第505章

caste resumed: "Believe me, my lord, however strange it may appear, this is the wisest course.Remember the past.Was it by playing the part of a timid lover that you have brought to your feet this proud young lady, my lord? No, it was by pretending to despise her, in favor of another woman.Therefore, let us have no weakness.The lion does not woo like the poor turtle-dove.What cares the sultan of the desert for a few plaintive howls from the lioness, who is more pleased than angry at his rude and wild caresses? Soon submissive, fearful and happy, she follows in the track of her master.Believe me, my lord--try everything--dare everything--and to-day you will become the adored sultan of this young lady, whose beauty all Paris admires."

After some minutes' silence, Djalma, shaking his head with an expression of tender pity, said to the half-caste, in his mild, sonorous voice: "Why betray me thus? Why advise me thus wickedly to use violence, terror, and surprise, towards an angel of purity, whom I respect as my mother? Is it not enough for you to have been so long devoted to my enemies, whose hatred has followed me from Java?"

Had Djalma sprung upon the half-caste with bloodshot eye, menacing brow, and lifted poniard, the latter would have been less surprised, and perhaps less frightened, than when he heard the prince speak of his treachery in this tone of mild reproach.

He drew back hastily, as if about to stand on his guard.But Djalma resumed, with the same gentleness, "Fear nothing.Yesterday I should have killed you! But to-day happy love renders me too just, too merciful for that.I pity you, without any feeling of bitterness--for you must have been very unhappy, or you could not have become so wicked."

"My lord!" said the half-caste, with growing amazement.

"Yes, you must have suffered much, and met with little mercy, poor creature, to have become so merciless, in your hate, and proof against the sight of a happiness like mine.When I listened to you just now, and saw the sad perseverance of your hatred, I felt the deepest commiseration for you."

"I do not know, my lord--but--" stammered the half-caste, and was unable to find words to proceed.

"Come, now--what harm have I ever done you?"

"None, my lord," answered Faringhea.

"Then why do you hate me thus? why pursue me with so much animosity? Was it not enough to give me the perfidious counsel to feign a shameful love for the young girl that was brought hither, and who quitted the house disgusted at the miserable part she was to play?"

"Your feigned love for that young girl, my lord," replied Faringhea, gradually recovering his presence of mind, "conquered the coldness of--"

"Do not say that," resumed the prince, interrupting him with the same mildness."If I enjoy this happiness, which makes me compassionate towards you, and raises me above myself, it is because Mdlle de Cardoville now knows that I have never for a moment ceased to love her as she ought to be loved, with adoration and reverence.It was your intention to have parted us forever, and you had nearly succeeded."

"If you think this of me, my lord, you must look upon me as your most mortal enemy."

"Fear nothing, I tell you.I have no right to blame you.In the madness of my grief, I listened to you and followed your advice.I was not only your dupe, but your accomplice.Only confess that, when you saw me at your mercy, dejected, crushed, despairing, it was cruel in you to advise the course that might have been most fatal to me."

"The ardor of my zeal may have deceived me, my lord."

"I am willing to believe it.And yet again to-day there were the same evil counsels.You had no more pity for my happiness than for my sorrow.

The rapture of my heart inspires you with only one desire--that of changing this rapture into despair."

"I, my lord!"

"Yes, you.It was your intention to ruin me--to dishonor me forever in the eyes of Mdlle.de Cardoville.Now, tell me--why this furious hate?

what have I done to you?"

"You misjudge me, my lord--and--"

"Listen to me.I do not wish you to be any longer wicked and treacherous.I wish to make you good.In our country, they charm serpents, and tame the wildest tigers.You are a man, with a mind to reason, a heart to love, and I will tame you too by gentleness.This day has bestowed on me divine happiness; you shall have good cause to bless this day.What can I do for you? what would you have--gold? You shall have it.Do you desire more than gold? Do you desire a friend, to console you for the sorrows that made you wicked, and to teach you to be good? Though a king's son, I will be that friend--in spite of the evil--

ay, because of the evil you have done me.Yes; I will be your sincere friend, and it shall be my delight to say to myself: `The day on which I learned that my angel loved me, my happiness was great indeed--for, in the morning, I had an implacable enemy, and, ere night, his hatred was changed to friendship.' Believe me, Faringhea, misery makes crime, but happiness produces virtue.Be happy!"

At this moment the clock struck two.The prince started.It was time to go on his visit to Adrienne.The handsome countenance of Djalma, doubly embellished by the mild, ineffable expression with which it had been animated whilst he was talking to the half-caste, now seemed illumined with almost divine radiance.

Approaching Faringhea, he extended his hand with the utmost, grace and courtesy, saying to him, "Your hand!"

The half-caste, whose brow was bathed with a cold sweat, whose countenance was pale and agitated, seemed to hesitate for an instant;

then, overawed, conquered, fascinated, he offered his trembling hand to the prince, who pressed it, and said to him, in their country's fashion, "You have laid your hand honestly in a friend's; this hand shall never be closed against you.Faringhea, farewell! I now feel myself more worthy to kneel before my angel."

And Djalma went out, on his way to the appointment with Adrienne.In spite of his ferocity, in spite of the pitiless hate he bore to the whole human race, the dark sectary of Bowanee was staggered by the noble and clement words of Djalma, and said to himself, with terror, "I have taken his hand.He is now sacred for me."

Then, after a moment's silence, a thought occurred to him, and he exclaimed, "Yes--but he will not be sacred for him who, according to the answer of last night, waits for him at the door of the house."

So saying, the half-caste hastened into the next room, which looked upon the street, and, raising a corner of the curtain, muttered anxiously to himself, "The carriage moves off--the man approaches.Perdition! it is gone and I see no more."