samuel brohl & company-第19节

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She　rejoined：　〃You　should　not　use　hyperbole　any　more　than　metaphors。　Both　are　unsolid　food。　When　you　decide　not　to　love；　you　will　love　no　more。〃

〃That　supposes　that　I　have　several　hearts　to　choose　from。　I　never　had　but　one；　and　that　no　longer　belongs　to　me。　So　you　refuse　me　your　advice？〃

〃What　advice　would　you　have　me　give　you　before　having　seen　M。　Larinski　before　having　taken　the　measure　of　this　hero？〃

〃What！　you　expect　to　see　him？〃

〃I　am　waiting　for　him　to　call；　and　I　am　sorry　he　keeps　me　waiting。〃

〃Seriously；　will　you　receive　this　man？〃

〃I　have　been　asked　to　examine　him。〃

〃I　am　lost；　if　you　feel　the　need　of　hearing　before　condemning　him。　Our　most　sacred　duty　is　to　be　resolutely　unjust　towards　the　enemies　of　our　friends。〃

〃Nonsense！　I　shall　not　be　indulgent　towards　him。〃

〃Do　as　you　like；　I　have　my　plan。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃I　shall　seek　some　groundless　quarrel　with　this　contraband；　this　poacher；　and　I　will　blow　his　brains　out。〃

〃A　fine　scheme；　my　dear　Camille！　And　afterward；　when　you　have　killed　him；　you　will　have　gained　a　great　deal。　Have　you　confidence　in　me？　I　have　already　begun　to　work　for　you。　The　Abbe　Miollens；　as　you　know；　is　well　acquainted　in　the　society　of　Polish　emigrants；　I　have　sent　to　him　for　information。　I　have　also　written　to　Vienna　for　intelligence　concerning　him。　Antoinette　is　foolish　in　forming　such　an　acquaintance；　it　must　be　admitted；　but；　in　matters　of　honour；　she　is　as　delicate　as　an　ermine　in　tending　the　whiteness　of　her　robe；　if　there　be　in　M。　Larinski's　past　a　stain　no　larger　than　a　ten…sou　piece；　she　will　forever　discard　him。　Let　me　act；　be　wise；　do　not　blow　out　any　one's　brains。　/Grand　Dieu！/　what　would　become　of　us；　if　the　only　way　to　get　rid　of　people　was　by　killing　them？〃

As　she　pronounced　these　words　a　servant　entered；　bearing　a　card　on　a　silver　salver。　She　took　the　card　and　exclaimed：　〃When　you　speak　of　the　wolf　Here　is　our　man！〃　She　begged　M。　Langis　to　retire；　he　implored　permission　to　remain；　promising　to　be　a　model　of　discretion。　She　was　insisting　on　his　leaving　when　Count　Abel　Larinski　appeared。

Samuel　Brohl　had　scarcely　taken　three　steps　in　Mme。　de　Lorcy's　/salon/　before　he　conjectured　why　M。　Moriaz　had　asked　him　to　go　there；　and　what　was　the　significance　of　the　commission　with　which　he　was　charged。　Notwithstanding　the　/salon/　had　a　southern　exposure；　and　that　it　was　then　the　middle　of　the　month　of　August；　it　seemed　to　him　to　be　cold　there。　He　thought　that　he　felt　a　draught　of　chilly　air；　an　icy　wind；　which　pierced　him　through　and　through；　and　caused　him　an　unpleasant　shiver。　He　did　not　need　to　look　very　attentively　at　Mme。　de　Lorcy　to　be　convinced　that　he　was　before　his　judge；　and　that　this　judge　was　not　a　friendly　one；　and；　as　soon　as　his　gaze　met　that　of　M。　Camille　Langis；　something　warned　him　that　this　young　man　was　his　enemy。　Samuel　Brohl　had　the　gift　of　observation。

He　delivered　his　message；　and　handed　Mme。　de　Lorcy　the　little　portfolio　that　contained　Mlle。　Moriaz's　painting；　expressing　his　regret　that　business　had　prevented　his　coming　sooner。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　thanked　him　for　his　kindness；　with　rather　a　cool　politeness；　and　asked　him　for　news　of　her　goddaughter。　He　did　not　expatiate　on　this　topic。

