samuel brohl & company-第40章

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Larinski　will　be　a　liberated　countess。　Let　her　serve　her　time　as　a　galley…slave；　and　she　will　come　out　entirely　cured　of　her　follies。〃

Just　as　Princess　Gulof　was　finishing　this　remarkable　declaration　of　her　principles；　the　door　opened　and　Mlle。　Moriaz　entered。　Whatever　it　might　cost　her　to　do　so；　the　future　Countess　Larinski　faithfully　kept　the　promise　she　had　made　to　her　father。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　was　strictly　on　her　guard；　she　hastened　to　meet　her；　held　out　both　hands；　kissed　her　on　both　cheeks；　and　reproached　her；　in　the　most　affectionate　tone　in　the　world；　for　the　rarity　of　her　visits。　Then　she　presented　her　to　the　princess；　who　said：　〃Come　here；　my　beauty；　that　I　may　look　at　you；　I　have　been　told　that　you　are　adorable。〃

When　Antoinette　approached；　she　fixed　on　her　a　keen；　penetrating　glance；　examined　her　from　head　to　foot；　passed　all　her　perfections　in　review：　one　might　have　taken　her　for　some　Normandy　farmer　at　a　cattle…　fair。　The　result　of　this　investigation　was　satisfactory；　the　princess　cried；　〃Truly　she　does　very　well！〃　and　proceeded　to　assert　that　Mlle。　Moriaz　greatly　resembled　a　certain　person　who　had　played　a　certain　role　in　a　certain　adventure　that　she　undertook　to　narrate。　She　had　scarcely　finished　this　recital　when　she　entered　on　another。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　was　on　thorns。　She　knew　by　experience　that　the　anecdotes　of　Princess　Gulof　were　ordinarily　somewhat　indelicate　and　ill…suited　to　maiden　ears。　She　watched　Antoinette　anxiously；　and；　when　she　saw　the　approach　of　an　especially　objectionable　passage；　she　was　suddenly　seized　with　a　fit　of　coughing。　The　princess；　comprehending　the　significance　of　that；　made　an　effort　to　gloss　over；　but　her　glossings　were　very　transparent。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　coughed　anew；　and　the　princess　ended　by　losing　patience；　and；　brusquely　interrupting　herself；　exclaimed：　〃And　this；　that；　and　the　other；　etc。　Thus　ended　the　adventure。〃

Mlle。　Moriaz　listened　with　an　astonished　air；　not　in　the　least　understanding　these　attacks　of　coughing　and　these　interruptions；　nor　divining　the　significance　of　the　constant　repetition　of　〃this；　that；　and　the　other；　etc。〃　Princess　Gulof　struck　her　as　a　very　eccentric　and　unpleasantly　brusque　person；　she　even　suspected　her　of　being　slightly　deranged　or　at　least　rather　crack…brained；　yet　she　was　pleased　with　her　for　being　present　upon　this　especial　occasion　and　sparing　her　a　/tete…a…tete/　with　Mme。　de　Lorcy　with　its　disagreeable　explanations　and　unpleasant　discussions。

She　remained　nearly　an　hour；　planted　on　a　chair；　watching　with　a　sort　of　stupor　the　turning　of　the　fan　of　this　word…mill；　whose　clapper　kept　up　such　an　incessant　noise。　After　having　criticised　to　her　heart's　content　her　neighbours；　including　under　that　title　emperors　and　grand…　dukes；　and　having　abundantly　multiplied　the　et　ceteras；　Princess　Gulof　suddenly　turned　the　conversation　to　physiology：　this　science；　whose　depths　she　believed　herself　to　have　fathomed；　was；　in　her　estimation；　the　secret　of　everything；　the　Alpha　and　Omega　of　human　life。　She　exposed　certain　materialistic　views；　making　use　of　expressions　that　shocked　the　modest　and　delicate　ears　of　Mlle。　Moriaz。　The　astonishment　the　latter　had　at　first　experienced　became　now　blended　with　horror　and　disgust；　she　judged　that　her　visit　had　lasted　long　enough；　and　she　proceeded　to　beat　a　retreat；　which　Mme。　de　Lorcy　made　no　effort　to　prevent。

Upon　arriving　at　Cormeilles；　her　carriage　crossed　with　a　young　man　on　horseback；　who　with　his　head　bowed　down　allowed　his　animal　full　liberty　to　take　his　own　course。　This　young　man　trembled　when　a　clear；　soprano　voice；　which　he　preferred　to　the　most　beautiful　music　in　the　world；　cried　to　him；　〃Where　are　you　going；　Camille？〃

He　bowed　over　his　horse's　neck；　drew　down　his　hat　over　his　eyes；　and　replied；　〃To　Maisons。〃

〃Do　not　go　there。　I　have　just　left　because　there　is　a　dreadful　old　woman　there　who　says　horrid　things。〃　Then　Mlle。　Moriaz　added；　in　a　queenly　tone；　〃You　cannot　passyou　are　my　prisoner。〃

She　obliged　him　to　turn　back；　ten　minutes　later　she　had　alighted　from　her　coupe；　he　had　sprung　from　his　saddle；　and　they　were　seated　side　by　side　on　a　rustic　bench。

