samuel brohl & company-第17节

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Samuel　crossed　his　hands　on　his　knee；　then　he　continued：　〃May　my　tongue　cleave　to　the　roof　of　my　mouth；　may　my　blood　cease　to　flow　in　my　veins；　may　the　marrow　dry　up　in　my　bones；　if　ever　I　forget　to　be　grateful　for　what　I　owe　to　you；　Abel　Larinski；　or　cease　to　remember　the　forlorn　hovel　in　which　we　passed　the　first　night　of　our　journey！　You　were　attacked　by　suffocation。　You　had　only　time　to　call　and　wake　me。　I　hastened　to　you。　You　gave　me；　in　a　dying　voice；　your　last　instructions。　You　delivered　into　my　hands　your　last　fifty　florins；　which　were　as　acceptable　as　an　orange　would　have　been　to　the　shipwrecked　passengers　of　the　Medusa。　Then　you　pointed　with　your　finger　to　a　box；　in　which　were　inclosed　family　relics；　letters；　your　journal；　and　papers。　You　said：　'Destroy　all　that；　Poland　is　dead；　let　no　one　remember　that　I　have　lived！'　After　that　you　breathed　your　last。　Well！　I　confess　that　I　did　not　fulfil　your　orders。　I　kept　your　mother's　portrait；　the　papers；　all；　and；　in　announcing　your　decease　to　the　police；　I　made　them　believe　that　the　man　who　was　dead　was　named　Samuel　Brohl；　and　that　Count　Larinski　still　lived。　What　would　you　have　me　do？　The　temptation　was　too　great。　Samuel　Brohl　had　disgraceful　antecedents；　he　was　base…born；　he　had　been　sold；　there　was　a　stain　on　his　past　that　never　could　be　wiped　away；　and；　as　he　had　had　the　misfortune　to　read　the　poets；　it　had　come　about　that　he　often　despised　himself。　It　was；　indeed；　time　that　he　should　be　thrown　into　the　shade；　and　my　joy　was　extreme　to　know　that　he　was　dead；　and　to　feel　that　I　was　alive。　As　soon　as　I　succeeded　in　persuading　myself　that　I　was　indeed　Count　Abel　Larinski；　I　was　as　happy　as　a　child　whose　parents　have　dressed　him　in　new　clothes；　and　who　struts　about　to　show　them。　With　your　name　I　acquired　a　noble　past；　in　thought；　I　roamed　through　it　with　delight；　I　visited　its　every　nook　and　corner；　as　a　poor　devil　would　make　the　circuit　of　a　park　that　he　has　just　come　to　inherit。　You　bequeathed　me　your　relations；　your　adventures；　your　exploits。　When　you　fought　for　your　country；　I　was　there；　when　you　received　a　gun…shot…　wound　near　Dubrod；　it　was　into　my　flesh　that　the　bullet　penetrated。　Of　what　do　you　complain？　Between　friends　is　not　everything　in　common？　I　left　my　own　skin；　I　entered　yours；　I　was　satisfied　there；　and　desired　to　remain。　To…day　I　resemble　you　in　everything；　I　assure　you　that　if　we　were　seen　together　it　would　be　difficult　to　tell　us　apart。　I　have　assumed　your　habits；　your　manners；　your　language；　the　poise　of　your　head；　your　playful　melancholy；　your　pride；　your　opinions；　all；　even　to　the　colour　of　your　hair　and　your　handwriting。　Abel　Larinski；　I　have　become　you：　I　mistake；　I　am　more　Pole；　more　Larinski；　than　you　were　yourself。〃

At　this　moment　Samuel　Brohl　had　a　singular　expression　of　countenance；　his　gaze　was　fixed。　He　was　no　longer　of　this　worldhe　conversed　with　a　spirit；　but　he　was　neither　terrified　nor　awed；　as　was　Hamlet　in　talking　to　the　shade　of　his　father。　He　treated　familiarly　the　shade　of　the　true　Abel　Larinski；　it　was　precisely　as　we　treat　a　partner　that　has　transacted　business　with　us　in　the　same　firm。

