登陆注册
4606300000533

第533章

I went out about ten o'clock and called on M. d'O , who welcomed me in the friendliest manner and reproached me for not having alighted at his house. When he heard that I had given up business he congratulated me on not having removed it into Holland, as I should have been ruined. I did not tell him that I had nearly come to that in France, as I considered such a piece of information would not assist my designs. He complained bitterly of the bad faith of the French Government, which had involved him in considerable losses; and then he asked me to come and see Esther.

I was too impatient to embrace her to stay to be asked twice; I ran to greet her. As soon as she saw me she gave a cry of surprise and delight, and threw herself in my arms, where I received her with fondness equal to her own. I found her grown and improved; she looked lovely. We had scarcely sat down when she told me that she had become as skilled in the cabala as myself.

"It makes my life happy," said she, "for it gives me a power over my father, and assures me that he will never marry me to anyone but the man of my choice."

"I am delighted that you extract the only good that can proceed from this idle science, namely, the power to guide persons devoid of strength of will. But your father must think that I taught you the secret?"

"Yes, he does; and he said, one day, that he would forgive me any sacrifices I might have made to obtain this precious secret from you."

"He goes a little further than we did, my dearest Esther."

"Yes, and I told him that I had gained it from you without any sacrifice, and that now I was a true Pythoness without having to endure the torments of the tripod; and I am sure that the replies you gave were invented by yourself."

"But if that were so how could I have known where the pocket-book was, or whether the ship was safe?"

"You saw the portfolio yourself and threw it where it was discovered, and as for the vessel you spoke at random; but as you are an honest man, confess that you were afraid of the results. I am never so bold as that, and when my father asks me questions of that kind, my replies are more obscure than a sibyl's. I don't wish him to lose confidence in my oracle, nor do I wish him to be able to reproach me with a loss that would injure my own interests."

"If your mistake makes you happy I shall leave you in it. You are really a woman of extraordinary talents--, you are quite unique."

"I don't want your compliments," said she, in a rather vexed manner, "I want a sincere avowal of the truth."

"I don't think I can go as far as that."

At these words, which I pronounced in a serious way, Esther went into a reverie, but I was not going to lose the superiority I had over her, and racked my brains to find some convincing prediction the oracle might make to her, and while I was doing so dinner was announced.

There were four of us at table, and I concluded that the fourth of the party must be in love with Esther, as he kept his eyes on her the whole time. He was her father's favourite clerk, and no doubt her father would have been glad if she had fallen in love with him, but I

soon saw that she was not likely to do so. Esther was silent all through dinner, and we did not mention the cabala till the clerk was gone.

"Is it possible," said M. d'O , "for my daughter to obtain the answers of the oracle without your having taught her?"

"I always thought such a thing impossible till to-day," I answered, "but Esther has convinced me that I was mistaken. I can teach the secret to no one without losing it myself, for the oath I swore to the sage who taught me forbids me to impart it to another under pain of forfeiture. But as your daughter has taken no such oath, having acquired it herself, she may be for all I know at perfect liberty to communicate the secret to anyone."

Esther, who was as keen as a razor, took care to say that the same oath that I had taken had been imposed on her by the oracle, and that she could not communicate the cabalistic secret to anyone without the permission of her genius, under pain of losing it herself.

I read her inmost thoughts, and was rejoiced to see that her mind was calmed. She had reason to be grateful to me, whether I had lied or not, for I had given her a power over her father which a father's kindness could not have assured; but she perceived that what I had said about her oracular abilities had been dictated merely by politeness, and she waited till we were alone to make me confess as much.

Her worthy father, who believed entirely in the infallibility of our oracles, had the curiosity to put the same question to both of us, to see if we should agree in the answer. Esther was delighted with the idea, as she suspected that the one answer would flatly contradict the other, and M. d'O having written his question on two sheets of paper gave them to us. Esther went up to her own room for the operation, and I questioned the oracle on the table at which we had had dinner, in the presence of the father. Esther was quick, as she came down before I had extracted from the pyramid the letters which were to compose my reply, but as I knew what to say as soon as I saw her father read the answer she gave him I was not long in finishing what I had to do.

M. d'O---- asked if he should try to get rid of the French securities he held in spite of the loss he would incur by selling out.

Esther's oracle replied, "You must sow plentifully before you reap. Pluck not up the vine before the season of the vintage, for your vine is planted in a fruitful soil."

Mine ran as follows:--

"If you sell out you will repent, for there will be a new comptroller-general, who will pay all claims before another year has elapsed."

