samuel brohl & company-第2节
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r was telling her something that made her smile； this smile was that of a young girl just budding into womanhood； who has nothing yet to conceal from her guardian angel。 Count Larinski left the church after her； and followed her with his eyes as she crossed the square。 On returning to the hotel he had a curiosity to satisfy。 He questioned one of the /garcons/； who pointed out to him in the hotel register for travellers the following entry： 〃M。 Moriaz； member of the Institute of France； and his daughter； from Paris； /en route/ for Saint Moritz。〃 〃And where then？〃 he asked himself； then dismissed the subject from his mind。
When he had dined； he repaired to the post…office to inquire for a letter he was expecting from Vienna。 He found it； and returned to shut himself up in his chamber； where he tore open the envelope with a feverish hand。 This letter； written in a more peculiar than felicitous French； was the reply of the Jew banker。 It read as follows：
〃M。 LE COMTE：
〃Although you both write and understand German very well； you do not like to read it； and therefore I write to you in French。 It grieves me deeply not to have it in my power to satisfy your honoured demand。 Business is very dull。 It is impossible for me to advance you another florin； or even to renew your note； which falls due shortly。 I am the father of a family； it pains me to be compelled to remind you of this。
〃I wish to tell you quite freely what I think。 I did believe in your gun； but I believe in it no longer； no one believes in it any more。 When strong； it was too heavy； when you made it lighter； it was no longer strong。 What came next？ You know it burst。 Beware how you further perfect it； or it will explode whenever it becomes aware that any one is looking at it。 This accursed gun has eaten up the little you had； and some of my savings besides； although I have confidence that you will； at least； pay me the interest due on that。 It grieves me to tell you so； M。 de Comte； but all inventors are more or less crack…brained； and end in the hospital。 For the love of God； leave guns as they are； and invent nothing more； or you will go overboard； and there will be no one to fish you out。〃
Abel Larinski paused at this place。 He put his letter down on the table； and； turning round in his arm…chair； with a savage air； his eye fixed on a distant corner of the room； he fell to thus soliloquizing in a sepulchral voice：
〃Do you hear； idiot？ This old knave is right。 Accursed be the day when the genius of invention thrilled your sublime brain！ A grand discovery you have made； forsooth！ What have I gained from it？ Grand illusions； grand discomfitures！ What hath it availed me that I passed whole nights discussing with you breech…loaders； screw…plates； tumbrels； sockets； bridges； ovoid balls； and spring…locks？ What fruits have I gained from these refreshing conversations？ You foresaw everything； my great man； except that one little thing which great men so often fail to see； that mysterious something； I know not what； which makes success。 When you spoke to me； in your slow； monotonous tones； when you fixed upon me your melancholy gaze； I should have been able to read in your eyes that you were only a fool。 The devil take thee and thy gun； thy gun and thee； hollow head； head full of chimeras； true Pole； true Larinski！〃
To whom was Count Abel speaking？ To a phantom？ To his double？ He alone knew。 When he had uttered the last words； he resumed the perusal of his letter； which ended thus：
〃Will you permit me to give you a piece of advice； M。 le Comte； a good little piece of advice？ I have known you for three years； and have taken much interest in your welfare。 You invent guns； which； when they are strong； lack lightness。 I beg your pardon； but I do not comprehend you； M。 le Comte。 The name you bear is excellent； the head you carry on your shoulders is superb； and it is the general opinion that you resemble /Faust/； but neither name nor head does you any good。 Leave the guns as they are； and bestow your attention upon women； they； and they alone； can draw you out of the deep waters where you are now floundering。 There is no time to lose。 I beg your pardon； but you must be thirty years old； and perhaps a little more。 This /diable/ of a gun has made you lose three valuable years。
〃It pains me； M。 le Comte； to be compelled to remind you that the little note falls due shortly。 I have had the value of the bracelet you left with me as a pledge estimated； it is not worth a thousand florins； as you believed； it is a piece of antiquity that has a value to only those who can indulge in a caprice for fancy articles； and such caprices are rare nowadays； the time for such is past。
