samuel brohl & company-第48章

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mediately　that　she　knew　all。　At　once　he　grew　audacious。

〃I　spent　a　dull　day　yesterday；〃　said　he。　〃Mme。　de　Lorcy　invited　me　to　dine　with　a　crazy　woman；　but　the　night　made　up　for　it。　I　saw　Engadine　in　my　dreamsthe　firs；　the　Alpine　pines；　the　emerald　lakes；　and　a　red　hood。〃

〃I；　too；　dreamed　last　night。　I　dreamed　that　the　bracelet　you　gave　me　belonged　to　the　crazy　woman　of　whom　you　speak；　and　that　she　had　her　name　engraved　on　it。〃

She　threw　him　the　bracelet：　he　picked　it　up；　examined　it；　turned　and　returned　it　in　his　trembling　fingers。　She　grew　impatient。　〃Look　at　the　place　that　has　been　forced　open。　Don't　you　know　how　to　read？〃

He　read；　and　became　stupefied。　Who　would　have　believed　that　this　trinket　that　he　had　found　among　his　father's　old　traps　had　come　to　him　from　Princess　Gulof？　that　it　was　the　price　she　had　paid　for　Samuel　Brohl's　ignominy　and　shame？　Samuel　was　a　fatalist；　he　felt　that　his　star　had　set；　that　Fate　had　conspired　to　ruin　his　hopes；　that　he　was　found　guilty　and　condemned。　His　heart　grew　heavy　within　him。

〃Can　you　tell　me　what　I　ought　to　think　of　a　certain　Samuel　Brohl？〃　she　asked。

That　name；　pronounced　by　her；　fell　on　him　like　a　mass　of　lead；　he　never　would　have　believed　that　there　could　be　so　much　weight　in　a　human　word。　He　trembled　under　the　blow；　then　he　struck　his　brow　with　his　clinched　hand　and　replied：

〃Samuel　Brohl　is　a　man　as　worthy　of　your　pity　as　he　is　of　mine。　If　you　knew　all　that　he　has　suffered；　all　that　he　has　dared；　you　could　not　help　deeply　pitying　him　and　admiring　him。　Listen　to　me；　Samuel　Brohl　is　an　unfortunate　man〃

〃Or　a　wretch！〃　she　interrupted；　in　a　terrible　voice。　She　was　seized　by　a　fit　of　nervous　laughter；　she　cried　out：　〃Mme。　Brohl！　I　will　not　be　called　Mme。　Brohl。　Ah！　that　poor　Countess　Larinski！〃

He　had　a　spasm　of　rage　that　would　have　terrified　her　had　she　conjectured　what　agitated　him。　He　raised　his　head；　crossed　his　arms　on　his　breast；　and　said；　with　a　bitter　smile：

〃It　was　not　the　man　that　you　loved；　it　was　the　count。〃

She　replied；　〃The　man　whom　I　loved　never　lied。〃

〃Yes；　I　lied！〃　he　cried；　gasping　for　breath。　〃I　drank　that　cup　of　shame　without　remorse　or　disgust。　I　lied　because　I　loved　you　madly。　I　lied　because　you　were　dearer　to　me　than　my　honour。　I　lied　because　I　despaired　of　touching　your　heart；　and　any　road　seemed　good　that　led　to　you。　Why　did　I　meet　you？　why　could　I　not　see　you　without　recognising　in　you　the　dream　of　my　whole　life？　Happiness　had　passed　me　by；　it　was　about　to　take　flight；　I　caught　it　in　a　trapI　lied。　Who　would　not　lie；　to　be　loved　by　you？〃

Samuel　Brohl　never　had　looked　so　handsome。　Despair　and　passion　kindled　a　sombre　flame　in　his　eyes；　he　had　the　sinister　charm　of　a　fiery　Satan。　He　fixed　on　Antoinette　a　fascinating　glance　that　said：　〃What　matter　my　name；　my　lies；　and　the　rest？　My　face　is　not　a　mask；　and　I　am　the　man　who　pleased　you。〃　He　had　not　the　least　suspicion　of　the　astonishing　facility　with　which　Antoinette　had　taken　back　the　heart　that　she　had　given　away　so　easily；　he　did　not　suspect　that　miracles　can　be　wrought　by　contempt。　In　the　middle　ages　people　believed　in　golems；　figures　in　clay　of　an　entrancing　beauty；　which　had　all　the　appearance　of　life。　Under　a　lock　of　hair　was　written；　in　Hebrew　characters；　on　their　brow；　the　word　〃Truth。〃　If　they　chanced　to　lie；　the　word　was　obliterated；　they　lost　all　their　charm；　the　clay　was　no　longer　anything　but　clay。

Mlle。　Moriaz　divined　Samuel　Brohl's　thought；　she　exclaimed：　〃The　man　I　loved　was　he　whose　history　you　related　to　me。〃

He　would　have　liked　to　kill　her；　so　that　she　never　should　belong　to　another。　Behind　Antoinette；　not　twenty　steps　distant；　he　descried　the　curb　of　a　well；　and　grew　dizzy　at　the　sight。　He　discovered；　with　despair；　that　he　was　not　made　of　the　stuff　for　crime。　He　dropped　down　on　his　knees　in　the　grass；　and　cried；　〃If　you　will　not　pardon　me；　nothing　remains　for　me　but　to　die！〃　She　stood　motionless　and　impassive。　She　repeated　between　her　teeth　Camille　Langis's　phrase：　〃I　am　waiting　until　this　great　comedian　has　finished　playing　his　piece。〃

