samuel brohl & company-第20章

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t　they　had　fastened　a　stone　about　their　necks；　and　that；　without　appearing　to　do　so；　at　the　bottom　of　their　hearts　they　bitterly　repented。　She　added；　〃It　is　not　my　fault；　I　told　you；　but　you　would　not　believe　me。〃

Mme。　de　Lorcy　had　an　almost　maternal　affection　for　her　nephew；　M。　Camille　Langis。　Confident　that　he　could　not　be　otherwise　than　successful　in　a　love…affair；　she　promised　him　that　he　should　marry　Mlle。　Moriaz。　To　be　sure；　he　was　rather　young；　but　she　had　decided　that　the　question　of　age　made　no　difference；　and　that　in　all　else　there　was　a　perfect　fitness　between　the　parties。　M。　Langis　hesitated　a　long　time　about　declaring　himself。　He　said　to　Mme。　de　Lorcy：　〃If　she　refuse　me；　I　shall　no　longer　be　able　to　see　her；　and　so　long　as　I　can　see　her；　I　am　only　half…wretched。〃　It　was　Mme。　de　Lorcy　who　forced　him　to　draw　his　sword　and　open　the　campaign；　in　which　she　was　to　act　as　second。　This　campaign　had　not　been　a　successful　one。　Deeply　wounded　at　the　refusal；　which　she　had　in　vain　attempted　to　prevent；　she　was　ready　to　force　Mlle。　Moriaz　into　compliance。　They　made　her　believe；　to　pacify　her；　that　the　sentence　was　not　definite；　or　at　least　that　a　period　of　grace　would　be　granted　to　the　condemned。　M。　Langis　set　out　for　Hungary；　and　he　had　now　returned。　In　the　mean　time；　Antoinette　had　refused　two　offers。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　had　inferred　this　to　be　a　favourable　omen　for　her　projects。　Thus　she　felt　annoyance　mingled　with　anger　on　receiving　the　following　letter　from　M。　Moriaz：

　〃DEAR　MADAME：

　〃You　will　be　charmed　to　learn　that　I　am　extremely　well。　My　cheeks　　　are　full；　my　complexion　florid；　my　legs　as　nimble　as　a　chamois；　my　　　appetite　like　that　of　an　ogre。　If　ever　you　become　anemic；　which　　　God　forbid；　you　should　set　out　forthwith　for　Saint　Moritz；　and　I　　　shall　soon　have　good　news　from　you。　Saint　Moritz　is　a　place　where　　　you　find　what　you　want；　but　you　find；　besides；　what　you　do　not　　　want。　I　do　not　speak　of　bears；　I　have　not　seen　any；　and　should　I　　　meet　one；　I　am　strong　enough　to　strangle　it。　Besides；　bears　are　　　taciturn　animals；　they　never　relate　their　histories；　and　the　only　　　animals　I　fear　are　those　that　have　the　gift　of　narrating；　and　that　　　one　is　not　allowed　to　strangle。　I　will　say　no　more。　Have　I　made　　　myself　intelligible？　You　are　so　intelligent。

　〃Apropos；　Antoinette　sends　you　a　sketch　or　a　painting；　I　do　not　　　know　which；　that　will　be　handed　to　you　by　Count　Abel　Larinski。　He　　　is　a　Pole；　of　that　there　can　be　no　doubt；　you　will　perceive　it　at　　　once。　I　wish　him　well；　he　was　obliging　enough　to　extricate　me　from　　　a　breakneck　position　into　which　I　had　foolishly　thrust　myself。　　　That　I　have　a　pair　of　legs　to　walk　on；　and　a　hand　to　write　with；　I　　　owe　to　him。　I　recommend　him　to　your　kind　reception；　and　I　beg　you　　　to　get　him　to　relate　his　history。　He　is　one　of　those　who　narrate；　　　not　every　day；　it　is　true；　but　when　you　touch　the　right　spring；　he　　　starts；　and　cannot　be　stopped。　Seriously；　M。　Larinski　is　no　　　ordinary　man；　you　will　find　pleasure　in　his　acquaintance。　I　have　　　discovered　that　he　is　in　rather　embarrassed　circumstances。　He　is　　　the　son　of　an　emigrant；　whose　property　has　been　confiscated。　His　　　father　was　a　half　fool；　who　made　great　attempts　to　cut　a　channel　　　through　the　Isthmus　of　Panama；　and　never　succeeded　in　cutting　his　　　way　through　anything。　He　was　himself　beginning　to　earn　money　in　　　San　Francisco；　when；　in　1863；　he　gave　everything　up　to　go　and　　　fight　against　the　Russians。　This　enthusiastic　patriot　has　since　　　adopted　the　calling　of　an　inventor；　in　which　he　has　been　　　unsuccessful；　he　is　now　in　search　of　a　livelihood。　Do　not　think　he　　　will　ask　for　anything；　he　is　an　hidalgo；　he　wraps　himself　proudly　　　in　his　poverty；　as　a　Castilian　does　in　his　cloak。　I　am　interested　　　in　him；；　I　want　to　assist　him；　give　him　a　lift；　but；　first；　I　wish　　　to　feel　sure　that　he　is　worthy　of　my　sympathy。　Examine　him　　　closely；　sift　him　well；　I　trust　your　eyes　rather　than　my　own；　I　　　have　the　greatest　faith　in　your　skill　in　this　kind　of　valuation。

