samuel brohl & company-第27节

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rkled。　He　listened　to　her　with　deep　chagrin；　but　he　gazed　on　her　with　pride　as　he　did　so；　thinking；　〃/Mon　Dieu/；　how　beautiful　she　is；　and　what　a　lucky　rascal　is　this　Pole！〃

When　she　had　ended；　there　was　a　moment's　pause；　during　which　she　left　him　to　his　reflections。　As　he　maintained　an　ominous　silence；　she　grew　impatient。　〃Speak；〃　she　exclaimed。　〃I　wish　to　know　your　innermost　thoughts。〃

〃I　think　you　are　adorable。〃

〃Oh！　please；　do　for　once　be　serious。〃

〃Seriously；〃　he　rejoined；　〃I　am　not　certain　that　you　are　wrong；　nor　has　it　been　proved　to　me　that　you　are　right；　there　remain　some　doubts。〃

She　cried　out　eagerly：　〃According　to　this；　the　sole　realities　of　this　world　are　things　that　can　be　seen；　touched；　felta　retort　and　its　contents。　Beyond　this　all　is　null　and　void；　a　lie；　a　cheat。　Ah！　your　wretched　retorts　and　crucibles！　If　I　followed　out　this　thought；　I　should　be　ready　to　break　every　one　of　them。〃

She　cast　about　her　as　she　spoke　so　ferocious　and　threatening　a　look；　that　M。　Moriaz　trembled　for　his　laboratory；　〃I　beg　of　you；〃　he　protested；　〃have　mercy　on　my　poor　crucibles；　my　honest　retorts；　my　innocent　jars！　They　have　nothing　to　do　with　this　affair。　Is　it　their　fault　that　the　stories　you　narrate　to　me　so　disturb　my　usual　train　of　thoughts　that　I　find　it　wholly　impossible　to　make　adroit　replies？〃

〃You　do　not；　then；　believe　in　the　extraordinary？〃

〃The　extraordinary！　Every　time　I　encounter　it；　I　salute　it；〃　replied　he；　drawing　off　his　cap　and　bowing　low；　〃but　at　the　same　time　I　demand　its　papers。〃

〃Ah！　there　we　are。　I　really　imagined　that　the　investigation　had　been　made。〃

〃It　was　not　conclusive；　since　it　failed　to　convince　Mme。　de　Lorcy。〃

〃Ah！　who　could　convince　Mme。　de　Lorcy？　Do　you　forget　how　people　of　the　world　are　constituted；　and　how　they　detest　all　that　astonishes；　all　that　exceeds　their　limits；　all　that　they　cannot　weight　with　their　small　balances；　measure　with　their　tiny　compasses？〃

〃/Peste！/　you　are　severe　on　the　world；　I　always　fancied　that　you　were　fond　of　it。〃

〃I　do　not　know　whether　I　am　fond　of　it　or　not；　it　is　certain　that　I　scarcely　should　know　how　to　live　without　it；　but　I　surely　may　be　permitted　to　pass　an　opinion　on　it；　and　I　often　tell　myself　that　if　Christ　should　reappear　among　us　with　his　train　of　publicans　and　fishermanare　you　listening？that　if　the　meek　and　the　lowly　Jesus　should　come　to　preach　his　Sermon　on　the　Mount　in　the　Boulevard　des　Italiens〃

〃To　make　a　show　of　probability；〃　he　interrupted；　〃suppose　you　were　to　place　the　scene　at　Montmartre。　Frankly；　I　cannot　see　what　possible　connection　there　can　be　between　the　Christ　and　your　Count　Larinski；　and；　pray；　do　not　let　us　enter　into　a　theological　discussion；　you　know　it　is　wholly　out　of　my　line。　Religion　seems　to　me　an　excellent　thing；　a　most　useful　thing；　and　I　freely　accept　Christianity；　minus　the　romantic　side；　with　which　I　have　no　time　to　occupy　myself。　You　will　at　least　grant　me　that；　if　there　are　true　miracles；　there　are　also　false　ones。　How　distinguish　them？〃

〃It　is　the　heart　that　must　decide；〃　said　she。

〃Oh！　the　infallibility　of　the　heart！〃　exclaimed　he。　〃There　never　was　council　yet　that　voted　that。〃

There　was　a　pause；　after　which　M。　Moriaz　resumed：　〃And　so；　my　dear；　you　are　persuaded　that　M。　Larinski　is　still　free；　and　that　Mme。　de　Lorcy　lied？〃

〃Not　at　all；　if　she　had　lied；　she　would　not　have　betrayed　herself　so　naively　just　now。　I　accuse　her　of　deceiving　herself；　or　rather　of　having　wished　to　deceive　herself。　Do　you　know　what　you　are　going　to　doI　mean　this　eveningafter　dinner？　You　are　going　to　order　up　the　carriage；　and　you　are　going〃

〃To　Paris；　Rue　Mont…Thabor！〃　he　exclaimed；　bounding　up　in　his　seat。　〃Very　good；　I　will　put　on　a　dress…coat；　and　I　will　say　to　Count　Larinski：　'My　dear　monsieur；　I　come　to　demand　your　hand　for　my　daughter；　who　adores　you。　Certain　malicious　tongues　assert　that　you　are　no　longer　free；　I　do　not　believe　them；　besides；　this　would　be　a　mere　bagatelle。'　On　the　whole；　I　believe　you　would　do　better　to　put　it　down　in　writing　for　me；　left　to　myself　I　never　will　get　through　with　it；　out　of　my　professor's　chair　I　have　considerable　difficulty　in　finding　words！〃

