THE AMERICAN
THE WANDERING JEW.
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CHAPTER XXXV.
i
sYwrATiir.
If it had been possible for Mdlle. de Cardoville
to harbor any suspicion of the sincerity of Ro
din's devotion, it must have given way before
this reasoning, unfortunately so simple and un
deniable. How could she suppose the faintest
complicity between the Abbe d'Aigrigny and his
secretary, when it was the latter who completely
unveiled the machinations of his master, and ex
posed them to the tribunals? when in this, Rodin
went even further than Mdlle. de Cardoville
would herself have gone? Of what secret design
could she suspect the Jesuit? At worst, of a de
sire to earn by his services the profitable patron
age of the young lady. And then, had he not
just now protested against this supposition, by
declaring his devotion, not to Mdlle. de Cardo
ville not to the fair, rich, noble lady but to
the high-souled and generous girl? Finally, as
Rodin had said himself, could any but a misera
ble wretch fail to be interested in Adrienne's
fate. A strange mixture of curiesity, surprise,
and interest, was joined with Mdlle. de Cardo
ville's feelings of gratitude towards Rodin. Vet,
as 6he recognized the. superior mind under that
humble exterior, she was suddenly struck with a
grave suspicion. "Sir," said she to Rodin, "I
always confess to the persons I esteem the doubts
they may have inspired, so that they may justify
themselves, and excuse me, if I am wrong."
Rodin looked at Mdlle. de Cardoville with sur
prise, as if mentally calculating the suspicions
that she might entertain, and replied, after a
moment's silence: "You are perhaps thinking
of my journey to Cardoville, of my base proposals
to your good and worthy bailiff? Ohl if you "
" No, no, sir," said Adrienne, interrupting him;
"you made that confession spontaneously, and
quite understand, that, blinded with regard to
M. d'Aigrigny, you passively executed instruc
tions repugnant to your delicacy. But how comes
it, that, with your incontestable merits, you have
so long occupied so mean a position in his ser
vice?" " It is true," said Rodin, with a smile; 11 that
must impress you unfavorably, my dear young
lady; for a man of any capacity, who remains
long in an inferior condition, has evidently some
radical vice, some bad or base passion "
" It is generally true, sir."
" And personally true with regard to myself."
' What, sir! do you make this avowal? "
"Alast I confess that I have a bad passion, to
which, for forty years, I have sacrificed all chances
of attaining to a better position."
" And this passion, sir? "
"Since I must make the unpleasant avowal,
this passion is indolence yes, indolence the
horror of all activity of mind, of all moral re
sponsibility, of taking the lead in anything. With
the twelve hundred francs that Abbe d'Aigrigny
gave me, I was the happiest man in the world; I
trusted in the nobleness of his views; his thoughts
became mine, his wishes mine. My work once
finished, returned to my poor little chamber, 1
lighted my fire, I dined on vegetables then, tak
ing up some book of philosophy, little known,
and dreaming over it, I gave free course to my
imagination, which, restrained all the day long,
carried me through numberless theories to a de
licious Utopia. Then, from the eminences of my
intelligence, lifted up, Lord knows whither, by
the audacity of my thoughts, I seemed to look
j i .
aown upon my masters, ana upon toe great men
of the earth. This fever lasted for three or four
hours, after which I had a good sleep; and, the
next morning, I went lightly to my work, secure
of my daily bread, without cares for the future,
living content with little, waiting with impatience
for the delights of my solitary evening, and say
iug to myself as I went on writing like a stupid
machine: "And yet and yet if I chose! "-
" Doubtless, you could, like others, surer than
others, have reached a higher position," 6aid
Adrienne, greatly struck with Rodin's practical
philosophy.
" Yes, I think I could have done so; but for
what purpose? You see, my dear young lady,
what often renders people of some merit puzzles
to the vulgar, is that they are frequently content
to say: ' If I chose!'"
" But sir, without attaching much importance
to the luxuries of life, there is a certain degree o
comfort, which age renders almost indispensable
and which you seem to have utterly renounced.'
" Undeceive yourself, if you please, my dear
young lady," said Rodin, with a playful smile
" I am a true Sybarite; I require absolutely warm
clothes, a good stove, a soft mattress, a good
piece of bread, a fresh radish, flavored with good
cheap salt, and some good, clear water: and, not
withstanding this complication of wants, twelve
hundred francs have always more than sufficed,
for I have been able to make some little savings."
