the wandering jew, volume 9-第17章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃What　does　he　think　of　the　patient？〃

〃He　finds　him　in　the　most　alarming　state；　my　lord。　　The　night　was　so　bad；
that　he　was　extremely　uneasy　this　morning。　　Father　Rodin　is　at　one　of
those　critical　junctures；　when　a　few　hours　may　decide　the　life　or　death
of　the　patient。　　Dr。　Baleinier　is　now　gone　to　fetch　what　is　necessary　for
a　very　painful　operation；　which　he　is　about　to　perform　on　the　reverend
father。〃

〃Has　Father　d'Aigrigny　been　told　of　this？〃

〃Father　d'Aigrigny　is　himself　very　unwell；　as　your　eminence　knows；　he　has
not　been　able　to　leave　his　bed　for　the　last　three　days。〃

〃I　inquired　about　him　as　I　came　up；〃　answered　the　prelate；　〃and　I　shall
see　him　directly。　　But；　to　return　to　Father　Rodin；　have　you　sent　for　his
confessor；　since　he　is　in　a　desperate　state；　and　about　to　undergo　a
serious　operation？〃

〃Dr。　Baleinier　spoke　a　word　to　him　about　it；　as　well　as　about　the　last
sacraments；　but　Father　Rodin　exclaimed；　with　great　irritation；　that　they
did　not　leave　him　a　moment's　peace；　that　he　had　as　much　care　as　any　one
for　his　salvation；　and　that〃

〃Per　Bacco！　I　am　not　thinking　of　him；〃　cried　the　cardinal；　interrupting
Ange　Modeste　Rousselet　with　his　pagan　oath；　and　raising　his　sharp　voice
to　a　still　higher　key；　〃I　am　not　thinking　of　him；　but　of　the　interests　of
the　Company。　　It　is　indispensable　that　the　reverend　father　should　receive
the　sacraments　with　the　most　splendid　solemnity；　and　that　his　end　should
not　only　be　Christian；　but　exemplary。　　All　the　people　in　the　house；　and
even　strangers；　should　be　invited　to　the　spectacle；　so　that　his　edifying
death　may　produce　an　excellent　sensation。〃

〃That　is　what　Fathers　Grison　and　Brunet　have　already　endeavored　to
persuade　his　reverence；　my　lord；　but　your　Eminence　knows　with　what
impatience　Father　Rodin　received　this　advice；　and　Dr。　Baleinier　did　not
venture　to　persist；　for　fear　of　advancing　a　fatal　crisis。〃

〃Well；　I　will　venture　to　do　it；　for　in　these　times　of　revolutionary
impiety；　a　solemnly　Christian　death　would　produce　a　very　salutary　effect
on　the　public。　　It　would　indeed　be　proper　to　make　the　necessary
preparations　to　embalm　the　reverend　father：　he　might　then　lie　in　state
for　some　days；　with　lighted　tapers；　according　to　Romish　custom。　　My
secretary　would　furnish　the　design　for　the　bier；　it　would　be　very
splendid　and　imposing；　from　his　position　in　the　Order；　Father　Rodin　is
entitled　to　have　everything　in　the　most　sumptuous　style。　　He　must　have　at
least　six　hundred　tapers；　and　a　dozen　funeral　lamps；　burning　spirits　of
wine；　to　hang　just　over　the　body；　and　light　it　from　above：　the　effect
would　be　excellent。　　We　must　also　distribute　little　tracts　to　the　people；
concerning　the　pious　and　ascetic　life　of　his　reverence〃

Here　a　sudden　noise；　like　that　of　some　piece　of　metal　thrown　angrily　on
the　floor；　was　heard　from　the　next　room；　in　which　was　the　sick　man；　and
interrupted　the　prelate　in　his　description。

〃I　hope　Father　Rodin　has　not　heard　you　talk　of　embalming　him；　my　lord；〃
said　Rousselet；　in　a　whisper：　〃his　bed　touches　the　partition；　and　almost
everything　is　audible　through　it。〃

〃If　Father　Rodin　has　heard　me；〃　answered　the　cardinal；　sinking　his　voice；
and　retiring　to　the　other　end　of　the　room；　〃this　circumstance　will　enable
me　to　enter　at　once　on　the　business；　but；　in　any　case；　I　persist　in
believing　that　the　embalming　and　the　lying　in　state　are　required　to　make
a　good　effect　upon　the　public。　　The　people　are　already　frightened　at　the
cholera；　and　such　funeral　pomp　would　have　no　small　influence　on　the
imagination。〃

〃I　would　venture　to　observe　to　your　Eminence；　that　here　the　laws　are
opposed　to　such　exhibitions。〃

