the wandering jew, volume 9-第30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！


horrible　pain。　　Rodin；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　reverend　father；　seemed
to　wait　with　impatience　for　him　to　leave　the　room　to　execute　his　orders。
Guessing　the　thought　of　Rodin；　the　doctor　whispered　Father　d'Aigrigny；
who　went　out。

〃Come；　reverend　father；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃we　must　begin　again。　　This
time　do　not　move。〃

Rodin　did　not　answer；　but　clasped　his　hands　over　his　head；　closed　his
eyes；　and　presented　his　chest。　　It　was　a　strange；　lugubrious；　almost
fantastic　spectacle。　　The　three　priests；　in　their　long　black　gowns；
leaned　over　this　body；　which　almost　resembled　a　corpse；　and　blowing
through　their　tubes　into　the　chest　of　the　patient；　seemed　as　if　pumping
up　his　blood　by　some　magic　charm。　　A　sickening　odor　of　burnt　flesh　began
to　spread　through　the　silent　chamber；　and　each　assistant　heard　a　slight
crackling　beneath　the　smoking　trivet；　it　was　the　skin　of　Rodin　giving　way
to　the　action　of　fire；　and　splitting　open　in　four　different　parts　of　his
chest。　　The　sweat　poured　from　his　livid　face；　which　it　made　to　shine；　a
few　locks　of　his　gray　hair　stood　up　stiff　and　moist　from　his　temples。
Sometimes　the　spasms　were　so　violent；　that　the　veins　swelled　on　his
stiffened　arms；　and　were　stretched　like　cords　ready　to　break。

Enduring　this　frightful　torture　with　as　much　intrepid　resignation　as　the
savage　whose　glory　consists　in　despising　pain；　Rodin　gathered　his
strength　and　courage　from　the　hopewe　had　almost　said　the　certaintyof
life。　　Such　was　the　make　of　this　dauntless　character；　such　the　energy　of
this　powerful　mind；　that；　in　the　midst　of　indescribable　torments；　his　one
fixed　idea　never　left　him。　　During　the　rare　intervals　of　sufferingfor
pain　is　equal　even　at　this　degree　of　intensityRodin　still　thought　of
the　Rennepont　inheritance；　and　calculated　his　chances；　and　combined　his
measures；　feeling　that　he　had　not　a　minute　to　lose。　　Dr。　Baleinier
watched　him　with　extreme　attention；　waiting　for　the　effects　of　the
reaction　of　pain　upon　the　patient；　who　seemed　already　to　breathe　with
less　difficulty。

Suddenly　Rodin　placed　his　hand　on　his　forehead；　as　if　struck　with　some
new　idea；　and　turning　his　head　towards　Dr。　Baleinier；　made　a　sign　to　him
to　suspend　the　operation。

〃I　must　tell　you；　reverend　father；〃　answered　the　doctor。　　〃that　it　is　not
half　finished；　and；　if　we　leave　off；　the　renewal　will　be　more　painful〃

Rodin　made　a　sign　that　he　did　not　care；　and　that　he　wanted　to　write。

〃Gentlemen；　stop　a　moment；〃　said　Dr。　Baleinier；　〃keep　down　your　moxas；
but　do　not　blow　the　fire。〃

So　the　fire　was　to　burn　slowly；　instead　of　fiercely；　but　still　upon　the
skin　of　the　patient。　　In　spite　of　this　pain；　less　intense；　but　still
sharp　and　keen；　Rodin；　stretched　upon　his　back；　began　to　write；　holding
the　paper　above　his　head。　　On　the　first　sheet　he　traced　some　alphabetic
signs；　part　of　a　cipher　known　to　himself　alone。　　In　the　midst　of　the
torture；　a　luminous　idea　had　crossed　his　mind；　fearful　of　forgetting　it
amidst　his　sufferings；　he　now　took　note　of　it。　　On　another　paper　he　wrote
the　following；　which　was　instantly　delivered　to　Father　d'Aigrigny：　〃Send
B。　immediately　to　Faringhea；　for　the　report　of　the　last　few　days　with
regard　to　Djalma；　and　let　B。　bring　it　hither　on　the　instant。〃　Father
d'Aigrigny　went　out　to　execute　this　new　order。　　The　cardinal　approached　a
little　nearer　to　the　scene　of　the　operation；　for；　in　spite　of　the　bad
odor　of　the　room；　he　took　delight　in　seeing　the　Jesuit　half　roasted；
having　long　cherished　against　him　the　rancor　of　an　Italian　and　a　priest。

〃Come；　reverend　father；〃　said　the　doctor　to　Rodin；　〃continue　to　be
admirably　courageous；　and　your　chest　will　free　itself。　　You　have　still　a
bitter　moment　to　go　throughand　then　I　have　good　hope。〃

The　patient　resumed　his　former　position。　　The　moment　Father　d'Aigrigny
returned；　Rodin　questioned　him　with　a　look；　to　which　the　reverend　father
replied　by　a　nod。　　At　a　sign　from　the　doctor；　the　four　assistants　began
to　blow　through　the　tubes　with　all　their　might。　　This　increase　of　torture
was　so　horrible；　that；　in　spite　of　his　self…control；　Rodin　gnashed　his
teeth；　started　convulsively；　and　so　expanded　his　palpitating　chest；　that；
after　a　violent　spasm；　there　rose　from　his　throat　and　lungs　a　scream　of
terrific　painbut　it　was　free；　loud；　sonorous。