〃It　is　very　true；　my　dear　Abel；〃　he　continued；　〃that　the　principle　of　partnership　accomplishes　wonders；　one　man　alone　is　a　small　affair。　But；　of　all　partnerships；　the　most　useful　and　convenient　is　the　one　that　we　have　made　together。　The　living　and　the　dead　can　render　each　other　important　services；　and　they　never　quarrel。　You　should　be　satisfied；　you　play　a　fine　role；　you　are　the　signature　of　the　house。　We　will　not　speak　of　your　gun；　that　was　a　poor　speculation；　for　which　I　scarcely　can　pardon　you。　It　was　the　fault　of　your　disordered　brain　that　we　wandered　off　on　that　bypath；　but；　thanks　be　to　Heaven！　we　have　at　last　gained　the　highway。　Five　weeks　ago　we　met　a　woman；　and　what　a　woman！　She　has　velvety…brown　eyes；　whence　glances　well　forth　like　fresh　and　living　waters。　To　praise　her　grace　properly；　I　must　borrow　the　language　of　the　'Song　of　Solomon'：　'Thy　lips；　O　my　spouse！　drop　as　the　honey…comb；　honey　and　milk　are　under　thy　tongue；　and　the　smell　of　thy　garments　is　like　the　smell　of　Lebanon。　This　thy　stature　is　like　to　a　palm…tree。　Thou　art　all　fair；　my　love；　there　is　no　spot　in　thee。　A　garden　inclosed　is　my　sister；　my　spouse：　a　spring　shut　upa　fountain　sealed。'　Some　day　she　will　cry　out；　with　the　Shulamite；　'Let　my　beloved　come　into　his　garden；　and　eat　his　pleasant　fruits。'　She　belongs　to　us；　my　dear　Larinskimy　dear　partner；　she　had　yielded；　and　you　and　I　share　the　honour　of　the　victory。　I　presented　myself　before　her；　and　my　presence　did　not　displease　her。　I　related　to　her　your　history；　as　you　would　have　related　it　yourself；　with　delicacy　and　simplicity；　neither　adding　nor　omitting。　Her　heart　was　touched；　her　heart　was　taken　captive。　You　will　wed　hershe　will　bear　your　name；　but　you　will　marry　her　by　proxy；　and　I　shall　be　your　proctor。　I　promise　to　consider　myself　your　mandatory；　or；　to　express　it　better；　you　will　own　the　property　and　I　will　have　the　usufruct。　Never　fear　that　I　shall　forget　what　I　owe　to　you；　or　the　modesty　proper　to　my　estate。〃

At　these　words；　he　made　a　grand　gesture；　as　if　to　banish　the　phantom　that　he　had　conjured　up；　and　that　fled　away　trembling　with　sorrow；　shame；　and　indignation。　The　peacock　cried　anew　a　mournful　shriek。　〃Stupid　bird！〃　thought　Samuel　Brohl；　quaking　with　sudden　dread。

He　looked　at　his　watch；　and　reflected　that　the　hour　was　advancing　that　he　was　losing　time　with　the　spirits。　He　rose　hastily；　and　wended　his　way　toward　Cormeilles；　thence　he　wished　to　come　upon　a　sunny　path　that　led　to　the　banks　of　the　Seine；　and　Sartrouville；　the　belfry　of　which　was　plainly　visible。　When　he　reached　the　foot　of　the　declivity；　he　turned　his　head　and　saw；　on　the　summit　of　the　hill；　through　the　space　left　by　the　crooked　branches　of　two　plantains；　a　white　wall；　that　seemed　to　laugh　amid　the　verdure；　and　a　little　higher　the　pointed　roof　of　the　dove…cote；　where　Mlle。　Moriaz's　doves　had　their　nests。　He　did　not　need　to　look　long　at　this　roof　to　recognise　it。　He　threw　a　burning　kiss　in　the　aira　kiss　that　was　sent　to　the　doves　as　well　as　to　the　dove…coteto　the　house　as　well　as　to　the　womanto　the　woman　as　well　as　the　house。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　Samuel　Brohl　was　in　love；　but　Samuel　Brohl's　love　differed　from　Abel　Larinski's。　When　they　adore　a　woman；　be　she　as　beautiful　as　a　picture；　the　frame；　if　it　is　a　rich　one；　pleases　them　as　much　as　the　painting；　and　they　propose　to　possess　their　mistress　with　all　her　appendages　and　appurtenances。



