samuel brohl & company-第31章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Certainly　most　decisive。　But；　come；　let　us　go　quickly；〃　he　replied；　rising。　〃I　fear　that　my　retorts　and　crucibles；　if　they　listen　to　you　much　longer；　will　fall　into　a　syncope　as　prolonged　as　that　of　M。　Larinski。　Was　ever　such　a　debate　heard　of　in　a　chemical　laboratory？〃

As　soon　as　dinner　was　over；　M。　Moriaz　made　ready　to　repair　to　Maisons；　where　Abbe　Miollens　passed　the　summer　in　the　vicinity　of　Mme。　de　Lorcy。　Mlle。　Moiseney　followed　him　to　the　carriage；　and　said：

〃You　have　a　remarkable　daughter；　monsieur！　With　what　courage　she　has　assumed　her　role！　With　what　resolution　she　has　renounced　an　impossible　happiness！　Did　you　observe　her　during　dinner？　How　tranquil　she　was！　how　attentive！　Is　she　not　astonishing？〃

〃As　astonishing　as　you　are　sagacious；〃　he　replied。

〃Ah！　undoubtedly；　I　never　thought　that　she　loved　him　so　much　as　you　imagine　I　did：　but　he　pleased　her；　she　admired　him。　Did　she　ever　utter　a　word　of　complaint；　or　a　sigh；　on　learning　the　cruel　truth？　what　strength　of　mind！　what　equability　of　temperament！　what　nobility　of　sentiment！　You　do　not　admire　her　enough；　monsieur；　you　are　not　proud　enough　of　having　such　a　daughter。　As　to　me；　I　glory　in　having　been　of　some　value　in　her　education。　I　always　made　a　point　of　developing　her　judgment；　and　putting　her　on　her　guard　against　all　erratic　tendencies。　Yes；　I　can　safely　say　that　I　took　great　pains　to　cultivate　and　fortify　her　reason。〃

〃I　thank　you　with　all　my　heart；〃　rejoined　M。　Moriaz；　leaning　back　in　one　corner　of　the　carriage；　〃you　can　most　assuredly　boast　of　having　accomplished　a　marvellous　work；　but　I　beg　of　you；　mademoiselle；　when　you　have　finished　your　discourse；　will　you　kindly　say　to　the　coachman　that　I　am　ready　to　start？〃

During　the　drive；　M。　Moriaz　gave　himself　up　to　the　most　melancholy　reflections；　he　even　tormented　himself　with　sundry　reproaches。　〃We　have　acted　contrary　to　good　sense；〃　he　thought。　〃Her　imagination　has　been　taken　by　storm；　in　time　it　would　have　calmed　down。　We　should　have　left　her　to　herself；　to　her　natural　defenceher　own　good　judgment；　for　she　has　a　large　stock　of　it。　I　fell　on　the　unlucky　idea　of　calling　Mme。　de　Lorcy　to　my　aid；　and　she　has　spoiled　everything　by　her　boasted　/finesse/。　As　soon　as　Antoinette　had　reason　to　suspect　that　her　choice　was　condemned　by　us；　and　that　we　were　plotting　the　enemy's　destruction；　the　sympathy；　mingled　with　admiration；　which　she　accorded　to　M。　Larinski；　became　transformed　into　love；　the　fire　smouldering　beneath　ashes　leaped　up　into　flames。　We　neglected　to　count　on　that　passion　which　is　innate　in　women；　and　which　phrenologists　call　combativeness。　With　her　there　is　now　a　cause　to　be　gained；　and；　when　love　unites　its　interests　with　cards　or　with　war；　it　becomes　irresistible。　Truly　our　campaign　is　greatly　jeopardized；　unless　Heaven　or　M。　Larinski　interfere。〃

Thus　reasoned　M。　Moriaz；　whom　paternal　misadventures　and　recent　experiences　had　rendered　a　better　psychologist　than　he　ever　had　been。　While　busied　with　his　reflections　the　carriage　drove　rapidly　onward；　and　thirty…five　minutes　sufficed　to　reach　the　little　/maison　de　campagne/　occupied　by　Abbe　Miollens。　He　found　him　in　his　cabinet；　installed　in　a　cushioned　arm…chair　embroidered　by　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　slowly　sipping　a　cup　of　excellent　tea　brought　him　by　the　missionaries　from　China。　On　his　left　was　his　violin…box；　on　his　right　his　beloved　Horace；　Orelli's　edition；　Zurich；　1844。

Conversation　began。　As　soon　as　M。　Moriaz　had　pronounced　the　name　of　Count　Larinski；　the　abbe　assumed　the　charmed　and　contented　countenance　of　a　dog　lying　in　wait　for　its　favourite　game。

He　exclaimed；　〃A　most　truly　admirable　man！〃

〃Mercy　upon　us！〃　thought　M。　Moriaz。　〃Here　we　have　an　exordium　strangely　similar　to　that　of　Mlle。　Moiseney。　Do　they　think　to　condemn　me　to　a　state　of　perpetual　admiration　of　their　prodigy？　I　fear　there　must　be　some　kinship　of　spirit　between　our　friend　the　abbe　and　that　crack…brained　woman；　that　he　is　cousin…german　to　her　at　least。〃

〃How　grateful　I　am　to　you；　my　dear　monsieur；〃　continued　Abbe　Miollens；　lying　back　in　his　chair；　〃for　having　given　us　the　pleasure　of　the　acquaintance　of　this　rare　man！　It　is　you　who　sent　him　to　us；　to　you　belongs　the　merit　of　having　discovered　him；　or　invented　him；　if　you　choose。〃

