samuel brohl & company-第46章

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heart　fluttered　like　a　bird；　like　a　bird　it　had　wings；　and　only　asked　to　fly。　She　believed　that　there　was　happiness　everywhere；　there　seemed　to　be　joy　diffused　through　the　air；　in　the　wind；　in　every　sound；　and　in　all　silences。　She　gazed　smilingly　on　the　vast　landscape　that　was　spread　out　before　her　eyes；　and　the　sparkling　Seine　sent　back　her　smile。

Some　one　came　to　announce　that　a　lady；　a　stranger；　had　called；　who　wished　to　speak　with　her。　Immediately　thereupon　the　stranger　appeared；　and　Mlle。　Moriaz　was　most　disagreeably　surprised　to　find　herself　in　the　presence　of　the　Princess　Gulof；　whom　she　would　willingly　never　have　seen　again。　〃This　is　an　unpleasant　visit；〃　she　thought；　as　she　asked　her　guest　to　be　seated　on　a　rustic　bench。　〃What　can　this　woman　want　with　me？〃

〃It　was　M。　Moriaz　whom　I　desired　to　speak　with；〃　began　the　princess。　〃I　am　told　that　he　is　out。　I　shall　leave　in　a　few　hours　for　Calais；　I　cannot　await　his　return；　and　I　have；　therefore；　decided　to　address　myself　to　you；　mademoiselle。　I　have　come　here　to　render　you　one　of　those　little　services　that　one　woman　owes　to　another；　but；　first　of　all；　I　would　like　to　be　assured　that　I　may　rely　on　your　absolute　discretion；　I　do　not　desire　to　appear　in　this　affair。〃

〃In　what　affair；　madame？〃

〃One　of　no　little　consequence；　it　concerns　your　marriage。〃

〃You　are　extremely　kind　to　concern　yourself　with　my　marriage；　but　I　do　not　understand〃

〃You　will　understand　in　a　few　moments。　So　you　promise　me〃

〃I　promise　nothing；　madame；　before　I　understand。〃

The　princess　looked　in　amazement　at　Mlle。　Moriaz。　She　had　anticipated　talking　with　a　dove；　she　found　that　the　dove　had　a　less　accommodating　temper　and　a　much　stiffer　neck　than　she　had　believed。　She　hesitated　for　a　moment　whether　she　would　not　at　once　end　the　interview；　she　decided；　however；　to　proceed：

〃I　have　a　story　to　relate　to　you；〃　she　continued；　in　a　familiar　tone；　〃listen　with　attention；　I　beg　of　you。　I　err　if　in　the　end　you　do　not　find　it　interesting。　Thirteen　or　fourteen　years　ago；　one　of　those　unlucky　chances；　common　in　travelling；　obliged　me　to　pass　several　hours　in　a　miserable　little　town　in　Galicia。　The　inn；　or　rather　the　tavern；　where　I　stopped；　was　very　dirty；　the　tavern…keeper；　an　ill…　looking　little　German　Jew；　was　still　dirtier　than　his　tavern；　and　he　had　a　son　who　was　in　no　better　condition。　I　am　given　to　forming　illusions　about　people。　In　spite　of　his　filth；　this　youth　interested　me。　His　stupid　father　refused　him　all　instruction；　and　beat　him　unmercifully；　he　appeared　intelligent；　he　made　me　think　of　a　fresh…　water　fish　condemned　to　live　in　a　quagmire。　He　was　called　Samuel　Brohl：　remember　the　name。　I　pitied　him　and　I　saw　no　other　way　of　saving　him　than　to　buy　him　of　his　father。　This　horrid　little　man　demanded　an　exorbitant　price。　I　assure　you　his　pretensions　were　absurd。　Well；　my　dear；　I　was　out　of　cash；　I　had　with　me　just　the　money　sufficient　for　the　expenses　of　the　rest　of　the　journey；　but　I　wore　on　my　arm　a　bracelet　that　had　the　advantage　of　pleasing　him。　It　was　a　Persian　trinket；　more　singular　than　beautiful。　I　can　see　it　now；　it　was　formed　of　three　large　plates　of　gold　ornamented　with　grotesque　animals；　and　joined　by　a　filigree　network。　I　valued　this　bracelet；　it　had　been　brought　to　me　from　Teheran。　By　means　of　a　secret　spring；　one　of　the　plates　opened；　and　I　had　had　engraved　inside　the　most　interesting　dates　of　my　life；　and　underneath　them　my　profession　of　faith；　with　which　you　have　no　concern。　Ah！　my　dear；　when　one　has　once　been　touched　by　that　dangerous　passion　called　philanthropy；　one　becomes　capable　of　exchanging　a　Persian　bracelet　for　a　Samuel　Brohl；　and　I　swear　to　you　that　it　was　a　real　fool's　bargain　that　I　made。　This　miserable　fellow　paid　me　badly　for　my　kindness　to　him。　I　sent　him　to　the　university；　and　later　I　took　him　into　my　service　as　secretary。　He　had　a　black　heart。　One　fine　morning；　he　took　to　his　heels　and　disappeared。〃

〃That　was　revolting　ingratitude；〃　interrupted　Antoinette；　〃and　your　good　work；　madame；　was　poorly　recompensed；　but　I　do　not　see　what　relation　Samuel　Brohl　can　have　to　my　marriage。〃