" But now that you are without emp'oyment,
how will you manage to live, sir? "said Adrienne
more and more interested by the singularities of
this man, and wishing to put his disinterested
ness to the proof.
" I have laid by a little, which will serve me
till I have unravelled the last thread of Father
d'Aigrigny's dark designs. I owe myself this
reparation, for having been his dupe; three or
four days, I hope, will complete the work. After
that, I have the certainty of meeting with a situa
tion, in my native province, under a collector of
taxes; some time ago, the offer was made me by
a friend; but then I would not leave Father d'Aig
rigny, notwithstanding the advantages proposed.
Fancy, my dear young lady eight hundred
francs, with board and lodging! As I am a little
of the roughest, I should have preferred lodging
apart; but, as they give me so much, I must sub
mit to this little inconvenience."
Nothing could exceed Rodin's ingenuity, in
making these little household confidences (so
abominably false) to Mdlle. de Cardoville, who
felt her last suspicions give way.
" What, sir? " said she to the Jesuit, with in-
terest; " in three or four days, you mean to quit
raris?"
"I hope to do so, my dear young lady; and
that," added he, in a mysterious tone, "and that
for many reasons. But what would be very
precious to me," he resumed, in a serious voice,
as he looked at Adrienne with emotion, "would
be to carry with me the conviction, that you did
me the justice to believe, that, on merely reading
your interview with the Princess de Saint-Dizier,
I recognized at once qualities quite unexampled
in our day, in a young person of your age and
condition."
"Ah, sir!" said Adrienne, with a smile, "do
not think yourself obliged to return so soon the
sincere praises that I bestowed on your superior
ity of mind. I should be better pleased with
ingratitude."
"Oh, no! I do not flatter you, my dear young
lady. Why should I? We may probably n ever
meet again. I do not flatter you; I understand
you that's all and what will seem strange to
you, is, that your appearance completes the idea
which 1 had already formed of you, my dear
young lady, iu reading your interview with your
aunt; and some parts of your character, hitherto
obscure to me, are now fully displayed."
" Really, sir, you astonish me more and more."
" I can't help it! I merely describe my im
pressions. 1 can now explain penectly, for ex
ample, your passionate love of the beautiful, your
eager worship of the refinements of the senses,
your ardent aspirations for a better state of
things, your courageous contempt of many de
grading and servile customs, to which woman is
condemned; yes, now I understand the noble
pride with which you contemplate the mob of
vain, self-sufficient, ridiculous men, who look
upon woman as a creature destined for the ser
vice, according to the laws made after their own
not very handsome image. In the eyes of these
hedge-tyrants, woman, a kind of inferior being,
to whom a council of cardinals deigned to grant
soul by a majority of two voices, ought to
think herself supremely happy in being the ser
vant of these pretty pachas, old at thirty, worn
out, used-up, weary with excesses, wishing only
for repose, and seeking, as they say, to make an
end of it, which they set about by marrying some
poor girl, who is on her side desirous to make a
beginning.
Mdlle. de Cardoville would certainly have
smiled at these satirical remarks, if she had not
been greatly struck by hearing Rodin express in
such appropriate terms her own ideas, though it
was the first time in her life that she saw this
dangerous man. Adrienne forgot, or rather, she
was not aware, that she had to deal with a Jesui
of rare inte'1'gei.ce, uniting the information and
the mysterious resources of the police-spy with
the profound sagacity of the confessor; one of
those diabolic priests, who, by the help of a few
hints, avowals, letters, reconstruct a character, as
Cuvier could reconstruct a body from zoologica'
fragments. Far from interrupting Rodin, Adri
enne listened to linn with growing curiosity
Sure of the effect he produced, he continued, in a
tone of indignation: "And your aunt and the
Abbe dAigrigny treated you as mad, because
you revolted against the yoke of such tyrants
because, hating the shameful vices of slavery
you chose to be independent with the suitable
qua Hies oi independence, iree with, the proud
virtues of liberty
" But, sir," said Adrienne, more and more sur
prised, "how can my thoughts be so familiar to
you?"
