samuel brohl & company-第26章

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　〃Adieu；　my　dear　professor！　I　am　interrupted　in　my　writing　by　the　　　incredulous；　the　sceptical；　the　suspicious；　the　absurd；　the　　　ridiculous　Camille；　who　respectfully　recommends　himself　to　your　　　indulgent　friendship。〃



CHAPTER　VI

In　reading　the　fourth　letter　of　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　M。　Moriaz　experienced　a　feeling　of　satisfaction　and　deliverance；　over　which　he　was　not　master。　His　daughter　had　gone　to　pay　a　visit　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　he　was　alone　with　Mlle。　Moiseney；　who　said　to　him；　〃You　have　received　good　news；　monsieur？〃

〃It　is　excellent；〃　he　replied；　then；　promptly　correcting　himself；　he　added：　〃Excellent；　or　to　be　regretted；　or　vexatious；　I　leave　that　to　our　powers　of　discernment。〃

When　he　had　finished　reading　the　letter；　and　replaced　it　in　the　envelope；　he　remained　thoughtful　for　some　moments；　he　was　wondering　how　he　should　proceed　to　announce　the　excellent　news。　For　three　weeks　his　daughter　had　been　a　mystery　to　him。　She　never　once　had　pronounced　the　name　of　Count　Larinski。　Churwalden　pleased　her　as　much　as　Saint　Moritz；　apparently；　she　was　gay；　tranquil；　perfectly　happy。　Had　her　delusion　passed　away？　Had　she　changed　her　mind？　M。　Moriaz　did　not　know；　but　he　surmised　that　still　waters　should　be　mistrusted；　and　that　a　young　girl's　imagination　is　like　an　abyss。　One　thoroughly　good　warning　is　worth　two　indifferent　ones；　henceforth；　he　feared　everything。　〃If　I　speak　to　her；〃　thought　he；　〃I　shall　not　be　able　to　dissimulate　my　joy；　and　perhaps　she　will　go　into　hysterics。〃　He　had　a　horror　of　hysterics；　he　resolved　to　have　recourse　to　Mlle。　Moiseney；　and　he　said　to　her；　abruptly：

〃I　suppose；　mademoiselle；　that　you　are　acquainted　with　all　that　has　passed；　and　that　Antoinette　has　given　you　her　confidence？〃

She　opened　her　eyes　wide；　and　was　on　the　point　of　answering　that　she　knew　nothing；　but　she　restrained　herself；　and　setting　her　little　pointed　head　erect　on　her　thin　shoulders；　she　said；　proudly；　〃Can　you　imagine　that　Antoinette　would　keep　any　secrets　from　me？〃

〃Heaven　forbid！〃　replied　he。　〃And　do　you　approve；　do　you　encourage　her　sentiments　for　M。　Larinski？〃

Mlle。　Moiseney　started；　she　had　been　far　from　suspecting　that　Count　Larinski　had　specially　impressed　Mlle。　Moriaz；　and；　as　on　certain　occasions　her　mind　worked　rapidly；　she　understood　immediately　all　the　consequences　of　this　prodigious　event。　There　was　a　cloud　before　her　eyes；　and　in　this　cloud　she　beheld　all　manner　of　things；　both　pleasing　and　displeasing　to　her；　her　mouth　open；　she　strove　to　clear　her　ideas。　She　said　to　herself：　〃It　is　an　imprudent　act；　not　only　that；　it　cannot　be；〃　but　she　also　said：　〃Mlle。　Antoinette　can　no　more　make　a　mistake　than　the　Queen　of　England　can；　because　she　wishes　it；　she　is　right　in　wishing　it。〃　Mlle。　Moiseney　ended　by　regaining　her　self…possession；　her　lips　formed　the　most　pleasant　smile；　as　she　exclaimed：

〃He　has　no　fortune；　but　he　has　a　beautiful　name。　Mme。　la　Comtesse　Larinski！　it　sounds　well　to　the　ear。〃

〃Like　music；　I　grant；　it　is　perfect；〃　rejoined　M。　Moriaz。　〃Unfortunately；　music　is　not　everything　in　the　affairs　of　this　world。〃

She　was　not　listening　to　him。　Full　of　her　own　idea；　without　taking　time　to　breathe：　〃You　jest；　monsieur；〃　she　continued；　with　extraordinary　volubility。　〃Believe　me　or　not；　I　have　foreseen　this　marriage　for　some　time。　I　have　presentiments　that　never　deceive　me。　I　was　sure　that　it　would　be　thus。　What　a　handsome　couple！　Fancy　them　driving　in　an　open　carriage　through　the　park；　or　entering　a　proscenium…box　at　the　opera！　They　will　make　a　sensation。　And　truly；　without　boasting；　I　think　I　may　call　your　attention　to　the　fact　that　I　have　been　of　some　account　in　the　affair。　The　first　time　I　saw　Count　Larinski；　you　know；　at　the　/table　d'hote/　in　Bergun；　I　recognised　at　once　that　he　was　beyond　comparison〃

〃By…the…way；　he　ate　trout？〃　interrupted　M。　Moriaz；　〃it　does　honour　to　your　discernment。〃

