the wandering jew, volume 11-第7部分

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suspicious；〃　said　Rose；　in　a　coaxing　tone；　〃it　proves　how　much　you　love
us。〃




CHAPTER　LV。

THE　IMPROVISED　HOSPITAL

Among　a　great　number　of　temporary　hospitals　opened　at　the　time　of　the
cholera　in　every　quarter　of　Paris；　one　had　been　established　on　the
ground…floor　of　a　large　house　in　the　Rue　du　Mont…Blanc。　　The　vacant
apartments　had　been　generously　placed　by　their　proprietor　at　the　disposal
of　the　authorities；　and　to　this　place　were　carried　a　number　of　persons；
who；　being　suddenly　attacked　with　the　contagion；　were　considered　in　too
dangerous　a　state　to　be　removed　to　the　principal　hospitals。

Two　days　had　elapsed　since　Rodin's　visit　to　Marshal　Simon's　daughters。
Shortly　after　he　had　been　expelled；　the　Princess　de　Saint…Dizier　had
entered　to　see　them；　under　the　cloak　of　being　a　house…to…house　visitor　to
collect　funds　for　the　cholera　sufferers。

Choosing　the　moment　when　Dagobert；　deceived　by　her　lady…like　demeanor；
had　withdrawn；　she　counselled　the　twins　that　it　was　their　duty　to　go　and
see　their　governess；　whom　she　stated　to　be　in　the　hospital　we　now
describe。

It　was　about　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　The　persons　who　had　watched
during　the　night　by　the　sick　people；　in　the　hospital　established　in　the
Rue　du　Mont…Blanc；　were　about　to　be　relieved　by　other　voluntary
assistants。

〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　said　one　of　those　newly　arrived；　〃how　are　we　getting
on？　　Has　there　been　any　decrease　last　night　in　the　number　of　the　sick？〃

〃Unfortunately；　no；　but　the　doctors　think　the　contagion　has　reached　its
height。〃

Then　there　is　some　hope　of　seeing　it　decrease。〃

〃And　have　any　of　the　gentlemen；　whose　places　we　come　to　take；　been
attacked　by　the　disease？〃

〃We　came　eleven　strong　last　night；　we　are　only　nine　now。〃

〃That　is　bad。　　Were　these　two　persons　taken　off　rapidly？〃

〃One　of　the　victims；　a　young　man　of　twenty…five　years　of　age；　a　cavalry
officer　on　furlough；　was　struck　as　it　were　by　lightning。　　In　less　than　a
quarter　of　an　hour　he　was　dead。　　Though　such　facts　are　frequent；　we　were
speechless　with　horror。〃

〃Poor　young　man！〃

〃He　had　a　word　of　cordial　encouragement　and　hope　for　every；　one。　　He　had
so　far　succeeded　in　raising　the　spirits　of　the　patients；　that　some　of
them　who　were　less　affected　by　the　cholera　than　by　the　fear　of　it；　were
able　to　quit　the　hospital　nearly　well。〃

〃What　a　pity！　So　good　a　young　man！　　Well；　he　died　gloriously；　it　requires
as　much　courage　as　on　the　field　of　battle。〃

〃He　had　only　one　rival　in　zeal　and　courage；　and　that　is　a　Young　priest；
with　an　angelic　countenance；　whom　they　call　the　Abbe　Gabriel。　　He　is
indefatigable；　he　hardly　takes　an　hour's　rest；　but　runs　from　one　to　the
other；　and　offers　himself　to　everybody。　　He　forgets　nothing。　　The
consolation；　which　he　offers　come　from　the　depths　of　his　soul；　and　are
not　mere　formalities　in　the　way　of　his　profession。　　No；　no；　I　saw　him
weep　over　a　poor　woman；　whose　eyes　he　had　closed　after　a　dreadful　agony。
Oh；　if　all　priests　were　like　him！〃

〃No　doubt；　a　good　priest　is　most　worthy　of　respect。　　But！　who　is　the
other　victim　of　last　night？〃

〃Oh！　his　death　was　frightful。　　Do　not　speak　of　it。　　I　have　still　the
horrible　scene　before　my　eyes。〃

