the wandering jew, volume 11-第27部分

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here　and　there　broken　by　the　thick　foliage。　　What　various　and　touching
types！　　The　venerable　face　of　the　soldierthe　good；　loving　countenance
of　my　adopted　motherthe　fresh　beauty　of　Angela；　smiling　on　her　little
childthe　soft　melancholy　of　the　hunchback；　now　and　then　pressing　her
lips　to　the　fair；　laughing　cheek　of　Agricola's　eldest　sonand　then
Agricola　himself；　in　his　manly　beauty；　which　seems　to　reflect　so　well　the
valor　and　honesty　of　his　heart！　　Oh；　my　Friend！　in　contemplating　this
assemblage　of　good；　devoted；　noble；　and　loving　beings；　so　dear　to　each
other；　living　retired　in　a　little　farm　of　our　poor　Sologne；　my　heart　rose
towards　heaven　with　a　feeling　of　ineffable　gratitude。　　This　peace　of　the
family　circlethis　clear　evening；　with　the　perfume　of　the　woods　and　wild
flowers　wafted　on　the　breezethis　deep　silence；　only　broken　by　the
murmur　of　the　neighboring　rillall　affected　me　with　one　of　these　passing
fits　of　vague　and　sweet　emotion；　which　one　feels　but　cannot　express。　　You
well　know　it；　my　friend；　who；　in　your　solitary　walks；　in　the　midst　of
your　immense　plains　of　flowering　heath；　surrounded　by　forests　of　fir
trees；　often　feel　your　eyes　grow　moist；　without　being　able　to　explain　the
cause　of　that　sweet　melancholy；　which　I；　too；　have　often　felt；　during
those　glorious　nights　passed　in　the　profound　solitudes　of　America。

〃But；　alas！　a　painful　incident　disturbed　the　serenity　of　the　picture。
Suddenly　I　heard　Dagobert's　wife　say　to　him：　‘My　dearyou　are　weeping！'

〃At　these　words；　Agricola；　Angela；　and　Magdalen　gathered　round　the
soldier。　　Anxiety　was　visible　upon　every　face。　　Then；　as　he　raised　his
head　abruptly；　one　could　see　two　large　tears　trickle　down　his　cheek　to
his　white　moustache。　　‘It　is　nothing；　my　children；'　said　he；　in　a　voice
of　emotion　‘it　is　nothing。　　Only；　to…day　is　the　first　of　Juneand　this
day　four　years'　He　could　not　complete　the　sentence；　and；　as　he　raised
his　hands　to　his　eyes；　to　brush　away　the　tears；　we　saw　that　he　held
between　his　fingers　a　little　bronze　chain；　with　a　medal　suspended　to　it。
That　is　his　dearest　relic。　　Four　years　ago；　almost　dying　with　despair　at
the　loss　of　the　two　angels；　of　whom　I　have　so　often　spoken　to　you；　my
friend；　he　took　from　the　neck　of　Marshal　Simon；　brought　home　dead　from　a
fatal　duel；　this　chain　and　medal　which　his　children　had　so　long　worn。　　I
went　down　instantly；　as　you　may　suppose；　to　endeavor　to　soothe　the
painful　remembrances　of　this　excellent　man；　gradually；　he　grew　calmer；
and　the　evening　was　passed　in　a　pious　and　quiet　sadness。