〃The　valley　of　Saint　Moritz　is　a　dreary　country；〃　she　next　said。

〃Rather　say；　madame；　that　it　is　a　dreary　country　possessing　a　great　charm　for　those　who　love　it。〃

〃It　appears　that　Mlle。　Moriaz　is　almost　wearied　to　death　there。　I　should　think　she　would　die　of　ennui。〃

〃Do　you　think　her　capable　of　yielding　to　ennui　in　any　place？〃

〃Certainly；　do　not　doubt　it；　but　she　has　recourse　to　her　imagination　to　dispel　the　tedium。　She　has　a　marvellous　talent　for　procuring　herself　diversion　and　for　varying　her　pleasures。　Hers　is　an　imagination　having　many　relays：　no　sooner　is　one　horse　exhausted　than　there　is　another　to　take　its　place。〃

〃That　is　a　precious　gift；〃　he　replied；　briefly。　〃I　assure　you；　however；　that　you　calumniate　the　Engadine。　The　trees　there　are　not　so　well　grown　as　those　in　your　park；　but　the　Alpine　fir　and　pine　have　their　beauty。〃

〃You　went　to　this　hole　for　your　health；　monsieur？〃

〃Yes；　and　no；　madame。　I　was　not　ill；　but　any　physician　contended　that　I　should　be　still　better　if　I　breathed　the　air　of　the　Alps　for　three　weeks。　It　was　taking　a　cure　as　a　preventive。〃

〃M。　Larinski　made　the　ascent　of　the　Morteratsch；〃　said　Camille；　who；　seated　on　a　divan　with　his　arms　extended　on　his　knees；　never　had　ceased　to　look　at　Samuel　Brohl　with　a　hard　and　hostile　glance。　〃That　is　an　exploit　that　can　be　performed　only　by　well　people。〃

〃It　is　no　exploit；〃　replied　Samuel；　〃it　is　a　work　of　patience；　easy　for　those　who　are　not　subject　to　vertigo。〃

〃You　are　too　modest；〃　rejoined　the　young　man。　〃Had　I　done　as　much；　I　would　sound　a　trumpet。〃

〃Have　you　attempted　the　ascent？〃　asked　Samuel。

〃Not　at　all。　I　do　not　care　about　having　feats　of　prowess　to　relate；〃　he　replied；　in　an　almost　challenging　tone。

Mme。　de　Lorcy　hastened　to　interrupt　the　conversation　by　saying；　〃Is　this　the　first　time　you　have　been　in　Paris；　monsieur？〃

〃Yes；　madame；〃　replied　Samuel；　who　withdrew　more　and　more　into　his　shell。

〃And　does　Paris　please　you　as　much　as　a　pine…grove？〃

〃Much　more；　madame。〃

〃Have　you　any　acquaintances？〃

〃None；　and　the　truth　is；　I　have　no　desire　to　make　any。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Shall　I　tell　you　my　reason？　I　am　not　fond　of　breaking　ice；　and　Poles　complain　that　there　is　nothing　in　the　world　so　icy　as　Parisian　coldness。〃

〃That　explains　itself；〃　cried　Camille。　〃Paris；　that　is　Paris　proper；　is　a　small　city　of　a　hundred　thousand　souls；　and　this　small　city　is　invaded　more　and　more；　by　strangers　who　come　here　to　seek　pleasure　or　fortune。　It　is　but　natural　that　Paris　should　protect　itself。〃

〃Parisians　pride　themselves　on　their　penetration；〃　replied　Samuel。　〃It　does　not　require　much　of　it　to　distinguish　an　honest　man　from　an　adventurer。〃

〃Ah！　permit　me；〃　returned　M。　Langis；　〃that　depends　a　good　deal　on　practice。　The　most　skillful　are　deceived。〃

