The Wandering Jew, Book IV.

squalls of wind shake the badly dosed doors and casements. The disorder and confusion of this humble abode, usually kept with so much care

lf upon it for a few hours in his clothes, when, worn out with fatigue, and crushed by despair, he had returned from new and vain attempts to discover Rose and Blanche's prison-house. Upon the drawers stood a bottle, a gl

ted, one might have seen the hunchback sleeping upon a chair, her head resting on her bosom, her hands concealed beneath her c

bread. Waiting for the return of Dagobert and Agricola, she had sunk into an agitated sleep-very different, alas! from calm and refreshing slumber. Fr

the wind, a slow and heavy step was heard on the landing-place

from her chair, and, advancing rapidly to meet Agricola's father

he did not at first appear to perceive the speaker, but threw himself despondingly on a chair, rested his elbows upon the tab

t for the fingers. Taking this in his hand, he looked at it closely, poised it to judge of its weight, and then laid it down upon the drawers with an air of satisfaction. Surprised at the long silence of Dagobert, the needlewoman followed his movements

not forbear exclaiming: "Good gracious,

for the first time, and said to her in a cordial, but ab

ust struck at Saint-

he soldier, speaking to

e iron bar, he appeared again to refl

d the girl, "you have

N

n him further, Mother Bunch sat down in silence. Spoil sport came to lean his head on the k

pproached the bed, took a sheet from it, appeared to measure its l

M. Dag

ne, but one that commanded obedience. The sempstress took the scis

d of the sheet, my girl

hem here and there with bits of tape, so as to preserve the twist, and tying them strongly together, so as to make a

e now no longer doubted Dagobert's designs, said to him timidly: "M. Dagobert,

ast round his eyes in search of something he wanted; "g

accustomed to make. He took it, opened it, and said to the work girl: "Put me

u will not go without seeing Agricola, M. Dagober

r my boy. I need not start bef

bert! have you

. I have good ho

e sack, for the purpose of closing it, and plac

will wait for Agri

rrives before

then quite mad

were weak enough to

e one," said the girl, hoping to induce the

an old woman, what I saw just now weighed heavily on my heart. A

ave you

time, which appears long enough." Then, interrupting hims

ert; it is hal

attracted by a large red placard, at the head of which was a black panther devouring a white horse. That sight gave me a turn, for you m

l-sport, who was crouching at the workwoman's fee

the soldier, sighing himself at the remembrance. The

n a voice of emotion, Spoil-sport gave a low whine, as if to i

Dagobert," said Mother Bunch, "to find upon

t, that one Morok, just arrived from Germany, is about to exhibit in a theatre different wild be

ul name!" sa

tell you, that this is the very panther which

ght, M. Dagobert," said

re gloomy, "that is not all. It was by means of this very Morok, the owne

l?" said Mother Bunch. "Oh! you are right, M. Dagobe

Dagobert, in a hollow tone. "W

"some one is running up the stairs. It is Agri

aid the soldier, hasti

He will be able to f

he sempstress perceived at the first glance, in the dejected

clearly announced the little faith he attached t

to make one dash one's brains out again

Bunch, and said: "You see, my

gricola; "have you seen

have yours-I long to know all. I need to know, if, on appealing to the laws, which, as you told me, protect and defend honest people,

you mean,

time. It is not much more than half-past e

ho had already receiv

d he say

at there did not appear any urgent necessity for their immediate removal-and besides, he could not take upon himself to violate the sanctity of a

of put offs," s

ir interests may suffer incalculable damage. 'I am very sorry for it,' replied he, 'but I cannot, upon your simple declaration, or that of your father, who-like yourself-is no relation or connection

submit to them, at the risk of beco

lle. de Cardoville to h

party had told me that Mdlle. de Cardoville affirms she was not mad; but all mad people pretend to be sane. He could not, therefore, upon my s

said Dagobert, "did I not forsee all this?

impossible, and you agreed that it would ex

u in plain terms, that we must not think of obtaining legally the r

ere is no special urgency. The question

," said Dagobert, rising and

at justice could not remain deaf to such equitable claims, I ran to the Palais de Justice,

the soldier,

f the line, commanded by a lieutenant. I told him all. He saw that I was so much moved, and I spoke with such warmth and conviction, that he became interested. -'Lieutenant,' said I to him, 'grant me one favor; let a petty officer and two soldiers go to th

give you, Agricola?" a

shoulders, and continu

ter a convent by force.-'Then, sir, what am I to do? It is enough to turn one's head.'-'Faith, I don't know,' said the lieutenant; 'it will be safest, I think, to wait.'

here was a moment of profound silence after these words of Agricola, which destroyed th

eepen the sad and painfu