samuel brohl & company-第13节

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of　mysteries。　I　am　completely　ignorant　of　it。　Yet　that　did　not　prevent　my　marrying；　and　making　a　choice　that　brought　me　great　happiness。　Your　method　is　different；　and　I　must　believe　that　you　have　yielded　to　an　irresistible　force。　It　seems　to　me；　however；　that　resistance　can　always　be　made。　You　have　will；　character〃

She　interrupted　him；　murmuring；　〃It　is　either　he　or　no　one。〃

〃Oh！　if　it　comes　to　that；〃　he　continued；　〃you　are　of　age；　and　mistress　of　your　actions；　there　is　nothing　for　me　but　to　submit。　Still；　it　will　be　painful　to　you；　I　like　to　believe；　to　marry　in　opposition　to　my　wishes。〃

〃Do　you　doubt　it？　I　am　willing　not　to　marry。〃

〃Bad　solution！　It　is　worse　than　the　other。　Let　us　come　to　terms。　The　positive　has　its　place　only　in　science。　It　is　absolutely　true　that　borax　is　a　salt　composed　of　boracic　acid　and　soda。　Beyond　such　facts　all　is　uncertain。　Does　this　happy　man　surmise　the　sentiments　he　has　inspired？〃

〃I　tell　you　that　you　do　not　know　him？　Do　you　take　him　for　a　coxcomb？　When　he　came　this　morning　to　announce　his　departure；　his　serious　intention　was　to　bid　us　an　eternal　farewell；　and　never　to　see　me　again。〃

〃A　most　excellent　idea　that；〃　sighed　M。　Moriaz。　〃Unfortunately；　you　represented　to　him　that　it　took　but　two　hours　to　go　from　Paris　to　Cormeilles。〃

〃I　had　trouble　to　persuade　him　of　it。〃

〃Well；　since　the　matter　stands　thus；　nothing　is　yet　lost。　You　know；　my　dear；　that　my　physician　advised　me　to　beware　of　abrupt　transitions；　and　not　to　change　too　suddenly　from　the　keen　air　of　Engadine　to　the　heavy　atmosphere　of　the　plains。　On　leaving　Saint　Moritz；　we　will　descend　five　hundred　metres　lower；　and　remain　three　weeks　at　Churwalden；　consequently；　we　will　not　be　in　Paris　for　a　month。　You　will　employ　this　month　in　somewhat　calming　your　imagination。　It　is　very　easy　for　it　to　become　excited　in　these　mountain…holes；　without　taking　into　account　the　wearisomeness　of　hotel…life。　From　the　very　day　after　our　arrival　you　took　a　dislike　to　the　paper　in　our　little　/salon/；　and　its　squares；　I　confess；　are　very　ugly。　In　every　square；　a　thrush　stretching　out　its　neck　to　peck　a　currant。　Two　hundred　thrushes　and　two　hundred　currantsit　was　enough　to　weary　you　to　death。　Suddenly　there　appears　a　Pole〃

〃The　thrushes　had　nothing　to　do　with　it；〃　she　replied；　smiling。　〃A　month　hence　I　shall　say　as　I　do　to…day。　'It　is　either　he　or　no　one。'　And　you　shall　choose。〃

〃Do　not　repeat　that　formula；　I　beg。　Fixed　resolves　are　the　prison…　house　of　the　will。　Promise　me　to　reflect；　reflection　is　an　excellent　thing。　One　thing　moregrant　me　in　advance　what　I　am　going　to　ask　you。〃

〃It　is　granted。〃

〃You　have　a　godmother〃

〃Ah！　now　we　are　coming　to　the　point；〃　she　added。

〃You　cannot　deny　that　Mme。　De　Lorcy　is　a　woman　of　the　world；　a　woman　of　good　sense；　a　woman　of　experience；　who　is　deeply　interested　in　your　welfare〃

〃And　who　has　decided　from　time　immemorial；　that　I　can　only　be　happy　on　condition　that　I　marry　her　nephew；　M。　Camille　Langis。〃

