the wandering jew, volume 9-第32章

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who　protected　you；　you　yet　had　the　courage　to　drag　yourself　to　her　house；
dying　with　fatigue　and　want；　to　try　to　interest　her　in　my　fateyes；
dying；　for　your　strength　failed　on　the　Champs…Elysees。〃

〃And　when　I　was　able　to　reach　the　mansion；　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　was
unfortunately　absentvery　unfortunately！〃　repeated　the　hunchback；　as　she
looked　at　Cephyse　with　anguish；　〃for　the　next　day；　seeing　that　our　last
resource　had　failed　us；　thinking　more　of　me　than　of　yourself；　and
determined　at　any　price　to　procure　us　bread〃

She　could　not　finish。　　She　buried　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　shuddered。

〃Well；　I　did　as　so　many　other　hapless　women　have　done　when　work　fails　or
wages　do　not　suffice；　and　hunger　becomes　too　pressing；〃　replied　Cephyse；
in　a　broken　voice；　〃only　that；　unlike　so　many　others；　instead　of　living
on　my　shame；　I　shall　die　of　it。〃

〃Alas！　this　terrible　shame　which　kills　you；　my　poor　Cephyse；　because　you
have　a　heart；　would　have　been　averted；　had　I　seen　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville；
or　had　she　but　answered　the　letter　which　I　asked　leave　to　write　to　her　at
the　porter's　lodge。　　But　her　silence　proves　to　me　that　she　is　justly　hurt
at　my　abrupt　departure　from　her　house。　　I　can　understand　it；　she　believes
me　guilty　of　the　blackest　ingratitudefor　she　must　have　been　greatly
offended　not　to　have　deigned　to　answer　meand　therefore　I　had　not　the
courage　to　write　a　second　time。　　It　would　have　been　useless；　I　am　sure；
for；　good　and　just　as　she　is；　her　refusals　are　inexorable　when　she
believes　them　deserved。　　And　besides；　for　what　good？　　It　was　too　late；
you　had　resolved　to　die！〃

〃Oh；　yes；　quite　resolved：　for　my　infamy　was　gnawing　at　my　heart。　　Jacques
had　died　in　my　arms　despising　me；　and　I　loved　himmark　me；　sister；〃
added　Cephyse；　with　passionate　enthusiasm；　〃I　loved　him　as　we　love　only
once　in　life！〃

〃Let　our　fate　be　accomplished；　then！〃　said　Mother　Bunch　with　a　pensive
air。

〃But　you　have　never　told　me；　sister；　the　cause　of　your　departure　from
Mdlle。　de　Cardoville's；〃　resumed　Cephyse；　after　a　moment's　silence。

〃It　will　be　the　only　secret　that　I　shall　take　with　me；　dear　Cephyse；〃
said　the　other；　casting　down　her　eyes。　　And　she　thought；　with　bitter　joy；
that　she　would　soon　be　delivered　from　the　fear　which　had　poisoned　the
last　days　of　her　sad　lifethe　fear　of　meeting　Agricola；　informed　of　the
fatal　and　ridiculous　love　she　felt　for　him。

For；　it　must　be　said；　this　fatal　and　despairing　love　was　one　of　the
causes　of　the　suicide　of　the　unfortunate　creature。　　Since　the
disappearance　of　her　journal；　she　believed　that　the　blacksmith　knew　the
melancholy　secret　contained　in　its　sad　pages。　　She　doubted　not　the
generosity　and　good　heart　of　Agricola；　but　she　had　such　doubts　of
herself；　she　was　so　ashamed　of　this　passion；　however　pure　and　noble；
that；　even　in　the　extremity　to　which　Cephyse　and　herself　were　reduced
wanting　work；　wanting　breadno　power　on　earth　could　have　induced　her　to
meet　Agricola；　in　an　attempt　to　ask　him　for　assistance。　　Doubtless；　she
would　have　taken　another　view　of　the　subject　if　her　mind　had　not　been
obscured　by　that　sort　of　dizziness　to　which　the　firmest　characters　are
exposed　when　their　misfortunes　surpass　all　bounds。　　Misery；　hunger；　the
influence；　almost　contagious　in　such　a　moment；　of　the　suicidal　ideas　of
Cephyse；　and　weariness　of　a　life　so　long　devoted　to　pain　and
mortification；　gave　the　last　blow　to　the　sewing…girl's　reason。　　After
long　struggling　against　the　fatal　design　of　her　sister；　the　poor；
dejected；　broken…hearted　creature　finished　by　determining　to　share
Cephyse's　fate；　and　seek　in　death　the　end　of　so　many　evils。

〃Of　what　are　you　thinking；　sister？〃　said　Cephyse；　astonished　at　the　long
silence。　　The　other　replied；　trembling：　〃I　think　of　that　which　made　me
leave　Mdlle。　de　Cardoville　so　abruptly；　and　appear　so　ungrateful　in　her
eyes。　　May　the　fatality　which　drove　me　from　her　house　have　made　no　other
victims！　may　my　devoted　service；　however　obscure　and　powerless；　never　be
missed　by　her；　who　extended　her　noble　hand　to　the　poor　sempstress；　and
deigned　to　call　me　sister！　　May　she　be　happyoh；　ever　happy！〃　said
Mother　Bunch；　clasping　her　hands　with　the　ardor　of　a　sincere　invocation。