〃The　chest　is　free！〃　cried　the　doctor；　in　triumph。　　〃The　lungs　have　play…
…the　voice　returnshe　is　saved！Blow；　gentlemen；　blow；　and；　reverend
father；　cry　out　as　much　as　you　please：　I　shall　be　delighted　to　hear　you；
for　it　will　give　you　relief。　　Courage！　　I　answer　for　the　result。　　It　is　a
wonderful　cure。　　I　will　publish　it　by　sound　of　trumpet。〃

〃Allow　me；　doctor；〃　whispered　Father　d'Aigrigny；　as　he　approached　Dr。
Baleinier；　〃the　cardinal　can　witness；　that　I　claimed　beforehand　the
publication　of　this　affairas　a　miraculous　fact。〃

〃Let　it　be　miraculous　then；〃　answered　Dr。　Baleinier；　disappointedfor　he
set　some　value　on　his　own　work。

On　hearing　he　was　saved；　Rodin　though　his　sufferings　were　perhaps　worse
than　ever；　for　the　fire　had　now　pierced　the　scarf…skin；　assumed　almost　an
infernal　beauty。　　Through　the　painful　contraction　of　his　features　shone
the　pride　of　savage　triumph；　the　monster　felt　that　he　was　becoming　once
more　strong　and　powerful；　and　he　seemed　conscious　the　evils　that　his
fatal　resurrection　was　to　cause。　　And　so；　of　still　writhing　beneath　the
flames；　he　pronounced　these　words；　the　first　that　struggled　from　his
chest：　〃I　told　you　I　should　live！〃

〃You　told　us　true；〃　cried　the　doctor；　feeling　his　pulse；　〃the　circulation
is　now　full　and　regular；　the　lungs　are　free。　　The　reaction　is　complete。
You　are　saved。〃

At　this　moment；　the　last　shreds　of　cotton　had　burnt　out。　　The　trivets
were　withdrawn；　and　on　the　skeleton　trunk　of　Rodin　were　seen　four　large
round　blisters。　　The　skin　still　smoked；　and　the　raw　flesh　was　visible
beneath。　　In　one　of　his　sudden　movements；　a　lamp　had　been　misplaced；　and
one　of　these　burns　was　larger　than　the　other；　presenting　as　it　were　to
the　eye　a　double　circle。　　Rodin　looked　down　upon　his　wounds。　　After　some
seconds　of　silent　contemplation；　a　strange　smile　curled　his　lips。
Without　changing　his　position；　he　glanced　at　Father　d'Aigrigny　with　an
expression　impossible　to　describe；　and　said　to　him；　as　he　slowly　counted
the　wounds　touching　them　with　his　flat　and　dirty　nail：　〃Father
d'Aigrigny；　what　an　omen！Look　here！　one　Renneponttwo　Renneponts
three　Rennepontsfour　Rennepontswhere　is　then　the　fifth！Ah！　here
this　wound　will　count　for　two。　　They　are　twins。〃＇41＇　　And　he　emitted　a
little　dry；　bitter　laugh。　　Father　d'Aigrigny；　the　cardinal；　and　Dr。
Baleinier；　alone　understood　the　sense　of　these　mysterious　and　fatal
words；　which　Rodin　soon　completed　by　a　terrible　allusion；　as　he
exclaimed；　with　prophetic　voice；　and　almost　inspired　air：　〃Yes；　I　say　it。
The　impious　race　will　be　reduced　to　ashes；　like　the　fragments　of　this
poor　flesh。　　I　say　it；　and　it　will　be　so。　　I　said　I　would　liveand　I　do
live！〃

＇41＇　Jacques　Rennepont　being　dead；　and　Gabriel　out　of　the　field；　in
consequence　of　his　donation；　there　remained　only　five　persons　of　the
familyRose　and　Blanche；　Djalma；　Adrienne；　and　Hardy。




CHAPTER　XXXI。

VICE　AND　VIRTUE。

Two　days　have　elapsed　since　Rodin　was　miraculously　restored　to　life。　　The
reader　will　not　have　forgotten　the　house　in　the　Rue　Clovis；　where　the
reverend　father　had　an　apartment；　and　where　also　was　the　lodging　of
Philemon；　inhabited　by　Rose…Pompon。　　It　is　about　three　o'clock　in　the
afternoon。　　A　bright　ray　of　light；　penetrating　through　a　round　hole　in
the　door　Mother　Arsene's　subterraneous　shop；　forms　a　striking　contrast
with　the　darkness　of　this　cavern。　　The　ray　streams　full　upon　a　melancholy
object。　　In　the　midst　of　fagots　and　faded　vegetables；　and　close　to　a
great　heap　of　charcoal；　stands　a　wretched　bed；　beneath　the　sheet；　which
covers　it；　can　be　traced　the　stiff　and　angular　proportions　of　a　corpse。
It　is　the　body　of　Mother　Arsene　herself；　who　died　two　days　before；　of　the
cholera。　　The　burials　have　been　so　numerous；　that　there　has　been　no　time
to　remove　her　remains。　　The　Rue　Clovis　is　almost　deserted。　　A　mournful
silence　reigns　without；　often　broken　by　the　sharp　whistling　of　the　nor