samuel brohl & company-第32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！


rtune！　I　must　repeat　it；　this　marriage　is　impossible；　our　friend　is　already　married。〃

〃You　are　sure　of　it？〃　cried　M。　Moriaz；　in　a　burst　of　enthusiasm　that　the　good　abbe　mistook　for　an　access　of　despair。

〃I　scarcely　can　pardon　myself　for　causing　you　this　pain。　You　ask　if　I　am　sure　of　it！　I　have　it　from　our　friend　himself。　One　evening；　apropos　of　I　scarcely　remember　what；　it　occurred　to　me　to　ask　if　he　were　married；　and　he　replied；　briefly：　'I　thought　I　had　told　you　so。'　Ah！　my　dear　professor；　it　were　needless　to　discuss　whether　such　a　marriage　would　be　a　happy　one；　for　it　never　can　take　place。〃

〃Well；　now　we　have　something　positive；〃　M。　Moriaz　hastened　to　observe；　〃and　there　is　nothing　to　do　but　yield　to　evidence。〃

〃Alas！　yes；〃　rejoined　the　abbe；　and；　then；　after　a　pause；　during　which　he　wore　a　reflective　air；　he　added；　〃However〃

〃There　is　no　'however；'　M。　l'Abbe。　Believe　me；　your　word　suffices。〃

〃But　I　might　possibly　have　misunderstood。〃

〃I　have　entire　confidence　in　your　earsthey　are　excellent。〃

〃But　pray　allow　me　to　observe　that　it　is　never　worth　while　to　despair　too　soon。　Do　you　know　what？　Count　Larinski　came　recently　to　see　me　without　finding　me　at　home。　I　owe　him　a　farewell　visit。　To…morrow　morning；　I　promise　you；　I　will　call　on　him。〃

〃For　what　purpose？〃　interrupted　M。　Moriaz。　〃I　thank　you　a　thousand　times　for　your　kindly　intentions；　but　God　forbid　that　I　should　uselessly　interfere　with　your　daily　pursuits；　your　time　is　too　precious！　I　declare　myself　completely　edified。　I　consider　the　proof　firmly　established；　there　is　no　further　doubt。〃

As　Madame　de　Lorcy　had　remarked；　Abbe　Miollens　was　not　one　to　easily　relax　his　hold　upon　an　idea　he　had　once　deemed　good。　In　vain　M。　Moriaz　combated　his　proposition；　bestowing　secret　maledictions　on　his　excess　of　zeal；　the　abbe　would　not　give　up；　and　M。　Moriaz　was　forced　to　be　resigned。　It　was　agreed　that　the　next　day　the　worthy　man　should　call　on　Count　Larinski；　and　that　from　Paris　he　should　repair　to　Cormeilles；　in　order　to　communicate　to　the　proper　person　the　result　of　his　mission。　M。　Moriaz　perceived　the　advantage　of　having　Antoinette　learn　from　the　abbe's　own　lips　the　fatal　truth；　and　he　did　not　leave　without　impressing　upon　him　to　be　very　circumspect；　as　prudent　as　a　serpent；　as　discreet　as　a　father　confessor。　He　started　for　home　with　quite　a　contented　mind；　seeing　the　future　lie　smoothly　and　pleasantly　before　him；　and　it　really　seemed　to　him　that　the　drive　from　Maisons　to　Cormeilles　was　a　much　shorter　and　more　agreeable　one　than　that　from　Cormeilles　to　Maisons。

Samuel　Brohl　was　seated　before　an　empty　trunk；　which　he　was　apparently　about　to　pack；　when　he　heard　some　one　knock　at　his　door。　He　went　to　open　it　and　found　himself　face　to　face　with　Abbe　Miollens。　From　the　moment　of　their　first　meeting；　Samuel　Brohl　had　conceived　for　the　abbe　that　warm　sympathy；　that　strong　liking；　with　which　he　was　always　inspired　by　people　in　whom　he　believed　he　recognised　useful　animals　who　might　be　of　advantage　to　him；　whom　he　considered　destined　to　render　him　some　essential　service。　He　seldom　mistook；　he　was　a　admirable　diagnostician；　he　recognised　at　first　sight　the　divine　impress　of　predestination。　He　gave　the　most　cordial　reception　to　his　reverend　friend；　and　ushered　him　into　his　modest　quarters　with　all　the　more　/empressement/；　because　he　detected　at　once　the　mysterious；　rather　agitated　air　he　wore。　〃Does　he　come　in　the　quality　of　a　diplomatic　agent；　charged　with　some　mission　extraordinary？〃　he　asked　himself。　On　his　side　the　abbe　studied　Samuel　Brohl　without　seeming　to　do　so。　He　was　struck　with　his　physiognomy；　which　expressed　at　this　moment　a　manly　yet　sorrowful　pride。　His　eyes　betrayed　at　intervals　the　secret　of　some　heroic　grief　that　he　had　sworn　to　repress　before　men；　and　to　confess　to　God　alone。

He　sat　down　with　his　guest；　and　they　began　to　talk；　but　the　abbe　directed　the　conversation　into　topics　of　the　greatest　indifference。　Samuel　Brohl　listened　to　him　and　replied　with　a　melancholy　grace。　Lively　as　was　his　curiosity　he　well　knew　how　to　hold　it　in　check。　Samuel　Brohl　never　had　been　in　a　hurry；　during　the　month　that　had　elapsed　he　had　proved　that　he　knew　how　to　waita　faculty　lacking　in　more　diplomates　than　one。