　〃Antoinette　sends　you　her　most　affectionate　greetings。　She　adores　　　Saint　Moritz；　you　would　think　that　she　had　found　something　here　　　which　has　wrought　a　charm　over　her。　For　my　own　part；　I　am　　　delighted　to　have　recovered　my　appetite；　my　sleep；　and　all　the　　　rest；　and　yet　I　regret　having　come；　can　you　reconcile　that？　Let　me　　　know　as　soon　as　possible　what　you　think　of　my　Pole；　but；　pray　do　　　not　condemn　him　unheard。　No　hasty　decision；　I　entreat；　an　expert　　　is　bound　not　to　be　influenced　by　his　prejudices；　but　to　weigh　his　　　judgments　as　his　words。　Adieu；　dear　madame；　pity　me　in　spite　of　my　　　full　cheeks。〃

Madame　de　Lorcy　replied　in　these　words；　by　return　mail：

　〃You　are　indeed　innocent；　my　dear　professor；　and　your　finesse　is　　　but　too　apparent；　I　could　not　help　understanding。　Is　she；　indeed　　　so　foolish。　I　did　not　think　her　overwise；　but　here　she　astonishes　　　me　more　than　I　would　have　believed。　You　can　tell　her；　for　meor　　　rather　don't　say　anything　to　her；　I　will　only　speak　to　you；　I　am　　　too　angry　to　reason　with　her。　I　will　see　your　Pole；　I　await　him　　　resolutely；　but；　in　truth；　I　have　seen　him　already。　I　am　well　　　acquainted　with　him；　I　know　him　by　heart；　I　have　no　doubt　that　he　　　is　some　impostor。　I　will　examine　him　without　prejudice；　with　　　religious　impartiality。　You　are　so　good　as　to　remind　me　that　an　　　expert　suspends　his　judgment。　I　will　hold　my　police　force　in　　　reserve；　and　I　will　let　you　know　before　long　what　I　think　of　your　　　adventurer。　Ah！　yes；　I　do　pity　you；　poor　man。　After　all；　however；　　　you　alone　are　to　blame；　is　it　my　fault　that　you　did　not　know　how　　　to　act？　God　bless　you！〃

At　the　time　when　Samuel　Brohl；　seated　amid　the　heather；　in　an　oak…　grove；　was　conversing　with　phantoms；　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　alone　in　her　/salon/；　was　occupied　with　her　needlework；　and　her　thoughts；　which　revolved　in　a　circle；　like　a　horse　in　a　riding…school。　She　had　for　several　days　been　expecting　Count　Abel　Larinski's　visit；　she　wondered　at　his　want　of　promptness；　and　suspected　that　he　was　afraid　of　her。　This　suspicion　pleased　her。　Several　times　she　fancied　she　heard　a　man's　step　in　the　antechamber；　at　which　she　started　nervously；　and　the　rose…coloured　strings　of　her　cap　fluttered　on　her　shoulders。

Suddenly；　while　she　was　counting　her　stitches；　with　head　bent　down；　some　one　entered　without　her　perceiving　it；　seized　her　hand；　and；　devoutly　kissing　it；　threw　his　hat　on　the　table；　and　then　dropped　into　a　chair；　where　he　remained　motionless；　with　his　legs　stretched　out；　and　his　eyes　riveted　on　the　floor。

〃Oh！　It　is　you；　Camille；〃　exclaimed　Mme。　de　Lorcy。　〃You　come　apropos。　Well？〃

〃Well！　yes；　madame；　that　is　it；〃　replied　M。　Langis；　〃and　you　see　before　you　the　most　unhappy　of　men。　Why　is　your　pond　dry？　I　want　to　fling　myself　into　it　head　foremost。〃

Mme。　de　Lorcy　laid　down　her　embroidery；　and　crossed　her　arms。　〃So　you　have　returned？〃　said　she。

〃Would　to　God　I　never　had　gone　there！　It　is　a　land　where　poison　is　sold；　and　I　have　drunk　of　it。〃

〃Don't　abuse　metaphors。　You　have　seen　her？　What　did　you　say　to　her？〃

〃Nothing；　madamenothing　of　what　is　in　my　heart。　I　made　her　believe　that　I　had　reflected；　and　changed　my　views；　that　I　was　entirely　cured　of　my　foolish　passion　for　her；　that　I　was　simply　making　her　a　friendly　visit。　Yes；　madame；　I　remained　half　a　day　with　her；　and　during　the　half　day　I　never　once　betrayed　myself。　I　convinced　her　that　the　mask　was　a　face。　Tell　me；　conscientiously；　have　you　ever　read　of　a　more　heroic　act　in　Plutarch's　/Lives　of　Great　Men/？〃

〃She　herself；　what　did　she　say　to　you？〃

〃She　was　so　enchanted；　so　delighted　with　the　change；　that　she　was　dying　to　embrace　me。〃

〃She　shall　pay　for　it。　And　he；　did　you　see　him？〃

〃Just　caught　a　glimpse　of　him；　looked　up　to　him　as　was　befitting　the　humility　of　my　position。　This　fortunate　man；　this　glorious　mortal；　was　enthroned　on　the　top　of　the　mail…coach。〃

〃Is　he　really　so　fascinating？〃

〃He　has；　I　assure　you；　a　certain　look　of　deep　profundity；　and　he　bears　his　exploits　inscribed　on　his　brow。　What　am　I；　to　contend　against　him！　You　must　allow　that　I　have　the　appearance　of　a　school…boy。　And　yet；　if　I　were　to　boast。　This　road　in　Transylvania　for　which　I　had　the　contract　was　by　no　means　easy　to　construc