"first, i snow you periecuy, thanks to your
interview with the Princess de Saint-Dizier; and
next, if it should happen that we both pursue the
imposed upon her. Yes. instead of accepting
the fdte of a revolted slave, a life only destined
to hypocrisy or vice, you wish to live freely in
presence of all the world, independent, honora
ble and respected. You wish to have, like man,
the exercise of your own free will, the entire re
sponsibility of all your actions, so as to establish
the fact, ttat a woman left completely to herself,
may equal man in reason, wisdom, uprightness,
and surpass him in delicacy and dignity. That
is your design, my dear young lidy. It is noble
and great. Will your example be imitated? I
hope it may; but whether it be so or not, your
generous attempt, believe me, will place you in a
high and worthy position."
Mdlle. de Cardoville's eyes shone with a proud
and gentle brightness, her cheeks were slightly
colored, her bosom heaved, she raised her charm
ing head with a movement of involuntary pride;
at length completely under the charm of that
diabolical man, she exclaimed: "But, sir, who
are you that can thus know and analyze my
most secret thoughts, and read my soul more
clearly than myself, so as to give new life and
action ' to those ideas of independence which
have long stirred within me? Who are you, that
can thus elevate me in my own eyes, for now I
am conscious of accomplishing a mission, honor
able to myself, and perhaps useful to my sisters
iramereed in slavery? ( Once again, sir, who are
you?"
"Who am I, madame?" answered Rodin, with
a smile of the greatest good-nature; "I have al-.
ready told you that I am a poor man, who for the
last forty years, having served in the day time as
a writing machine to record the ideas of others,
went home every evening to work out ideas of
his own a good kind of man who, from hi3 gar
ret, watches and even takes some little share in
the movement of generous spirits, advancing
towards an end that is nearer than is commonly
thought. And thus, my dear young lady, as I
told you just now, you and I are both tending
towards the same objects, though you may do the
same without reflection, and merely in obedience
to your rare and divine instincts. So continue
so to live, fair, free, and happy! it is your mis
sion more providential than you may think it.
Yes; continue to surround yourself with all the
marvels of luxury and art; refine your senses,
purify your tastes, by the exquisite choice of
your enjoyments; by genius, grace, and purity
raise yourself above the stupid and illfavored
mob of men, that will instantly surround you,
when they behold you alone and free; they will
consider you au easy prey, destined to please
their cupidity, their egotism, their folly. Laugh
at them, and mock these idiotic and sordid pre
tensions. Be the queen of your own world, and
make yourself respected as a queen. Love
shine it is your part upon earth. All the flow
ers, with which you are whelmed in profusion,
will one day bear fruit. You think that you have
lived only for pleasure; in reality, you will have
lived for the noblest aims that could tempt a
great and lofty soul. And so some years hence
we may meet again, perhaps; you, fairer and
more favored than ever; I, older and more ob
scure. But, no matter a secret voice, I am sure,
says to you at this moment, that between us two,
however different, there exists an invisible bond,
a mysterious communion, which nothing here
after will ever be able to destroy!"
He uttered these final words in a tone of such
profound emotion, that Adrienne started. Rodin
had approached without her. perceiving it, and
without, as it were, walking at all, for he dragged
his steps along the floor, with a sort of serpent
motion; and he had spoken with so much warmth
and enthusiasm, that his pale face had become
slightly tinged, and his repulsive ugliness had
almost disappeared before the brilliancy of his
small sharp eyes, now wide open, and fixed full
upon Adrienne. The latter leaned forward,
with half-open lips and deep-drawn breath, nor
could she take her eyes from the Jesuit's, he had
ceased to speak, and yet she was still listening.
The feelings of the fair young lady, in presence
of this little old man, dirty, ugly and poor, were
inexplicable. That comparison so common, and
yet so true, of the frightful facination of the bird
by the serpent, might give some idea of the
singular impression made upon her. Rodin's
tactics were skilful and sure. Until now, Mdlle.
de Cardoville hadnever analyzed her tastes or
instincts. She had followed them, because they
were inoffensive and charming. How happy and
proud she then was sure to be to hear a man of
solitude; while you place yourself right before ' superior mind not only praise these tendencies,
the jealous and envious eyes of the vulgar crowd' for which she had been heretofore so severely
Why then do you take this determination, so blamed, but congratulate her upon them, as upon
courageous and rare, unexampled in a young something great, noble and divine! If Rodin had
person of your age? Shall I tell you, my dear on'y addressed himself to Adrienne's self conceit,
Rodin, artfully, as he looked at Mdlle. de Cardo
ville with an air of intelligence, " why should not
our convictions be the same?" j
" I do not understand you, sir. Of what end
do you speak? "
"The end pursued incessantly by all lofty, gen-1
a . i 11
erous, independent spirits some acting, nice
you, my dear young lady, from passion, from in
stinct, without perhaps explaining to themselves
the high mission they are called on to fulfill.