〃A　sudden　attack　of　cholera？〃

〃If　it　had　only　been　the　contagion；　I　should　not　so　shudder　at　the
remembrance。〃

〃What　then　did　he　die　of？〃

〃It　is　a　string　of　horrors。　　Three　days　ago；　they　brought　here　a　man；　who
was　supposed　to　be　only　attacked　with　cholera。　　You　have　no　doubt　heard
speak　of　this　personage。　　He　is　the　lion…tamer；　that　drew　all　Paris　to
the　Porte…Saint…Martin。〃

〃I　know　the　man　you　mean。　　Called　Morok。　　He　performed　a　kind　of　play
with　a　tame　panther。〃

〃Exactly　so；　I　was　myself　present　at　a　similar　scene；　which　a　stranger；
an　Indian；　in　consequence　of　a　wager；　was　said　at　the　time；　jumped　upon
the　stage　and　killed　the　panther。〃

〃Well；　this　Morok；　brought　here　as　a　cholera…patient；　and　indeed　with　all
the　symptoms　of　the　contagion；　soon　showed　signs　of　a　still　more
frightful　malady。〃

〃And　this　was〃

〃Hydrophobia。〃

〃Did　he　become　mad？〃

〃Yes；　he　confessed；　that　he　had　been　bitten　a　few　days　before　by　one　of
the　mastiffs　in　his　menagerie；　unfortunately；　we　only　learnt　this
circumstance　after　the　terrible　attack；　which　cost　the　life　of　the　poor
fellow　we　deplore。〃

〃How　did　it　happen；　then？〃

〃Morok　was　in　a　room　with　three　other　patients。　　Suddenly　seized　with　a
sort　of　furious　delirium；　he　rose；　uttering　ferocious　cries；　and　rushed
raving　mad　into　the　passage。　　Our　poor　friend　made　an　attempt　to　stop
him。　　This　kind　of　resistance　increased　the　frenzy　of　Morok；　who　threw
himself　on　the　man　that　crossed　his　path；　and；　tearing　him　with　his
teeth；　fell　down　in　horrible　convulsions。〃

〃Oh！　you　are　right。　　'Twas　indeed　frightful。　　And；　not　withstanding　every
assistance　this　victim　of　Morok's〃

〃Died　during　the　night；　in　dreadful　agony；　for　the　shock　had　been　so
violent；　that　brain…fever　almost　instantly　declared　itself。〃

〃And　is　Morok　dead？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　　He　was　to　be　taken　to　another　hospital；　after　being　fast
bound　in　the　state　of　weakness　which　generally　succeeds　the　fit。　　But；
till　he　can　be　removed　he　has　been　confined　in　a　room　upstairs。〃

〃But　he　cannot　recover。〃

〃I　should　think　he　must　be　dead　by　this　time。　　The　doctors　did　not　give
him　twenty…four　hours　to　live。〃

The　persons　engaged　in　this　conversation　were　standing　in　an　ante…chamber
on　the　ground…floor；　in　which　usually　assembled　those　who　came　to　offer
their　voluntary　aid　to　the　sick。　　One　door　of　this　room　communicated　with
the　rest　of　the　hospital；　and　the　other　with　the　passage　that　opened　upon
the　courtyard。

〃Dear　me！〃　said　one　of　the　two　speakers；　looking　through　the　window。
〃See　what　two　charming　girls　have　just　got　out　of　that　elegant　carriage。
How　much　alike　they　are！　　Such　a　resemblance　is　indeed　extraordinary。〃

〃No　doubt　they　are　twins。　　Poor　young　girls！　dressed　in　Mourning。　　They
have　perhaps　lost　father　or　mother。〃

〃One　would　imagine　they　are　coming　this　way。〃

〃Yes；　they　are　coming　up　the　steps。〃

And　indeed　Rose　and　Blanche　soon　entered　the　antechamber；　with　a　timid；
anxious　air；　though　a　sort　of　feverish　excitement　was　visible　in　their
looks。　　One　of　the　two　men　that　were　talking　together；　moved　by　the
embarrassment　of　the　girls；　advanced　toward　them；　and　said；　in　a　tone　of
attentive　politeness：　〃Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you；　ladies？〃

〃Is　not　this；　sir；〃　replied　Rose；　〃the　infirmary　of　the　Rue　du　Mont…
Blanc？〃

〃Yes；　miss。〃

〃A　lady；　called　Madame　Augustine　du　Tremblay；　was　brought　here；　we　are
told；　about　two　days　ago。　　Could　we　see　her？〃

