The Wandering Jew — Complete
said to him with respectful deference, pointing at the same time to the
letter: "Have I the permission of your Eminence?"
The prelate bowed, and replied: "Your affairs are ours, my dear father.
The Church must always rejoice in what rejoices your glorious Company."
Father d'Aigrigny unsealed the packet, and found in it different notes
in different handwritings. When he had read the first, his countenance
darkened, and he said, in a grave tone: "A misfortune--a great
misfortune."
Rodin turned his head abruptly, and looked at him with an air of uneasy
questioning.
"Florine is dead of the cholera," answered Father d'Aigrigny; "and what
is the worst," added he, crumpling the note between his hands, "before
dying, the miserable creature confessed to Mdlle. de Cardoville that she
long acted as a spy under the orders of your reverence."
No doubt the death of Florine, and the confession she had made, crossed
some of the plans of Rodin, for he uttered an inarticulate murmur, and
his countenance expressed great vexation.
Passing to another note, Father d'Aigrigny continued: "This relates
to Marshal Simon, and is not absolutely bad, but still far from
satisfactory, as it announces some amelioration in his position. We
shall see if it merits belief, by information from another source."
Rodin made a sign of impatience, to hasten Father d'Aigrigny to read the
note, which he did as follows. "'For some days, the mind of the marshal
has appeared to be less sorrowful, anxious and agitated. He lately
passed two hours with his daughters, which had not been the case for
some time before. The harsh countenance of the soldier Dagobert is
becoming smoother--a sure sign of some amelioration in the condition of
the marshal. Detected by their handwriting, the last anonymous letters
were returned by Dagobert to the postman, without having been opened by
the marshal. Some other method must be found to get them delivered.'"
Looking at Rodin, Father d'Aigrigny said to him: "Your reverence thinks
with me that this note is not very satisfactory?"
Rodin held down his head. One saw by the expression of his countenance
how much he suffered by not being able to speak. Twice he put his hand
to his throat, and looked at Father d'Aigrigny with anguish.
"Oh!" cried Father d'Aigrigny, angrily, when he had perused another
note, "for one lucky chance, to-day brings some very black ones."
At these words turning hastily to Father d'Aigrigny, and extending
his trembling hands, Rodin questioned him with look and gesture. The
cardinal, sharing his uneasiness, exclaimed: "What do you learn by this
note, my dear father?"
"We thought the residence of M. Hardy in our house completely unknown,"
replied Father d'Aigrigny, "but we now fear that Agricola Baudoin
has discovered the retreat of his old master, and that he has even
communicated with him by letter, through a servant of the house. So,"
added the reverend father, angrily, "during the three days that I have
not been able to visit the pavilion, one of my servants must have been
bought over. There is one of them, a man blind of one eye, whom I
have always suspected--the wretch! But no: I will not yet believe this
treachery. The consequences would be too deplorable; for I know how
matters stand, and that such a correspondence might ruin everything.
By awaking in M. Hardy memories with difficulty laid asleep, they might
destroy in a single day all that has been done since he inhabits our
house. Luckily, this note contains only doubts and fears; my other
information will be more positive, and will not, I hope, confirm them."
"My dear father," said the cardinal, "do not despair. The Lord will not
abandon the good cause!"
Father d'Aigrigny seemed very little consoled by this assurance. He
remained still and thoughtful, whilst Rodin writhed his head in a
paroxysm of mute rage, as he reflected on this new check.
"Let us turn to the last note," said Father d'Aigrigny, after a moment
of thoughtful silence. "I have so much confidence in the person who
sends it, that I cannot doubt the correctness of the information it
contains. May it contradict the others!"
In order not to break the chain of facts contained in this last note,
which was to have so startling an effect on the actors in this scene, we
shall leave it to the reader's imagination to supply the exclamations
of surprise, hate, rage and fear of Father d'Aigrigny, and the terrific
pantomime of Rodin, during the perusal of this formidable document,
the result of the observations of a faithful and secret agent of
the reverend fathers. Comparing this note with the other information
received, the results appeared more distressing to the reverend fathers.
Thus Gabriel had long and frequent conferences with Adrienne, who before
was unknown to him. Agricola Baudoin had opened a communication with
Francis Hardy, and the officers of justice were on the track of the
authors and instigators of the riot which had led to the burning of the
factory of Baron Tripeaud's rival. It seemed almost certain that Mdlle.
de Cardoville had had an interview with Prince Djalma.
This combination of facts showed that, faithful to the threats she
had uttered to Rodin, when she had unmasked the double perfidy of the
reverend father, Mdlle. de Cardoville was actively engaged in uniting
the scattered members of her family, to form a league against those
dangerous enemies, whose detestable projects, once unveiled and boldly
encountered, could hardly have a chance of success. The reader will now
understand the tremendous effect of this note on Father d'Aigrigny and
Rodin--on Rodin, stretched powerless on a bed of pain at the moment when
the scaffolding, raised with so much labor, seemed to be tumbling around
him.
CHAPTER XXIX. THE OPERATION.