〃Well；　I　admit　that　she　is　partial。　That　is　no　reason　why　we　should　not　send　her　our　Pole。　She　will　inspect　him；　she　will　tell　us　her　opinion；　it　will　be　a　new　element　in　the　argument。〃

〃Ah！　I　know　her　opinion　without　asking　it。　This　woman　of　experience　and　good　sense　is　incapable　of　recognising　merit　in　a　man　who　is　sufficiently　impertinent　to　make　Mlle。　Moriaz　love　him；　without　having　at　least　fifty　thousand　livres　a　year　to　offer　her。〃

〃What　does　that　matter？　We　will　let　her　speakwe　need　not　question　her；　an　oracle；　but　she　knows　false　jewellery。　If　she　discover〃

〃I　would　require　proofs；〃　she　interrupted；　quickly。

〃And　if　she　furnish　them？〃

She　was　silent　an　instant；　then　she　said：　〃Let　it　be　so；　do　as　you　please。〃

With　these　words　they　ended　the　conversation；　then　arose；　and　retook　the　road　to　Saint　Moritz。　M。　Moriaz　scarcely　had　reached　there；　when　he　entered　a　carriage　to　drive　to　Cellarina；　provided　with　a　portfolio　given　him　by　Antoinette。　He　found　M。　Larinski　busy　strapping　his　trunks；　and　waiting　for　the　mail…coach　that　made　the　journey　between　Samaden　and　Chur　by　the　Col　du　Julier。

M。　Moriaz　expressed　his　regret　at　having　missed　his　visit；　and　asked　if　he　would　consent　to　charge　himself　with　a　commission　for　his　daughter；　who　desired　to　send　to　her　godmother；　Mme。　De　Lorcy；　a　sketch　of　Saint　Moritz。

〃Cheerfully；〃　coldly　replied　Count　Abel；　and　he　promised；　so　soon　as　he　reached　Paris；　to　send　the　portfolio　to　Maisons　Lafitte。

〃Do　better　than　that；〃　rejoined　M。　Moriaz；　〃and　carry　your　good…nature　so　far　as　to　take　it　yourself　to　its　address。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　is　an　amiable　woman；　who　will　be　charmed　to　make　your　acquaintance；　and　hear　from　you　of　us。〃

The　count　bowed　with　a　submissive　air。　There　was　so　little　ardour　in　this　submission　that　M。　Moriaz　queried　if　his　daughter　had　not　been　dreaming；　if　M。　Larinski　was　as　much　in　love　with　her　as　she　fancied。　He　had　not　read　the　anonymous　letter；　Antoinette　had　refrained　from　even　mentioning　it　to　him。

He　was　returning　to　Saint　Moritz；　when　he　met　midway　a　pedestrian；　who；　lost　in　thought；　neither　looked　at　him　nor　recognised　him。　M。　Moriaz　ordered　the　coachman　to　stop；　sprang　out　of　the　carriage；　went　up　to　the　traveller　whom　he　seized　by　both　shoulders；　exclaiming：

〃What；　you！　you　again！　I　can　go　nowhere　in　Grisons　without　meeting　you。　I　ask　as　I　did　at　Chur；　'Where　do　you　come　from？'　〃

〃Did　you　think　I　would　stay　there　forever？〃　rejoined　M。　Camille　Langis；　reproachfully。　〃You　have　not　kept　your　word；　you　have　forgotten　me；　you　did　not　write　to　me。　I　am　tired　of　waiting；　so　here　I　am。〃

〃And　where　are　you　going？〃

〃To　the　Hotel　Badrutt；　to　plead　my　own　cause；　because　my　advocate　has　failed　me。〃

〃Ah！　you　have　chosen　an　excellent　time；〃　cried　M。　Moriaz；　〃you　have　a　real　genius　for　arriving　in　season。　Go；　hurry；　plead；　moan；　weep；　entreat；　you　will　be　well　received；　you　can　come　and　tell　me　all　about　it。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Camille；　〃is　it　all　over？　Have　you　spoken；　and　did　she　silence　you？〃

〃Not　at　all；　she　listened　to　me；　without　enthusiasm；　it　is　true；　but　with　attention　and　deference；　when　suddenlyAh！　my　poor　friend；　how　can　it　be　helped？　This　sad　world　is　full　of　accidents　and　Poles。〃

