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Melmoth Reconciled-Part4_Honore de Balzac(1799-1850)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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Come, now, promise it at once, and give us your fist upon it."

"I should kill you," and Castanier smiled as he spoke.



They sat down to the dinner table, and went thence to the Gymnase.

When the first part of the performance was over, it occurred to



Castanier to show himself to some of his acquaintances in the house,

so as to turn away any suspicion of his departure. He left Mme. de la



Garde in the corner box where she was seated, according to her modest

wont, and went to walk up and down in the lobby. He had not gone many



paces before he saw the Englishman, and with a sudden return of the

sickening sensation of heat that once before had vibrated through him,



and of the terror that he had felt already, he stood face to face with

Melmoth.



"Forger!"

At the word, Castanier glanced round at the people who were moving



about them. He fancied that he could see astonishment and curiosity in

their eyes, and wishing to be rid of this Englishman at once, he



raised his hand to strike him--and felt his arm paralyzed by some

invisible power that sapped his strength and nailed him to the spot.



He allowed the stranger to take him by the arm, and they walked

together to the green-room like two friends.



"Who is strong enough to resist me?" said the Englishman, addressing

him. "Do you not know that everything here on earth must obey me, that



it is in my power to do everything? I read men's thoughts, I see the

future, and I know the past. I am here, and I can be elsewhere also.



Time and space and distance are nothing to me. The whole world is at

my beck and call. I have the power of continualenjoyment and of



giving joy. I can see through walls, discover hidden treasures, and

fill my hands with them. Palaces arise at my nod, and my architect



makes no mistakes. I can make all lands break forth into blossom, heap

up their gold and precious stones, and surround myself with fair women



and ever new faces; everything is yielded up to my will. I could

gamble on the Stock Exchange, and my speculations would be infallible;



but a man who can find the hoards that misers have hidden in the earth

need not trouble himself about stocks. Feel the strength of the hand



that grasps you; poor wretch, doomed to shame! Try to bend the arm of

iron! try to soften the adamantine heart! Fly from me if you dare! You



would hear my voice in the depths of the caves that lie under the

Seine; you might hide in the Catacombs, but would you not see me



there? My voice could be heard through the sound of thunder, my eyes

shine as brightly as the sun, for I am the peer of Lucifer!"



Castanier heard the terrible words, and felt no protest nor

contradiction within himself. He walked side by side with the



Englishman, and had no power to leave him.

"You are mine; you have just committed a crime. I have found at last



the mate whom I have sought. Have you a mind to learn your destiny?

Aha! you came here to see a play, and you shall see a play--nay, two.



Come. Present me to Mme. de la Garde as one of your best friends. Am I

not your last hope of escape?"



Castanier, followed by the stranger, returned to his box; and in

accordance with the order he had just received, he hastened to



introduce Melmoth to Mme. de la Garde. Aquilina seemed to be not in

the least surprised. The Englishman declined to take a seat in front,



and Castanier was once more beside his mistress; the man's slightest

wish must be obeyed. The last piece was about to begin, for, at that



time, small theatres gave only three pieces. One of the actors had

made the Gymnase the fashion, and that evening Perlet (the actor in



question) was to play in a vaudeville called Le Comedien d'Etampes, in

which he filled four different parts.



When the curtain rose, the stranger stretched out his hand over the

crowded house. Castanier's cry of terror died away, for the walls of



his throat seemed glued together as Melmoth pointed to the stage, and

the cashier knew that the play had been changed at the Englishman's



desire.

He saw the strong-room at the bank; he saw the Baron de Nucingen in



conference with a police-officer from the Prefecture, who was

informing him of Castanier's conduct, explaining that the cashier had



absconded with money taken from the safe, giving the history of the

forged signature. The information was put in writing; the document



signed and duly despatched to the Public Prosecutor.

"Are we in time, do you think?" asked Nucingen.



"Yes," said the agent of police; "he is at the Gymnase, and has no

suspicion of anything."



Castanier fidgeted on his chair, and made as if he would leave the

theatre, but Melmoth's hand lay on his shoulder, and he was obliged to



sit and watch; the hideous power of the man produced an effect like




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