The Wandering Jew — Complete
considered his dupe, for he thought he could divine the cause of the
silence and hesitation of Mdlle. de Cardoville.
"But, sir," resumed the latter, unable to conceal her anxiety, "if I
were disposed, for whatever reason, to make no complaint, and to forget
the wrongs I have suffered, when should I leave this place?"
"I cannot tell; for I do not know when you will be radically cured,"
said the doctor, benignantly. "You are in a very good way, but--"
"Still this insolent and stupid acting!" broke forth Mdlle. de
Cardoville, interrupting the doctor with indignation. "I ask, and if it
must be, I entreat you to tell me how long I am to be shut up in this
dreadful house, for I shall leave it some day, I suppose?"
"I hope so, certainly," said the Jesuit of the short robe, with unction;
"but when, I am unable to say. Moreover, I must tell you frankly, that
every precaution is taken against such attempts as those of the other
night; and the most vigorous watch will be maintained, to prevent your
communicating with any one. And all this in your own interest, that your
poor head may not again be dangerously excited."
"So, sir," said Adrienne, almost terrified, "compared with what awaits
me, the last few days have been days of liberty."
"Your interest before everything," answered the doctor, in a fervent
tone.
Mdlle. de Cardoville, feeling the impotence of her indignation and
despair, heaved a deep sigh, and hid her face in her hands.
At this moment, quick footsteps were heard in the passage, and one of
the nurses entered, after having knocked at the door.
"Sir," said she to the doctor, with a frightened air, "there are two
gentlemen below, who wish to see you instantly, and the lady also."
Adrienne raised her head hastily; her eyes were bathed in tears.
"What are the names of these persons?" said M. Baleinier, much
astonished.
"One of them said to me," answered the nurse: "'Go and inform Dr.
Baleinier that I am a magistrate, and that I come on a duty regarding
Mdlle. de Cardoville.'"
"A magistrate!" exclaimed the Jesuit of the short robe, growing purple
in the face, and unable to hide his surprise and uneasiness.
"Heaven be praised!" cried Adrienne, rising with vivacity, her
countenance beaming through her tears with hope and joy; "my friends
have been informed in time, and the hour of justice is arrived!"
"Ask these persons to walk up," said Dr. Baleinier, after a moment's
reflection. Then, with a still more agitated expression of countenance,
he approached Adrienne with a harsh, and almost menacing air, which
contrasted with the habitual placidity of his hypocritical smile, and
said to her in a low voice: "Take care, madame! do not rejoice too
soon."
"I no longer fear you," answered Mdlle. de Cardoville, with a bright,
flashing eye. "M. de Montbron is no doubt returned to Paris, and has
been informed in time. He accompanies the magistrate, and comes to
deliver me. I pity you, sir--both you and yours," added Adrienne, with
an accent of bitter irony.
"Madame," cried M. Baleinier, no longer able to dissemble his growing
alarm, "I repeat to you, take care! Remember what I have told you. Your
accusations would necessarily involve the discovery of what took place
the other night. Beware! the fate of the soldier and his son is in your
hands. Recollect they are in danger of the convict's chains."
"Oh! I am not your dupe, sir. You are holding out a covert menace.
Have at least the courage to say to me, that, if I complain to the
magistrates, you will denounce the soldier and his son."
"I repeat, that, if you make any complaint, those two people are lost,"
answered the doctor, ambiguously.
Startled by what was really dangerous in the doctor's threats, Adrienne
asked: "Sir, if this magistrate questions me, do you think I will tell
him a falsehood?"
"You will answer what is true," said M. Baleinier, hastily, in the hope
of still attaining his end. "You will answer that you were in so excited
a state of mind a few days ago, that it was thought advisable, for your
own sake, to bring you hither, without your knowing it. But you are now
so much better, that you acknowledge the utility of the measures taken
with regard to you. I will confirm these words for, after all, it is the
truth."
"Never!" cried Mdlle. de Cardoville, with indignation, "never will I be
the accomplice of so infamous a falsehood; never will I be base enough
to justify the indignities that I have suffered!"
"Here is the magistrate," said M. Baleinier, as he caught the sound of
approaching footsteps. "Beware!"
The door opened, and, to the indescribable amazement of the doctor,
Rodin appeared on the threshold, accompanied by a man dressed in
black, with a dignified and severe countenance. In the interest of his
projects, and from motives of craft and prudence that will hereafter be
known, Rodin had not informed Father d'Aigrigny, and consequently
the doctor, of the unexpected visit he intended to pay to the asylum,
accompanied by a magistrate. On the contrary, he had only the day before
given orders to M. Baleinier to confine Mdlle. de Cardoville still more
strictly. Therefore, imagine the stupor of the doctor when he saw the
judicial officer, whose unexpected presence and imposing aspect were
otherwise sufficiently alarming, enter the room, accompanied by Rodin,
Abbe d'Aigrigny's humble and obscure secretary. From the door,
Rodin, who was very shabbily dressed, as usual, pointed out Mdlle.
de Cardoville to the magistrate, by a gesture at once respectful and
compassionate. Then, while the latter, who had not been able to repress
a movement of admiration at sight of the rare beauty of Adrienne, seemed
to examine her with as much surprise as interest, the Jesuit modestly
receded several steps.
