samuel brohl & company-第42章

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rancour；　and；　if　he　ceased　to　do　so　for　a　moment；　it　was　because　he　counted　upon　deriving　advantage　therefrom。　He　was　impatient　to　enter　into　possession；　to　feel　his　good…fortune　sheltered　from　all　hazards；　delays；　procrastinations；　long　waiting；　displeased　and　irritated　him。　He　suspected　M。　Moriaz　of　purposely　putting　his　shoulder　to　the　wheel　of　time；　and　of　preparing　a　contract　that　would　completely　tie　the　hands　of　Count　Larinski。　He　resolved　to　seize　the　first　opportunity　of　proving　that　he　was　mistrustful；　stormy；　susceptible；　in　the　hope　that　Mlle。　Moriaz　would　become　alarmed　and　say　to　her　father；　〃I　intend　to　marry　in　three　weeks；　and　without　any　conditions。〃　The　opportunity　had　presented　itself；　and　Samuel　Brohl　had　taken　good　care　not　to　lose　it。

The　next　day　he　received　the　following　note：

　〃You　have　caused　me　pain；　a　great　deal　of　pain。　Already！　I　passed　a　　　sorrowful　evening；　and　slept　wretchedly　all　night。　I　have　　　reflected　seriously　upon　our　dispute；　I　have　endeavoured　to　　　persuade　myself　that　I　was　in　the　wrong：　I　have　neither　been　able　　　to　succeed；　nor　to　comprehend　you。　Ah！　how　your　lack　of　confidence　　　astonishes　me！　It　is　so　easy　to　believe　when　one　loves。　Please　　　write　me　word　quickly　that　you　also　have　reflected；　and　that　you　　　have　acknowledged　your　misdemeanour。　I　will　not　insist　upon　your　　　doing　penance；　your　face　humbled　to　the　ground；　but　I　will　condemn　　　you　to　love　me　to…day　more　than　yesterday；　to…morrow　more　than　　　to…day。　Upon　these　conditions；　I　will　pass　a　sponge　across　your　　　grave　error；　and　we　shall　speak　of　it　no　more。

〃Ever　yours。　It　is　agreed；　is　it　not？〃　Samuel　Brohl　had　the　surprise　of　receiving　at　the　same　time　another

letter；　thus　worded：

　〃MY　DEAR　COUNT：　I　cannot　explain　to　myself　your　conduct；　you　no　　　longer　give　me　any　signs　of　life。　I　believed　that　I　had　some　　　claims　upon　you；　and　that　you　would　hasten　to　announce　to　me　in　　　person　the　great　event　of　events；　and　seek　my　congratulations。　　　Come；　I　beg　of　you；　and　dine　this　evening　at　Maisons　with　Abbe　　　Miollens；　who　is　dying　to　embrace　you；　he　studies　men　in　Horace；　　　you　know；　and　he　finds　none　whom　he　prefers　to　you。

　〃You　need　not　answer；　but　come；　else　I　will　be　displeased　with　you　　　as　long　as　I　live。〃

Samuel　replied　as　follows　to　Mlle。　Moriaz：

　〃Be　assured　I　have　suffered　more　than　you。　Forgive　me；　much　should　　　be　forgiven　a　man　who　has　suffered　much。　My　imagination　is　subject　　　to　the　wildest　alarms。　Great；　unlooked…for　joy　has　rendered　me　　　mistrustful。　I　have　been　especially　low…spirited　of　late。　After　　　having　resolutely　fought　against　my　happiness；　I　tremble　now　lest　　　it　escape　me；　it　appears　to　me　too　beautiful　not　to　prove　only　a　　　dream。　To　be　loved　by　you！　How　can　I　help　fearing　to　lose　the　　　great　boon？　Each　evening　I　ask　myself：　'Will　she　still　love　me　　　to…morrow？'　Perhaps　my　anxiety　is　blended　with　secret　remorse。　My　　　pride；　ever　on　the　alert　to　take　umbrage；　has　often　been　my　　　torment；　you　can　tell　me　it　is　only　self…love：　I　will　endeavour　to　　　cure　myself　of　it；　but　this　cannot　be　done　in　a　day。　During　these　　　long　months　of　waiting　there　will　come　to　me　more　than　one　　　suspicion；　more　than　one　troubled　thought。　I　promise　you；　however；　　　that　I　shall　maintain　a　rigid　silence　concerning　them；　and；　if　　　possible；　hide　them。

　〃You　condemn　me；　for　my　punishment；　to　love　you　to…day　more　than　　　yesterday；　you　know　well　this　were　impossible。　No；　I　shall　inflict　　　upon　myself　another　chastisement。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　has　invited　me　to　　　dinner。　I　suspect　her　of　having　a　very　mediocre　feeling　of　good…　　　will　for　me；　and　I　also　accuse　her　of　being　cold　and　insensible；　　　of　understanding　nothing　whatever　of　the　heart's　unreasonableness；　　　which　is　true　wisdom。　Nevertheless；　I　will　refrain　from　declining　　　her　invitation。　It　is　at　Maisons　and　not　at　Cormeilles　that　I　　　shall　this　day　pass　my　evening。　Are　you　content　with　me？　Is　not　　　the　penance　severe　enough？