〃You　had　better　ask　Antoinette；〃　replied　she；　〃if　that　very　evening　I　did　not　praise　the　handsome　stranger。　She　maintained　that　he　stooped；　and　that　his　head　was　badly　poised；　would　you　believe　it？his　head　badly　poised！　Ah！　I　was　sure　it　would　end　so。　Do　you　wish　to　prove　my　discernment？　Shall　I　tell　you　where　your　letter　comes　from　that　contains　such　excellent　news？　The　count　wrote　it；　he　has　at　last　proposed。　I　guessed　it　at　once。　Ah！　monsieur；　I　sympathize　in　your　joy。　He　is；　indeed；　the　son…in…law　that　I　have　dreamed　of　for　you。　A　superior　man；　so　open…hearted；　so　unaffected　and　frank！〃

〃Do　you　really　think　so？〃　asked　M。　Moriaz；　fanning　himself　with　the　letter。

〃He　related　to　us　his　whole　life；〃　rejoined　she；　in　a　pedantic　tone。　〃How　many　people　could　do　as　much？〃

〃A　delightful　narration。　I　only　regret　that　he　was　silent　concerning　one　detail　which　was　of　a　nature　to　interest　us。〃

〃An　unpleasant　detail？〃　she　asked；　raising　her　gooseberry…coloured　eyes　to　him。

〃On　the　contrary；　a　circumstance　that　does　him　honour；　and　for　which　I　am　obliged　to　him。　Believe　me；　my　dear　demoiselle；　I　should　be　charmed　to　receive　a　son…in…law　from　your　hands；　and　to　give　my　daughter　to　a　man　whose　genius　and　noble　sentiments　you　divined　from　merely　seeing　him　eat。　Unfortunately；　I　fear　this　marriage　will　not　come　about；　there　is　one　little　difficulty。〃

〃What？〃

〃Count　Larinski　forgot　to　apprise　us　that　he　was　already　married。〃

Mlle。　Moiseney　sent　forth　a　doleful　cry。　M。　Moriaz　handed　her　Mme。　de　Lorcy's　letter；　after　reading　it；　she　remained　in　a　state　of　deep　dejection；　a　pitiless　finger　had　burst　the　iris　bubble　that　she　had　just　blown；　and　that　she　saw　resplendent　at　the　end　of　her　pipe。

〃Do　not　give　way　to　your　despair；〃　said　M。　Moriaz；　〃take　courage；　follow　the　example　I　set　you；　imitate　my　resignation。　But　tell　me；　how　do　you　think　Antoinette　will　take　the　matter？〃

〃It　will　be　a　terrible　blow　to　her；〃　replied　Mlle。　Moiseney；　〃she　loves　him　so　much！〃

〃How　do　you　know；　since　she　has　not　judged　it　best　to　tell　you？〃

〃I　know　from　circumstances。　Poor　dear　Antoinette！　The　greatest　consideration　must　be　used　in　announcing　to　her　this　intelligence；　and　I　alone；　I　believe〃

〃I　agree　with　you；〃　M。　Moriaz　hastened　to　interpose；　〃you　alone　are　capable　of　operating　on　our　patient　without　causing　her　suffering。　You　are　so　skilful！　your　hand　is　so　light！　Make　the　best　of　the　situation；　mademoiselleI　leave　it　to　you。〃

With　these　words　he　took　up　his　hat　and　cane；　and　hastened　to　get　away；　rather　anxious　about　what　had　passed；　yet　feeling　too　happy；　too　much　rejoiced；　to　be　a　good　consoler。

It　was　not　long　before　Mlle。　Moriaz　returned　from　her　walk。　She　came　humming　a　ballad；　she　was　joyous；　her　complexion　brilliant；　her　eyes　sparkling；　and　she　carried　an　armful　of　heather　and　ferns。　Mlle。　Moiseney　went　to　meet　her；　her　face　mournful；　her　head　bent　down；　her　glance　tearful。

〃Why！　what　is　the　matter；　my　dear　Joan？〃　she　said；　〃you　look　like　a　funeral。〃

〃Alas！〃　sighed　Mlle。　Moiseney；　〃I　have　sad　news　to　communicate。〃

〃What！　have　they　written　to　you　from　Cormeilles　that　your　parrot　is　dead？〃

〃Ah；　my　dear　child；　be　reasonable；　be　strong；　summon　up　all　your　courage。〃

〃For　the　love　of　God；　what　is　the　matter？〃

〃Ah！　would　that　I　could　spare　you　this　trouble！　Your　father　has　just　received　a　letter　from　Mme。　de　Lorcy。〃

Antoinette　grew　more　attentive；　her　breath　came　quickly。　〃And　what　was　there　in　this　letter　that　is　so　terrible；　so　heart…rending？〃　she　asked；　forcing　a　smile。

〃Fortunately；　I　am　here；〃　replied　Mlle。　Moiseney。　〃You　know　that　your　joys　and　your　sorrows　are　mine。　All　the　consolation　that　I　can　lavish　upon　you；　the　tenderest　sympathy〃

〃My　dear　Joan；　in　the　name　of　Heaven；　explain　first；　and　then　console！〃

〃You　told　me　nothing；　my　childI　have　a　right　to　complain；　but　I　have　divined　all。　I　can　read　your　heart。　I　am　sure　that　you　love　him。〃

〃Of　whom　do　you　speak？〃　replied　Antoinette；　whose　colour　rose　in　her　cheeks。

〃Of　a　most　charming　man；　who；　either　through　inconceivable　stupidity；　or　through　most　criminal　calculation；　neglected　to　tell　us　that　he　was　married。〃

And　with　these　words；　Mlle。　Moiseney　extended　both　arms；　that　she　might　receive　into　them　Mlle。　Moriaz；　whom　she　believed　to　be　already　swooning。

Mlle。　Moriaz　did　not　swoon。　She　flushed