M。　Langis　looked　at　him　in　amazement；　as　if　to　ask　for　an　explanation。　M。　Moriaz　continued：　〃Do　yourself　justice。　You　are　the　most　honest　fellow　upon　earth；　I　grant；　you　are　a　charming　man；　and　an　engineer　of　the　highest　merit。　But；　unfortunately；　there　is　no　mystery　of　blood　and　tears　in　your　existence；　you　are　perfectly　unpretending；　frank；　unaffected；　and　as　transparent　as　crystal；　in　short；　you　are　not　a　stranger。　Had　you　a　delicate；　blond；　and　romantic　mother；　and　do　you　wear　her　portrait　on　your　heart？　have　you　unfathomable　green　eyes？　have　you　adventures　to　relate？　have　you　visited　California？　have　you　swept　the　streets　of　San　Francisco？　have　you　exchanged　bullets　with　the　Cossacks？　have　you　been　killed　in　three　combats　and　in　ten　skirmishes？　I　fear　you　have　not　even　thought　of　dying　once。　Have　you　tried　all　professions；　without　succeeding　in　one？　have　you　invented　a　gun　which　burst？　and；　above　all；　are　you　as　poor　as　a　church…mouse？　What！　is　it　possible　that　you　possess　none　of　these　fine　advantages；　and　yet　are　audacious　enough　to　ask　me　for　my　daughter's　hand？〃

M。　Moriaz　ended　this　harangue　as　the　Samaden　mail…coach　passed。　Count　Abel；　seated　on　the　outside；　bowed　and　waved　his　hand　to　them。

〃Look　well　at　that　man；〃　said　M。　Moriaz　to　Camille；　〃for　he　is　the　enemy。〃

And　then；　instead　of　giving　him　the　remaining　information　that　the　youth　desired；　he　said：

〃Go　away　and　forget；　it　is　the　best　thing　that　you　can　do。〃

〃You　do　not　know　me　yet；〃　replied　Camille。　〃I　am　obstinate；　I　fire　to　the　last　cartridge。　I　will　follow　your　steps。　Oh！　don't　be　afraid；　I　will　liedeceive　Antoinette；　let　her　think　that　I　have　relinquished　my　claims。　I　shall　pay　her　only　a　friendly　visit；　but　my　eyes　hunger　to　see　her；　and　I　will　see　her。〃

The　morning　of　the　following　day　the　enemy　arrived　at　Chur；　whence　he　proceeded　to　Berne。　Deponent　saith　not　why　he　failed　to　turn　aside　at　Soleure；　as　he　had　expressed　his　intention　of　doing　in　order　to　pay　tribute　there　to　the　memory　of　the　great　Kosciuszko。　The　facts　of　the　case　are；　that　from　Berne　he　went　direct　to　Lausanne；　and　that　immediately　on　reaching　there　he　hastened　to　the　Saxon　Casino。　When　he　seated　himself　at　the　gaming…table；　he　experienced　a　violent　palpitation　of　the　heart。　His　ears　tingled；　his　brain　was　on　fire；　and　the　cold　sweat　started　out　on　his　forehead。　He　cast　fierce　glances　right　and　left；　he　seemed　to　see　in　his　partner's　eyes　his　past；　his　future；　and　Mlle。　Moriaz　life…size。　Fortune　made　amends　for　the　harshness　she　had　shown　him　at　Milan。　After　a　night　of　anguish　and　many　vicissitudes；　at　daybreak　Count　Abel　had　twenty　thousand　francs　in　his　pocket。　It　was　sufficient　to　pay　his　debts；　which　he　was　anxious　to　do；　and　to　enable　him　to　await　without　too　much　impatience　the　moment　for　executing　his　projects。

He　left　the　casino；　his　face　flushed　and　radiant；　he　was　so　joyful　that　he　became　tender　and　affectionate；　and；　had　M。　Guldenthal　himself　come　in　his　way；　he　could　have　embraced　him。



CHAPTER　IV

Although　he　had　said　no