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！
slope； stopped on the other side of the little garden…door。
〃Come； I say！ a private carriage！〃 said the coachman。 〃Good horses
those； to come up the Rue Blanche at a trot。〃
The coachman was just making this observation； when； by favor of a
momentary gleam of light； he saw a man step from the carriage； advance
rapidly to the little door； open it； and go in； closing it after him。
〃It gets thicker and thicker！〃 said the coachman。 〃One comes out； and
the other goes in。〃
So saying； he walked up to the carriage。 It was splendidly harnessed；
and drawn by two handsome and vigorous horses。 The driver sat
motionless； in his great box…coat； with the handle of his whip resting on
his right knee。
〃Here's weather to drive about in； with such tidy dukes as yours；
comrade！〃 said the humble hackney…coachman to this automaton； who
remained mute and impassible； without even appearing to know that he was
spoken to。
〃He doesn't understand Frenchhe's an Englishman。 One could tell that
by his horses；〃 said the coachman； putting this interpretation on the
silence of his brother whip。 Then； perceiving a tall footman at a little
distance； dressed in a long gray livery coat； with blue collar and silver
buttons； the coachman addressed himself to him； by way of compensation；
but without much varying his phrase： 〃Here's nice weather to stand about
in； comrade！〃 On the part of the footman； he was met with the same
imperturbable silence。
〃They're both Englishmen；〃 resumed the coachman； philosophically； and；
though somewhat astonished at the incident of the little door； he
recommenced his walk in the direction of his own vehicle。
While these facts were passing； the man in the cloak； and the man with
the Italian accent continued their conversation； the one still in the
coach； and the other leaning with his hand on the door。 It had already
lasted for some time； and was carried on in Italian。 They were evidently
talking of some absent person； as will appear from the following。
〃So；〃 said the voice from the coach； 〃that is agreed to？〃
〃Yes； my lord；〃 answered the man in the cloak； 〃but only in case the
eagle should become a serpent。〃
〃And； in the contrary event； you will receive the other half of the ivory
crucifix I gave you。〃
〃I shall know what it means； my lord。〃
〃Continue to merit and preserve his confidence。〃
〃I will merit and preserve it； my lord； because I admire and respect this
man； who is stronger than the strongest； by craft； and courage； and will。
I have knelt before him with humility； as I would kneel before one of the
three black idols that stand between Bowanee and her worshippers； for his
religion； like mine； teaches to change life into nothingness。〃
〃Humph！〃 said the voice； in a tone of some embarrassment； 〃these
comparisons are useless and inaccurate。 Only think of obeying him；
without explaining your obedience。〃
〃Let him speak； and I perform his will！ I am in his hands like a corpse；
as he himself expresses it。 He has seen； he sees every day； my devotion
to his interests with regard to Prince Djalma。 He has only to say： ‘Kill
him！'and this son of a king〃
〃For heaven's salve； do not have such ideas！〃 cried the voice；
interrupting the man in the cloak。 〃Thank heaven； you will never be
asked for such proofs of your submission。〃
〃What I am ordered I do。 Bowanee sees me。〃
〃I do not doubt your zeal。 I know that you are a loving and intelligent
barrier； placed between the prince and many guilty interests； and it is
because I have heard of that zeal； of your skill in circumventing this
young Indian； and； above all； of the motives of your blind devotion； that
I have wished to inform you of everything。 You are the fanatical
worshipper of him you serve。 That is well； man should be the obedient
slave of the god he chooses for himself。〃
〃Yes； my lord； so long as the god remains a god。〃
〃We understand each other perfectly。 As for your recompense； you know
what I have promised。〃
〃My lord； I have my reward already。〃
〃How so？〃
〃I know what I know。〃
〃Very well。 Then as for secrecy〃
〃You have securities； my lord。〃
〃Yesand sufficient ones。〃
〃The interest of the cause I serve； my lord； would alone be enough to
secure my zeal and discretion。〃
〃True； you are a man of firm and ardent convictions。〃
〃I strive to be so； my lord。〃
〃And； after all； a very religious man in your way。 It is very
praiseworthy； in these irreligious times； to have any views at all on
such mattersparticularly when those views will just enable me to count
upon your aid。〃
〃You may count upon it； my lord； for the same reason that the intrepid
hunter prefers a jackal to ten foxes； a tiger to ten jackals； a lion to
ten tigers； and the welmiss to ten lions。〃
〃What is the welmiss？〃
〃It is what spirit is to matter； the blade to the scabbard； the perfume
to the flower； the head to the body。〃
〃I understand。 There never was a more just comparison。 You are a man of
sound judgment。 Always recollect what you have just told me； and make
yourself more and more worthy of the confidence ofyour idol。〃
〃Will he soon be in a state to hear me； my lord？〃
〃In two or three days； at most。 Yesterday a providential crisis saved
his life； and he is endowed with so energetic a will； that his cure will
be very rapid。〃
〃Shall you see him again to…morrow； my lord？〃
〃Yes； before my departure； to bid him farewell。〃
〃Then tell him a strange circumstance； of which I have not been able to
inform him； but which happened yesterday。〃
〃What was it？〃
〃I had gone to the garden of the dead。 I saw funerals everywhere； and
lighted torches； in the midst of the black night； shining upon tombs。
Bowanee smiled in her ebon sky。 As I thought of that divinity of
destruction； I beheld with joy the dead…cart emptied of its coffins。 The
immense pit yawned like the mouth of hell； corpses were heaped upon
corpses； and still it yawned the same。 Suddenly； by the light of a
torch； I saw an old man beside me。 He wept。 I had seen him before。 He
is a Jewthe keeper of the house in the Rue Saint…Francoisyou know
what I mean。〃 Here the man in the cloak started。
〃Yes； I know； but what is the matter？ why do you stop short？〃
〃Because in that house there has been for a hundred and fifty years the
portrait of a man whom I once met in the centre of India； on the banks of
the Ganges。〃 And the man in the cloak again paused and shuddered。
〃A singular resemblance； no doubt。〃
〃Yes； my lord； a singular resemblancenothing more。〃
〃But the Jewthe old Jew？〃
〃I am coming to that； my lord。 Still weeping； he said to a gravedigger；
‘Well！ and the coffin？' ‘You were right；' answered the man； ‘I found it
in the second row of the other grave。 It had the figure of a cross on
it； formed by seven black nails。 But how could you know the place and
the mark？' 'Alas！ it is no matter；' replied the old Jew； with bitter
melancholy。 ‘You see that I was but too well informed on the subject。
But where is the coffin？' ‘Behind the great tomb of black marble； I have
hidden it there。 So make haste； for； in the confusion； nothing will be
noticed。 You ha