〃You　cannot　imagine；　my　friend；　when　I　returned　to　my　chamber；　what　cruel
thoughts　came　to　my　mind；　as　I　recalled　those　past　events；　from　which　I
generally　turn　away　with　fear　and　horror。　　Then　I　saw　once　more　the
victims　of　those　terrible　and　mysterious　plots；　the　awful　depths　of　which
have　never　been　penetrated　thanks　to　the　death　of　Father　d'A。　and　Father
R。；　and　the　incurable　madness　of　Madame　de　St。…D。；　the　three　authors　or
accomplices　of　the　dreadful　deeds。　　The　calamities　occasioned　by　them　are
irreparable；　for　those　who　were　thus　sacrificed　to　a　criminal　ambition；
would　have　been　the　pride　of　humanity　by　the　good　they　would　have　done。
Ah；　my　friend！　if　you　had　known　those　noble　hearts；　if　you　had　known　the
projects　of　splendid　charity；　formed　by　that　young　lady；　whose　heart　was
so　generous；　whose　mind　so　elevated；　whose　soul　so　great！　On　the　eve　of
her　death；　as　a　kind　of　prelude　to　her　magnificent　designs；　after　a
conversation；　the　subject　of　which　I　must　keep　secret；　even　from　you；　she
put　into　my　hands　a　considerable　sum；　saying；　with　her　usual　grace　and
goodness：　〃I　have　been　threatened　with　ruin；　and　it　might　perhaps　come。
What　I　now　confide　to　you　will　at　least　be　safesafefor　those　who
suffer。　　Give　muchgive　freelymake　as　many　happy　hearts　as　you　can。
My　happiness　shall　have　a　royal　inauguration！！〃　　I　do　not　know　whether　I
ever　told　you；　my　friend；　that；　after　those　fatal　events；　seeing　Dagobert
and　his　wife　reduced　to　misery；　poor　〃Mother　Bunch〃　hardly　able　to　earn　a
wretched　subsistence；　Agricola　soon　to　become　a　father；　and　myself
deprived　of　my　curacy；　and　suspended　by　my　bishop；　for　having　given
religious　consolations　to　a　Protestant；　and　offered　up　prayers　at　the
tomb　of　an　unfortunate　suicideI　considered　myself　justified　in
employing　a　small　portion　of　the　sum　intrusted　to　me　by　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville　in　the　purchase　of　this　farm　in　Dagobert's　name。

〃Yes；　my　friend；　such　is　the　origin　of　my　fortune。　　The　farmer　to　whom
these　few　acres　formerly　belonged；　gave　us　the　rudiments　of　our
agricultural　education；　and　common　sense；　and　the　study　of　a　few　good
practical　books；　completed　it。　　From　an　excellent　workman；　Agricola　has
become　an　equally　excellent　husbandman；　I　have　tried　to　imitate　him；　and
have　put　my　hand　also　to　the　plough　there　is　no　derogation　in　it；　for　the
labor　which　provides　food　for　man　is　thrice　hallowed；　and　it　is　truly　to
serve　and　glorify　God；　to　cultivate　and　enrich　the　earth　He　has　created。
Dagobert；　when　his　first　grief　was　a　little　appeased；　seemed　to　gather
new　vigor　from　this　healthy　life　of　the　fields；　and；　during　his　exile　in
Siberia；　he　had　already　learned　to　till　the　ground。　　Finally；　my　dear
adopted　mother　and　sister；　and　Agricola's　good　wife；　have　divided　between
them　the　household　cares；　and　God　has　blessed　this　little　colony　of
people；　who；　alas！　have　been　sorely　tried　by　misfortune；　and　who　now　only
ask　of　toil　and　solitude；　a　quite；　laborious；　innocent　life；　and　oblivion
of　great　sorrows。　　Sometimes；　in　our　winter　evenings；　you　have　been　able
to　appreciate　the　delicate　and　charming　mind　of　the　gentle　〃Mother
Bunch；〃　the　rare　poetical　imagination　of　Agricola；　the　tenderness　of　his
mother；　the　good　sense　of　his　father；　the　exquisite　natural　grace　of
Angela。　　Tell　me；　my　friend；　was　it　possible　to　unite　more　elements　of
domestic　happiness？　　What　long　evenings　have　we　passed　round　the　fire　of
crackling　wood；　reading；　or　commenting　on　a　few　immortal　works；　which
always　warm　the　heart；　and　enlarge　the　soul！　　What　sweet　talk　have　we
had；　prolonged　far　into　the　night！　　And　then　Agricola's　pastorals；　and
the　timid　literary　confidences　of　Magdalen！　　And　the　fresh；　clear　voice
of　Angela；　joined　to　the　deep　manly　tones　of　Agricola；　in　songs　of　simple
melody！　　And　the　old　stories　of　Dagobert；　so　energetic　and　picturesque　in
their　warlike　spirit！　　And　the　adorable　gayety　of　the　children；　in　their
sports　with　good　old　Spoil…sport；　who　rather　lends　himself　to　their　play
than　takes　part　in　itfor　the　faithful；　intelligent　creature　seems
always　to　be　looking　for　somebody；　as　Dagobert　saysand　he　is　right。
Yes；　the　dog　also　regrets　those　two　angels；　of　whom　he　was　the　devoted
guardian！