〃I　would　observe　to　you；　miss；　that　there　is　some　danger　in　entering　the
sick…wards。〃

It　is　a　dear　friend　that　we　wish　to　see；〃　answered　Rose；　in　a　mild　and
firm　tone；　which　sufficiently　expressed　that　she　was　determined　to　brave
the　danger。

〃I　cannot　be　sure；　miss；〃　resumed　the　other；　〃that　the　person　you　seek　is
here；　but；　if　you　will　take　the　trouble　to　walk　into　this　room　on　the
left；　you　will　find　there　the　good　Sister　Martha；　she　has　the　care　of　the
women's　wards；　and　will　give　you　all　the　information　you　can　desire。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Blanche；　with　a　graceful　bow；　and　she　and　her
sister　entered　together　the　apartment　which　had　been　pointed　out　to　them。

〃They　are　really　charming；〃　said　the　man；　looking　after　the　two　sisters；
who　soon　disappeared　from　his　view。　　〃It　would　be　a　great　pity　if〃

He　was　unable　to　finish。　　A　frightful　tumult；　mingled　with　cries　of　alarm
and　horror；　rose　suddenly　from　the　adjoining　rooms。　　Almost　instantly；
two　doors　were　thrown　open；　and　a　number　of　the　sick；　half…naked；　pale；
fleshless；　and　their　features　convulsed　with　terror；　rushed　into　the
antechamber；　exclaiming：　〃Help！　help！　the　madman！〃　　It　is　impossible　to
paint　the　scene　of　despairing　and　furious　confusion　which　followed　this
panic　of　so　many　affrighted　wretches；　flying　to　the　only　other　door；　to
escape　from　the　perils　they　dreaded；　and　there；　struggling　and　trampling
on　each　other　to　pass　through　the　narrow　entrance。

At　the　moment　when　the　last　of　these　unhappy　creatures　succeeded　in
reaching　the　door；　dragging　himself　along　upon　his　bleeding　hands；　for　he
had　been　thrown　down　and　almost　crushed　in　the　confusionMorok；　the
object　of　so　much　terrorMorok　himself　appeared。　　He　was　a　horrible
sight。　　With　the　exception　of　a　rag　bound　about　his　middle；　his　wan　form
was　entirely　naked；　and　from　his　bare　legs　still　hung　the　remnants　of　the
cords　he　had　just　broken。　　His　thick；　yellow　hair　stood　almost　on　end；
his　beard　bristled；　his　savage　eyes　rolled　full　of　blood　in　their　orbits；
and　shone　with　a　glassy　brightness；　his　lips　were　covered　with　foam；　from
time　to　time；　he　uttered　hoarse；　guttural　cries。　　The　veins；　visible　on
his　iron　limbs　were　swollen　almost　to　bursting。　　He　bounded　like　a　wild
beast；　and　stretched　out　before　him　his　bony　and　quivering　hands。　　At　the
moment　Morok　reached　the　doorway；　by　which　those　he　pursued　made　their
escape；　some　persons；　attracted　by　the　noise；　managed　to　close　this　door
from　without；　whilst　others　secured　that　which　communicated　with　the
sick…ward。

Morok　thus　found　himself　a　prisoner。　　He　ran　to　the　window　to　force　it
open；　and　threw　himself　into　the　courtyard。　　But；　stopping　suddenly；　he
drew　back　from　the　glittering　panes；　seized　with　that　invincible　horror
which　all　the　victims　of　hydrophobia　feel　at　the　sight　of　any　shining
object；　particularly　glass。　　The　unfortunate　creatures　whom　he　had
pursued；　saw　him　from　the　courtyard　exhausting　himself　in　furious　efforts
to　open　the　doors　that　just　had　been　closed　upon　him。　　Then；　perceiving
the　inutility　of　his　attempts；　he　uttered　savage　cries；　and　rushed
furiously　round　the　room；　like　a　wild　beast　that　seeks　in　vain　to　escape
from　its　cage。

But；　suddenly；　those　spectators　of　this　scene；　who　had　approached　nearest
to　the　window；　uttered　a　loud　exclamation　of　fear　and　anguish。　　Morok　had
perceived　the　little　door　which　led　to　the　closet　occupied　by　Sister
Martha；　where　Rose　and　Blanche　had　entered　a　few　minutes　before。　　Hoping
to　get　out　by　this　way；　Morok　drew　the　door　violently　towards　him；　an