〃That　is　noble；　sistersuch　a　wish　in　such　a　moment！〃　said　Cephyse。

〃Oh；〃　said　her　sister；　with　energy；　〃I　loved；　I　admired　that　marvel　of
genius；　and　heart；　and　ideal　beautyI　viewed　her　with　pious　respectfor
never　was　the　power　of　the　Divinity　revealed　in　a　more　adorable　and　purer
creation。　　At　least　one　of　my　last　thoughts　will　have　been　of　her。〃

〃Yes；　you　will　have　loved　and　respected　your　generous　patroness　to　the
last。〃

〃To　the　last！〃　said　the　poor　girl；　after　a　moment's　silence。　　〃It　is
trueyou　are　rightit　will　soon　be　the　last！in　a　few　moments；　all
will　be　finished。　　See　how　calmly　we　can　talk　of　that　which　frightens　so
many　others！〃

〃Sister；　we　are　calm　because　we　are　resolved。〃

〃Quite　resolved；　Cephyse；〃　said　the　hunchback；　casting　once　more　a　deep
and　penetrating　glance　upon　her　sister。

〃Oh；　yes；　if　you　are　only　as　determined　as　I　am。〃

〃Be　satisfied；　if　I　put　off　from　day　to　day　the　final　moment；〃　answered
the　sempstress；　〃it　was　because　I　wished　to　give　you　time　to　reflect。　　As
for　me〃

She　did　not　finish；　but　she　shook　her　head　with　an　air　of　the　utmost
despondency。

〃Well；　sister；　let　us　kiss　each　other；〃　said　Cephyse；　〃and；　courage！〃

The　hunchback　rose；　and　threw　herself　into　her　sister's　arms。　　They　held
one　another　fast　in　a　long　embrace。　　There　followed　a　few　seconds　of　deep
and　solemn　silence；　only　interrupted　by　the　sobs　of　the　sisters；　for　now
they　had　begun　to　weep。

〃Oh；　heaven！　to　love　each　other　so；　and　to　part　forever！〃　said　Cephyse。
〃It　is　a　cruel　fate。〃

〃To　part？〃　cried　Mother　Bunch；　and　her　pale；　mild　countenance；　bathed　in
tears；　was　suddenly　illumined　with　a　ray　of　divine　hope；　〃to　part；
sister？　oh；　no！　What　makes　me　so　calm　is　the　deep　and　certain
expectation；　which　I　feel　here　at　my　heart；　of　that　better　world　where　a
better　life　awaits　us。　　God；　so　great；　so　merciful；　so　prodigal　of　good；
cannot　destine　His　creatures　to　be　forever　miserable。　　Selfish　men　may
pervert　His　benevolent　designs；　and　reduce　their　brethren　to　a　state　of
suffering　and　despair。　　Let　us　pity　the　wicked　and　leave　them！　Come　up　on
high；　sister；　men　are　nothing　there；　where　God　is　all。　　We　shall　do　well
there。　　Let　us　depart；　for　it　is　late。〃

So　saying；　she　pointed　to　the　ruddy　beams　of　the　setting　sun；　which　began
to　shine　upon　the　window。

Carried　away　by　the　religious　enthusiasm　of　her　sister；　whose
countenance；　transfigured；　as　it　were；　by　the　hope　of　an　approaching
deliverance；　gleamed　brightly　in　the　reflected　sunset；　Cephyse　took　her
hands；　and；　looking　at　her　with　deep　emotion；　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　sister！　how
beautiful　you　look　now！〃

〃Then　my　beauty　comes　rather　late　in　the　day；〃　said　Mother　Bunch；　with　a
sad　smile。

〃No；　sister；　for　you　appear　so　happy；　that　the　last　scruples　I　had　upon
your　account　are　quite　gone。〃

〃Then　let　us　make　haste；〃　said　the　hunchback；　as　she　pointed　to　the
chafing…dish。

〃Be　satisfied；　sisterit　will　not　be　long；〃　said　Cephyse。　　And　she　took
the　chafing…dish　full　of　charcoal；　which　she　had　placed　in　a　corner　of
the　garret；　and　brought　it　out　into　the　middle　of　the　room。

〃Do　you　know　how　to　manage　it？〃　asked　the　sewing…girl　approaching。

〃Oh！　it　is　very　simple；〃　answered　Cephyse；　〃we　have　only　to　close　the
door　and　window；　and　light　the　charcoal。〃

〃Yes；　sister；　but　I　think　I　have　heard　that　every　opening　must　be　well
stopped；　so　as　to　admit　no　current　of　air。〃

〃You　are　right；　and　the　door　shuts　so　badly。〃

〃And　look　at　the　holes　in　the　roof。〃

〃What　is　to　be　done；　sister？〃

〃I　will　tell　you；〃　said　Mother　Bunch。　　〃The　straw　of　our　mattress；　well
twisted；　will　answer　every　purpose。〃

〃Certainly；〃　replied　Cephyse。　　〃We　will　keep　a　little　to　light　our　fire；
and　with　the　rest　we　will　stop　up　all　the　crevices　in　the　roof；　and　make
filling　for　our　doors　and　windows。〃

Then；　smiling　with　that　bitter　irony；　so　frequent；　we　repeat；　in　the　most
gloomy　moments；　Cephyse　added；　〃I　say；　sister；　weather…boards　at　our
doors　and　windows；　to　prevent　the　air　fro