selected writings-第46节
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M。 Lantin was disturbed； and asked：
〃How much is it worth？〃
〃Well； I sold it for twenty thousand francs。 I am willing to take
it back for eighteen thousand when you inform me； according to
our legal formality； how it comes to be in your possession。〃
This time M。 Lantin was dumfounded。 He replied：
〃Butbutexamine it well。 Until this moment I was under the
impression that it was paste。〃
Said the jeweler：
〃What is your name； sir？〃
〃LantinI am in the employ of the Minister of the Interior。 I
live at No。 16 Rue des Martyrs。〃
The merchant looked through his books； found the entry； and said：
〃That necklace was sent to Mme。 Lantin's address； 16 Rue des
Martyrs； July 20； 1876。〃
The two men looked into each other's eyesthe widower speechless
with astonishment； the jeweler scenting a thief。 The latter broke
the silence by saying：
〃Will you leave this necklace here for twenty…four hours？ I will
give you a receipt。〃
〃Certainly；〃 answered M。 Lantin； hastily。 Then； putting the
ticket in his pocket； he left the store。
He wandered aimlessly through the streets； his mind in a state of
dreadful confusion。 He tried to reason； to understand。 His wife
could not afford to purchase such a costly ornament。 Certainly
not。 But； then； it must have been a present！a present！a
present from whom？ Why was it given her？
He stopped and remained standing in the middle of the street。 A
horrible doubt entered his mindshe？ Then all the other gems
must have been presents； too！ The earth seemed to tremble beneath
him；the tree before him was fallingthrowing up his arms； he
fell to the ground； unconscious。 He recovered his senses in a
pharmacy into which the passers…by had taken him； and was then
taken to his home。 When he arrived he shut himself up in his room
and wept until nightfall。 Finally； overcome with fatigue； he
threw himself on the bed； where he passed an uneasy； restless
night。
The following morning he arose and prepared to go to the office。
It was hard to work after such a； shock。 He sent a letter to his
employer requesting to be excused。 Then he remembered that he had
to return to the jeweler's。 He did not like the idea； but he
could not leave the necklace with that man。 So he dressed and
went out。
It was a lovely day； a clear blue sky smiled on the busy city
below； and men of leisure were strolling about with their hands
in their pockets。
Observing them； M。 Lantin said to himself： 〃The rich； indeed； are
happy。 With money it is possible to forget even the deepest
sorrow。 One can go where one pleases； and in travel find that
distraction which is the surest cure for grief。 Oh！ if I were
only rich！〃
He began to feel hungry； but his pocket was empty。 He again
remembered the necklace。 Eighteen thousand francs！ Eighteen
thousand francs！ What a sum！
He soon arrived in the Rue de la Paix； opposite the jeweler's。
Eighteen thousand francs！ Twenty times he resolved to go in； but
shame kept him back。 He was hungry； however；very hungry； and
had not a cent in his pocket。 He decided quickly； ran across the
street in order not to have time for reflection； and entered the
store。
The proprietor immediately came forward； and politely offered him
a chair； the clerks glanced at him knowingly。
〃I have made inquiries； M。 Lantin；〃 said the jeweler； 〃and if you
are still resolved to dispose of the gems； I am ready to pay you
the price I offered。〃
〃Certainly； sir；〃 stammered M。 Lantin。
Whereupon the proprietor took from a drawer eighteen large bills；
counted and handed them to M。 Lantin； who signed a receipt and
with a trembling hand put the money into his pocket。
As he was about to leave the store； he turned toward the
merchant； who still wore the same knowing smile； and lowering his
eyes； said：
〃I haveI have other gems which I have received from the same
source。 Will you buy them also？〃
The merchant bowed： 〃Certainly； sir。〃
M。 Lantin said gravely： 〃I will bring them to you。〃 An hour later
he returned with the gems。
The large diamond earrings were worth twenty thousand francs； the
bracelets thirty…five thousand； the rings； sixteen thousand； a
set of emeralds and sapphires； fourteen thousand； a gold chain
with solitaire pendant； forty thousandmaking the sum of one
hundred and forty…three thousand francs。
The jeweler remarked； jokingly：
