he；　pointing　to　Father　Caboccini；
who　bowed。

After　looking　attentively　at　Rodin；　Samuel　resumed：　〃I　recognize　you；
sir。　　Please　to　follow　me。〃　　And　the　old　guardian　advanced　towards　the
house　in　the　garden；　making　a　sign　to　the　two　reverend　fathers　to　follow。

〃That　confounded　old　man　kept　me　so　long　at　the　door；〃　said　Rodin　to　his
socius；　〃that　I　think　I　have　caught　a　cold　in　consequence。　　My　lips　and
throat　are　dried　up；　like　parchment　baked　at　the　fire。〃

〃Will　you　not　take　something；　my　dear；　good　father？　　Suppose　you　were　to
ask　this　man　for　a　glass　of　water；〃　cried　the　little　one…eyed　priest；
with　tender　solicitude。

〃No；　no；〃　answered　Rodin；　〃it　is　nothing。　　I　am　devoured　by　impatience。
That　is　all。〃

Pale　and　desolate；　Bathsheba；　the　wife　of　Samuel；　was　standing　at　the
door　of　the　apartment　she　occupied　with　her　husband；　in　the　building　next
the　street。　　As　the　Jew　passed　before　her；　he　said；　in　Hebrew：　〃The
curtains　of　the　Hall　of　Mourning？〃

〃Are　closed。〃

〃And　the　iron　casket？〃

〃Is　prepared；〃　answered　Bathsheba；　also　in　Hebrew。

After　pronouncing　these　words；　completely　unintelligible　to　Rodin　and
Caboccini；　Samuel　and　Bathsheba　exchanged　a　bitter　smile；　notwithstanding
the　despair　impressed　on　their　countenances