samuel brohl & company-第25节

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Mme。　de　Lorcy　ran　to　Antoinette　and　embraced　her　several　times；　saying：　〃You　are　here　at　last！　How　charmed　I　am　to　see　you　again！　You　made　us　wait　long　enough；　I　began　to　fear　that　you　had　taken　root　in　the　Grisons。　Is　it　indeed　an　enchanted　land？　I　rather　believe　that　your　father　is　a　cruel　egotist；　that　he　shamefully　sacrificed　you　to　his　own　convenience　in　prolonging　his　cure；　but　here　you　areI　will　pardon　him。　Your　poor；　your　/proteges/；　are　clamorous　for　you。　Who　do　you　think　asked　after　you；　the　other　day？　Mlle。　Galet；　whom；　according　to　your　orders；　I　supplied　with　her　quarter's　allowance。　How　you　spoil　her！　I　found　on　her　table　a　bouquet　fit　for　a　duchess；　she　insisted　that　you　had　sent　it　to　her　from　where　you　were；　and　I　had　all　the　trouble　in　the　world　to　make　her　understand　that　double　camellias　are　not　gathered　among　the　glaciers　of　Roseg。　Strew　with　flowers；　if　you　will；　Mlle。　Galet's　existence　and　garret；　but　do　not　fling　at　her　head　a　bushel　of　double　camellias；　streaked　with　white；　it　is　madness。　I　seriously　propose　to　have　you　put　under　restraint。　Never　mind；　I　am　very　happy　to　see　you　again。　You　are　looking　very　well。Don't　you　think；　Camille；　that　she　appears　extremely　well？〃

Mlle。　Moriaz　coldly　received　Mme。　de　Lorcy's　embraces；　but　she　smiled　graciously　on　M。　Langis；　and　pressed　his　hand　affectionately。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　led　them　into　her　/salon/；　where　they　talked　on　indifferent　subjects。　Antoinette　was　waiting　for　M。　Langis's　departure　to　broach　the　subject　that　she　had　at　heart。　At　the　end　of　twenty　minutes；　he　rose；　but　immediately　reseated　himself。　A　door　had　just　opened；　giving　admittance　to　Count　Abel　Larinski。

At　the　unexpected　apparition　of　Samuel　Brohl；　the　two　women　changed　colour；　the　one　flushed　from　the　effort　that　she　made　to　dissimulate　her　vexation；　the　other　turned　pale　from　emotion。　Samuel　Brohl　crossed　the　/salon/　with　deliberate　step；　without　appearing　to　recognise　the　person　who　was　with　Mme。　de　Lorcy。　Suddenly　he　trembled；　as　if　he　had　been　touched　by　a　torpedo；　and；　profoundly　agitated；　almost　lost　countenance。　Was　he　as　much　astonished　as　he　seemed？　For　some　time　the　Sannois　Hill　had　become　his　favourite　promenade；　and　he　never　went　there　without　going　as　far　as　a　certain　spot　whence　he　could　see　the　front　of　a　certain　house；　the　window…shutters　of　which　had　remained　during　two　months　as　though　hermetically　sealed。　It　might　be　that　the　evening　before　he　had　found　them　open。　Induction　is　a　scientific　process　with　which　Samuel　Brohls　are　familiar。

He　had　abundant　will　and　self…control。　He　was　not　long　in　recovering　himself；　he　raised　his　head　like　one　who　feels　himself　strong　enough　to　defy　all　dangers。　After　greeting　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　he　drew　near　Antoinette；　and　asked　how　she　was；　in　a　grave；　almost　ceremonious　tone。

〃Your　visit　distresses　me；　my　dear　count；〃　said　Mme。　de　Lorcy　to　him；　〃I　fear　it　is　the　last。　Have　you　come　to　bid　us　farewell？〃

〃Alas！　yes；　madame；〃　he　replied。　〃The　letter　for　which　I　have　been　waiting　has　not　yet　arrived；　but　this　delay　will　not　alter　my　plans：　in　three　days　I　shall　leave　Paris。〃