We have given up the attempt to paint the countenance, attitude, and
gesticulation of Rodin during the reading of this note, which seemed to
ruin all his most cherished hopes. Everything was failing at once, at
the moment when only superhuman trust in the success of his plans could
give him sufficient energy to strive against mortal sickness. A single,
absorbing thought had agitated him even to delirium: What progress,
during his illness, had been made in this immense affair? He had first
heard a good piece of news, the death of Jacques Rennepont; but now the
advantages of this decease, which reduced the number of the heirs from
seven to six, were entirely lost. To what purpose would be this death,
if the other members of the family, dispersed and persecuted with such
infernal perseverance, were to unite and discover the enemies who had
so long aimed at them in darkness? If all those wounded hearts were to
console, enlighten, support each other, their cause would be gained, and
the inheritance rescued from the reverend fathers. What was to be done?
Strange power of the human will!--Rodin had one foot in the grave, he
was almost at the last gasp; his voice had failed him. And yet that
obstinate nature, so full of energy and resources, did not despair.
Let but a miracle restore his health, and that firm confidence in the
success of his projects which has given him power to struggle against
disease, tells him that he could yet save all--but then he must have
health and life! Health! life! His physician does not know if he will
survive the shock--if he can bear the pain--of a terrible operation.
Health! life! and just now Rodin heard talk of the solemn funeral they
had prepared for him. And yet--health, life, he will have them. Yes; he
has willed to live--and he has lived--why should he not live longer? He
will live--because he has willed it.
All that we have just written passed though Rodin's mind in a second.
His features, convulsed by the mental torment he endured, must have
assumed a very strange expression, for Father d'Aigrigny and the
cardinal looked at him in silent consternation. Once resolved to live,
and to sustain a desperate struggle with the Rennepont family, Rodin
acted in consequence. For a few moments Father d'Aigrigny and the
prelate believed themselves under the influence of a dream. By an effort
of unparalleled energy, and as if moved by hidden mechanism, Rodin
sprang from the bed, dragging the sheet with him, and trailing it, like
a shroud, behind his livid and fleshless body. The room was cold; the
face of the Jesuit was bathed in sweat; his naked and bony feet left
their moist print upon the stones.
"What are you doing? It is death!" cried Father d'Aigrigny, rushing
towards Rodin, to force him to lie down again.
But the latter, extending one of his skeleton arms, as hard as iron,
pushed aside Father d'Aigrigny with inconceivable vigor, considering the
state of exhaustion in which he had so long been.
"He has the strength of a man in a fit of epilepsy," said Father
d'Aigrigny, recovering his balance.
With a steady step Rodin advanced to the desk on which Dr. Baleinier
daily wrote his prescriptions. Seating himself before it, the Jesuit
took pen and paper, and began to write in a firm hand. His calm, slow,
and sure movements had in them something of the deliberateness remarked
in somnambulists. Mute and motionless, hardly knowing whether they
dreamed or not, the cardinal and Father d'Aigrigny remained staring at
the incredible coolness of Rodin, who, half-naked, continued to write
with perfect tranquillity.
"But, father," said the Abbe d'Aigrigny, advancing towards him, "this is
madness!"
Rodin shrugged his shoulders, stopped him with a gesture and made him a
sign to read what he had just written.
The reverend father expected to see the ravings of a diseased brain; but
he took the note, whilst Rodin commenced another.
"My lord," exclaimed Father d'Aigrigny, "read this!"
The cardinal read the paper, and returning it to the reverend father
with equal amazement, added: "It is full of reason, ability, and
resources. We shall thus be able to neutralize the dangerous combination
of Abbe Gabriel and Mdlle. de Cardoville, who appear to be the most
formidable leaders of the coalition."
"It is really miraculous," said Father d'Aigrigny.
"Oh, my dear father!" whispered the cardinal, shaking his head; "what
a pity that we are the only witnesses of this scene! What an excellent
MIRACLE we could have made of it! In one sense, it is another Raising of
Lazarus!"
"What an idea, my lord!" answered Father d'Aigrigny, in a low voice. "It
is perfect--and we must not give it up--"
This innocent little plot was interrupted by Rodin, who, turning his
head, made a sign to Father d'Aigrigny to approach, and delivered to him
another sheet, with this note attached: "To be executed within an hour."
Having rapidly perused the paper, Father d'Aigrigny exclaimed: "Right!
I had not thought of that. Instead of being fatal, the correspondence
between Agricola and M. Hardy may thus have the best results. Really,"
added the reverend father in a low voice to the prelate, while Rodin
continued to write, "I am quite confounded. I read--I see--and yet I can
hardly believe my eyes. Just before, exhausted and dying--and now
with his mind as clear and penetrating as ever. Can this be one of the
phenomena of somnambulism, in which the mind alone governs and sustains
the body?"
Suddenly the door opened, and Dr. Baleinier entered the room. At sight
of Rodin, seated half-naked at the desk, with his feet upon the cold
stones, the doctor exclaimed, in a tone of reproach and alarm: "But, my
lord--but, father--it is murder to let the unhappy man do this!--If he
is delirious from fever, he must have the strait-waistcoat, and be tied
down in bed."
So saying. Dr. Baleinier hastily approached Rodin, and took him by the
arm. Instead of finding the skin dry and chilly, as he expected, he