samuel brohl & company-第6章
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〃He has so little forgotten it that he has managed； I don't know how； to be at present twenty…five。 How resist such a mark of affection？ I shall be compelled to marry him。〃
〃That will never do。 People do not marry for charity；〃 replied Mlle。 Moiseney； deprecatingly。
〃Adieu； my dear；〃 said Antoinette； dismissing her。 〃Do not dream too much about your unknown charmer。 I assure you he had a decided stoop in his shoulders。 However； that makes small difference； if your heart speaks； I will see to arranging this affair for you。〃 And she added； musingly； 〃How amusing it must be to marry other people！〃
The next morning Mlle。 Moiseney made the acquaintance of her unknown charmer。 Before leaving Bergun Mlle。 Moriaz wished to make a sketch； and she had gone out early with her father。 Mlle。 Moiseney descended to the hotel /salon/； and； espying a piano； she opened it and played a /fantasia/ by Schumann； she was a tolerably good musician。 When she had finished； Count Abel Larinski； the man with green eyes； who had entered the /salon/ without her hearing him； approached to thank her for the pleasure he had had in listening to her； but he begged to take the liberty to tell her that she failed to properly observe the movement； and had taken an /andantino/ for an /andante/。 At her solicitation he took her place at the instrument； and executed the /andantino/ as few but professional artists could do。 Mlle。 Moiseney； ever ready with her enthusiasm； declared that he must be a Liszt or a Chopin； and implored him to play her something else； to which he consented with good grace。 After this they talked about music and many other things。 The man with the green eyes possessed one quality in common with Socrates； he was master in the art of interrogating； and Mlle。 Moiseney loved to talk。 The subject on which she discoursed most willingly was Mlle。 Antoinette Moriaz； when she was started under this heading she became eloquent。 At the end of half an hour Count Abel was thoroughly /au fait/ on the character and position of Mlle。 Moriaz。 He knew that she had a heart of gold； a mind free from all narrow prejudices； a generous soul； and a love for all that was chivalrous and heroic； he knew that two days of every week were devoted by her to visiting the poor； and that she looked upon these as natural creditors to whom it was her duty to make restitution。 He knew also that Mlle。 Moriaz could all the better satisfy her charitable inclinations； as her mother had left her an income of one hundred thousand livres。 He learned that she danced to perfection； that she drew like an angel； and that she read Italian and spoke English。 This last seemed of mediocre importance to Count Abel。 St。 Paul said： 〃Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels； and have not charity； I am become as sounding brass； or a tinkling cymbal。〃 The count was of St。 Paul's opinion； and had Mlle。 Moriaz known neither how to speak English； nor to draw； nor yet to dance； it would not in the least have diminished the esteem with which he honoured her。 The main essential in his eyes was that she was benevolent to the poor； and that she cherished a little tenderness for heroes。
When he had learned； with an air of indifference； all that he cared to learn； he respectfully bowed himself away from Mlle。 Moiseney； to whom he had not mentioned his name； and； buckling his haversack； he put it on his back； paid his bill； and set out on foot to make a hasty ascent of the culminating point of the Albula Pass； which leads into the Engadine Valley。 One would have difficulty in finding throughout the Alps a more completely barren； rugged； desolate spot； than this portion of the Albula Pass。 The highway lies among masses of rocks； heaped up in terrible disorder。 Arrived at the culminating point； Count Abel felt the necessity of taking breath。 He clambered up a little hillock； where he seated himself。 At his feet were wide open the yawning jaws of a cavern； obstructed by great tufts of aconite （wolf's…bane）； with sombre foliage； one would have said that they kept guard over some crime in which they had been accomplices。 Count Abel contemplated the awful silence that surrounded him； everywhere enormous boulders； heaped together； or scattered about in isolated grandeur； some pitched on their sides； others standing erect； still others suspended； as it were； in mid…air。 It seemed to him that these boulders had formerly served for the games of bacchanalian Titans； who； after having used them as skittles or jack…stones； had ended by hurling them at one another's heads。 It is most probable that He who constructed the Albula Pass； alarmed and confused by the hideous aspect of his work； did justice to it by breaking it into fragments with his gigantic hammer。
Count Abel heard a tinkling of bells； and； looking up； he saw approaching a post…chaise； making its way from Engadine to Bergun。 It was a large； uncovered berlin； and in it sat a woman of about sixty years of age； accompanied by her attendants and her pug…dog。 This woman had rather a bulky head； a long face； a snub…nose； high cheek… bones； a keen； bright eye； a large mouth； about which played a smile； at the same time /spirituel/； imperious； and contemptuous。 Abel grew pale； and became at once convulsed with terror； he could not withdraw his eyes from this markedly Mongolian physiognomy； which from afar he had recognised。 〃Ah； yes；〃 he said； 〃it is she！〃 He drew over his face the cape of his mantle； and disappeared as completely as it is possible to disappear when one is perched upon a hillock。 It was six years since he had seen this woman； and he had promised himself never to see her again； but man is the plaything of circumstances； and his happiness as well as his pride is at the mercy of a chance encounter。 Count Abel was no longer proud； for some moments he had humbled himself； he had ceased to exist。
Happily he discovered that he had not been recognised； that the woman of sixty years of age was not looking his way。 She had good taste； discovering the hideous aspect of the country； which is usually known as the Vallee du Diable； she had opened a volume； bound in morocco；
which her waiting…woman had placed in her hands。 This volume was not a new novel； it was a German book； entitled 〃The History of Civilization； viewed in Accordance with the Doctrines of Evolution； from the most Remote Period to the Present Day。〃 She neither had made much progress in the pages of the book nor in the history of civilization； she had not got beyond the age of stone or of bronze； she was still among primitive animal life； among the protozoa； the monads； the infusoria； the vibratilesin the age of albumen； or gelatinous civilization； as it was called by the author； the sagacity of whose views charmed her。 She only interrupted her reading at intervals to lightly stroke the nose of her pug； who lay snoring in her lap； and she was a thousand leagues from suspecting that Count Abel Larinski was at hand； watching her。
The berlin passed by him without stopping； and soon it had begun the descent towards Bergun。 Then he felt a great weight roll from his heart； which beat freely once more。 The berlin moved rapidly away； the count followed it with his prayers； smoothing its course； removing every stone or other obstacle that might retard its progress。 It was just disappearing round one of the curves of the road； when it crossed another post…chaise； making the ascent in a walk； and in it Count Abel perceived something red： it was the hood of Mlle。 Antoinette Moriaz。 A moment more and the berlin was gone； it seemed to him that the shadow of his sorrowful youth； emerged suddenly from the realm of shades； had been plunged back there forever； and that the fay of hopeshe who holds in her keeping the secrets of the futurewas ascending toward him； red…hooded； flowers in her hands； sunshine in her eyes。 The clouds parted； the deep shadow covering the Vallee du Diable cleared away； and the dismal solitude began to smile。 Count Abel arose； picked up his staff； and shook himself。 As he passed before the cavern； he discovered； among the tufts of aconite which covered it； a mossy hollow； and he perceived that this hollow was ornamented with beautiful blue campanulas； whose little be
