the wandering jew, volume 9-第8章

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several　waiters；　with　their　napkins　under　their　arms；　leaned　forward；
impatient　to　witness　the　arrival　of　the　singular　guests　they　were
expecting。

At　length；　the　grotesque　procession　made　its　appearance　in　the　thick　of
an　immense　uproar。　　The　train　comprised　a　chariot；　escorted　by　men　and
women　on　horseback；　clad　in　rich　and　elegant　fancy　dresses。　　Most　of
these　maskers　belonged　to　the　middle　and　easy　classes　of　society。　　The
report　had　spread　that　masquerade　was　in　preparation；　for　the　purpose　of
daring　the　cholera；　and；　by　this　joyous　demonstration；　to　revive　the
courage　of　the　affrighted　populace。　　Immediately；　artists；　young　men
about　town；　students；　and　so　on；　responded　to　the　appeal；　and　though　till
now　unknown　one　to　the　other；　they　easily　fraternized　together。　　Many
brought　their　mistresses；　to　complete　the　show。　　A　subscription　had　been
opened　to　defray　the　expenses；　and；　that　morning；　after　a　splendid
breakfast　at　the　other　end　of　Paris；　the　joyous　troop　had　started　bravely
on　their　march；　to　finish　the　day　by　a　dinner　in　the　square　of　Notre…
Dame。

We　say　bravely；　for　it　required　a　singular　turn　of　mind；　a　rare　firmness
of　character；　in　young　women；　to　traverse；　in　this　fashion；　a　great　city
plunged　in　consternation　and　terrorto　fall　in　at　every　step　with
litters　loaded　with　the　dying；　and　carriages　filled　with　the　deadto
defy；　as　it　were；　in　a　spirit　of　strange　pleasantry；　the　plague　that　was
detonating　the　Parisians。　　It　is　certain　that；　in　Paris　alone；　and　there
only　amongst　a　peculiar　class；　could　such　an　idea　have　ever　been
conceived　or　realized。　　Two　men；　grotesquely　disguised　as　postilions　at　a
funeral；　with　formidable　false　noses；　rose…colored　crape　hat…bands　and
large　favors　of　roses　and　crape　bows　at　their　buttonholes；　rode　before
the　vehicle。　　Upon　the　platform　of　the　car　were　groups　of　allegorical
personages；　representing　WINE；　PLEASURE；　LOVE；　PLAY。　　The　mission　of
these　symbolical　beings　was；　by　means　of　jokes；　sarcasms；　and　mockeries；
to　plague　the　life　out　of　Goodman　Cholera；　a　sort　of　funeral　and
burlesque　Cassander；　whom　they　ridiculed　and　made　game　of　in　a　hundred
ways。　　The　moral　of　the　play　was　this：　〃To　brave　Cholera　in　security；　let
us　drink；　laugh；　game；　and　make　love！〃

WINE　was　represented　by　a　huge；　lusty　Silenus；　thick…set；　and　with
swollen　paunch；　a　crown　of　ivy　on　his　brow；　a　panther's　skin　across　his
shoulder；　and　in　his　hand　a　large　gilt　goblet；　wreathed　with　flowers。
None　other　than　Ninny　Moulin；　the　famous　moral　and　religious　writer；
could　have　exhibited　to　the　astonished　and　delighted　spectators　an　ear　of
so　deep　a　scarlet；　so　majestic　an　abdomen；　and　a　face　of　such　triumphant
and　majestic　fulness。　　Every　moment；　Ninny　Moulin　appeared　to　empty　his
cupafter　which　he　burst　out　laughing　in　the　face　of　Goodman　Cholera。
Goodman　Cholera；　a　cadaverous　pantaloon；　was　half…enveloped　in　a　shroud；
his　mask　of　greenish　cardboard；　with　red；　hollow　eyes；　seemed　every
moment　to　grin　as　in　mockery　of　death；　from　beneath　his　powdered　peruke；
surmounted　by　a　pyramidical　cotton　night…cap；　appeared　his　neck　and　arm；
dyed　of　a　bright　green　color；　his　lean　hand；　which　shook　almost　always
with　a　feverish　trembling　（not　feigned；　but　natural）；　rested　upon　a
crutch…handled　cane；　finally；　as　was　becoming　in　a　pantaloon；　he　wore　red
stockings；　with　buckles　at　the　knees；　and　high　slippers　of　black　beaver。
This　grotesque　representative　of　the　cholera　was　Sleepinbuff。