〃The　lawsalready　the　laws！〃　said　the　cardinal；　angrily；　〃has　not　Rome
also　her　laws？　　And　is　not　every　priest　a　subject　of　Rome？　　Is　it　not
time〃

But；　not　choosing；　doubtless；　to　begin　a　more　explicit　conversation　with
the　young　doctor；　the　prelate　resumed；　〃We　will　talk　of　this　hereafter。
But；　tell　me；　since　my　last　visit；　has　the　reverend　father　had　any　fresh
attacks　of　delirium？〃

〃Yes；　my　lord；　here　is　the　note；　as　your　Eminence　commanded。〃　So　saying
Rousselet　delivered　a　paper　to　the　prelate。　　We　will　inform　the　reader
that　this　part　of　the　conversation　between　Rousselet　and　the　cardinal　was
carried　on　at　a　distance　from　the　partition；　so　that　Rodin　could　hear
nothing　of　it；　whilst　that　which　related　to　the　embalming　had　been
perfectly　audible　to　him。

The　cardinal；　having　received　the　note　from　Rousselet；　perused　it　with　an
expression　of　lively　curiosity。　　When　he　had　finished；　he　crumpled　it　in
his　hand；　and　said；　without　attempting　to　dissemble　his　vexation；　〃Always
nothing　but　incoherent　expression。　　Not　two　words　together；　from　which
you　can　draw　any　reasonable　conclusion。　　One　would　really　think　this　man
had　the　power　to　control　himself　even　in　his　delirium；　and　to　rave　about
insignificant　matters　only。〃

Then；　addressing　Rousselet；　〃You　are　sure　that　you　have　reported
everything　that　escaped　from　him　during　his　delirium？〃

〃With　the　exception　of　the　same　phrases；　that　he　repeated　over　and　over
again；　your　Eminence　may　be　assured　that　I　have　not　omitted　a　single
word；　however　unmeaning。〃

〃Show　me　into　Father　Rodin's　room；〃　said　the　prelate；　after　a　moment's
silence。

〃But；　my　lord；〃　answered　the　young　doctor；　with　some　hesitation；　〃the　fit
has　only　left　him　about　an　hour；　and　the　reverend　father　is　still　very
weak。〃

〃The　more　the　reason；〃　replied　the　prelate；　somewhat　indiscreetly。
Then；　recollecting　himself；　he　added；　〃He　will　the　better　appreciate　the
consolations　I　have　to　offer。　　Should　he　be　asleep；　awake　him；　and
announce　my　visit。〃

〃I　have　only　orders　to　receive　from　your　Eminence；〃　said　Rousselet；
bowing；　and　entering　the　next　room。

Left　alone；　the　cardinal　said　to　himself；　with　a　pensive　air；　〃I　always
come　back　to　that。　　When　he　was　suddenly　attacked　by　the　cholera；　Father
Rodin　believed　himself　poisoned　by　order　of　the　Holy　See。　　He　must　then
have　been　plotting　something　very　formidable　against　Rome；　to　entertain
so　abominable　a　fear。　　Can　our　suspicions　be　well　founded？　　Is　he　acting
secretly　and　powerfully　on　the　Sacred　College？　　But　then　for　what　end？
This　it　has　been　impossible　to　penetrate；　so　faithfully　has　the　secret
been　kept　by　his　accomplices。　　I　had　hoped　that；　during　his　delirium；　he
would　let　slip　some　word　that　would　put　us　on　the　trace　of　what　we　are　so
much　interested　to　discover。　　With　so　restless　and　active　a　mind；
delirium　is　often　the　exaggeration　of　some　dominant　idea；　yet　here　I　have
the　report　of　five　different　fitsand　nothingno；　nothing　but　vague；
unconnected　phrases。〃

The　return　of　Rousselet　put　an　end　to　these　reflections。　　〃I　am　sorry　to
inform　my　lord　that　the　reverend　father　obstinately　refuses　to　see　any
one。　　He　says　that　he　requires　absolute　repose。　　Though　very　weak；　he　has
a　savage　and　angry　look；　and　I　should　not　be　surprised　if　he　overheard
your　Eminence　talk　about　embalming　him。〃

The　cardinal；　interrupting　Rousselet；　said　to　him；　〃Did　Father　Rodin　have
his　last　fit　of　delirium　in　the　night？〃

〃Between　three　and　half…past　five　this　morning；　my　lord。〃

〃Between　three　and　half…past　five；〃　repeated　the　prelate；　as　if　he　wished
to　impress　this　circumstance　on　his　memory；　〃the　attack　presented　no
particular　symptoms？〃

〃No；　my　lord；　it　consisted　of　rambling；　incoherent　talk；　as　your　Eminence
may　see　by　this　note。〃

