Volume III Part 69 (1/2)
”Well, what then?”
The Slasher again remained silent; then he replied, struggling to preserve his calmness, ”Hold, Martial; I know that you will laugh at me; but I wish to tell you all, so that, if anything should happen to me, this at least will prove that I was not deceived.”
”What is it, then?”
”When M. Rudolph asked if it should be agreeable for us to go together to Algiers, and to be neighbors there, I did not wish to deceive either you or your wife. I told you what I had been.”
”Let us speak no more about that. You have undergone your punishment--you are as good as the best of us. But I can conceive that, like me, you would prefer to live abroad, thanks to our generous protector, than to remain here, where, no matter how honest, and how easy in our circ.u.mstances we may be, we shall always be reproached, you for the crime which you have expiated, and which you still regret, and I for the crimes of my parents, for which I am not responsible. But, between us, the past is gone, and gone forever. Be tranquilized; we rely upon you, as you may rely upon us.”
”Between us, perhaps, the past will be forgotten; but, as I said to M.
Rudolph, Martial, there is a Providence above, and I have killed a man.”
”It is a great misfortune; but at the time you did not know what you were doing--you were not yourself; and, besides, you have saved the lives of others, and that ought to count in your favor.”
”Listen, Martial, I have now spoken to you of my unhappiness, because, formerly, I often had a dream, in which I saw the sergeant, whom I killed; for a long time I have not had this dream, and last night I dreamed it”
”It was chance.”
”No, this forebodes that some misfortune will happen to me this day.”
”You are unreasonable, my good comrade.”
”I have a presentiment that I shall never quit Paris.”
”Once more, you have not common sense. Your sorrow at the thought of quitting our benefactor, the knowledge that you were to accompany me to Bicetre, where so painful an interview awaited me; all this agitated you last night; hence naturally, your dream returned to you.”
The Slasher sadly shook his head.
”It has returned to me on the night before the departure of M. Rudolph, for it is today that he goes.”
”Today?”
”Yes; yesterday I sent a messenger to his hotel, not daring to go there myself; he has forbidden it. They told him that the prince would set out this morning, at eleven o'clock, by the Barriere Charenton. Thus, when we shall have arrived in Paris, I will post myself there, to endeavor to see him for this last time! the last!”
”He appears so good that I comprehend how well you must love him.”
”Love him!” said the Slasher, with deep and pa.s.sionate emotion; oh, yes! Do you understand, Martial! to sleep on the ground--to eat black bread--to be his dog; but to be where he is, I ask nothing more--that was too much--he did not wish it.”
”He has been so generous to you!”
”It is not that which makes me love him so much--it is because he said to me that I had a heart and honor! yes, and at a time when I was as ferocious as a wild beast, when I despised myself as the vilest of the vile, he made me comprehend that there was still some good in me, since, my punishment inflicted, I had repented, and after having suffered the utmost extremity of want without being guilty of theft, I had industriously labored to gain an honest livelihood: wis.h.i.+ng to injure no one, although every one looked upon me as a finished scoundrel, which was not very encouraging. It is true, in most instances, all that is necessary to keep one in the right path are words of encouragement and kindness. Is it not so, Martial? So when M. Rudolph said these words to me, my heart beat high and proudly.
Since then I would go through fire to do a good action. Oh! that the opportunity might offer! you would see--and to whom the thanks? the thanks to M. Rudolph.”
”Truly, since you are a thousand times better than you used to be, you should not have such evil presentiments. Your dream signifies nothing.”
”Well, we shall see. I do not purposely search for a misfortune; there can be for me no greater one than that which has already happened; never to see him more. M. Rudolph! I who thought never more to quit him. In my sphere, I would have been at his service, body and soul, always ready. Well, perhaps he is wrong. You know, Martial, that I am but an earth-worm in comparison with him; well, sometimes it happens that the most insignificant can be useful to the most powerful. If that should be the case, I would never pardon him for depriving himself of my services.”
”Who knows? one day, perhaps, he will recall you.”