〃There was a person who invested all her earnings in precious
stones。〃
M。 Lantin replied； seriously：
〃It is only another way of investing one's money。〃
That day he lunched at Voisin's and drank wine worth twenty
francs a bottle。 Then he hired a carriage and made a tour of the
Bois； and as he scanned the various turn…outs with a contemptuous
air he could hardly refrain from crying out to the occupants：
〃I； too； am rich！I am worth two hundred thousand francs。〃
Suddenly he thought of his employer。 He drove up to the office；
and entered gaily； saying：
〃Sir； I have come to resign my position。 I have just inherited
three hundred thousand francs。〃
He shook hands with his former colleagues and confided to them
some of his projects for the future； then he went off to dine at
the Cafe Anglais。
He seated himself beside a gentleman of aristocratic bearing； and
during the meal informed the latter confidentially that he had
just inherited a fortune of four hundred thousand francs。
For the first time in his life he was not bored at the theater；
and spent the remainder of the night in a gay frolic。
Six months afterward he married again。 His second wife was a very
virtuous woman； with a violent temper。 She caused him much
sorrow。
COUNTESS SATAN
I。
They were discussing dynamite； the social revolution； Nihilism；
and even those who cared least about politics had something to
say。 Some were alarmed； others philosophized； and others again
tried to smile。
〃Bah！〃 Nsaid； 〃when we are all blown up； we shall see what it
is like。 Perhaps； after all； it may be an amusing sensation；
provided one goes high enough。〃
〃But we shall not be blown up at all；〃 G； the optimist； said；
interrupting him。 〃It is all a romance。〃
〃You are mistaken； my dear fellow；〃 Jules de Creplied。 〃It is
like a romance； but with this confounded Nihilism； everything is
the same； it would be a mistake to trust to it。 For instance； the
manner in which I made Bakounine's acquaintance〃
They knew that he was a good narrator； and it was no secret that
his life had been an adventurous one； so they drew closer to him；
and listened intently。 This is what he told them：
II
〃I met Countess Nioska W； that strange woman who was usually
called Countess Satan； in Naples。 I immediately attached myself
to her out of curiosity； and soon fell in love with her。 Not that
she was beautiful； for she was a Russian with the bad
characteristics of the Russian type。 She was thin and squat at
the same time； while her face was sallow and puffy； with high
cheek…bones and a Cossack's nose。 But her conversation bewitched
everyone。
〃She was many…sided； learned； a philosopher； scientifically
depraved； satanic。 Perhaps the word is rather pretentious； but it
exactly expresses what I want to say； for in other words she
loved evil for the sake of evil。 She rejoiced in other people's
vices； she liked to sow the seeds of evil； in order to see it
flourish。 And that； too； by fraud on an enormous scale。 It was
not enough for her to corrupt individuals； she only did that to
keep her hand in； what she wished to do was to corrupt the
masses。 By slightly altering it after her own fashion； she might
have used Caligula's famous wish。 She also might have wished that
the whole human race had but one head； not in order that she
might cut it off； but that she might make the philosophy of
Nihilism flourish there。
〃What a temptation to become the lord and master of such a
monster！ I allowed myself to be tempted； and undertook the
adventure。 The means came unsought for by me； and the only thing
that I had to do was to show myself more perverted and satanic
than she was herself。 And so I played the devil。
〃 'Yes；' I said； 'we writers are the best workmen for doing evil；
as our books may be bottles of poison。 The so…called men of
action only turn the handle of the mitrailleuse which we have
loaded。 Formulas will destroy the world； and it is we who invent
them。'
〃 'That is true；' said she； 'and that is what is wanting in
Bakounine； I am sorry to say。'
〃That name was constantly in her mouth。 So I asked her for
details； which she gave me； as she knew the man intimately。
〃 'After all；' she said； with a contemptuous grimace； 'he is only
a kind of Garibaldi。'
〃She told me； although she made fun of him as she did so； about
that 'Odyssey' of the barricades and of the hulks w