Thus, for example, when you take pleasure in the
most refined delights, when you surround your
self with all that charms the senses, do you think
that you only yield to the attraction of the beau
tiful, to the desire of exquisite enjoyments? No!
ah, no! for then you would be incomplete, odious-
y selfish, a dry egotist, with a fine taste noth
ing more and at your age, it would be hideous,
my dear young lady, it would be hideous!
And do you really think thus severely of me:
said Adrienne, with uneasiness, so much influ
ence had this man irresistibly attained over her.
"Certainly, I should think thus of you, if you
oved luxury for luxury's sake; but, no quite
another sentiment animates jou," resumed the
esuit. " Let us reason a little. Feeling a pas
sionate desire for all these enjoyments, you know
their value and their need more than any one
is it not so?"
" It is so," replied Adrienne, deeply interested.
" Your gratitude and favor are then necessarily
acquired by those who, poor, laborious, and un
known, have procured for you these marvels of
uxury, which you could not do without? "
"This feeling of gratitude is so strong in me,
sir," replied Adrienne, more and more pleased to
find herself so well understood, " that I once had
inscribed on a masterpiece of goldsmith's work,
instead of the name of the seller, that of the poor
unknown artist who designed it, and who has
since risen to his true place."
" There, you see, I wa3 not deceived," went on
Rodin; "the taste for enjoyment renders you
grateful to those who procure it for yoa; and that
is not all; here am I, an example, neither better
nor worse than my neighbors, but accustomed to
privations, which cause me no suffering so that
the privations of others necessarily touch me less
nearly than they, do you, my dear young lady; for
your habits of comfort must needs render you
more compassionate towards misfortune. You
would yourself suffer too much from poverty, not
to pity and succor those who are its victims."
"Really, sir," said Adrienne, who began to feel
herself under the fatal charm of Kodin, " the
more I listen to you, the more I am convinced
that you would defend a thousand times better
than I could those ideas for which I was so
harshly reproached by Madame de Saint-Dizier
and Abbe d'Aigrigny. Oh! speak, speak, sir! I
cannot tell you with what happiness, with what
pride I listen."
Attentive and moved, her eyes hxed on
Jesuit with as much interest as sympathy
curiosity, Adrienne, by a graceful toss of
head that was habitual to her, threw back
long, golden curls, the better to contemplate
din, who thus resumed: " You are astonished,
my dear young lady, that you were not under
stood by your aunt or by Abbe d'Aigrigny! What
point of contact had you with these hypocritical,
jealous, crafty minds, such as I can judge them
to be now? Do you wish a new proof of their
hateful blindness? Among what they called
your monstrous follies, which was the worst, the
most damnable? Why, your resolution to live
alone and in your own way. to dispose freely of
the pre ent and the, future. They declared this
to be odious, detestable, immoral. A.dyet was
this resolution dictated by a mad love of liberty?
no! by a disordered aversion to all restraint?
no! by the desire of singularity? no! for then
I, too, should have blamed you severely."
" Other reasons have indeed guided ne, sir,
! 1 i 1 1 t
assure, said Adrienne eagerly, ior she had De-
come very eager for the esteem with which her
character might inspire Rodin.
"Oh! I know it well; your motives could only
be excellent ones," replied the Jesuit. " Why
then did you take this resolution, so much called
in question? Was it to brave established etiquette?
no! for you respected them until the hate of Mine
de Saint-Dizier forced you to withdraw yourself
from her unbearable guardianship. Was it to
live alone, to escape the eyes of the world? no!
you would be a hundred time more open to
observation in this than any other condition.
Was it to make a bad use of your liberty? no, ah,
no! those who design evil seek for darkness and
the
and
the
her
Ro-
young lady? It is, that you wish to prove, by
ycur example, that a woman of pure heart and
honest mind, with a firm character and independ
he would have failed in his perfidious designs,
for she had not the least spark of vanity. But he
addressed himself to all that was enthusiastic and
ence of soul, may nobly and proudly throw off generous in her heart; that which he appeared to
same end, though by different means," resuraedjtbe humiliating guardianship that custom has (encourage and admire in her was really w