〃I am； M。 le Comte； with much respect； your humble and obedient servant；
〃MOSES GULDENTHAL。〃
Abel Larinski turned once more in his chair。 He crumpled up between his fingers the letter of M。 Moses Guldenthal； saying to himself as he did so； that the Guldenthals are often very clear…sighted folks。 〃Ay； to be sure；〃 thought he； 〃this Hebrew is right； I have lost three valuable years。 I have had fever； and my eyes have been clouded； but； Heaven be praised！ The charm is broken； the illusion fled； I am cured saved！ Farewell； my chimera； I am no longer thy dupe！ Many thanks； my dear friend： I return to you your gun； do with it as it seemeth best to you。〃
His eyes suddenly fell on his own reflection in the mirror above the chimney…piece； and he regarded it fixedly for a few moments。
〃The semblance truly of an inventor；〃 he resumed； mournfully smiling。 〃This pale； emaciated face； these deep…set eyes； with dark circles about them； these hollow； cadaverous cheeks！ The three years have indeed left their traces。 Bah！ a little rest in the Alpine pastures； and /Faust/ will become rejuvenated。〃
He seized a pen； and wrote the following reply：
〃You are truly kind； my dear Guldenthal： you refuse me the miserable florins； but you give me in their stead a little piece of advice that is worth a fortune。 Unluckily； I am not capable of following it。 Noble souls like ours comprehend each other with half a word； and you are a poet whenever it suits you。 When in the course of the day you have transacted a neat little piece of business； after having rubbed your hands until you have almost deprived them of skin； you tune your violin； which you play like an angel； and you draw from it such delightful strains that your ledger and your cash…box fall to weeping with emotion。 I； too； am a musician； and my music is the fair sex。 But； alas！ women never can be for me other than an adorable inutility； a part of the dream of my life。 Your dreams yield you a handsome percentage； as I have sorrowfully experienced； my dreams yield me nothing； and therefore it is that they are dear to me。
〃I must prohibitunderstand me clearlyyour disposing of the trinket I left with you； we have the weakness； we Poles； of clinging to our family relics。 Set your mind at rest； before the end of the month I shall have returned to Vienna； and will honour the dear little note。 One day you will go down on your knees to beg of me to loan you a thousand florins； and I will astonish you with my ingratitude。 May the God of Abraham； of Isaac； and of Jacob； have you in his holy keeping； my dear Guldenthal！〃
As he finished his letter； he heard the sound of harps and violins。 Some itinerant musicians were giving a concert in the hotel…garden； which was lit up as bright as day。 Abel opened his window； and leaned on his elbows； looking out。 The first object that presented itself to his eyes was Mlle。 Moriaz； promenading one of the long garden…walks； leaning on her father's arm。 Many eyes were fixed on herwe have already said it was difficult not to gaze upon herbut no one contemplated her with such close attention as Count Larinski。 He never once lost sight of her。
〃Is she beautiful？ Is she even pretty？〃 he queried within himself。 〃I cannot quite make up my mind； but I am very sure that she is charming。 Like my bracelet； this is a fancy article。 She is a little thin； and her shoulders are too vigorously fashioned for her waist； which is slender and supple as a reed； but； such as she is； she has not her equal。 Her walk； her carriage； resemble nothing I ever have seen before。 I can well imagine that when she appears in the streets of Paris people turn to look after her； but no one would have the audacity to follow her。 How old is she？ Twenty…four or twenty…five years； I should say。 Why is she not married？ Who is this withered； pinched…looking fright of a personage who trots at her side like a poodle…dog？ Probably some /demoiselle de compagnie/。 And there comes her /femme de chambre/； a very spruce little lass； bringing her a shawl； which the /demoiselle de compagnie/ hastens to put over her shoulders。 She allows it to be done with the air of one who is accustomed to being waited upon。 Mlle。 Moriaz is an heiress。 Why； then； is she not married？〃
Count Larinski pursued his soliloquy as long as Mlle。 Moriaz promenaded in the garden。 As soon as she re…entered the hotel； it appeared to him that the garden had become empty； and that