〃You　are　too　impatient；　my　darling。　If　you　had　given　me　time　I　would　have　told　you　that　I　had　had　the　very　unexpected　pleasure　of　dining　yesterday　with　him　at　Mme。　de　Lorcy's。　This　German　has　made　great　advances　since　I　lost　sight　of　him；　not　content　with　becoming　a　Pole；　he　is　now　a　person　of　vast　importance。　He　is　called　Count　Abel　Larinski；　and　he　is　to　marry　very　soon　Mlle。　Antoinette　Moriaz。〃

The　blood　rushed　into　Antoinette's　cheeks；　and　her　eyes　flashed　fire。　Princess　Gulof　entirely　mistook　the　sentiment　that　animated　her；　and　said：　〃My　dear；　don't　be　angry；　don't　be　indignant；　your　indignation　will　not　help　you　at　all。　Without　doubt；　a　rascal　capable　of　deceiving　such　a　charming　girl　as　you　deserves　death　ten　times　over；　but　be　careful　not　to　make　an　exposure！　My　dear；　scandal　always　splashes　mud　over　every　one　concerned；　and　there　is　a　rather　vulgar　but　exceedingly　sensible　Turkish　proverb　that　says　that　the　more　garlic　is　crushed；　the　stronger　becomes　its　odour。　Believe　me；　you　would　not　come　off　without　a　tinge　of　ridicule；　certain　mistakes　always　appear　a　little　ridiculous；　and　it　is　useless　to　proclaim　them　to　the　universe。　Thank　Heaven！　you　are　not　yet　the　Countess　LarinskiI　arrived　in　time　to　save　you。　Be　silent　about　the　discovery　you　have　just　made；　by　no　means　mention　it　to　Samuel　Brohl；　and　seek　a　proper　pretext　to　break　with　him。　You　would　not　be　a　woman　if　you　could　not　find　ten　for　one。〃

Mlle。　Moriaz　could　no　longer　refrain　her　anger。　〃Madame；〃　she　exclaimed　excitedly；　〃will　you　declare　to　M。　Larinski；　in　my　presence；　that　his　name　is　Samuel　Brohl？〃

〃I　made　that　declaration　to　him　yesterdayit　is　useless　to　repeat　it。　He　was　nearer　dead　than　alive；　and　I　was　truly　sorry　for　the　state　into　which　I　had　thrown　him。　I　cannot　disguise　from　myself　that　I　am　the　cause　of　all　this；　why　did　I　take　the　boy　from　his　father's　tavern　and　his　natal　mud？　Perhaps　there　he　would　have　remained　honest。　It　was　I　who　launched　him　into　the　world　and　gave　him　the　desire　to　advance；　I　put　the　trump…cards　into　his　hand；　but　he　found　that　he　could　not　win　fast　enough　by　fair　play；　so　he　ended　by　cheating。　It　is　not　my　place　to　overwhelm　the　poor　devilwe　owe　some　consideration　to　those　who　are　under　obligations　to　us；　and；　once　more；　I　desire　not　to　appear　further　in　this　business。　Promise　me　that　Samuel　Brohl　never　will　be　informed　of　the　measures　I　have　taken。〃

She　replied；　in　a　haughty　tone：　〃I　promise　you；　madame；　that　I　never　will　do　Count　Larinski　the　wrong　to　repeat　to　him　a　single　word　of　the　very　likely　story　you　have　related　to　me。〃

The　princess　rose　hastily；　remained　standing　before　Mlle。　Moriaz；　and　contemplated　her　in　silence；　finally　she　said；　in　tones　of　the　most　cutting　sarcasm：　〃Ah！　you　do　not　believe　me；　my　dear。　Decidedly　you　do　not　believe　me。　You　are　right；　you　should　not　put　faith　in　an　old　woman's　childish　chatter。　No；　my　darling；　there　is　no　Samuel　Brohl：　I　dined　yesterday　at　Maisons　with　the　most　authentic　of　Counts　Larinski；　and　nothing　remains　for　me　to　say　but　to　present　my　best　wishes　for　the　certain　happiness　of　the　Countess　Larinski；　/et　cetera/of　the　Countess　Larinski　and　company。〃

With　these　words　she　bowed；　turned　on　her　heels；　and　disappeared。

Mlle。　Moriaz　remained　an　instant　as　if　stunned　by　a　blow。　She　questioned　herself　as　to　whether　she　had　not　seen　a　vision；　or　had　had　the　nightmare。　Was　it；　indeed；　a　Russian　princess　of　flesh　and　blood　who　had　just　been　there；　who　had　been　seated　close　beside　her；　and　had　conversed　so　strangely　with　her　that　the　belfry　of　Cormeilles　could　not　hear　it　without　falling　into　a　profound　stupor？　In　fact；　the　belfry　of　Cormeilles　had　become　silent；　its　bells　no　longer　rang；　an　appalling　silence　reigned　for　two　leagues　round。

Antoinette　soon　controlled　her　emotions。　〃The　day　before　yesterday；〃　she　thought；　〃this　woman　appeared　to　me　to　be　deranged：　she　is　a　lunatic；　I　wish　that　Abel　were　here；　he　could　tell　me　what　happened　at　dinner　between　him　and　this　dotard；　and　we　should　laugh　over　it　together。　Perhaps　nothing　happened　at　all。　The　Princess　Gulof　should　be　confined。　They　do　very　wrong　to　let　m