登陆注册
5168500000078

第78章

Almost believing himself the sport of some wild dream.Djalma offered no resistance, but allowed himself to be bound and removed with mechanical passiveness.The officer, with part of his soldiers, hoped still to discover Faringhea amongst the ruins; but his search was vain, and, after spending an hour in fruitless endeavors, he set out for Batavia, where the escort of the prisoners had arrived before him.

Some hours after these events, M.Joshua van Dael thus finished his long despatch, addressed to M.Rodin, of Paris:

"Circumstances were such, that I could not act otherwise; and, taking all into consideration, it is a very small evil for a great good.Three murderers are delivered over to justice, and the temporary arrest of Djalma will only serve to make his innocence shine forth with redoubled luster.

"Already this morning I went to the governor, to protest in favor of our young prince.`As it was through me,' I said, `that those three great criminals fell into the hands of the authorities, let them at least show me some gratitude, by doing everything to render clear as day the innocence of Prince Djalma, so interesting by reason of his misfortunes and noble qualities.Most certainly,' I added, `when I came yesterday to inform the governor, that the Phansegars would be found assembled in the ruins of Tchandi, I was far from anticipating that any one would confound with those wretches the adopted son of General Simon, an excellent man, with whom I have had for some time the most honorable relations.We must, then, at any cost, discover the inconceivable mystery that has placed Djalma in this dangerous position;' and, I continued, `so convinced am I of his innocence, that, for his own sake, I would not ask for any favor on his behalf.He will have sufficient courage and dignity to wait patiently in prison for the day of justice.' In all this, you see, I spoke nothing but the truth, and had not to reproach myself with the least deception, for nobody in the world is more convinced than I am of Djalma's innocence.

"The governor answered me as I expected, that morally he felt as certain as I did of the innocence of the young prince, and would treat him with all possible consideration; but that it was necessary for justice to have its course, because it would be the only way of demonstrating the falsehood of the accusation, and discovering by what unaccountable fatality that mysterious sign was tattooed upon Djalma's arm.

"Mahal the Smuggler, who alone could enlighten justice on this subject, will in another hour have quitted Batavia, to go on board the `Ruyter,'

which will take him to Egypt; for he has a note from me to the captain, to certify that he is the person for whom I engaged and paid the passage.

At the same time, he will be the bearer of this long despatch, for the `Ruyter' is to sail in an hour, and the last letter-bag for Europe was made up yesterday evening.But I wished to see the governor this morning, before closing the present.

"Thus, then, is Prince Djalma enforced detained for a month, and, this opportunity of the `Ruyter' once lost, it is materially impossible that the young Indian can be in France by the 13th of next February.You see, therefore, that, even as you ordered, so have I acted according to the means at my disposal--considering only the end which justifies them--for you tell me a great interest of the society is concerned.

"In your hands, I have been what we all ought to be in the hands of our superiors--a mere instrument: since, for the greater glory of God, we become corpses with regard to the will.[7] Men may deny our unity and power, and the times appear opposed to us; but circumstances only change;

we are ever the same.

"Obedience and courage, secrecy and patience, craft and audacity, union and devotion--these become us, who have the world for our country, our brethren for family, Rome for our Queen!

"J.V."

About ten o'clock in the morning, Mahal the Smuggler set out with this despatch (sealed) in his possession, to board the "Ruyter." An hour later, the dead body of this same Mahal, strangled by Thuggee, lay concealed beneath some reeds on the edge of a desert strand, whither he had gone to take boat to join the vessel.

When at a subsequent period, after the departure of the steamship, they found the corpse of the smuggler, M.Joshua sought in vain for the voluminous packet, which he had entrusted to his care.Neither was there any trace of the note which Mahal was to have delivered to the captain of the "Ruyter," in order to be received as passenger.

Finally, the searches and bushwhacking ordered throughout the country for the purpose of discovering Faringhea, were of no avail.The dangerous chief of the Stranglers was never seen again in Java.

[7] It is known that the doctrine of passive and absolute obedience, the main-spring of the Society of Jesus, is summed up in those terrible words of the dying Loyola: "Every member of the Order shall be, in the hands of his superiors, even as a corpse (Perinde ac Cadaver)."--E.S.