Samuel　Brohl　rose　and　made　a　movement　to　leave。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　insisted　on　his　sitting　down　again。　She　saw　that　she　had　made　a　bad　beginning　in　the　fulfilment　of　her　office　of　examining　magistrate；　and　of　gaining　the　prisoner's　confidence。　Fearing　that　Camille；　in　spite　of　his　promise；　would　spoil　everything　by　some　insult；　she　found　a　pretext　to　send　him　away；　she　begged　that　he　would　go　and　examine　a　pair　of　horses　that　were　a　recent　acquisition。

As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　she　changed　her　manner；　she　grew　amiable；　she　endeavoured　to　remove　the　ill　impression　of　her　first　welcome；　she　put　Count　Abel　at　his　ease；　who　felt　that　the　air　lost　its　chilliness　about　him。　Without　appearing　to　do　so；　she　made　him　undergo　an　examination…　she　asked　him　many　questions；　he　replied　promptly。　Visitors　came　in；　it　was　an　hour　before　he　took　leave；　after　having　promised　Mme。　de　Lorcy　to　dine　with　her　the　next　day。

She　did　not　wait　until　then　to　write　to　M。　Moriaz。　Her　letter　was　thus　conceived：


〃August　16；　1875。

　〃You　recommend　me　to　be　impartial；　my　dear　friend。　Why　should　I　not　　　be？　It　is　true　that　I　have　dreamed　of　a　certain　marriage：　one　of　　　the　parties　would　not　listen　to　my　propositions；　and　the　other　had　　　abandoned　the　idea。　My　project　has　come　to　nothing。　Camille　has　　　enjoined　me　never　to　speak　of　it　to　him　again。　You　see　I　am　no　　　longer　interested　in　the　question；　or；　rather；　I　have　in　the　　　matter　no　other　interest　than　that　which　I　feel　for　Antoinette；　　　whose　happiness　is　as　dear　to　me　as　it　is　to　you。　Apropos；　do　not　　　give　her　my　letters；　read　to　her　the　passages　that　you　judge　　　suitable　to　communicate　to　herI　leave　that　to　your　discretion。

　〃First　of　all；　let　me　unfold　to　you　my　humble　opinions。　I　am　　　charged　with　having　prejudices；　it　is　a　shocking　calumny。　I　will　　　make　you　a　profession　of　faith；　and　you　shall　judge。　I　am　at　war　　　with　more　than　one　point　of　our　French　morals；　I　deplore　the　habit　　　that　we　have　formed　of　considering　marriage　as　a　business　　　transaction；　of　esteeming　it　as　a　financial　or　commercial　　　partnership；　and　making　everything　subordinate　to　the　equality　of　　　the　personal　estates。　This　principle　is　revolting　to　me；　my　dear　　　friend。　We　are　accused　in　foreign　countries　of　being　an　immoral　　　people。　Heavens！　it　seems　to　me　that　we　understand　and　practise　　　virtue　quite　as　much　as　the　English　or　Germans；　and；　to　speak　the　　　whole　truth；　I　am　not　afraid　to　advance　the　opinion　that　this；　of　　　all　the　countries　of　the　universe；　is　the　one　where　there　is　the　　　most　virtue。　It　is　not　at　that　point　that　we　sin。　Our　misfortune　　　is；　that　we　are　too　rational　in　our　habits　of　life；　too　　　circumspect；　too　prudent；　we　lack　boldness　in　our　undertakings；　we　　　wish；　as　it　is　said；　to　have　one　foot　on　firm　land　and　the　other　　　not　far　off。　We　must　have　security；　we　do　not　like　risk；　doubtful　　　affairs　do　not　please　us；　we　are　too　prone　to　look　ahead；　and　to　　　look　ahead　is　to　fear。　That　is　one　reason　why　we　send　out　no　　　colonies；　and　that　is　the　reason　we　have　no　more　children。　Are　you　　　satisfied　with　me？

　〃Napoleon　I　was　in　the　habit　of　saying　that；　in　fighting　a　battle；　　　he　so　ordered　matters　as　to　have　seventy　chances　out　of　a　hundred　　　in　his　favour；　he　left　the　rest