〃Without　a　desire　to　return；　without　regret？〃　she　asked。

〃I　shall　only　regret　Maisons；　and　the　kind　reception　I　have　received　there。　Paris　is　too　large；　little　people　like　myself　feel　their　smallness　more　here　than　elsewhere；　it　does　not　require　an　excess　of　pride　for　one　to　dislike　being　reduced　to　the　state　of　an　atom。　Residing　in　Vienna　suits　me　better；　I　breathe　freer　there；　it　is　a　city　better　adapted　to　my　size　and　taste。　Birds　do　wrong　to　change　their　nests。〃

Thereupon；　he　began　to　describe　and　warmly　extol　the　Prater　and　its　fine　walks；　Schonbrunn；　its　botanical　gardens　and　the　Gloriette；　the　church　of　St。　Stephen's；　and　the　limpid　waters　of　the　Danube；　sometimes　addressing　himself　to　Antoinette；　who　listened　without　a　word；　and　sometimes　to　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　whose　eyes　were　turned　at　intervals　towards　M。　Langis；　seeming　to　say　to　him：　〃Was　I　not　right？　Confess　that　your　apprehensions　lacked　common…sense。　Do　you　hear　him？　he　has　only　half　an　hour　to　spend　with　her；　and　he　describes　the　Prater。　Are　you　still　thinking　of　cutting　his　throat？　Please　say　one　polite　and　civil　word　to　him。　It　is　not　he；　it　is　you　who　are　gloomy。　Throw　off　your　sinister　air。　How　long　will　this　taciturn　reverie　last　in　which　you　are　sunk？　You　make　yourself　a　laughing…stockyou　act　like　a　fool。　You　resemble　a　sphinx　of　the　desert　engaged　in　meditating　upon　a　serpent；　and　who　mistakes　an　innocent　adder　for　a　viper。〃　M。　Langis　understood　what　she　wished　to　say　to　him；　but　he　did　not　throw　off　his　sinister　air。

After　praising　Vienna　and　its　environs；　Samuel　Brohl　eulogized　the　easy；　careless　character　of　the　Viennese。　He　told；　in　a　sprightly　way；　several　anecdotes。　His　gaiety　was　rather　feverishsomewhat　forced　studied；　and　abrupt；　but；　nevertheless；　it　was　gaiety。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　responded　to　him；　Mlle。　Moriaz　continued　silent；　she　crumpled　between　her　fingers　the　guipure　lace　of　her　Marie…Antoinette　fichu；　and；　with　fixed　eye；　she　seemed　to　be　counting　the　stitches。　Samuel　Brohl　interrupted　himself　in　the　midst　of　a　sentence；　and　rose　suddenly。　He　turned　towards　Antoinette；　in　a　hollow　voice　he　begged　her　to　tell　M。　Moriaz　how　much　he　regretted　that　his　early　departure　would　deprive　him　of　the　honour　and　pleasure　of　visiting　him　at　Cormeilles；　then　he　bowed　to　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　thanked　her　for　the　happy　moments　that　he　had　spent　with　her；　and　charged　her　to　commend　him　to　the　kind　remembrance　of　Abbe　Miollens。

〃We　shall　meet　again；　my　dear　count；〃　she　said　to　him；　in　a　clear　voice；　emphasizing　her　words；　〃and　I　hope　that；　before　long；　we　shall　make　the　acquaintance　of　the　Countess　Larinski。〃

He　looked　at　her　in　astonishment；　and　murmured；　〃I　lost　my　mother　ten　years　ago。〃

Immediately；　without　giving　Mme。　de　Lorcy　time　to　explain　herself；　he　directed　his　steps　hastily　towards　the　door；　followed　by　three　glances；　all　three　of　which　spoke；　although　they　did　not　all　say　the　same　thing。　The　room　was　large；　during　the　thirty　seconds　that　it　took　him　to　cross　it；　the　angel　of　silence　hovered　in　the　air。