同类推荐
  • 洞玄灵宝玉京山步虚经

    洞玄灵宝玉京山步虚经

    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。
  • 上清河图内玄经

    上清河图内玄经

    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。
  • Greenmantlel

    Greenmantlel

    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。
  • The Prisoner of Zenda

    The Prisoner of Zenda

    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。
  • 重送白将军

    重送白将军

    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。
热门推荐
  • 幸孕甜妻:总裁宠妻成瘾

    幸孕甜妻:总裁宠妻成瘾

    “你这是流氓你知道吗?你吻我你问过我意见吗你就吻?你知道不知道我的初吻2吻3吻都给你了,你知道不知道初吻对于女人是很宝贵的,你干嘛吻我啊,你有病啊?”“你有药吗?”“我有药也不给你。”金芃芃傲娇的说道。“金芃芃”“干嘛,男神....经”金芃芃故意把话拖得老长。但这不影响男人接下来说的话。“做我的女人吧!”
  • 邹韬奋作品集(中国现代文学名家作品集)

    邹韬奋作品集(中国现代文学名家作品集)

    “中国现代文学名家作品集”丛书实质是中国现代文学肇基和发展阶段的创作总集,收录了几乎当时所有知名作家,知名作品的全部。
  • 冯霞是谁?

    冯霞是谁?

    一辆小车出太原驶向阳曲县中社北国书画院。我对赵学文说:“赵总,我们这次有点像是一次打捞行动。”近些年,蓦然间时兴起一个词:打捞。打捞思想界的失踪者,打捞文学界的失踪者,打捞科技界的失踪者等等。有遮蔽就有打捞,有遗失就有打捞,有边缘就有打捞。赵学文是山西出版传媒集团报刊公司的老总,麾下分管着十三个期刊两份报纸。多年来致力于发现人才推出人才,其中作为《名作欣赏》别册推出的书画界人物,已经出到第72号。
  • 我把你当基友你却想睡我

    我把你当基友你却想睡我

    有一个成天跳大神的基友怎么办?有一个成天看你跳大神还不信你是大神的基友怎么办?很简单,睡了他!!!这就是一对基友,没事儿破破案,抓抓鬼,跳跳大神,然后洗洗抱抱好好睡的故事啊~--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 30岁前要学会的33堂领导课

    30岁前要学会的33堂领导课

    领导活动是一个不断实践、不断提高的过程,先当好士兵才能当好将军,先管理好自己才能管理好下属,因此对于有志于做领导的员工来说,必须在年轻时代特别是30岁以前就要学习一些重要的基础知识,掌握一些重要的领导能力,为今后走向领导岗位打下坚实的基础。本书结合当今中国的企业现状和管理实践,总结出33堂最重要的领导课,探讨了自我管理、用人、沟通、激励、体制、团队、授权、执行、决策、创新等领导过程中必须涉及的重大课题,提炼出一套切实有效的领导实践方案。通过本书你可以了解中国式领导艺术的精髓,感悟当一个好领导的奥妙所在,还可以学到非常实用的领导方法,为你今后的领导工作奠定基石,创造出非凡的业绩!
  • 牙好健康来

    牙好健康来

    本书专为中国家庭度身定制,从爱牙观念入手,以年龄为顺序,涵盖了个人一生各个时期所应注意的牙齿保健问题。
  • 危巢坠简:许地山作品精选

    危巢坠简:许地山作品精选

    本书是感悟文学大师经典,本套丛书选文广泛、丰富,且把阅读文学与掌握知识结合起来,既能增进广大读者阅读经典文学的乐趣,又能使我们体悟人生的智慧和生活哲理。本套图书格调高雅,知识丰富,具有极强的可读性、权威性和系统性,非常适合广大读者阅读和收藏,也非常适合各级图书馆装备陈列。
  • 金蝉回忆录

    金蝉回忆录

    重生?!那,还是你吗?抑或只是个装载记忆的傀儡!佛陀?吾即佛陀!仙魔?吾即仙魔!我就是我,管你前生后世!万古不改我心!
  • 永远的情歌(乡土新故事)

    永远的情歌(乡土新故事)

    说到爱情,人们自然会认为是城里人和小资才享有的专利,农民被屏蔽于爱情之外。农民有爱情吗?答案是肯定的。农民的爱情不乏浪漫与温暖,还实实在在多了踏实的成分。农民的爱情就是锅碗瓢盆、柴米油盐,虽说平淡,却也不可或缺。随着现代化的进程和市场经济大潮的兴起。乡村的精神生活也在急剧地发生着变化。物质化、世俗化,极大地冲击着人们传统的世界观和价值观,人们在情感和审美方式上的变化也令人震惊。
  • 武林帝国

    武林帝国

    元末周初,西北边陲的偏远小镇上,黑瘦矮小的孤儿元封被马肉铺子老板收留,过着平淡孤寂备受欺凌的生活,一切从他以精湛的刀法杀死马贼头目的那一刻开始改变……曾辉煌一时却又顷刻间覆灭的神秘王朝究竟和元封有着什么样的关系?年轻的西凉王如何一步步揭开自己的身世之谜,继而揭开一个旷世大秘密……