samuel brohl & company-第24节

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〃For　the　love　of　God；　what　is　the　matter？〃

〃Ah！　would　that　I　could　spare　you　this　trouble！　Your　father　has　just　received　a　letter　from　Mme。　de　Lorcy。〃

Antoinette　grew　more　attentive；　her　breath　came　quickly。　〃And　what　was　there　in　this　letter　that　is　so　terrible；　so　heart…rending？〃　she　asked；　forcing　a　smile。

〃Fortunately；　I　am　here；〃　replied　Mlle。　Moiseney。　〃You　know　that　your　joys　and　your　sorrows　are　mine。　All　the　consolation　that　I　can　lavish　upon　you；　the　tenderest　sympathy〃

〃My　dear　Joan；　in　the　name　of　Heaven；　explain　first；　and　then　console！〃

〃You　told　me　nothing；　my　childI　have　a　right　to　complain；　but　I　have　divined　all。　I　can　read　your　heart。　I　am　sure　that　you　love　him。〃

〃Of　whom　do　you　speak？〃　replied　Antoinette；　whose　colour　rose　in　her　cheeks。

〃Of　a　most　charming　man；　who；　either　through　inconceivable　stupidity；　or　through　most　criminal　calculation；　neglected　to　tell　us　that　he　was　married。〃

And　with　these　words；　Mlle。　Moiseney　extended　both　arms；　that　she　might　receive　into　them　Mlle。　Moriaz；　whom　she　believed　to　be　already　swooning。

Mlle。　Moriaz　did　not　swoon。　She　flushed　crimson；　then　grew　very　pale；　but　she　remained　standing；　her　head　proudly　erect；　and　she　said；　in　a　tone　of　well…feigned　indifference：　〃Oh！　M。　Larinski　is　married？　My　very　sincere　compliments　to　the　Countess　Larinski。〃

After　which　she　busied　herself　arranging　in　a　vase　the　heather　and　ferns　she　had　brought　back　with　her。　Mlle。　Moiseney　stood　lost　in　astonishment　at　her　calm；　she　gazed　in　a　stupor　at　her；　and　suddenly　exclaimed：　〃Thank　God！　you　do　not　love　him！　Your　father　has　mistaken；　he　often　mistakes；　he　sometimes　gets　the　strangest　ideas　into　his　mind；　he　was　persuaded　that　this　would　be　a　death…blow　to　you；　he　does　not　know　you　at　all。　Ah！　unquestionably；　M。　Larinski　is　far　from　being　disagreeable；　I　do　not　dispute　his　having　some　merit；　but　I　always　thought　that　there　was　something　suspicious　about　him；　his　manners　were　a　little　equivocal；　I　suspected　him　of　hiding　something　from　us。　As　it　appears；　he　has　made　a　/mesalliance/　that　he　did　not　care　to　acknowledge。　It　is　deplorable　that　a　man　of　such　excellent　address　should　have　low　tastes　and　doubtful　morality。　His　duty　was　to　tell　us　all；　he　was　neither　loyal　nor　delicate。〃

〃You　dream；　my　dear；〃　replied　Antoinette。　〃What　law；　human　or　divine；　obliged　M。　Larinski　to　tell　us　everything？　Did　you　expect　him　to　render　an　account　of　his　deeds　and　misdeeds　to　us　as　to　a　tribunal　of　penance？〃

In　speaking　thus；　she　took　off　her　hat　and　mantilla；　seated　herself　in　the　embrasure　of　a　window；　and　opened　a　book　which　she　began　to　read　with　great　attention。

〃God　be　praised！　she　does　not　love　him；〃　thought　Mlle。　Moiseney；　who　was　not　aware　that　Mlle。　Moriaz　was　turning　two　or　three　pages　at　a　time　with　perceiving　it。

Deeply　absorbed　as　she　was；　she　still　recognised　her　father's　step　as　he　came　upstairs　to　his　room。　She　hurried　out　to　meet　him。　He　noticed　with　pleasure　that　her　face　was　not　wan；　nor　were　her　eyes　red。　He　was　less　satisfied　when　she　said；　in　a　calm；　clear　voice：