He　rose　and　started　to　run　towards　the　well。　She　was　in　front　of　him　and　barred　the　passage；　but　at　the　same　moment　she　felt　two　hands　clasp　her　waist；　and　the　breath　of　two　lips　that　sought　her　lips　and　that　murmured；　〃You　love　me　still；　since　you　do　not　want　me　to　die。〃

She　struggled　with　violence　and　horror；　she　succeeded；　by　a　frantic　effort；　in　disengaging　herself　from　his　grasp。　She　fled　towards　the　house。　Samuel　Brohl　rushed　after　her　in　mad　pursuit；　he　was　just　reaching　her；　when　he　suddenly　stopped。　He　had　caught　sight　of　M。　Langis；　hurrying　from　out　a　thicket；　where　he　had　been　hidden。　Growing　uneasy；　he　had　approached　the　orchard　through　a　path　concealed　by　the　heavy　foliage。　Antoinette；　out　of　breath；　ran　to　him；　gasping；　〃Camille；　save　me　from　this　man！〃　and　she　threw　herself　into　his　arms；　which　closed　about　her　with　delight。　He　felt　her　sink；　she　would　have　fallen　had　he　not　supported　her。

At　the　same　instant　a　menacing　voice　saluted　him　with　the　words；　〃Monsieur；　we　will　meet　again！〃

〃To…day；　if　you　will；〃　he　replied。

Antoinette's　wild　excitement　had　given　place　to　insensibility；　she　neither　saw　nor　heard；　her　limbs　no　longer　sustained　her。　Camille　had　great　difficulty　in　bringing　her　to　the　house；　she　could　not　ascend　the　steps　of　the　terrace；　he　was　obliged　to　carry　her。　Mlle。　Moiseney　saw　him；　and　filled　the　air　with　her　cries。　She　ran　forward；　she　lavished　her　best　care　on　her　queen。　All　the　time　she　was　busy　in　bringing　her　to　her　senses　she　was　asking　Camille　for　explanations；　to　which　she　did　not　pay　the　least　attention；　she　interrupted　him　at　every　word　to　exclaim：　〃This　has　been　designed；　and　you　are　at　the　bottom　of　the　plot。　I　have　suspected　youyou　owe　Antoinette　a　grudge。　Your　wounded　vanity　never　has　recovered　from　her　refusal；　and　you　are　determined　to　be　revenged。　Perhaps　you　flatter　yourself　that　she　will　end　by　loving　you。　She　does　not　love　you；　and　she　never　will　love　you。　Who　are　you；　to　dare　compare　yourself　with　Count　Larinski？　Be　silent！　Do　I　believe　in　Samuel　Brohl？　I　do　not　know　Samuel　Brohl。　I　venture　my　head　that　there　is　no　such　person　as　Samuel　Brohl。〃

〃Not　much　of　a　venture；　mademoiselle；〃　replied　M。　Moriaz；　who　had　arrived　in　the　meantime。

Antoinette　remained　during　an　hour　in　a　state　of　mute　languor；　then　a　violent　fever　took　possession　of　her。　When　the　physician　who　had　been　sent　for　arrived；　M。　Langis　accompanied　him　into　the　chamber　of　the　sick　girl。　She　was　delirious：　seated　upright；　she　kept　continually　passing　her　hand　over　her　brow；　she　sought　to　efface　the　taint　of　a　kiss　she　had　received　one　moonlight　night；　and　the　impression　in　her　hair　of　the　flapping　of　a　bat's　wings　that　had　caught　in　her　hood。　These　two　things　were　confounded　in　her　memory。　From　time　to　time　she　said：　〃Where　is　my　portrait？　Give　me　my　portrait。〃

It　was　about　ten　o'clock　when　M。　Langis　called　on　Samuel　Brohl；　who　was　not　astonished　to　see　him　appear；　he　had　hoped　he　would　come。　Samuel　had　regained　self…possession。　He　was　calm　and　dignified。　However；　the　tempest　through　which　he　had　gone　had　left　on　his　features　some　vestige　of　its　passage。　His　lips　quivered；　and　his　beautiful　chestnut　locks　curled　like　serpents　about　his　temples；　and　gave　his　head　a　Medusa…like　appearance。

He　said　to　Camille：　〃Where　and　when？　Our　seconds　will　undertake　the　arrangement　of　the　rest。〃

〃You　mistake；　monsieur；　the　motive　of　my　visit；〃　replied　M。　Langis。　〃I　am　grieved　to　destroy　your　illusions；　but　I　did　not　come　to　arrange　a　meeting　with　you。〃

〃Do　you　refuse　to　give　me　satisfaction？〃

〃What　satisfaction　do　I　owe　you？〃

〃You　insulted　me。〃

〃When？〃

〃And　you　said：　'The　day；　the　place；　the　weapons。　I　leave　all　to　your　choice。'　〃

M。　Langis　could　not　refrain　from　smiling。　〃Ah！　you　at　last　acknowledge　that　your　fainting…fit　was　comedy？〃　he　rejoined。

〃Acknowledge　on　your　part；〃　replied　Samuel；　〃that　you　insult　persons　when　you　believe　that　they　are　not　in　a　state　to　hear　you。　Your　courage　likes　to　take　the　safe　side。〃

〃Be　reasonable；〃　replied　Camille。　〃I　placed　myself　at　Count　Larinski's　disposal：　you　cannot　require　me　to　fight　with　a　Samuel　Brohl！〃

Samuel　sprang　to　his　feet