CHAPTER　V

Mme。　de　Lorcy　was　a　woman　of　about　fifty　years　of　age；　who　still　possessed　remains　of　beauty。　She　had　been　a　widow　for　long　years；　and　never　had　thought　of　marrying　again。　Although　her　wedded　life　had　been　a　happy　one；　she　considered　that　liberty　is　to　be　prized　above　all　else；　she　employed　hers　in　a　most　irreproachable　manner。　She　was　self…　possessed；　even　better　acquainted　with　numbers　than　with　dress；　and　managed　her　property　herself；　which　was　by　no　means　a　trifling　thing　to　do。　Liking　to　make　good　use　of　her　time；　she　thought　to　do　it　by　busying　herself　in　the　affairs　of　others。　She　had　a　real　vocation　for　the　profession　of　a　consulting　lawyer。　Usually　her　advice　was　sensible　and　judiciousnothing　better　could　be　done　than　to　follow　it；　only　her　clients　complained　that　she　pronounced　her　sentences　with　too　little　tenderness；　without　granting　any　appeal。　She　was　good；　charitable；　but　lacked　unction；　and　she　had　no　sympathy　with　the　illusions　of　others。　A　German　poet；　in　making　his　New…Year　offerings；　wishes　that　the　rich　may　be　kind…hearted；　that　the　poor　may　have　bread；　that　the　ladies　may　have　pretty　dresses；　that　the　men　may　have　patience；　that　the　foolish　may　get　a　little　reason；　and　that　sensible　people　may　grow　poetic。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　was　kind…hearted；　she　had　pretty　dresses　and　a　great　deal　of　reason；　but　her　reason　was　wanting　in　poetry；　and　poetic　people　to　whom　she　gave　advice　required　a　good　deal　of　patience　to　listen　to　the　end。　Those　who　permitted　themselves　to　despise　her　counsel；　and　who　were　happy　after　their　own　fashion；　incurred　her　lasting　displeasure。　She　obstinately　asserted　to　them　that　their　seeming　happiness　was　all　a　deceit；　that　they　had　fastened　a　stone　about　their　necks；　and　that；　without　appearing　to　do　so；　at　the　bottom　of　their　hearts　they　bitterly　repented。　She　added；　〃It　is　not　my　fault；　I　told　you；　but　you　would　not　believe　me。〃

Mme。　de　Lorcy　had　an　almost　maternal　affection　for　her　nephew；　M。　Camille　Langis。　Confident　that　he　could　not　be　otherwise　than　successful　in　a　love…affair；　she　promised　him　that　he　should　marry　Mlle。　Moriaz。　To　be　sure；　he　was　rather　young；　but　she　had　decided　that　the　question　of　age　made　no　difference；　and　that　in　all　else　there　was　a　perfect　fitness　between　the　parties。　M。　Langis　hesitated　a　long　time　about　declaring　himself。　He　said　to　Mme。　de　Lorcy：　〃If　she　refuse　me；　I　shall　no　longer　be　able　to　see　her；　and　so　long　as　I　can　see　her；　I　am　only　half…wretched。〃　It　was　Mme。　de　Lorcy　who　forced　him　to　draw　his　sword　and　open　the　campaign；　in　which　she　was　to　act　as　second。　This　campaign　had　not　been　a　successful　one。　Deeply　wounded　at　the　refusal；　which　she　had　in　vain　attempted　to　prevent；　she　was　ready　to　force　Mlle。