samuel brohl & company-第13章

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heeks；　and　she　could　not　conceal　her　agitation　from　the　penetrating　gaze　of　the　audacious　charmer。　It　might　easily　be　seen　that　he　had　just　descended　from　where　the　eagles　themselves　seldom　ascend。　His　face　was　weather…　beaten　by　the　ice　and　snow。　He　had　successfully　accomplished　the　double　ascent；　of　which　he　was　compelled　to　give　an　account。　In　descending　from　Morteratsch　he　had　been　overtaken　by　a　storm；　and　had　come　very　near　never　again　seeing　the　valley　or　Mlle。　Moriaz。　He　owed　his　life　to　the　presence　of　mind　and　courage　of　his　guide；　on　whom　he　could　not　bestow　sufficient　praise。

While　he　modestly　narrated　his　exploits；　Antoinette　had　dismissed　her　pupil。　He　seemed　embarrassed　by　the　/tete…a…tete/　which；　nevertheless；　he　had　sought。　He　rose；　saying：　〃I　regret　not　being　able　to　see　M。　Moriaz；　I　came　to　bid　him　farewell。　I　leave　this　evening。〃

She　summoned　courage　and　replied：　〃You　did　well　to　come；　you　left　a　volume　of　Shakespearehere　it　is。〃　Then　drawing　from　her　notebook　a　paper〃I　have　still　another　restitution　to　make　to　you。　I　have　had　the　misfortune　to　discover　that　it　was　you　who　wrote　this　letter。〃

With　these　words　she　handed　him　the　anonymous　note。　He　changed　countenance；　and　it　was　now　his　turn　to　grow　red。　〃Who　can　prove　to　you；〃　he　demanded；　〃that　I　am　the　author　of　this　offence；　or　rather　crime？〃

〃Every　bad　case　may　be　denied；　but　do　not　you　deny。〃

After　a　moment's　silence；　he　replied：　〃I　will　not　lie；　I　am　not　capable　of　lying。　Yes；　I　am　the　guilty　one；　I　confess　it　with　sorrow；　because　you　are　offended　by　my　audacity。〃

〃I　never　liked　madrigals；　either　in　prose　or　verse；　signed　or　anonymous；〃　she　returned；　rather　dryly。

He　exclaimed；　〃You　took　this　letter　for　a　madrigal？〃　Then；　having　reread　it；　he　deliberately　tore　it　up；　throwing　the　pieces　into　the　fireplace；　and　added；　smiling：　〃It　certainly　lacked　common…sense；　he　who　wrote　it　is　a　fool；　and　I　have　nothing　to　say　in　his　defence。〃

Crossing　her　hands　on　her　breast；　and　uplifting　to　him　her　brown　eyes；　that　were　as　proud　as　gentle；　she　softly　murmured；　〃What　more？〃

〃I　came　to　Chur；〃　he　replied；　〃I　entered　a　church；　I　there　saw　a　fair　unknown；　and　I　forgot　myself　in　gazing　at　her。　That　evening　I　saw　her　again；　she　was　walking　in　a　garden　where　there　was　music；　and　this　music　of　harps　and　violins　was　grateful　to　me。　I　said　within　myself：　'What　a　thing　is　the　heart　of　man！　The　woman　who　has　passed　me　by　without　seeing　me　does　not　know　me；　will　never　know　of　my　existence；　I　am　ignorant　of　even　her　name；　and　I　wish　to　remain　so；　but　I　am　conscious　that　she　exists；　and　I　am　glad；　content；　almost　happy。　She　will　be　for　me　the　fair　unknown；　she　cannot　prevent　me　from　remembering　her。　I　will　think　sometimes　of　the　fair　unknown　of　Chur。'　〃

〃Very　good；〃　said　she；　〃but　this　does　not　explain　the　letter。〃

〃We　are　coming　to　that；〃　he　continued。　〃I　was　seated　in　a　copse；　by　the　roadside。　I　had　the　blueswas　profoundly　weary；　there　are　times　when　life　weighs　on　me　like　a　torturing　burden。　I　thought　of　disappointed　expectations；　of　dissipated　illusions；　of　the　bitterness　of　my　youth　and　of　my　future。　You　passed　by　on　the　road；　and　I　said　to　myself；　'There　is　good　in　life；　because　of　such　encounters；　in　which　we　catch　renewed　glimpses　of　what　was　once　pleasant　for　us　to　see。'　〃

〃And　the　note？〃　she　asked　again；　in　a　dreamy　tone。

He　went　on：　〃I　never　was　a　philosopher；　wisdom　consists　in　performing　only　useful　actions；　and　I　was　born　with　a　taste　for　the　useless。　That　evening　I　saw　you　climb　a　hill；　in　order　to　gather　some　flowers；　the　hill　was　steep　and　you　could　not　reach　the　flowers。　I　gathered　them　for　you；　and；　in　sending　my　bouquet；　I　could　not　resist　the　temptation　of　adding　a　word。　'Before　doing　penance；'　I　said　to　myself；　'let　me　commit　this　one　folly；　it　shall　be　the　last。'　We　always　flatter　ourselves　that　each　folly　will　be　our　last。　The　unfortunate　note　had　scarcely　gone；　when　I　regretted　having　sent　it；　I　would　have　given　much　to　have　had　it　back；　I　felt　all　its　impropriety；　I　have　dealt　justly　by　it　in　tearing　it　to　pieces。　My　only　excuse　was　my　firm　resolution　not　to　meet　you；　not　to　make　your　acquaintance。　Chance　ordered　otherwise：　I　was　presented　to　you；　you　know　by　whom；　and　how；　I　ended　by　coming　here　every　evening；　but　I　rebelled　against　my　own　weakness；　I　condemned　myself　to　absence　for　a　few　days；　so　as　to　break　a　dangerous　habit；　and；　thank　God！　I　have　broken　my　chain。〃