　〃But　to…morrowoh！　I　shall　arrive　at　your　home　to…morrow　by　two　　　o'clock；　and　I　shall　enter　by　the　little　green　gate　at　the　foot　of　　　the　orchard。　Will　you　do　me　a　favour？　Promenade　about　two　o'clock　　　in　the　gravel…walk　that　I　adore。　The　wall　being　low　at　that　place；　　　I　shall　perceive　from　afar；　before　entering；　the　white　silk　of　　　your　sun…umbrella。　I　am　counting；　you　see；　upon　sunshine。　How　very　　　childish！　Yet；　even　this　is　not　strange；　I　was　born　three　months　　　and　a　half　ago；　I　commenced　to　live　July　5th　of　this　year；　at　four　　　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　in　the　cathedral　at　Chur。　Forgive　me　all　　　my　errors；　my　suspicions；　my　childish　absurdities。〃

Mlle。　Moriaz　concluded　that　it　would　be　well　to　shorten　the　term　of　waiting；　and　that　she　would　ask　Count　Larinski　to　fix　the　date　of　their　marriage　himself。　As　to　the　contract；　she　had　immediate　occasion　to　speak　of　it　to　her　father；　who　announced　to　her　that　he　had　invited　his　notary；　Maitre　Noirot；　to　dine　with　him　the　next　day。

She　was　silent　a　few　moments；　and　then　said；　〃Can　you　explain　to　me　the　use　of　notaries？〃

He　replied　about　as　did　/le　Philosophe　sans　le　savoir/：　〃We　only　see　the　present；　notaries　foresee　the　future　and　possible　contingencies。〃

She　replied　that　she　did　not　believe　in　contingencies；　and　that　she　did　not　like　precautions；　because　they　presupposed　distrust；　and　might　appear　offensive。

〃We　have　charming　weather　to…day；〃　said　her　father；　〃nevertheless　there　is　a　possibility　of　rain　to…morrow。　If　I　started　this　evening　on　a　journey；　I　should　carry　my　umbrella；　without　fearing　to　insult　Providence。　Who　speaks　to　you　of　offending　M。　Larinski？　Not　content　with　approving　of　the　step　I　propose　taking；　he　will　thank　me　for　it。　Why　did　he　at　first　refuse　to　marry　you？　Because　you　are　rich；　and　he　is　poor。　The　contract　I　wish　to　have　drawn　up　will　thoroughly　set　at　ease　his　disinterestedness　and　his　pride。〃

〃The　question　of　money　no　longer　exists　for　him；〃　she　eagerly　replied；　〃it　is　my　desire　that　it　should　not　be　started　again。　And　since　you　like　comparisons；　let　us　suppose　that　you　invited　one　of　your　friends　to　take　a　turn　in　your　garden。　Your　espaliers　are　laden　with　fruit；　and　you　know　that　your　friend　is　an　honest　man；　and　that；　besides；　he　does　not　care　for　pears。　Suppose　you　were　to　put　handcuffs　on　him；　would　he　or　would　he　not　be　insulted？〃

He　answered　in　an　exceedingly　vexed　tone；　that　this　was　entirely　different；　and　Mlle。　Moiseney　having　taken　the　liberty　to　interfere　in　the　discussion　in　Antoinette's　behalf；　declaring　that　Counts　Larinski　are　not　to　be　distrusted；　and　that　men　of　science　are　incapable　of　comprehending　delicacy　of　sentiment；　he　gave　full　vent　to　his　wrath；　telling　the　worthy　demoiselle　to　meddle　with　what　concerned　her。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　was　seriously　angry。　Antoinette　caressed　him　into　good…humour；　promised　that　she　would　put　on　the　best　possible　face　to　Maitre　Noirot；　that　she　would　pay　religious　attention　to　his　counsels；　and　that　she　would　endeavour　to　profit　by　them。

While　M。　Moriaz　was　engaged　in　this　stormy　interview　with　his　daughter；　Samuel　Brohl　was　/en　route/　for　Maisons。　After　the　first　flush　of　astonishment；　the　note　and　invitation　of　Mme。　de　Lorcy　had　pleased　him　immensely；　he　saw　in　it　the　proof　that　she　had　ceased　to　struggle　against　the　inevitableagainst　Samuel　Brohl　and　destiny；　that　she　had　resolved　to　bear　her　disappointment　with　a　cheerful　countenance。　He　formed　the　generous　resolution　to　console　her　for　her　vexation；　to　gain　her　good…will　by　force　of　modesty　and　graceful　attentions。

Alone　in　his　compartment　of　the　cars；　Samuel　Brohl　was　happy；　perfectly　happy。　He　was　nearing　port；　he　held　it　for　an　established　fact　that；　before　a　fortnight；　the　banns　would　be　published。　Was　he　alone　in　his　compartment？　An　adored　image　kept　him　company；　he　spoke　to　it；　it　replied　to　him。　Blended　with　a　rather　uncommon　frigidity　of　soul；　Samuel　Brohl　had　an　imagination　that　readily　took　fire；　and；　when　his　imagination　was　kindled；　he　felt　within　him　something　warm；　which　he　took　for　a　heart；　and　sincerely　persuaded　himself　that　he　had　such　an　organ。　At　this　moment　he　saw　Antoinette　as　he　had　left　her　the　evening　previous；　her　face　animated；　her　cheeks　flushed；　her　countenance　full　of　reproach；　her