He　was　about　passing　through　the　door；　when；　as　fatality　ordained；　there　occurred　to　him　an　unfortunate　and　disastrous　thought。　He　could　not　resist　the　desire　to　see　Mlle。　Moriaz　once　more；　to　impress　forever　on　his　memory　her　adored　image。　He　turned；　and　their　eyes　met。　He　paid　dearly　for　this　weakness　of　the　will。　Apparently　the　violent　restraint　that　he　had　exercised　over　himself　for　an　hour　had　exhausted　his　strength。　It　seemed　to　him　that　his　heart　ceased　to　beat；　he　felt　his　legs　stiffen；　and　refuse　to　serve　him；　his　teeth　clinched；　his　pupils　dilated；　consciousness　forsook　him。　Suddenly；　heavily　as　a　mass　of　lead；　he　fell　prone　upon　the　floor；　where　he　remained　in　a　senseless　condition。

Mlle。　Moriaz　could　not　suppress　a　cry；　and　seemed　for　a　moment　on　the　point　of　fainting　herself。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　drew　her　arm　around　her　waist；　and　hurried　her　into　the　next　room；　throwing　to　M。　Langis　a　bottle　of　salts　as　she　did　so；　and　saying；　〃Take　care　of　Count　Larinski。〃

The　first　thing　that　M。　Langis　did　was　to　set　the　bottle　on　the　table；　after　which　he　went　close　up　to　Samuel　Brohl；　who；　fainting　and　inanimate；　bore　almost　the　appearance　of　death。　He　examined　him　an　instant；　bent　over　him；　then；　folding　his　arms　and　shrugging　his　shoulders；　he　said　to　him；　〃Monsieur；　Mlle。　Moriaz　is　no　longer　here。〃

Samuel　Brohl　did　not　stir。　〃You　did　not　hear　me；〃　continued　Camille。　〃You　are　superb；　M。　le　Comte；　you　are　very　handsome；　your　attitude　is　irreproachable；　and　you　might　well　be　taken　for　a　dead　person。　You　fell　admirably；　I　swear　I　never　saw　at　the　theatre　a　more　successful　fainting…fit；　but　spare　yourself　further　trouble　for　the　performance。　I　repeat；　Mlle。　Moriaz　is　no　longer　here。〃

Samuel　Brohl　remained　inert　and　rigid。

〃Perhaps　you　want　to　try　the　strength　of　my　wrists；〃　continued　Camille。　〃Very　well；　I　will　give　you　that　satisfaction。〃

And；　with　these　words；　he　seized　him　round　his　waist；　summoned　all　his　strength　in　order　to　lift　him；　and　deposited　him　at　full　length　on　the　sofa。

He　examined　him　again；　and　said：　〃Will　this　tragi…comedy　last　much　longer？　Shall　I　not　find　a　secret　to　resuscitate　you？　Listen　to　me；　monsieur。　I　love　with　all　my　soul　the　woman　that　you　pretend　to　love。　Does　that　not　suffice？　Monsieur；　you　are　a　Polish　adventurer；　and　I　have　as　much　admiration　for　your　social　talents　as　I　have　little　esteem　for　yourself。　Does　that　not　suffice　yet？　I　would　not；　however；　lift　my　hand　to　you。　I　entreat　you　to　consider　the　affront　received。〃

It　seemed　as　if　the　dead　man　trembled　slightly；　and　Camille　exclaimed：　〃Thank　God！　this　time　you　have　given　sign　of　life；　and　the　insult　found　the　way　to　your　heart。　I　would　be　charmed　to　restore　you　to　your　senses。　I　await　your　commands。　The　day；　the　place；　and　the　weapons；　I　leave　to　your　choice。　And；　stay！　You　can　count　on　my　absolute　discretion。　No　one；　I　give　you　my　word；　shall　learn　from　me　that　your　fainting…fit　had　ears；　and　resented　insults。　Here　is　my　address；　monsieur。〃

And；　drawing　from　his　pocket　a　visiting…card；　he　tried　to　slip　it　into　the　cold；　listless；　pendent　hand；　which　let　it　fall　to　the　ground。

〃W