samuel brohl & company-第21章

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re　to　boast。　This　road　in　Transylvania　for　which　I　had　the　contract　was　by　no　means　easy　to　construct。　We　had　to　cut　through　the　solid　rock；　working　in　the　air；　suspended　by　ropes。　This　perilous　labour　so　disheartened　our　workmen　that　some　of　them　left　us；　to　encourage　the　rest；　I　was　slung　up　like　them；　and　like　them　handled　the　pickaxe。　One　day；　in　the　explosion　of　a　charge　a　piece　of　stone　struck　the　rope　of　one　of　my　men　with　such　violence　that　it　cut　it　as　clean　in　two　as　the　edge　of　a　razor　would　have　done。　The　man　fellI　believed　him　to　be　lost；　by　a　miracle；　his　clothes　caught　in　some　brushwood；　to　which　he　succeeded　in　clinging。　It　was　I　who　went　to　his　assistance；　and　I　swear　to　you　that　in　this　rescue　I　proved　the　strength　of　my　muscles；　and　ran　the　risk　twenty　times　of　breaking　my　neck。　The　workmen　had　mistrusted　me　on　account　of　my　youth；　from　that　day；　I　can　assure　you；　they　held　me　in　respect。〃

〃Did　you　relate　this　incident　to　Antoinette？〃

〃What　would　have　been　the　use？　With　women　it　does　not　suffice　to　be　a　great　man；　you　must　have　the　look　of　one　too。〃　And　Camille　Langis　cried　out；　clinching　his　hands：　〃Ah！　madame；　I　entreat　you；　do　you　know　where　I　can　procure　a　Polish　head；　a　Polish　mustache；　a　Polish　smile？　Pray；　where　are　these　articles　to　be　had；　and　what　is　their　market　price？　I　will　not　haggle！　O　women！　what　a　set　you　areplague　on　you！〃

〃And　are　aunts　the　same？〃　gravely　asked　Mme。　de　Lorcy。

He　answered　more　calmly：　〃No；　madame；　you　are　a　woman　without　an　equal；　and　I　name　you　every　day　in　my　prayers。　You　are　my　only　resource；　my　consolation；　my　counsel。　Do　not　refuse　me　your　precious　instructions！　What　ought　I　to　do？〃

Mme。　de　Lorcy　gazed　up　at　the　ceiling　for　an　instant；　and　then　said：　〃Love　elsewhere；　my　dear；　abandon　this　foolish　girl　to　her　fate　and　her　Pole。〃

He　started　and　replied：　〃You　demand　what　is　impossible。　I　am　no　longer　my　own　master；　she　has　taken　possession　of　meshe　holds　me。　Love　elsewhere？　Can　you　think　of　it？　I　detest　herI　curse　herbut　I　adore　her！〃

She　rejoined：　〃You　should　not　use　hyperbole　any　more　than　metaphors。　Both　are　unsolid　food。　When　you　decide　not　to　love；　you　will　love　no　more。〃

〃That　supposes　that　I　have　several　hearts　to　choose　from。　I　never　had　but　one；　and　that　no　longer　belongs　to　me。　So　you　refuse　me　your　advice？〃

〃What　advice　would　you　have　me　give　you　before　having　seen　M。　Larinski　before　having　taken　the　measure　of　this　hero？〃

〃What！　you　expect　to　see　him？〃

〃I　am　waiting　for　him　to　call；　and　I　am　sorry　he　keeps　me　waiting。〃

〃Seriously；　will　you　receive　this　man？〃

〃I　have　been　asked　to　examine　him。〃

〃I　am　lost；　if　you　feel　the　need　of　hearing　before　condemning　him。　Our　most　sacred　duty　is　to　be　resolutely　unjust　towards　the　enemies　of　our　friends。〃

〃Nonsense！　I　shall　not　be　indulgent　towards　him。〃

〃Do　as　you　like；　I　have　my　plan。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃I　shall　seek　some　groundless　quarrel　with　this　contraband；　this　poacher；　and　I　will　blow　his　brains　out。〃

〃A　fine　scheme；　my　dear　Camille！　And　afterward；　when　you　have　killed　him；　you　will　have　gained　a　great　deal。　Have　you　confidence　in　me？　I　have　already　begun　to　work　for　you。　The　Abbe　Miollens；　as　you　know；　is　well　acquainted　in　the　society　of　Polish　emigrants；　I　have　sent　to　him　for　information。　I　have　also　written　to　Vienna　for　intelligence　concerning　him。　Antoinette　is　foolish　in　forming　such　an　acquaintance；　it　must　be　admitted；　but；　in　matters　of　honour；　she　is　as　delicate　as　an　ermine　in　tending　the　whiteness　of　her　robe；　if　there　be　in　M。　Larinski's　past　a　stain　no　larger　than　a　ten…sou　piece；　she　will　forever　discard　him。　Let　me　act；　be　wise；　do　not　blow　out　any　one's　brains。　/Grand　Dieu！/　what　would　become　of　us；　if　the　only　way　to　get　rid　of　people　was　by　killing　them？〃

As　she　pronounced　these　words　a　servant　entered；　bearing　a　card　on　a　silver　salver。　She　took　the　card　and　exclaimed：　〃When　you　speak　of　the　wolf　Here　is　our　man！〃　She　begged　M。　Langis　to　retire；　he　implored　permission　to　remain；　promising　to　be　a　model　of　discretion。　She　was　insisting　on　his　leaving　when　Count　Abel　Larinski　appeared。