She　lightly　tapped　the　floor　with　the　tip　of　her　foot；　and　demanded　with　the　air　of　a　queen　recalling　a　subject　to　his　allegiance；　〃Are　you　to　be　believed？〃

He　had　spoken　in　a　half…serious；　half…jesting　tone；　tinged　with　the　playful　melancholy　that　was　natural　to　him。　He　changed　countenance；　his　face　flushed；　and　he　cried　out　abruptly；　〃I　regained　my　strength　and　will　on　the　summit　of　Morteratsch；　and　I　only　return　to　bid　you　farewell；　and　to　give　you　the　assurance　that　I　never　will　see　you　again。〃

〃It　is　a　strange　case；〃　she　replied；　〃but　I　pardon　you；　on　condition　that　you　do　not　execute　your　threat。　You　are　resolved　to　be　wise；　the　wise　avoid　extremes。　You　will　remember　that　you　have　friends　in　Paris。　My　father　has　many　connections；　if　we　can　be　of　service　to　you　in　any　way〃

He　did　not　permit　her　to　finish；　and　responded　proudly：　〃I　thank　you；　with　all　my　heart。　I　have　sworn　to　be　under　obligations　to　none　but　myself。〃

〃Very　well；〃　she　replied；　〃you　will　visit　us　for　our　pleasure。　In　a　month　we　shall　be　at　Cormeilles。〃

He　shook　his　head　in　sign　of　refusal。　She　looked　fixedly　at　him；　and　said；　〃It　must　be　so。〃

This　look；　these　words；　sent　to　Count　Abel's　brain　such　a　thrill　of　joy　and　of　hope　that　for　a　moment　he　thought　he　had　betrayed　himself。　He　nearly　fell　on　his　knees　before　Mlle。　Moriaz；　but；　speedily　mastering　his　emotions；　he　bowed　gravely；　casting　down　his　eyes。　She　herself　immediately　resumed　her　usual　voice　and　manner；　and　questioned　him　on　his　journey。　He　told　her；　in　reply；　that　he　proposed　to　go　by　the　route　of　Soleure；　and　to　stay　there　a　day　in　order　to　visit　in　Gurzelengasse　the　house　where　Kosciuszko；　the　greatest　of　Poles；　had　died。　He　had　thought　of　this　pilgrimage　for　a　long　time。　He　added：　〃Still　another　useless　action。　Ah！　when　shall　I　improve？〃

〃Don't　improve　too　much；〃　she　said；　smiling。　And　then　he　went　away。

M。　Moriaz　returned　to　the　hotel　about　noon：　his　guide　being　engaged　elsewhere；　he　had　taken　only　a　short　ramble。　After　breakfast　his　daughter　proposed　to　him　that　he　should　go　down　with　her　to　the　banks　of　the　lake。　They　made　the　descent；　which　is　not　difficult。　This　pretty　piece　of　water；　that　has　been　falsely　accused　of　resembling　a　shaving…dish；　is　said　to　be　not　less　than　a　mile　in　length。　When　the　father　and　daughter　reached　the　entrance　of　the　woods　that　pedestrians　pass　through　in　going　to　Pontresina；　they　seated　themselves　on　the　grass　at　the　foot　of　a　larch。　They　remained　some　time　silent。　Antoinette　watched　the　cows　grazing；　and　stroked　the　smooth；　glossy　leaves　of　a　yellow　gentian　with　the　end　of　her　parasol。　M。　Moriaz　busied　himself　with　neither　the　cows　nor　the　yellow　gentianhe　thought　of　M。　Camille　Langis；　and　felt　more　than　a　little　guilty　in　that　quarter；　he　had　not　written　to　him；　having　nothing　satisfactory　to　tell　him。　He　could　see　the　young　man　waiting　in　vain；　at　the　Hotel　Steinbock。　To　pass　a　fortnight　at　Chur　is　a　torture　that　the　most　robust　constitution　scarcely　can　endure；　and　it　is　an　increased　torture　to　watch　every　evening　and　every　morning　for　a　letter　that　never　comes。　M。　Moriaz　resolved　to　open　hostilities；　to　begin　a　new　assault　on　the　impregnable　place。　He　was　seeking　in　his　mind　for　a　beginning　for　his　first　phrase。　He　had　just　found　it；　when　suddenly　Antoinette　said　to　him；　in　a　low；　agitated；　but　distinct　voice：　〃I　have　a　question　for　you。　What　would　you　think　if　I　should　some　day　marry　M。　Abel　Larinski？〃

M。　Moriaz　started　up；　and　his　cane；　slipping　from　his　hand；　rolled　to　the　bottom　of　the　declivity。　He　looked　at　his　daughter；　and　said　to　her：　〃I　beg　of　you　to　repeat　what　you　just　said　to　me。　I　fear　I　have　misunderstood　you。〃

She　answered　in　a　firmer　voice；　〃I　am　curious　to　know　what　you　would　think　if　I　should　marry；　some　day　or　other；　Count　Larinski。〃