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 清穿修仙

    清穿修仙

    现代二逼女青年因为救人牺牲,没想到竟穿越到了清朝康熙年间,身为一个现代人宅斗宫斗技术为零,要怎么在这个坑爹的世界生存下去啊!!!不过还好有一个随身空间,还有一个便宜师傅教自己修炼,这让自己的小命有了保障,不过这突然冒出来的穿越女妹妹是怎么回事?还有这突然来的通知说要选秀是个什么鬼?尼玛居然还被选中留下来了,想自己这一个大好人生,才不要去和那一群女人去争呢,还是淡定的修修仙,看看现实版的宫斗吧。 建了个书友群,有兴趣的小可爱可以加一下,群号:718991805
  • 带着责任感工作(升级版)

    带着责任感工作(升级版)

    责任感是一个人,一个组织、一个国家乃至整个人类文明发展的基石。世上没有做不好的工作,只有不负责任的人。如果一个人没有责任感,即使他有再大的能力也是空谈;而当一个人有了责任感,他就有了激情、有了忠诚、有了奉献,有了执行……他的生命就会闪光,他就能在工作中激发自己*大的潜能。
  • 伤口是光照进来的地方

    伤口是光照进来的地方

    武志红之后,又一位亲密关系心理学研究者——沈万九,从事亲密关系心理咨询师已有7年,本书是他从业的经历感悟的凝集,用通俗的语言,描述出心理问题和科学的解决方式。作品从爱、家、孤独、生命四个方面,探寻我们应当如何面对自己无可逃避的伤口。本书写给每一个女人,和她的男人们。
  • 双和欢虐部

    双和欢虐部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 不忘法心

    不忘法心

    这是一个怀抱梦想的底层年青人自强奋斗的励志故事,这是几个至情至性的年轻男女爱恋缠绵的情感宣泄,这是两个法律人在情与法之间艰难抉择的心路历程。最终,在奋斗中成长,在爱恋中成熟,在抉择中蜕变。人在变,情难留,法高悬,贯穿其中的是法律人维护公平正义的初心!
  • 建立曼荼罗及拣择地法

    建立曼荼罗及拣择地法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 非常教育6+1

    非常教育6+1

    本书是写给中国少年儿童的父辈家长以及祖辈家长的“参谋书”,要为“隔代教育”指明正确的途径。本书未在空洞的理论概念里面兜圈子,而是立足于中国“隔代教育”的现实状况,大量地撷取了现实生活中鲜活而又典型的事例,从正、反两个方面,诠释了“隔代教育”的积极作用和各种误区以及化解误区的方法。
  • 宅府恩怨:嫡妻归来爷当心

    宅府恩怨:嫡妻归来爷当心

    相濡以沫,比不得妖艳颜色。贤惠良妻成下堂,狐媚娥子踩房梁。惊鸿不曾预想过,从小长大的情谊,竟也是这般凉薄。燕尔之期刚过,夫君就有了纳妾的心思。大宋之制,糟糠之妻不下堂,贫贱之友不可忘。她以为本分过这一生,也便就是了,怨不得,求不得。可是世事不如意,她守着一方宅院,也得不到一寸净土。争宠、陷害、夺爱、谋杀。大家宅之中的腥风血雨,背后又是谁的阴谋?夫妻情谊尽了之后,又是谁朝她伸出了手?我心匪石,不可转也。我心匪席,不可卷也。心门一闭难再开,请君且带真心来。
  • 空间之地府交流群

    空间之地府交流群

    同事:你!站远点,别影响我发挥。出镜?说得好像有人愿意看你似的……亲戚:哟,都混几年呢,还没挣到大钱呢?我儿子今年年终奖都挣了十万。母亲:都22了,你要还认我这个妈,就赶紧回村给我嫁啰。李小萌扫了眼手机上的地府交流群微微一笑。“让让,这部戏我投资的。你,被开除了!”“是没挣到钱,我那些道友成天过来蹭饭,光吃喝就花了我几千万,纯利润也就一个亿吧。”“妈,你介绍的小伙的老板的老板的老板要追我。什么?嫁了公司就是我的?不不不,我男朋友已经把那家公司收购了。”
  • 无限巫道求索

    无限巫道求索

    一只时空腕表,一段巫师旅程;养几只小鬼,契约几只怪兽,玩玩元素魔法;无尽的世界,无尽的知识,且看布兰德带领众位领略无限世界的无限风采;国术,灵异,奇幻,怪兽,漫威,剑王朝,香蜜,宸汐缘... PS:快穿文...不喜勿喷!