Dr. Baleinier in his extreme astonishment, hoping to be understood by
Rodin, made suddenly several private signals, as if to interrogate him
on the cause of the magistrate's visit. But this was only productive of
fresh amazement to M. Baleinier; for Rodin did not appear to recognize
him, or to understand his expressive pantomime, and looked at him with
affected bewilderment. At length, as the doctor, growing impatient,
redoubled his mute questionings, Rodin advanced with a stride, stretched
forward his crooked neck, and said, in a loud voice: "What is your
pleasure, doctor?"
These words, which completely disconcerted Baleinier, broke the silence
which had reigned for some seconds, and the magistrate turned round.
Rodin added, with imperturbable coolness: "Since our arrival, the doctor
has been making all sorts of mysterious signs to me. I suppose he has
something private to communicate, but, as I have no secrets, I must beg
him to speak out loud."
This reply, so embarrassing for M. Baleinier, uttered in a tone of
aggression, and with an air of icy coldness, plunged the doctor into
such new and deep amazement, that he remained for some moments without
answering. No doubt the magistrate was struck with this incident, and
with the silence which followed it, for he cast a look of great severity
on the doctor. Mdlle. de Cardoville, who had expected to have seen M. de
Montbron, was also singularly surprised.
CHAPTER XXXIII. THE ACCUSER.
Baleinier, disconcerted for a moment by the unexpected presence of a
magistrate, and by Rodin's inexplicable attitude, soon recovered his
presence of mind, and addressing his colleague of the longer robe, said
to him: "If I make signs to you, sir, it was that, while I wished
to respect the silence which this gentleman"--glancing at the
magistrate--"has preserved since his entrance, I desired to express my
surprise at the unexpected honor of this visit."
"It is to the lady that I will explain the reason for my silence, and
beg her to excuse it," replied the magistrate, as he made a half-bow to
Adrienne, whom he thus continued to address: "I have just received
so serious a declaration with regard to you, madame, that I could not
forbear looking at you for a moment in silence, to see if I could read
in your countenance or in your attitude, the truth or falsehood of the
accusation that has been placed in my hands; and I have every reason to
believe that it is but too well founded."
"May I at length be informed, sir," said Dr. Baleinier, in a polite but
firm tone, "to whom I have the honor of speaking?"
"Sir, I am juge d'instruction, and I have come to inform myself as to a
fact which has been pointed out to me--"
"Will you do me the honor to explain yourself, sir?" said the doctor,
bowing.
"Sir," resumed the magistrate, M. de Gernande, a man of about fifty
years of age, full of firmness and straightforwardness, and knowing how
to unite the austere duties of his position with benevolent politeness,
"you are accused of having committed--a very great error, not to use a
harsher expression. As for the nature of that error, I prefer believing,
sir, that you (a first rate man of science) may have been deceived in
the calculation of a medical case, rather than suspect you of having
forgotten all that is sacred in the exercise of a profession that is
almost a priesthood."
"When you specify the facts, sir," answered the Jesuit of the short
robe, with a degree of haughtiness, "it will be easy for me to prove
that my reputation as a man of science is no less free from reproach,
than my conscience as a man of honor."
"Madame," said M. de Gernande, addressing Adrienne, "is it true that you
were conveyed to this house by stratagem?"
"Sir," cried M. Baleinier, "permit me to observe, that the manner in
which you open this question is an insult to me."
"Sir, it is to the lady that I have the honor of addressing myself,"
replied M. de Gernande, sternly; "and I am the sole judge of the
propriety of my questions."
Adrienne was about to answer affirmatively to the magistrate, when an
expressive took from Dr. Baleinier reminded her that she would perhaps
expose Dagobert and his son to cruel dangers. It was no base and vulgar
feeling of vengeance by which Adrienne was animated, but a legitimate
indignation, inspired by odious hypocrisy. She would have thought it
cowardly not to unmask the criminals; but wishing to avoid compromising
others, she said to the magistrate, with an accent full of mildness and
dignity: "Permit me, sir, in my turn, rather to ask you a question."
"Speak, madame."
"Will the answer I make be considered a formal accusation?"
"I have come hither, madame, to ascertain the truth, and no
consideration should induce you to dissemble it."
"So be it, sir," resumed Adrienne; "but suppose, having just causes of
complaint, I lay them before you, in order to be allowed to leave this
house, shall I afterwards be at liberty not to press the accusations I
have made?"
"You may abandon proceedings, madame, but the law will take up your case
in the name of society, if its rights have been inured in your person."
"Shall I then not be allowed to pardon? Should I not be sufficiently
avenged by a contemptuous forgetfulness of the wrongs I have suffered?"
"Personally, madame, you may forgive and forget; but I have the honor
to repeat to you, that society cannot show the same indulgence, if
it should turn out that you have been the victim of a criminal
machination--and I have every reason to fear it is so. The manner in
which you express yourself, the generosity of your sentiments, the
calmness and dignity of your attitude, convince me that I have been well
informed."
"I hope, sir," said Dr. Baleinier, recovering his coolness, "that you
will at least communicate the declaration that has been made to you."
"It has been declared to me, sir," said the magistrate, in a stern
voice, "that Mdlle. de Cardoville was brought here by stratagem."
"By stratagem?"