Samuel　Brohl　had　scarcely　taken　three　steps　in　Mme。　de　Lorcy's　/salon/　before　he　conjectured　why　M。　Moriaz　had　asked　him　to　go　there；　and　what　was　the　significance　of　the　commission　with　which　he　was　charged。　Notwithstanding　the　/salon/　had　a　southern　exposure；　and　that　it　was　then　the　middle　of　the　month　of　August；　it　seemed　to　him　to　be　cold　there。　He　thought　that　he　felt　a　draught　of　chilly　air；　an　icy　wind；　which　pierced　him　through　and　through；　and　caused　him　an　unpleasant　shiver。　He　did　not　need　to　look　very　attentively　at　Mme。　de　Lorcy　to　be　convinced　that　he　was　before　his　judge；　and　that　this　judge　was　not　a　friendly　one；　and；　as　soon　as　his　gaze　met　that　of　M。　Camille　Langis；　something　warned　him　that　this　young　man　was　his　enemy。　Samuel　Brohl　had　the　gift　of　observation。

He　delivered　his　message；　and　handed　Mme。　de　Lorcy　the　little　portfolio　that　contained　Mlle。　Moriaz's　painting；　expressing　his　regret　that　business　had　prevented　his　coming　sooner。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　thanked　him　for　his　kindness；　with　rather　a　cool　politeness；　and　asked　him　for　news　of　her　goddaughter。　He　did　not　expatiate　on　this　topic。

〃The　valley　of　Saint　Moritz　is　a　dreary　country；〃　she　next　said。

〃Rather　say；　madame；　that　it　is　a　dreary　country　possessing　a　great　charm　for　those　who　love　it。〃

〃It　appears　that　Mlle。　Moriaz　is　almost　wearied　to　death　there。　I　should　think　she　would　die　of　ennui。〃

〃Do　you　think　her　capable　of　yielding　to　ennui　in　any　place？〃

〃Certainly；　do　not　doubt　it；　but　she　has　recourse　to　her　imagination　to　dispel　the　tedium。　She　has　a　marvellous　talent　for　procuring　herself　diversion　and　for　varying　her　pleasures。　Hers　is　an　imagination　having　many　relays：　no　sooner　is　one　horse　exhausted　than　there　is　another　to　take　its　place。〃

〃That　is　a　precious　gift；〃　he　replied；　briefly。　〃I　assure　you；　however；　that　you　calumniate　the　Engadine。　The　trees　there　are　not　so　well　grown　as　those　in　your　park；　but　the　Alpine　fir　and　pine　have　their　beauty。〃

〃You　went　to　this　hole　for　your　health；　monsieur？〃

〃Yes；　and　no；　madame。　I　was　not　ill；　but　any　physician　contended　that　I　should　be　still　better　if　I　breathed　the　air　of　the　Alps　for　three　weeks。　It　was　taking　a　cure　as　a　preventive。〃

〃M。　Larinski　made　the　ascent　of　the　Morteratsch；〃　said　Camille；　who；　seated　on　a　divan　with　his　arms　extended　on　his　knees；　never　had　ceased　to　look　at　Samuel　Brohl　with　a　hard　and　hostile　glance。　〃That　is　an　exploit　that　can　be　performed　only　by　well　people。〃

〃It　is　no　exploit；〃　replied　Samuel；　〃it　is　a　work　of　patience；　easy　for　those　who　are　not　subject　to　vertigo。〃

〃You　are　too　modest；〃　rejoined　the　young　man。　〃Had　I　done　as　much；　I　would　sound　a　trumpet。〃

〃Have　you　attempted　the　ascent？〃　asked　Samuel。

〃Not　at　all。　I　do　not　care　about　having　feats　of　prowess　to　relate；〃　he　replied；　in　an　almost　challenging　tone。

Mme。　de　Lorcy　hastened　to　interrupt　the　conversation　by　saying；　〃Is　this　the　first　time　you　have　been　in　Paris；　monsieur？〃

〃Yes；　madame；〃　replied　Samuel；　who　withdrew　more　and　more　into　his　shell。

〃And　does　Paris　please　you　as　much　as　a　pine…grove？〃

〃Much　more；　madame。〃

〃Have　you　any　acquaintances？〃

〃None；　and　the　truth　is；　I　have　no　desire　to　make　any。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Shall　I　tell　you　my　reason？　I　am　not　fond　of　breaking　ice；　and　Poles　complain　that　there　is　nothing　in　the　world　so　icy　as　Parisian　coldness。〃

〃That　explains　itself；〃　cried　Camille。　〃Paris；　that　is　Paris　proper；　is　a　small　city　of　a　hundred　thousand　souls；　and　this　small　city　is　invaded　more　and　more；　by　strangers　who　come　here　to　seek　pleasure　or　fortune。　It　is　but　natural　that　Paris　should　protect　itself。〃

〃Parisians　pride　themselves　on　their　penetration；〃　replied　Samuel。　〃It　does　not　require　much　of　it　to　distinguish　an　honest　man　from　an　adventurer。〃

〃Ah！　permit　me；〃　returned　M。　Langis；　〃that　depends　a　good　deal　on　practice。　The　most　skillful　are　deceived。〃

Samuel　Brohl　rose　and　made　a　movement　to　leave。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　insisted　on　his　sitting　down　again。　She　saw　that　she　had　made　a　bad　beginning　in　the　fulfilment　of　her　office　of　examining　magistrat