samuel brohl & company-第41章

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e　adored　his　chains。　Open　your　eyes。　See！　here　is　the　sycamore　you　climbed　one　day　to　escape　me　when　I　wanted　you　to　make　believe　that　you　were　a　girl；　as　you　said；　and　you　had　little　fancy　for　such　a　silly　role。　There　is　the　alley　where　we　played　ball；　and　yonder　the　hedge　and　the　grove　where　we　played　hide…and…seek。〃

〃Say　rather；　/cligne…musette/；　it　is　more　poetical；〃　he　rejoined。　〃When　I　was　down　in　Transylvania　I　made　a　/chanson/　about　it　all；　and　set　it　myself　to　music。〃

〃Sing　me　your　/chanson/。〃

〃You　are　mocking　at　me；　my　voice　is　false；　as　you　well　know；　but　I　will　consent　to　recite　it　to　you。　The　rhymes　are　not　richI　am　no　son　of　Parnassus。〃

With　these　words；　lowering　his　voice；　not　daring　to　look　her　in　the　face；　he　recited　the　couplets。

〃Your　/chanson/　is　very　pretty；〃　said　she；　〃but　it　does　not　tell　the　truth；　for　here　we　are　sitting　together　on　this　bench；　we　have　not　lost　each　other　at　all。〃

She　was　so　innocent　that　she　had　no　idea　of　the　torture　she　was　inflicting；　and　he　saw　this　so　plainly　that　he　could　not　so　much　as　have　the　satisfaction　of　finding　fault　with　her；　yet　he　asked　himself　whether　in　the　best　woman's　heart　there　was　not　a　foundation　of　cruelty；　of　unconscious　ferocity。　He　felt　the　tears　start　to　his　eyes；　he　scarcely　could　restrain　them；　he　abruptly　bowed　his　head；　and　began　to　examine　a　beautiful　horned　beetle；　which　was　just　crossing　the　gravel…path　at　a　quick　pace；　apparently　having　some　very　important　affairs　to　regulate。　When　M。　Langis　raised　his　head　his　eyes　were　dry；　his　face　serene；　his　lips　smiling。

〃It　is　very　certain；〃　he　observed；　〃that　two　years　ago　I　must　have　appeared　supremely　ridiculous　to　you。　This　little　playmate　of　old；　this　foolish　little　Camille；　to　attempt　to　transform　himself　into　a　husband！　The　pretension　was　absurd　indeed。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　she　replied；　〃but　I　thought　at　once　that　it　was　a　mistake。　Little　Camilles　are　apt　to　be　hot…headed　and　fanciful；　they　are　subject　to　self…deceptions　regarding　their　sentiments。　Friendship　and　love；　however；　are　two　entirely　different　things！　I　once　said　to　Mlle。　Moiseney　that　a　woman　never　should　marry　an　intimate　friend；　because　it　would　be　a　sure　way　of　losing　him　as　such；　and　friends　are　good　to　keep。〃

〃Bah！　How　much　do　you　care　now　for　yours？　I　find　my　role　very　modest；　very　insignificant。　Open　the　trap…doorit　is　time　for　me　to　disappear。〃

〃Bad　counsel！　I　shall　not　open　the　trap…door。　One　always　has　need　of　friends。　I　can　readily　imagine　the　possibility　of　the　very　happiest　married　woman　needing　some　advice　or　assistance　that　she　could　not　ask　of　her　husband；　for　husbands　do　not　understand　everything。　If　ever　such　a　thing　happens　to　me；　Camille；　I　shall　turn　to　you。〃

〃Agreed！〃　he　cried；　〃to　help　you　out　of　embarrassment；　I　would　run；　if　necessary；　all　the　way　from　Transylvania。〃

He　held　out　his　right　hand；　which　she　shook　warmly。

At　this　moment　they　heard　a　step　that　Mlle。　Moriaz　at　once　recognised；　and　Count　Larinski　appeared　from　the　walk　bordering　the　house。　Antoinette　hastened　to　meet　him；　and　led　him　forward　by　laying　hold　of　the　tip　of　his　glove；　which　he　was　in　the　act　of　drawing　off。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　she；　〃I　do　not　need　to　present　you　to　each　other；　you　are　already　acquainted。〃

It　is　a　very　difficult　thing　to　lead　two　men　who　do　not　like　each　other　into　conversation：　the　present　effort　proved　a　total　failure。　Fortunately　for　all　parties；　M。　Moriaz　shortly　made　his　appearance　at　the　end　of　the　terrace；　and　M。　Langis　arose　to　join　him。　Antoinette　remained　alone　with　Samuel　Brohl；　who　at　once　rather　brusquely　asked：

〃Has　M。　Langis　the　intention　of　remaining　here　forever？〃

〃He　has　only　just　arrived；〃　she　replied。

〃And　you　will　send　him　away　soon？〃

〃I　thought　so　little　of　sending　him　away　that　I　asked　him　to　dinner；　in　order　to　give　you　an　opportunity　of　becoming　more　fully　acquainted　with　him。〃

〃I　thank　you　for　your　amiable　intentions；　but　M。　Langis　pleases　me　little。〃

〃What　have　you　against　him？〃

〃I　have　met　him　sometimes　at　Mme。　de　Lorcy's；　and　he　always　has　shown　me　a　most　dubious　politeness。　I　scent　in　him　an　enemy。〃