Notwithstanding　a　slow　and　dangerous　fever；　caused　by　the　excessive　use
of　brandy；　and　by　constant　debauchery；　that　was　silently　undermining　his
constitution；　Jacques　Rennepont　had　been　induced　by　Morok　to　join　the
masquerade。　　The　brute…tamer　himself；　dressed　as　the　King　of　Diamonds；
represented　PLAY。　　His　forehead　was　adorned　with　a　diadem　of　gilded
paper；　his　face　was　pale　and　impassible；　and　as　his　long；　yellow　beard
fell　down　the　front　of　his　parti…colored　robe；　Morok　looked　exactly　the
character　he　personated。　　From　time　to　time；　with　an　air　of　grave
mockery；　he　shook　close　to　the　eyes　of　Goodman　Cholera　a　large　bag　full
of　sounding　counters；　and　on　this　bag　were　painted　all　sorts　of　playing…
cards。　　A　certain　stiffness　in　the　right　arm　showed　that　the　lion…tamer
had　not　yet　quite　recovered　from　the　effects　of　the　wound　which　the
panther　had　inflicted　before　being　stabbed　by　Djalma。

PLEASURE；　who　also　represented　Laughter；　classically　shook　her　rattle；
with　its　sonorous　gilded　bells；　close　to　the　ears　of　Goodman　Cholera。
She　was　a　quick；　lively　young　girl；　and　her　fine　black　hair　was　crowned
with　a　scarlet　cap　of　liberty。　　For　Sleepinbuff's　sake；　she　had　taken　the
place　of　the　poor　Bacchanal　queen；　who　would　not　have　failed　to　attend　on
such　an　occasionshe；　who　had　been　so　valiant　and　gay；　when　she　bore　her
part　in　a　less　philosophical；　but　not　less　amusing　masquerade。　　Another
pretty　creature；　Modeste　Bornichoux；　who　served　as　a　model　to　a　painter
of　renown　（one　of　the　cavaliers　of　the　procession）；　was　eminently
successful　in　her　representation　of　LOVE。　　He　could　not　have　had　a　more
charming　face；　and　more　graceful　form。　　Clad　in　a　light　blue　spangled
tunic；　with　a　blue　and　silver　band　across　her　chestnut　hair；　and　little
transparent　wings　affixed　to　her　white　shoulders；　she　placed　one
forefinger　upon　the　other；　and　pointed　with　the　prettiest　impertinence　at
Goodman　Cholera。　　Around　the　principal　group；　other　maskers；　more　or　less
grotesque　in　appearance；　waved　each　a　banner；　an　which　were　inscriptions
of　a　very　anacreontic　character；　considering　the　circumstances：

〃Down　with　the　Cholera！〃　〃Short　and　sweet！〃　〃Laugh　away；　laugh　always！〃
〃We'll　collar　the　Cholera！〃　〃Love　forever！〃　〃Wine　forever！〃　〃Come　if　you
dare；　old　terror！〃

There　was　really　such　audacious　gayety　in　this　masquerade；　that　the
greater　number　of　the　spectators；　at　the　moment　when　it　crossed　the
square；　in　the　direction　of　the　eating…house；　where　dinner　was　waiting；
applauded　it　loudly　and　repeatedly。　　This　sort　of　admiration；　which
courage；　however　mad　and　blind；　almost　always　inspires；　appeared　to
others　（a　small　number；　it　must　be　confessed）　a　kind　of　defiance　to　the
wrath　of　heaven；　and　these　received　the　procession　with　angry　murmurs。
This　extraordinary　spectacle；　and　the　different　impressions　it　produced；
were　too　remote　from　all　customary　facts　to　admit　of　a　just　appreciation。
We　hardly　know　if　this　daring　bravado　was　deserving　of　praise　or　blame。

Besides；　the　appearance　of　those　plagues；　which　from　age　to　age　decimate
the　population　of　whole　countries；　has　almost　always　been　accompanied　by
a　sort　of　mental　excitement；　which　none　of　those　who　have　been　spared　by
the　contagion　can　hope　to　escape。　　It　is　a　strange　fever　of　the　mind；
which　sometimes　rouses　the　most　stupid　prejudices　and　the　most　ferocious
passions；　and　sometimes　inspires；　on　the　contrary；　the　most　magnificent
devotion；　the　most　courageous　actionswith　some；　driving　the　fear　of
death　to　a　point　of　the　wildest　terrorwith　others；　exciting　the
contempt　of　life　to　express　itself　in　the　most　audacious　bravadoes。
Caring　little　for　the　praise　or　blame　it　might　deserve；　the　masquerade
arrived　before　the　eating…house；　and　made　its　entry　in　the　midst　of
universal　acclamations。　　Everything　seemed　to　combine　to　give　full　effect
to　this　strange　scene；　by　the　opposition　of　the　most　singular　contrasts。
Thus　the　tavern；　in　which　was　to　be　held　this　extraordinary　feast；　being
situated　at　no　great　distance　from　the　antique　cathedral；　and　the　gloomy
hospital；　the　religious　anthems　of　the　ancient　temple；　the　cries　of　the
dying；　and　the　bacchanalian　songs　of　the　banqueteers；　must　needs　mingle；
and　by　turns　drown　one　another。　　The　maskers　now　got　down　from　their
chariot；　and　from　their　horses；　and　went　to　take　their　places　at　the
repast；　which　was　waiting　for　them。　　The　actors　in　the　masquerade　are　at
table　in　the　great　room　of　the　tavern。　　They　are　joyous；　noisy；　even
riotous。　　Yet　their　gayety　has　a　strange　tone；　peculiar　to　itself。