〃Please　show　me　the　letter　that　you　have　received　from　Mme。　de　Lorcy。〃

〃What　is　the　use？〃　he　rejoined。　〃I　know　it　by　heart。　I　am　ready　to　recite　it　to　you。〃

〃Is　it　a　letter　that　cannot　be　shown？〃

〃No；　indeed；　but　as　I　tell　you　that　I　am　ready　to　give　you　an　account　of　it〃

〃I　would　prefer　to　read　it　with　my　own　eyes。〃

〃After　all；　you　have　a　right。　There！　take　it。　But　I　beg　of　you　do　not　be　offended　by　unfortunate　expressions。〃

〃Mme。　de　Lorcy　always　knows　how　to　choose　the　proper　word　to　express　her　thought；〃　she　responded。

When　she　had　run　her　eye　rapidly　over　Mme。　de　Lorcy's　eight　closely　written　pages；　she　looked　at　her　father　and　smiled。

〃You　must　own　that　you　found　a　very　useful　and　a　very　zealous　ally　in　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　do　her　this　justice；　she　has　worked　hard；　and　you　owe　her　many　thanks　for　having　busied　herself　so　actively　in　ridding　you　of　'this　worthy　man；　this　good　man；　this　delightful　man'；　those　are　her　own　words；　if　you　remember。〃

M。　Moriaz　exclaimed：　〃I　hope　you　do　not　imagine　that　it　was　a　matter　arranged　between　us。　Do　you　really　suspect　me　of　having　some　dark　plot　with　Mme。　de　Lorcy！　Do　you　believe　me　capable　of　being　implicated　in　an　act　of　perfidy？〃

〃God　forbid！　I　only　accuse　you　of　being　too　joyous；　and　of　not　knowing　how　to　conceal　it。〃

〃Is　that　a　crime？〃

〃Perhaps　it　is　an　indiscretion。〃

〃I　swear　to　you；　my　dear　child；　that　I　only　consider　your　happiness；　and　Mme。　de　Lorcy　herself　Since　M。　Langis　no　longer　thinks　of　you；　what　reason　could　she　have〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　interrupted　Antoinette；　〃but　her　prejudice　would　take　the　place　of　reason。〃

〃So　you　will　not　believe　that　Count　Larinski　is　married？〃

〃I　believe　it；　without　being　certain；　and　I　wish　to　be　assured　of　it。　Have　I　not　acted　in　good　faith　through　all　this　matter？　was　I　not　ready　to　comply　with　your　conditions？　I　consented　to　refer　to　the　judgment　of　Mme。　de　Lorcy。　She　has　deigned　to　be　gracious　to　the　accused。　She　has　admitted　that　M。　Larinski　is　a　perfectly　honourable　and　even　a　delightful　man；　but　she　has　discovered；　at　intervals　of　several　days；　first；　that　he　does　not　love　me；　and　then；　that　he　has　deceived　me　by　letting　me　believe　that　he　was　still　free。　I　wish　to　satisfy　my　own　mind；　and　convince　myself　that　I　am　not　being　played　with。〃

〃And　you　have　concluded〃

〃I　have　concluded　that；　with　your　permission；　we　shall　leave　to…morrow　morning　for　Cormeilles。〃

This　conclusion　was　by　no　means　agreeable　to　M。　Moriaz；　whose　face　grew　sensibly　longer。

〃Of　what　are　you　afraid？　You　know　that　I　have　character；　and　you　ought　to　know；　no　matter　what　Mme。　de　Lorcy　says；　that　I　am　not　wanting　in　good　sense。　When　it　is　proved　to　me　that　I　have　deceived　myself；　I　will　make　the　sign　of　the　cross　over　my　romance；　it　will　be　dead　and　buried；　and　I　promise　you　not　to　wear　mourning　for　it。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　he；　〃I　believe　in　your　good　sense；　I　have　faith　in　your　reason：　we　shall　leave　to…morrow　for　Cormeilles。〃