〃Do　not　think；　my　friend；　that　our　happiness　makes　us　forgetful。　　No；　no；
not　a　day　passes　without　our　repeating；　with　pious　and　tender　respect；
those　names　so　dear　to　our　heart。　　And　these　painful　memories；　hovering
forever　about　us；　give　to　our　calm　and　happy　existence　that　shade　of　mild
seriousness　which　struck　you　so　much。　　No　doubt；　my　friend；　this　kind　of
life；　bounded　by　the　family　circle；　and　not　extending　beyond；　for　the
happiness　or　improvement　of　our　brethren；　may　be　set　down　as　selfish；
but；　alas！　we　have　not　the　meansand　though　the　poor　man　always　finds　a
place　at　our　frugal　table；　and　shelter　beneath　our　roof；　we　must　renounce
all　great　projects　of　fraternal　action。　　The　little　revenue　of　our　farm
just　suffices　to　supply　our　wants。　　Alas！　when　I　think　over　it；
notwithstanding　a　momentary　regret；　I　cannot　blame　my　resolution　to　keep
faithfully　my　sacred　oath；　and　to　renounce　that　great　inheritance；　which；
alas！　had　become　immense　by　the　death　of　my　kindred。　　Yes；　I　believe　I
performed　a　duty；　when　I　begged　the　guardian　of　that　treasure　to　reduce
it　to　ashes；　rather　than　let　it　fall　into　the　hands　of　people；　who　would
have　made　an　execrable　use　of　it；　or　to　perjure　myself　by　disputing　a
donation　which　I　had　granted　freely；　voluntarily；　sincerely。　　And　yet；
when　I　picture　to　myself　the　realization　of　the　magnificent　views　ofmy
ancestoran　admirable　Utopia；　only　possible　with　immense　resourcesand
which　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　hoped　to　carry　into　execution；　with　the　aid　of
M。　Francois　Hardy；　of　Prince　Djalma；　of　Marshal　Simon　and　his　daughters；
and　of　myselfwhen　I　think　of　the　dazzling　focus　of　living　forces；　which
such　an　association　would　have　been；　and　of　the　immense　influence　it
might　have　had　on　the　happiness　of　the　whole　human　racemy　indignation
and　horror；　as　an　honest　man　and　a　Christian；　are　excited　against　that
abominable　Company；　whose　black　plots　nipped　in　their　bud　all　those　great
hopes；　which　promised　so　much　for　futurity。　　What　remains　now　of　all
these　splendid　projects？　　Seven　tombs。　　For　my　grave　also　is　dug　in　that
mausoleum；　which　Samuel　has　erected　on　the　site　of　the　house　in　the　Rue
Neuve…Saint…Francois；　and　of　which　he　remains　the　keeperfaithful　to　the
end！

〃I　had　written　thus　far；　my　friend；　when　I　received　your　letter。　　So；
after　having　forbidden　you　to　see　me；　your　bishop　now　orders　that　you
shall　cease　to　correspond　with　me。　　Your　touching；　painful　regrets　have
deeply　moved　me；　my　friend。　　Often　have　we　talked　together　of
ecclesiastical　discipline；　and　of　the　absolute　power　of　the　bishops　over；
us；　the　poor　working　clergy；　left　to　their　mercy　without　remedy。　　It　is
painful；　but　it　is　the　law　of　the　church；　my　friend；　and　you　have　sworn
to　observe　it。　　Submit　as　I　have　submitted。　　Every　engagement　is　binding
upon　the　man　of　honor！　　My　poor；　dear　Joseph！　would　that　you　had　the
compensations　which　remained　to　me；　after　the　rupture　of　ties　that　I　so
much　value。　　But　I　know　too　well　what　you　must　feelI　cannot　go　on　I
find　it　impossible　to　continue　this　letter；　I　might　be　bitter　against
those　whose　orders　we　are　bound　to　respect。　　Since　it　must　be　so；　this
letter　shall　be　my　last。　　Farewell；　my　friend！　farewell　forever。　　My
heart　is　almost　broken。

〃GABRIEL　DE　RENNEPONT。〃




CHAPTER　11。

THE　REDEMPTION。

Day　was　about　to　dawn。　　A　rosy　light；　almost　imperceptible；　began　to
glimmer　in　the　east；　but　the　stars　still　shone；　sparkling　with　radiance；
upon　the　azure　of　t