〃Pure　imagination！　M。　Langis　has　been　my　friend　from　childhood　up；　and　I　have　forewarned　him　that　it　is　his　duty　to　love　the　people　whom　I　love。〃

〃I　mistrust　these　childhood's　friends；〃　said　he；　growing　excited。　〃I　should　not　wonder　if　this　youth　was　in　love　with　you。〃

〃Ah；　indeed！　then　you　should　have　heard　him　but　now。　He　has　been　reminding　me；　this　youth；　that　two　years　ago　he　sought　my　hand；　and　he　assured　me　that　forty…eight　hours　sufficed　to　console　him　for　my　refusal。〃

〃I　did　not　know　that　the　case　was　so　grave；　or　the　personage　so　dangerous。　Truly；　do　you　mean　to　keep　him　to　dinner？〃

〃I　invited　him；　can　I　retract？〃

〃Very　well；　I　will　leave　the　place；〃　he　cried；　rising。

She　uplifted　her　eyes　to　his　face　and　remained　transfixed　with　astonishment；　so　completely　was　his　face　transformed。　His　contracted　brows　formed　an　acute　angle；　and　he　had　a　sharp；　hard；　evil　air。　This　was　a　Larinski　with　whom　she　was　not　yet　acquainted；　or　rather　it　was　Samuel　Brohl　who　had　just　appeared　to　herSamuel　Brohl；　who　had　entered　upon　the　scene　as　suddenly　as　though　he　had　emerged　from　a　magic　surprise…box。　She　could　not　remove　her　eyes　from　him；　and　he　at　once　perceived　the　impression　he　was　making　on　her。　Forthwith　Samuel　Brohl　re…entered　his　box；　whose　cover　closed　over　him；　and　it　was　a　true　Pole　who　said　to　Mlle。　Moriaz；　in　a　grave；　melancholy；　and　respectful　tone：

〃Pardon　me；　I　am　not　always　master　of　my　impressions。〃

〃That　is　right；〃　said　she；　〃and　you　will　remain；　won't　you？〃

〃Impossible；〃　he　replied；　〃I　should　be　cross；　and　you　would　not　be　pleased。〃

She　urged　him；　he　opposed　her　entreaties　with　a　polite　but　firm　resistance。

〃Adieu；〃　said　she。　〃When　shall　I　see　you　again？〃

〃To…morrowor　the　day　afterI　do　not　know。〃

〃Really；　do　you　not　know？〃

He　perceived　that　her　eyes　were　full　of　tears。　Tenderly　kissing　her　hand　he　said；　with　a　smile　that　consoled　her：

〃This　is　the　first　time　we　have　had　any　dispute；　it　is　possible　that　I　may　be　wrong；　but　it　seems　to　me　that　if　I　were　a　woman　I　would　not　willingly　marry　a　man　who　was　always　right。〃

These　words　uttered；　he　assured　himself　anew　that　her　eyes　were　humid；　and　then　he　left；　charmed　to　have　proved　the　extent　of　the　empire　he　held　over　her。

When　she　rejoined　M。　Langis；　the　young　man　asked：

〃Does　it　chance　to　be　I　who　put　Count　Larinski　to　flight？　If　so；　I　should　be　quite　heart…broken。〃

〃Reassure　yourself；〃　said　she；　〃he　came　expressly　to　inform　me　that　his　evening　was　not　free。〃

The　dinner　was　only　passably　lively。　Mlle。　Moiseney　owed　M。　Langis　a　grudge；　she　could　not　forgive　him　for　having　made　fun　of　her　more　than　oncein　her　eyes　an　unpardonable　sin。　M。　Moriaz　was　enchanted　to　find　himself　once　more　in　company　with　his　dear　Camille；　but　he　kept　asking　himself；　mournfully；　〃Why　is　not　he　to　be　my　son…in…law？〃　Antoinette　had　several　attacks　of　abstraction；　she　did　not；　however；　omit　the　least　friendly　attention　to　Camille。　Love　had　become　master　of　this　generous　soul；　it　might　cause　it　to　commit　many　imprudences；　but　it　was　not　in　its　power　to　cause　it　to　commit　an　injustice。

At　nine　o'clock　M。　Langis　mounted　his　horse　and　took　his　departure。

Meanwhile；　Mlle。　Moriaz；　her　arm　resting　on　the　ledge　of　her　window；　was　meditating　on　the　strange　conduct　of　Count　Larinski　as　she　gazed　on　the　stars；　the　sky　was　without　clouds；　unless　a　little　black　speck　above　Mount…Valerien　might　be　so　called。　Mlle。　Moriaz's　heart　swelled　with　emotion；　and　she　felt　implicit　confidence　that　all　would　be　arranged　the　next　day。　What　is　one　black　spot　in　the　immensity　of　a　starry　sky？



CHAPTER　X

In　all　that　Samuel　Brohl　did；　even　in　his　wildest　freaks；　there　was　somewhat　of　calculation；　or　contrivance。　Unquestionably；　he　had　experienced　intense　displeasure　at　encountering　M。　Camille　Langis　at　Cormeilles；　he　had；　doubtless；　very　particular　and　very　personal　reasons　for　not　liking　him。　He　knew；　however；　that　there　was　need　for　controlling　his　temper；　his　impressions；　his　rancour；　and；　if　he　ceased　to　do　so　for　a　moment；　it　was　because　he　counted　upon　deriving　advantage