Four　days　later；　Mme。　de　Lorcy　was　walking　in　an　alley　in　her　park。　She　was　joined　there　by　M。　Langis；　to　whom　she　said；　in　a　good…　humoured　tone：　〃Always　grave　and　melancholy；　my　dear　Camille！　When　will　you　cease　your　drooping　airs？　I　cannot　understand　you。　I　do　my　best　to　be　agreeable　to　you；　to　settle　matters　satisfactorily。　Nothing　seems　to　cheer　you。　You　make　me　think　of　the　hare　in　La　Fontaine：

　〃　'Cet　animal　est　triste；　et　la　Crainte　le　ronge。'　〃

〃Fear　and　hate；　madame；〃　replied　he。　〃I　hate　this　man；　he　is　insupportable　to　me。　I　will　give　up　coming　to　Maisons　if　I　always　must　meet　him　here。　Has　he　paid　you　his　adieux　for　the　last　time？〃

〃Not　yet；　a　little　patiencewe　shall　not　count　the　minutes。　Besides；　what　harm　can　this　man　do　you？　The　lion　has　lost　his　clawswhat　do　I　say？he　has　carried　his　good…nature　to　the　point　of　muzzling　himself。　It　is　not　generous　to　pursue　with　hate　a　disarmed　enemy。〃

〃Very　well；　madame；　if　he　is　not　gone　in　three　days；　I　return　to　my　first　idea；　it　was　the　best。〃

〃You　will　cut　his　throat？〃

〃With　all　my　heart。〃

〃For　the　love　of　art？〃

〃I　am　not　a　very　bloodthirsty　individual；　but　I　would　take　a　singular　delight　in　slashing　at　the　skin　of　this　gloomy　personage。〃

Mme。　de　Lorcy　shrugged　her　shoulders。　〃What　makes　you　think　him　gloomy；　my　dear？　You　are　perfectly　reasonable。　You　ought　to　adore　M。　Larinski；　you　are　under　the　greatest　obligations　to　him。　He　has　been　the　first　to　succeed　in　touching　the　heart　of　our　dear；　hitherto　insensible　girl；　he　has　broken　the　charm。　She　was　the　Sleeping　Beauty；　he　has　awakened　her；　and；　through　the　favour　of　Heaven；　he　cannot　marry　her。　I　can　see　her　in　Churwalden；　a　prey　to　the　gloomiest　ennui；　weeping　over　her　illusions；　furious　at　having　been　deceived。　Do　you　not　divine　all　the　advantage　that　can　be　derived　from　a　woman's　anger？〃

〃You　know　that　I　love　her；　and　yet　I　do　not　wish　to　owe　anything　to　her　spite。〃

〃You　are　a　child：　be　guided。　The　moment　is　come　for　you　to　propose。　In　a　few　days　you　will　start　for　Churwalden；　and　you　will　say　to　this　angry　woman；　'I　have　liedI　love　you。'　In　short；　you　will　talk　to　her　of　your　amorous　flame；　and　you　may；　freely；　under　these　circumstances；　exhaust　all　your　treasure…store　of　hyperbole。　She　will　listen　to　you；　I　can　promise　you；　and　she　will　say　to　herself；　'I　seek　vengeance　here　it　is。'　〃

〃I　would　like　to　believe　you；　madame；〃　he　replied；　〃but　are　you　very　certain　that　Mlle。　Moriaz　is　still　at　Churwalden？〃

And；　pointing　with　his　finger；　he　showed　her　at　the　end　of　the　avenue　a　figure　coming　towards　them　clad　in　a　pretty　nut…brown　dress　with　a　long　train　sweeping　the　gravel。

〃Truly；　I　believe　that　it　is　she；〃　cried　Mme。　de　Lorcy。　〃M。　Moriaz　is　the　most　unskilful　person；　but；　after　all；　not　much　harm　is　done。〃

Mlle。　Moriaz　had　arrived　the　evening　previous　at　Cormeilles。　After　resting　somewhat　from　the　fatigues　of　the　journey；　she　had　nothing　more　urgent　to　do　than　to　order　the　horses　put　to　her　coupe　and　to　come　and　pay　her　respects　to　her　godmother；　who　could　not　fail　to　be　touched　by　this　attention。

Mme。　de　Lorcy　ran　to　Antoinette　and　embraced　her　several　times；　saying：　〃You　are　here　at　last！　How　charmed　I　am