the wandering jew, volume 9-第25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！



〃Courage；　sister！〃　said　Cephyse；　in　a　voice　which　was　also　growing　faint；
as　she　pressed　her　closer　to　her　bosom；　〃it　will　soon　be　over。〃

And　Cephyse　added；　with　a　kind　of　envy；　〃Oh！　why　does　my　sister's
strength　fail　so　much　sooner　than　mine？　　I　have　still　my　perfect　senses
and　I　suffer　less　than　she　does。　　Oh！　if　I　thought　she　would　die　first！
But；　noI　will　go　and　hold　my　face　over　the　chafing…dish　rather。〃

At　the　movement　Cephyse　made　to　rise；　a　feeble　pressure　from　her　sister
held　her　back。　　〃You　suffer；　my　poor　child！〃　said　Cephyse；　trembling。

〃Oh　yes！　a　good　deal　nowdo　not　leave　me！〃

〃And　I　scarcely　at　all；〃　said　Cephyse；　gazing　wildly　at　the　chafing…dish。
〃Ah！〃　added　she；　with　a　kind　of　fatal！　joy；　〃now　I　begin　to　feel　itI
chokemy　head　is　ready　to　split。〃

And　indeed　the　destructive　gas　now　filled　the　little　chamber；　from　which
it　had；　by　degrees；　driven　all　the　air　fit　for　respiration。　　The　day　was
closing　in；　and　the　gloomy　garret　was　only　lighted　by　the　reflection　of
the　burning　charcoal；　which　threw　a　red　glare　on　the　sisters；　locked　in
each　other's　arms。　　Suddenly　Mother　Bunch　made　some　slight　convulsive
movements；　and　pronounced　these　words　in　a　failing　voice：　〃Agricola
Mademoiselle　de　CardovilleOh！　farewell！AgricolaI〃

Then　she　murmured　some　unintelligible　words；　the　convulsive　moments
ceased；　and　her　arms；　which　had　been　clasped　round　Cephyse；　fell　inert
upon　the　mattress。

〃Sister！〃　cried　Cephyse；　in　alarm；　as　she　raised　Mother　Bunch's　head；　to
look　at　her　face。　　〃Not　already；　sister！And　I？and　I？〃

The　sewing…girl's　mild　countenance　was　not　paler　than　usual。　　Only　her
eyes；　half…closed；　seemed　no　longer　to　see　anything；　and　a　half…smile　of
mingled　grief　and　goodness　lingered　an　instant　about　her　violet　lips；
from　which　stole　the　almost　imperceptible　breathand　then　the　mouth
became　motionless；　and　the　face　assumed　a　great　serenity　of　expression。

〃But　you　must　not　die　before　me！〃　cried　Cephyse；　in　a　heart…rending　tone；
as　she　covered　with　kisses　the　cold　cheek。　　〃Wait　for　me；　sister！　wait
for　me！〃

Mother　Bunch　did　not　answer。　　The　head；　which　Cephyse　let　slip　from　her
hands；　fell　back　gently　on　the　mattress。

〃My　God。　　It　is　not　my　fault；　if　we　do　not　die　together！〃　cried　Cephyse
in　despair；　as　she　knelt　beside　the　couch；　on　which　the　other　lay
motionless。

〃Dead！〃　she　murmured　in　terror。　　〃Dead　before　me！Perhaps　it　is　that　I
am　the　strongest。　　Ah！　it　beginsfortunatelylike　her；　I　see　everything
dark…blueI　sufferwhat　happiness！I　can　scarcely　breathe。　　Sister！〃
she　added；　as　she　threw　her　arms　round　her　loved　one's　neck；　〃I　am
comingI　am　here！〃

At　the　same　instant　the　sound　of　footsteps　and　voices　was　heard　from　the
staircase。　　Cephyse　had　still　presence　of　mind　enough　to　distinguish　the
sound。　　Stretched　beside　the　body　of　her　sister；　she　raised　her　head
hastily。

The　noise　approached；　and　a　voice　was　heard　exclaiming；　not　far　from　the
doer：　〃Good　heavens！　what　a　smell　of　fire！〃

And；　at　the　same　instant；　the　door　was　violently　shaken；　and　another
voice　exclaimed：　〃Open！　open！〃

〃They　will　come　inthey　will　save　meand　my　sister　is　deadOh；　no！　I
will　not　have　the　baseness　to　survive　her！〃

Such　was　the　last　thought　of　Cephyse。　　Using　what　little　strength　she　had
left；　she　ran　to　the　window　and　opened　itand；　at　the　same　instant　that
the　half…broken　door　yielded　to　a　vigorous　effort　from　without；　the
unfortunate　creature　precipitated　herself　from　that　third　story　into　the
court　below。　　Just　then；　Adrienne　and　Agricola　appeared　on　the　threshold
of　the　chamber。　　In　spite　of　the　stifling　odor　of　the　charcoal；　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville　rushed　into　the　garret；　and；　seeing　the　stove；　she　exclaimed；
〃The　unhappy　girl　has　killed　herself！〃

〃No；　she　has　thrown　herself　from　the　window；〃　cried　Agricola：　for；　at　the
moment　of　breaking　open　the　door；　he　had　seen　a　human　form　disappear　in
that　direction；　and　he　now　ran　to　the　window。

〃Oh！　this　is　frightful！〃　he　exclaimed；　with　a　cry　of　horror；　as　he　put
his　hand　before　his　eyes；　and　returned　pale　and　terrified　to　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville。

But；　misunderstanding　the　cause　of　his　terror；　Adrienne；　who　had　just
perceived　Mother　Bunch　through　the　darkness；　hastened　to　answer：　〃No！　she
is　here。〃

And　she　pointed　to　the　pale　form　stretched　on　the　mattress；　beside　which
Adrienne　now　threw　herself　on　her　knees。　　Grasping　the　hands　of　the　poor
sempstress；　she　found　them　as　cold　as　ice。　　Laying　her　hand　on　her　heart；
she　could　not　feel　it　beat。　　Yet；　in　a　few　seconds；　as　the　fresh　air
rushed　into　the　room　from　the　door　and　window；　Adrienne　thought　she
remarked　an　almost　imperceptible　pulsation；　and　she　exclaimed：　〃Her　heart
beats！　Run　quickly　for　help！　Luckily；　I　have　my　smelling　bottle。〃

〃Yes；　yes！　help　for　herand　for　the　other　too；　if　it　is　yet　time！〃　cried
the　smith　in　despair；　as　he　rushed　down　the　stairs；　leaving　Mdlle。　de
Cardoville　still　kneeling　by　the　side　of　the　mattress。







End