Then；　as　he　perceived　the　prelate　approaching　Father　Rodin's　door；
Rousselet　added；　〃The　reverend　father　will　positively　see　no　one；　my
lord；　he　requires　rest；　to　prepare　for　the　operation；　it　might　be
dangerous〃

Without　attending　to　these　observations；　the　cardinal　entered　Rodin's
chamber。　　It　was　a　tolerably　large　room；　lighted　by　two　windows；　and
simply　but　commodiously　furnished。　　Two　logs　were　burning　slowly　in　the
fireplace；　in　which　stood　a　coffee…pot；　a　vessel　containing　mustard…
poultice；　etc。　　On　the　chimney…piece　were　several　pieces　of　rag；　and　some
linen　bandages。　　The　room　was　full　of　that　faint　chemical　odor　peculiar
to　the　chambers　of　the　sick；　mingled　with　so　putrid　a　stench；　that　the
cardinal　stopped　at　the　door　a　moment；　before　he　ventured　to　advance
further。　　As　the　three　reverend　fathers　had　mentioned　in　their　walk；
Rodin　lived　because　he　had　said　to　himself；　〃I　want　to　live；　and　I　will
live。〃

For；　as　men　of　timid　imaginations　and　cowardly　minds　often　die　from　the
mere　dread　of　dying；　so　a　thousand　facts　prove　that　vigor　of　character
and　moral　energy　may　often　struggle　successfully　against　disease；　and
triumph　over　the　most　desperate　symptoms。

It　was　thus　with　the　Jesuit。　　The　unshaken　firmness　of　his　character；　the
formidable　tenacity　of　his　will　（for　the　will　has　sometimes　a　mysterious
and　almost　terrific　power）；　aiding　the　skillful　treatment　of　Dr。
Baleinier；　had　saved　him　from　the　pestilence　with　which　he　had　been　so
suddenly　attacked。　　But　the　shock　had　been　succeeded　by　a　violent　fever；
which　placed　Rodin's　life　in　the　utmost　peril。　　This　increased　danger　had
caused　the　greatest　alarm　to　Father　d'Aigrigny；　who　felt；　in　spite　of　his
rivalry　and　jealousy；　that　Rodin　was　the　master…spirit　of　the　plot　in
which　they　were　engaged；　and　could　alone　conduct　it　to　a　successful
issue。

The　curtains　of　the　room　was　half　closed；　and　admitted　only　a　doubtful
light　to　the　bed　on　which　Rodin　was　lying。　　The　Jesuit's　features　had
lost　the　greenish　hue　peculiar　to　cholera　patients；　but　remained
perfectly　livid　and　cadaverous；　and　so　thin；　that　the　dry；　rugged　skin
appeared　to　cling　to　the　smallest　prominence　of　bone。　　The　muscles　and
veins　of　the　long；　lean；　vulture…like　neck　resembled　a　bundle　of　cords。
The　head；　covered　with　an　old；　black；　filthy　nightcap；　from　beneath　which
strayed　a　few　thin；　gray　hairs；　rested　upon　a　dirty　pillow；　for　Rodin
would　not　allow　them　to　change　his　linen。　　His　iron…gray　beard　had　not
been　shaved　for　some　time；　and　stood　out　like　the　hairs　of　a　brush。
Under　his　shirt　he　wore　an　old　flannel　waistcoat　full　of　holes。　　He　had
one　of　his　arms　out　of　bed；　and　his　bony　hairy　hand；　with　its　bluish
nails；　held　fast　a　cotton　handkerchief　of　indescribable　color。

You　might　have　taken　him　for　a　corpse；　had　it　not　been　for　the　two
brilliant　sparks　which　still　burned　in　the　depths　of　his　eyes。　　In　that
look；　in　which　seemed　concentrated　all　the　remaining　life　and　energy　of
the　man；　you　might　read　the　most　restless　anxiety。　　Sometimes　his
features　revealed　the　sharpest　pangs；　sometimes　the　twisting　of　his
hands；　and　his　sudden　starts；　proclaimed　his　despair　at　being　thus
fettered　to　a　bed　of　pain；　whilst　the　serious　interests　which　he　had　in
charge　required　all　the　activity　of　his　mind。　　Thus；　with　thoughts
continually　on　the　stretch；　his　mind　often　wandered；　and　he　had　fits　of
delirium；　from　which　he　woke　as　from　a　painful　dream。　　By　the　prudent
advice　of　Dr。　Baleinier；　who　considered　him　not　in　a　state　to　attend　to
matters　ofimportance；　Father　d'Aigrigny　had　hitherto　evaded　Rodin's
questions　with　regard　to　the　Rennepont　affair；　which　he　dreaded　to　see
lost　and　ruined　in　consequence　of　his　forced　inaction。　　The　silence　of
Father　d'Aigrigny　on　this　head；　and　the　ignorance　in　which　they