A　few　days　previous　M。　Langis　had　met　M。　Moriaz；　who　had　complained　bitterly　of　being　forsaken　by　him　as　well　as　by　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　and　who　had　extracted　from　him　the　promise　to　come　and　see　him。　Camille　had　kept　this　promise。　Had　he　chosen　well　his　time　of　doing　so？　The　truth　is；　he　had　been　both　rejoiced　and　heart…broken　to　learn　that　Mlle。　Moriaz　was　absent。　Man　is　a　strange　combination　of　contradictions；　especially　a　man　who　is　in　love。　In　the　same　way　he　had　bestowed　both　blessings　and　imprecations　upon　Heaven　for　permitting　him　to　meet　Antoinette。　During　some　moments　he　had　lost　countenance；　but　had　quickly　recovered　himself；　he　had　formed　the　generous　resolution　to　act　out　consistently　his　role　of　friend　and　brother。　He　had　acquitted　himself　of　it　so　well　at　Saint　Moritz；　that　Antoinette　believed　him　cured　of　the　caprice　of　a　day　with　which　she　had　inspired　him　and　which　she　had　never　taken　seriously。

〃The　last　time　I　saw　you；〃　said　she；　〃you　dropped　a　remark　that　pained　me；　but　I　am　pleased　to　think　that　you　did　not　mean　to　do　so。〃

〃I　am　a　terrible　culprit；〃　he　rejoined；　〃and　I　smite　myself　upon　the　breast　therefore。　I　was　wanting　in　respect　to　your　idol。〃

〃Fortunately；　my　idol　knew　nothing　about　it；　and；　if　he　had　known；　I　would　have　appeased　him　by　saying：　'Pardon　this　young　man；　he　does　not　always　know　what　he　is　saying。'　〃

〃He　even　seldom　knows　it；　but　what　help　is　there　for　it？　A　man　given　to　fainting　always　did　seem　a　curiosity　to　me。　I　know　we　should　endeavour　to　conquer　our　prejudices；　every　country　has　its　customs；　and；　since　Poland　is　a　country　that　pleases　you；　I　will　make　an　effort　to　see　only　its　good　sides。〃

〃Now　that　is　the　right　way　to　talk。　I　hope　this　very　day　to　reconcile　you　with　Count　Larinski；　stay　and　dine　with　ushe　will　be　here　very　soon；　the　first　duty　of　the　people　whom　I　love　is　to　love　one　another。〃

M。　Langis　at　first　energetically　declined　accepting　this　invitation；　Antoinette　insisted：　he　ended　by　bowing　in　sign　of　obedience。　Youth　has　a　taste　for　suffering。

Tracing　figures　in　the　gravel　with　a　stick　he　had　picked　up；　M。　Langis　said；　in　a　wholly　unconstrained　voice：　〃I　do　not　wish　M。　Larinski　any　harm；　and　yet　you　must　admit　that　I　would　have　the　right　to　detest　him　cordially；　for　I　had　the　honour　two　years　ago；　if　I　mistake　not；　of　asking　your　hand　in　marriage。　Do　you　remember　it？〃

〃Perfectly；〃　she　replied；　fixing　upon　him　her　pure；　clear　eyes；　〃but　I　ought　to　avow　to　you　that　this　fancy　of　yours　never　seemed　to　me　either　very　reasonable　or　very　serious。〃

〃You　are　wrong；　I　can　certify　to　you　that　your　refusal　plunged　me　for　as　much　as　forty…eight　hours　into　the　depths　of　despairI　mean　one　of　those　genuine　despairs　that　neither　eat；　drink；　nor　sleep；　and　that　speak　openly　of　suicide！〃

〃And　at　the　end　of　forty…eight　hours　were　you　consoled？〃

〃/Eh！　bon　Dieu/；　it　surely　was　time　to　come　to　reason。　I　had　hesitated　a　long　time　before　asking　your　hand；　because　I　thought；　'If　she　refuses　me；　I　cannot　see　her　any　more。'　But　I　still　do　see　you；　so　all　is　well！〃

〃And　how　soon　do　you　mean　to　marry？〃

〃I？　Never！　I　shall　die　a　bachelor。　An　aspirant　to　the　hand　of　Mlle。　Moriaz；　being　unable　to　win　her；　could　not　care　for　another　woman。　Nothing　remains　but　to　strike　the　attitude　of　the　inconsolable　lover。〃

〃And　when　this　ceases　to　hinder　one　from　eating；　drinking；　or　sleeping　what　then？〃

〃One　becomes　interesting　without　being　inconvenienced　by　the　consequences；〃　he　gaily　interposed。　Then；　letting　his　eyes　wander　idly　around　for　a　moment；　he　added：　〃It　seems　to　me　that　you　have　in　some　way　changed　the　order　of　this　terrace；　put　to　the　right　what　was　at　the　left；　thinned　out　the　shrubbery；　cut　the　trees；　I　feel　completely　lost　here。〃

〃You　mistake　greatly；　nothing　is　changed　here；　it　is　you　who　have　become　forgetful。　How！　you　now　longer　recognise　this　terrace；　scene　of　so　many　exploits？　I　was　a　thorough　tyrant；　I　did　with　you　what　I　pleased。　You　revolted　sometimes；　but　in　his　heart　the　slave　adored　his　chains。　Open　your　eyes。　See！　here　is　the　sycamore　you　climbed　one　day　to　escape　me　when