〃Oh！　I　beg　of　you　not　to　exaggerate；〃　humbly　rejoined　M。　Moriaz。　〃He　invented　himself；　I　assure　you。〃

〃At　all　events　it　was　you　who　patronized　him；　who　made　him　known　to　us；　without　you　the　world　never　would　have　suspected　the　existence　of　this　superb　genius；　this　noble　character；　who　was　hidden　from　sight　like　the　violet　in　the　grass。〃

〃He　is　unquestionably　her　cousin…german；〃　thought　M。　Moriaz。

〃Only　think；〃　continued　the　abbe；　〃I　have　found　M。　Larinski　all　over　again　in　Horace！　Yes；　Horace　has　represented　him；　trait　for　trait；　in　the　person　of　Lollius。　You　know　Marcus　Lollius；　to　whom　he　addressed　Ode　ix。　of　book　iv。；　and　who　was　consul　in　the　year　733　after　the　foundation　of　Rome。　The　resemblance　is　striking；　pay　attention！〃

Depositing　his　cup　on　the　table　he　took　the　book　in　his　right　hand；　and　placing　the　forefinger　of　his　left　by　turns　on　his　lips　or　complacently　following　with　it　the　lines　of　especial　beauty　in　the　text；　he　exclaimed：　〃Now　what　do　you　say　to　this？　'Thy　soul　is　wise；'　wrote　Horace　to　Lollius；　'and　resists　with　the　same　constancy　the　temptations　of　happiness　as　those　of　adversity/est　animus　tibi　et　secundis　temporibus　dubiisque　rectus/。'　Is　not　this　Count　Larinski？　Listen　further：　'Lollius　detested　fraud　and　cupidity；　he　despised　money　which　seduces　most　men/abstinens　ducentis　ad　se　cuncta　pecuniae/。'　This　trait　is　very　striking；　I　find　even；　between　ourselves；　that　our　dear　count　despises　money　entirely　too　much；　he　turns　from　it　in　horror；　its　very　name　is　odious　to　him；　he　is　an　Epictetus；　he　is　a　Diogenes；　he　is　an　anchorite　of　ancient　times　who　would　live　happily　in　a　Thebaid。　He　told　us　himself　that　it　made　little　difference　to　him　whether　he　dined　on　a　piece　of　bread　and　a　glass　of　water；　or　in　luxury　at　the　Café　Anglais。　But　I　have　not　finished。　'Happy　be　those；'　exclaimed　Horace；　'who　know　how　to　suffer　uncomplainingly　the　hardships　of　poverty/qui　duram　que　callet　pauperiem　pati/！'　Of　whom　does　he　speakof　Lollius；　or　of　our　friend；　who　not　only　endures　his　poverty　but　who　loves　it；　cherishes　it　as　a　lover　adores　his　mistress？　And　the　final　trait；　what　to　you　think　of　it？　Lollius　was　always　ready　to　die　for　his　country'/non　ille　pro　patria　timidus　perire/。'　In　good　faith；　is　it　not　curious？　Does　it　not　seem　as　though　Horace　had　known　Count　Larinski　at　Rome　or　at　Tibur？〃

〃I　do　not　doubt　it　for　an　instant；〃　replied　M。　Moriaz；　taking　the　book　from　the　hands　of　Abbe　Miollens　and　placing　it　respectfully　on　the　table。　〃Luckily；　our　friend　Larinski；　as　you　call　him；　fell　upon　the　excellent　idea　of　resuscitating　himself　some　thirty　years　ago；　which　procured　for　us　the　great　joy　of　meeting　him　at　Saint　Moritz；　and　while　we　are　on　the　subject　My　dear　abbe；　have　you　a　free；　impartial　mind？　Can　you　listen　to　me？　I　have　a　question　to　propound；　an　elucidation　to　demand。　It　is　not　only　the　friend　to　whom　I　address　myself；　it　is　the　confessor；　the　director　of　consciences；　the　man　of　the　whole　universe　in　whose　discretion　I　place　most　reliance。〃

〃I　am　all　ears；〃　responded　the　abbe；　crossing　the　shapely　legs　in　which　he　took　no　little　pride。

M。　Moriaz　entered　at　once　into　the　subject　that　troubled　him。　It　was　some　moments　before　Abbe　Miollens　divined　whither　he　was　tending。　As　soon　as　he　had　grasped　a　ray　of　light；　his　face　contracted；　and　uncrossing　his　limbs；　he　cried：　〃Ah；　what　a　misfortune！　You　will　have　to　renounce　your　delightful　dream；　my　dear　Monsieur；　and；　believe　me；　no　one　can　be　more　grieved　than　I。　I　fully　comprehend　with　what　joy　you　would　have　seen　your　charming　daughter　consecrate；　I　will　not　say　her　fortune；　for　you　know　as　well　as　I　how　little　Count　Larinski　would　care　for　that；　but　consecrate；　I　say；　her　graces；　her　beauty；　and　all　the　qualities　of　her　angelic　character　to　the　happiness　of　a　man　of　rare　merit　who　has　been　cruelly　scourged　by　Providence。　She　loves　him；　she　is　loved　by　him；　Heaven　would　have　blest　their　union。　Ah；　what　a　misfortune！　I　must　repeat　it；　this　marriage　is　impossib