Abbe　Miollens's　call　had　lasted　during　the　usual　time　allotted　to　a　polite　visit；　and　the　worthy　man　seemed　about　to　depart；　when；　pointing　with　his　forefinger　to　the　open　valise；　he　remarked：　〃I　see　here　preparations　that　grieve　me。　I　did　dream；　my　dear　count；　of　inviting　you　to　Maisons。　I　have　a　spare　chamber　there　which　I　might　offer　to　you。　/Hoc　erat　in　votis/；　I　should　indeed　have　been　happy　to　have　had　you　for　a　guest。　We　should　have　chatted　and　made　music　to　our　hearts'　content；　close　by　a　window　opening　on　a　garden。　'Hae　latebrae　dulces；　etiam；　si　credis；　amoenae。'　But；　alas！　you　are　going　to　leave　us；　you　do　not　care　for　the　friendship　accorded　you　here。　Has　Vienna　such　superior　attractions　for　you？　But　I　remember；　you　will　doubtless　be　restored　there　to　a　pleasant　home；　a　charming　wife；　children　perhaps　who〃

Samuel　looked　at　him　with　an　astonished；　confused　air；　as　he　had　viewed　Mme。　de　Lorcy　when　she　undertook　to　speak　to　him　of　the　Countess　Larinski。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　finally　asked。

〃Why；　did　you　not　confide　to　me　yourself　that　you　were　married？〃

Samuel　opened　wide　his　eyes；　during　some　moments　he　seemed　to　be　in　a　dream；　then；　suddenly　putting　his　hand　to　his　brow　and　beginning　to　smile；　he　said：　〃Ah！　I　seeI　see。　Did　you　take　me　literally？　I　thought　you　understood　what　I　said。　No；　my　dear　abbe；　I　am　not　married；　and　I　never　shall　marry；　but　there　are　free　unions　as　sacred；　as　indissoluble　as　marriage。〃

The　abbe　knit　his　brows；　his　countenance　assumed　an　expression　of　chagrin　and　disapproval。　He　was　about　delivering　to　his　dear　count　a　sermon　on　the　immorality　and　positive　danger　of　free　unions；　but　Samuel　Brohl　gave　him　no　time。　〃I　am　not　going　to　Vienna　to　rejoin　my　mistress；〃　he　interposed。　〃She　never　leaves　me；　she　accompanies　me　everywhere；　she　is　here。〃

Abbe　Miollens　cast　about　him　a　startled；　bewildered　gaze；　expecting　to　see　a　woman　start　out　of　some　closet　or　come　forward　from　behind　some　curtain。

〃I　tell　you　that　she　is　here；〃　repeated　Samuel　Brohl；　pointing　to　an　alabaster　statuette；　posed　on　a　/piedouche/。　The　statuette　represented　a　woman　bound　tightly；　on　whom　two　Cossacks　were　inflicting　the　knout；　the　socle　bore　the　inscription；　〃Polonia　vincta　et　flagellata。〃

The　abbe's　countenance　became　transformed　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　the　wrinkles　smoothed　away　from　his　brow；　his　mouth　relaxed；　a　joyous　light　shone　in　his　eyes。　〃How　well　it　is　that　I　came！〃　thought　he。　〃And　under　what　obligations　M。　Moriaz　will　be　to　me！〃

Turning　towards　Samuel　he　exclaimed：

〃I　am　simply　a　fool；　I　imagined　Ah！　I　comprehend；　your　mistress　is　Poland；　this　is　delightful；　and　it　is　truly　a　union　that　is　as　sacred　as　marriage。　It　has；　besides；　this　advantagethat　it　interferes　with　nothing　else。　Poland　is　not　jealous；　and　if；　peradventure；　you　should　meet　a　woman　worthy　of　you　whom　you　would　like　to　marry；　your　mistress　would　have　nothing　to　say　against　it。　To　speak　accurately；　however；　she　is　not　your　mistress；　one's　country　is　one's　mother；　and　reasonable　mothers　never　prevent　their　sons　from　marrying。〃

It　was　now　Samuel's　turn　to　assume　a　stern　and　sombre　countenance。　His　eye　fixed　upon　the　statuette；　he　replied：

〃You　deceive　yourself；　M。　l'Abbe；　I　belong　to　her；　I　have　no　longer　the　right　to　dispose　of　either　my　heart；　or　my　soul；　or　my　life；　she　will　have　my　every　thought　and　my　last　drop　of　blood。　I　am　bound　to　her　by　my　vows　quite　as　much；　I　think；　as　is　the　monk　by　his。〃

〃Excuse　me；　my　dear　count；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃this　is　fanaticism；　or　I　greatly　mistake。　Since　when　have　patriots　come　to　take　the　vow　of　celibacy？　Their　first　duty　is　to　become　the　fathers　of　children　who　will　become　good　citizens。　The　day　when　there　will　cease　to　be　Poles；　there　will　cease　also　to　be　a　Poland。〃

Samuel　Brohl　interrupted　him；　pressing　his　arm　earnestly；　and　saying：

〃Look　at　me　well；　have　I　not　the　appearance　of　an　adventurer？〃　The　abbe　recoiled。　〃This　word　shocks　you？〃　continued　Samuel。　〃Yes；　I　am　a　man　of　adventures；　born