samuel brohl & company-第12节

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　dissipated　illusions；　of　the　bitterness　of　my　youth　and　of　my　future。　You　passed　by　on　the　road；　and　I　said　to　myself；　'There　is　good　in　life；　because　of　such　encounters；　in　which　we　catch　renewed　glimpses　of　what　was　once　pleasant　for　us　to　see。'　〃

〃And　the　note？〃　she　asked　again；　in　a　dreamy　tone。

He　went　on：　〃I　never　was　a　philosopher；　wisdom　consists　in　performing　only　useful　actions；　and　I　was　born　with　a　taste　for　the　useless。　That　evening　I　saw　you　climb　a　hill；　in　order　to　gather　some　flowers；　the　hill　was　steep　and　you　could　not　reach　the　flowers。　I　gathered　them　for　you；　and；　in　sending　my　bouquet；　I　could　not　resist　the　temptation　of　adding　a　word。　'Before　doing　penance；'　I　said　to　myself；　'let　me　commit　this　one　folly；　it　shall　be　the　last。'　We　always　flatter　ourselves　that　each　folly　will　be　our　last。　The　unfortunate　note　had　scarcely　gone；　when　I　regretted　having　sent　it；　I　would　have　given　much　to　have　had　it　back；　I　felt　all　its　impropriety；　I　have　dealt　justly　by　it　in　tearing　it　to　pieces。　My　only　excuse　was　my　firm　resolution　not　to　meet　you；　not　to　make　your　acquaintance。　Chance　ordered　otherwise：　I　was　presented　to　you；　you　know　by　whom；　and　how；　I　ended　by　coming　here　every　evening；　but　I　rebelled　against　my　own　weakness；　I　condemned　myself　to　absence　for　a　few　days；　so　as　to　break　a　dangerous　habit；　and；　thank　God！　I　have　broken　my　chain。〃

She　lightly　tapped　the　floor　with　the　tip　of　her　foot；　and　demanded　with　the　air　of　a　queen　recalling　a　subject　to　his　allegiance；　〃Are　you　to　be　believed？〃

He　had　spoken　in　a　half…serious；　half…jesting　tone；　tinged　with　the　playful　melancholy　that　was　natural　to　him。　He　changed　countenance；　his　face　flushed；　and　he　cried　out　abruptly；　〃I　regained　my　strength　and　will　on　the　summit　of　Morteratsch；　and　I　only　return　to　bid　you　farewell；　and　to　give　you　the　assurance　that　I　never　will　see　you　again。〃

〃It　is　a　strange　case；〃　she　replied；　〃but　I　pardon　you；　on　condition　that　you　do　not　execute　your　threat。　You　are　resolved　to　be　wise；　the　wise　avoid　extremes。　You　will　remember　that　you　have　friends　in　Paris。　My　father　has　many　connections；　if　we　can　be　of　service　to　you　in　any　way〃

He　did　not　permit　her　to　finish；　and　responded　proudly：　〃I　thank　you；　with　all　my　heart。　I　have　sworn　to　be　under　obligations　to　none　but　myself。〃

〃Very　well；〃　she　replied；　〃you　will　visit　us　for　our　pleasure。　In　a　month　we　shall　be　at　Cormeilles。〃

He　shook　his　head　in　sign　of　refusal。　She　looked　fixedly　at　him；　and　said；　〃It　must　be　so。〃

This　look；　these　words；　sent　to　Count　Abel's　brain　such　a　thrill　of　joy　and　of　hope　that　for　a　moment　he　thought　he　had　betrayed　himself。　He　nearly　fell　on　his　knees　before　Mlle。　Moriaz；　but；　speedily　mastering　his　emotions；　he　bowed　gravely；　casting　down　his　eyes。　She　herself　immediately　resumed　her　usual　voice　and　manner；　and　questioned　him　on　his　journey。　He　told　her；　in　reply；　that　he　proposed　to　go　by　the　route　of　Soleure；　and　to　stay　there　a　day　in　order　to　visit　in　Gurzelengasse　the　house　where　Kosciuszko；　the　greatest　of　Poles；　had　died。　He　had　thought　of　this　pilgrimage　for　a　long　time。　He　added：　〃Still　another　useless　action。　Ah！　when　shall　I　improve？〃