Sometimes；　the　most　resolute　involuntarily　remember　that　their　life　is　at
stake　in　this　mad　and　audacious　game　with　destiny。　　That　fatal　thought　is
rapid　as　the　icy　fever…shudder；　which　chills　you　in　an　instant；
therefore；　from　time　to　time；　an　abrupt　silence；　lasting　indeed　only　for
a　second；　betrays　these　passing　emotions　which　are　almost　immediately
effaced　by　new　bursts　of　joyful　acclamation；　for　each　one　says　to
himself：　〃No　weakness！　my　chum　and　my　girl　are　looking　at　me！〃

And　all　laugh；　and　knock　glasses　together；　and　challenge　the　next　man；
and　drink　out　of　the　glass　of　the　nearest　woman。　　Jacques　had　taken　off
the　mask　and　peruke　of　Goodman　Cholera。　　His　thin；　leaden　features；　his
deadly　paleness；　the　lurid　brilliancy　of　his　hollow　eyes；　showed　the
incessant　progress　of　the　slow　malady　which　was　consuming　this
unfortunate　man；　brought　by　excesses　to　the　last　extremity　of　weakness。
Though　he　felt　the　slow　fire　devouring　his　entrails；　he　concealed　his
pain　beneath　a　forced　and　nervous　smile。

To　the　left　of　Jacques　was　Morok；　whose　fatal　influence　was　ever　on　the
increase；　and　to　his　right　the　girl　disguised　as　PLEASURE。　　She　was　named
Mariette。　　By　her　side　sat　Ninny　Moulin；　in　all　his　majestic　bulk；　who
often　pretended　to　be　looking　for　his　napkin　under　the　table；　in　order　to
have　the　opportunity　of　pressing　the　knees　of　his　other　neighbor；
Modeste；　the　representative　of　LOVE。　　Most　of　the　guests　were　grouped
according　to　their　several　tastes；　each　tender　pair　together；　and　the
bachelors　where　they　could。　　They　had　reached　the　second　course；　and　the
excellence　of　the　wine；　the　good　cheer；　the　gay　speeches；　and　even　the
singularity　of　the　occasion；　had　raised　their　spirits　to　a　high　degree　of
excitement；　as　may　be　gathered　from　the　extraordinary　incidents　of　the
following　scene。

＇39＇　　We　read　in　the　Constitutionnel；　Saturday　March　31st；　1832：　〃The
Parisians　readily　conform　to　that　part　of　the　official　instructions　with
regard　to　the　cholera；　which　prescribes；　as　a　preservation　from　the
disease；　not　to　be　afraid；　to　amuse　one's　self；　etc。　　The　pleasures　of
Mid…Lent　have　been　as　brilliant　and　as　mad　as　those　of　the　carnival
itself。　　For　a　long　time　past　there　had　not　been　so　many　balls　at　this
period　of　the　year。　　Even　the　cholera　has　been　made　the　subject　of　an
itinerant　caricature。〃




CHAPTER　XX。

THE　DEFIANCE。

Two　or　three　times；　without　being　remarked　by　the　guests；　one　of　the
waiters　had　come　to　whisper　to　his　fellows；　and　point　with　expressive
gesture　to　the　ceiling。　　But　his　comrades　had　taken　small　account　of　his
observations　or　fears；　not　wishing；　doubtless；　to　disturb　the　guests；
whose　mad　gayety　seemed　ever　on　the　increase。

〃Who　can　doubt　now　of　the　superiority　of　our　manner　of　treating　this
impertinent　Cholera？　　Has　he　dared　even　to　touch　our　sacred　battalion？〃
said　a　magnificent　mountebank…Turk；　one　of　the　standard…bearers　of　the
masquerade。

〃Here　is　all　the　mystery；〃　answered　another。　　〃It　is　very　simple。　　Only
laugh　in　the　face　of　the　plague；　and　it　will　run　away　from　you。〃

〃And　right　enough　too；　for　very　stupid　work　it　does；〃　added　a　pretty
little　Columbine；　emptying　her　glass。

〃You　are　right；　my　da