〃Don't　improve　too　much；〃　she　said；　smiling。　And　then　he　went　away。

M。　Moriaz　returned　to　the　hotel　about　noon：　his　guide　being　engaged　elsewhere；　he　had　taken　only　a　short　ramble。　After　breakfast　his　daughter　proposed　to　him　that　he　should　go　down　with　her　to　the　banks　of　the　lake。　They　made　the　descent；　which　is　not　difficult。　This　pretty　piece　of　water；　that　has　been　falsely　accused　of　resembling　a　shaving…dish；　is　said　to　be　not　less　than　a　mile　in　length。　When　the　father　and　daughter　reached　the　entrance　of　the　woods　that　pedestrians　pass　through　in　going　to　Pontresina；　they　seated　themselves　on　the　grass　at　the　foot　of　a　larch。　They　remained　some　time　silent。　Antoinette　watched　the　cows　grazing；　and　stroked　the　smooth；　glossy　leaves　of　a　yellow　gentian　with　the　end　of　her　parasol。　M。　Moriaz　busied　himself　with　neither　the　cows　nor　the　yellow　gentianhe　thought　of　M。　Camille　Langis；　and　felt　more　than　a　little　guilty　in　that　quarter；　he　had　not　written　to　him；　having　nothing　satisfactory　to　tell　him。　He　could　see　the　young　man　waiting　in　vain；　at　the　Hotel　Steinbock。　To　pass　a　fortnight　at　Chur　is　a　torture　that　the　most　robust　constitution　scarcely　can　endure；　and　it　is　an　increased　torture　to　watch　every　evening　and　every　morning　for　a　letter　that　never　comes。　M。　Moriaz　resolved　to　open　hostilities；　to　begin　a　new　assault　on　the　impregnable　place。　He　was　seeking　in　his　mind　for　a　beginning　for　his　first　phrase。　He　had　just　found　it；　when　suddenly　Antoinette　said　to　him；　in　a　low；　agitated；　but　distinct　voice：　〃I　have　a　question　for　you。　What　would　you　think　if　I　should　some　day　marry　M。　Abel　Larinski？〃

M。　Moriaz　started　up；　and　his　cane；　slipping　from　his　hand；　rolled　to　the　bottom　of　the　declivity。　He　looked　at　his　daughter；　and　said　to　her：　〃I　beg　of　you　to　repeat　what　you　just　said　to　me。　I　fear　I　have　misunderstood　you。〃

She　answered　in　a　firmer　voice；　〃I　am　curious　to　know　what　you　would　think　if　I　should　marry；　some　day　or　other；　Count　Larinski。〃

He　was　startled；　thunderstruck。　He　never　had　foreseen　that　such　a　catastrophe　could　occur；　nor　had　the　least　suspicion　that　anything　had　passed　between　his　daughter　and　M。　Larinski。　Of　all　the　ideas　that　had　suggested　themselves　to　him；　this　seemed　the　least　admissible；　the　most　improbable　and　ridiculous。　After　a　long　silence；　he　said　to　Antoinette；　〃You　want　to　frighten　methis　is　not　serious。〃

〃Do　you　dislike　M。　Larinski？〃　she　asked。

〃Certainly　not；　I　by　no　means　dislike　him。　He　has　good　manners；　he　speaks　well；　and　I　must　acknowledge　that　he　had　a　very　graceful　way　of　taking　me　from　off　my　rock；　where　I　should　still　be　had　it　not　been　for　him。　I　am　grateful　to　him　for　it；　but；　from　that　to　giving　him　my　daughter；　there　is　a　wide　margin。　If　he　wanted　me　to　give　him　a　medal　he　should　have　it。〃

〃Let　us　talk　seriously；〃　said　she。　〃What　objections　have　you　to　make？〃

〃First；　M。　Larinski　is　a　stranger；　and　I　mistrust　strangers。　Then；　I　know　him　but　slightly。　I　naturally　demand　additional　information。　Finally；　I　own　that　the　state　of　his　affairs〃

〃Ah！　that　is　the　main　point；〃　she　interrupted。　〃He　is　poor；　that　is　his　crime；　which　he　has　not　disguised。　How　differently　we　think！　I　have　some　fortune；　its　only　advantage　that　I　can　see　is　that　it　makes　me　free　to　marry　the　man　I　esteem；　though　he　be　poor。〃

〃And　perhaps　a　little　because　of　that　very　reason；〃　interrupted　M。　Moriaz；　in　his　turn。　〃Come；　I　entreat　you；　let　me　explain　the　anxieties　arising　from　my　miserable　good　sense。　M。　Larinski　has　related　his　history　to　us。　Frankly；　do　you　not　think　that　it　is　rather　thatwhat　shall　I　sayof　an　adventurer？　The　word　shocks　youI　take　it　backbut　you　must　admit　that　this　Pole　belongs　to　theambulatory　family。〃

〃Or　family　of　heroes；〃　she　replied。

〃That　is　it；　of　wandering　heroes。　I　wish　all　manner　of　good　to　heroes；　although　I　never　have　clearly　discovered　their　use。　At　all　events；　I　am　not　sure　that　they　are　the　best　qualified　men　in　the　world　to　make　a　wife　happy；　and　I　intend　that　my　daughter　shall　be　happy。〃

〃You　are　not　convinced　as　I　am　that　M。　Larinski　has　a　superior　mind；　and　a　heart　of　gold？〃

〃A　heart　of　gold！　I　should　be　glad　to　believe　it。　I　have　no　reason　to　doubt　it；　but　many　very　skilful　persons　are　deceived　by　false　jewellery。　Ah！　my　dear；　if　you　were　better　versed　in　chemistry；　you　would　know　how　easy　it　is　to　manufacture　a　false　trinket。　Formerly；　after　having　cleaned　the　piece　to　be　gilded；　a　gold　amalgam　was　applied。　Now；　the　brass　or　copper　trinket　is　steeped　in　a　solution　of　perchloride　of　gold　and　bicarbonate　of　potash；　and　in　less　than　a　minute　the　thing　is　accomplished。　It　is　called　gilding　by　immersion。　There　is　another　process　in　which　galvanism　But　let　us　admit　that　M。　Larinski's　heart　is　real　gold。　In　the　purest　gold　there　is　usually　some　alloy；　to　dispense　with　which　resort　must　be　had　to　the　cupel。　Do　you　not　know　what　a　cupel　is？　It　is　a　small　capsule　or　cup　of　a　porous　substance；　used　in　the　refining　process；　and　possessing　the　property　of　absorbing　the　fused　oxides　and　retaining　the　refined　metal。　What　is　the　proportion　of　lead　or　of　gold　ore　in　M。　Larinski's　heart？　Neither　you　nor　I　know。〃

She　was　no　longer　listening；　her　chin　in　her　hand；　her　glances　wandered　over　the　glade。　He　touched　her　arm　gently　to　rouse　her；　and　said：　〃It　is　all　over？　You　love　him？〃

〃Why　will　you　make　me　say　so？〃　she　replied；　blushing。

〃And　he　has　declared　himself？　He　has　dared〃

〃He　has　dared　nothing。　Ah！　how　little　you　know　him！　If　you　were　to　offer　me　to　him；　his　pride　would　say　no；　and　I　would　have　to　go　down　on　my　knees　to　get　the　better　of　his　refusal。〃

〃We　will　say；　at　once；　that　he　is　unique；　that　he　is　a　marvel；　that　there　is　not　a　second　Pole　like　him；　the　mould　has　been　broken。　And　yet　are　you　sure　that　he　loves　you？〃

She　replied　by　a　motion　of　the　head。

〃I　should　confess；〃　he　resumed；　〃that　the　passion　that　is　called　the　grand　passion　is　for　me　a　sealed　letter；　the　mystery　of　mysteries。　I　am　completely　ignorant　of　it。　Yet　that　did　not　prevent　my　marrying；　and　making　a　cho