〃Dear　me；　how　hasty　you　are！　Who　suggests　such　a　thing？　Abbe　Miollens　is　our　friend；　he　is　a　worthy　man；　whose　testimony　would　be　reliable。〃

〃Now　this　is　something　like！　I　see　what　you　mean。　At　this　rate　you　will　not　need　to　prepare　my　harangue。　Here　we　have　an　acceptable　idea；　a　possible　interview。　This　evening；　after　my　dinner；　I　shall　go　see　Abbe　Miollens；　but　it　is　clearly　understood；　I　presume；　that　if　he　confirms　the　sentence〃

〃I　shall　not　ask　for　its　repeal；　and　I　promise　you　that　I　will　be　courageous　beyond　anything　that　you　can　imagine；　you　shall　not　so　much　as　suspect　that　I　even　regret　my　chimera。　But；　as　a　fair　exchange；　you　on　your　side　must　make　me　a　promise。　If　Abbe　Miollens〃

〃You　know　as　well　as　I　that　you　are　of　age。〃

〃I　know　as　well　as　you　that　I　never　will　be　content　without　your　consent。　Here　once　more　as　in　the　Engadine；　I　say；　'Either　he　or　no　one。'　〃

〃Did　I　not　warn　you　that　when　once　a　formula　has　been　pronounced；　one　is　apt　to　keep　on　repeating　it　forever？〃

〃Either　he　or　no　one：　that　is　my　last　word。　Would　you　not　rather　that　it　should　be　he？　Are　you　willing　to　accept　him？〃

〃I　will　submit。〃

〃With　a　good　grace？〃

〃With　resignation。〃

〃With　cheerful　resignation？〃

〃I　shall　certainly　do　my　best　to　acquire　it；　or；　rather；　if　he　makes　you　happy；　I　shall　welcome　him　all　the　days　of　my　life；　in　the　contrary　case；　I　will　repeat；　morning　and　evening；　like　Mme。　de　Lorcy：

'You　would　not　listen　to　me；　you　ought　to　have　believed　me。'　〃

〃It　is　agreed；　you　are　a　good　father；　and　now　we　are　in　perfect　harmony；〃　she　replied；　impulsively　seizing　his　two　hands；　and　pressing　them　in　her　own。

He　watched　her　a　moment　between　his　half…closed　eyes；　and　then　he　cried；　half　resentfully：

〃But；　/mon　Dieu/　why　do　you　love　this　man？〃

She　replied；　in　a　low　voice：　〃Because　I　love　him；　this　is　my　sole　reason；　but　I　find　it　good。〃

〃Certainly　most　decisive。　But；　come；　let　us　go　quickly；〃　he　replied；　rising。　〃I　fear　that　my　retorts　and　crucibles；　if　they　listen　to　you　much　longer；　will　fall　into　a　syncope　as　prolonged　as　that　of　M。　Larinski。　Was　ever　such　a　debate　heard　of　in　a　chemical　laboratory？〃

As　soon　as　dinner　was　over；　M。　Moriaz　made　ready　to　repair　to　Maisons；　where　Abbe　Miollens　passed　the　summer　in　the　vicinity　of　Mme。　de　Lorcy。　Mlle。　Moiseney　followed　him　to　the　carriage；　and　said：

〃You　have　a　remarkable　daughter；　monsieur！　With　what　courage　she　has　assumed　her　role！　With　what　resolution　she　has　renounced　an　impossible　happiness！　Did　you　observe　her　during　dinner？　How　tranquil　she　was！　how　attentive！　Is　she　not　astonishing？〃

〃As　astonishing　as　you　are　sagacious；〃　he　replied。

〃Ah！　undoubtedly；　I　never　thought　that　she　loved　him　so　much　as　you　imagine　I　did：　but　he　pleased　her；　she　admired　him。　Did　she　ever　utter　a　word　of　complaint；　or　a　sigh；　on　learning　the　cruel　truth？　what　strength　of　mind！　what　equability　of　temperament！　what　nobility　of　sentiment！　You　do　not　admire　her　enough；　monsieur；　you　are　not　proud　enough　of　having　such　a　daughter。　As　to　me；　I　glory　in　having　been　of　some　value　in　her　education。　I　always　made　a　point　of　developing　her　judgment；　and　putting　her　on　her　guard　against　all　erratic　tendencies。　Yes；　I　can　safely　say　that　I　took　great　pains　to　cultivate　and　fortify　her　reason。〃

〃I　thank　you　with　all　my　heart；〃　rejoined　M。　Moriaz；　leaning　back　in　one　corner　of　the　carriage；　〃you　can　most　assuredly　boast　of　having　accomplished　a　marvellous　work；　but　I　beg　of　you；　mademoiselle；　when　you　have　finished　your　discourse；　will　you　kindly　say　to　the　coachman　that　I　am　ready　to　start？〃

During　the　drive；　M。　Moriaz　gave　himself　up　to　the　most　melancholy　reflections；　he　even　tormented　himself　with　sundry　reproaches。　〃We　have　acted　contrary　to　good　sense；〃　he　thought。　〃Her　imagination　has　been　taken　by　storm；　in　time　it　would　have　calmed　down。　We　should　have　left　her　to　herself；　to　her　natural　defenceher　own　good　judgment；　for　she　has　a　large　stock　of　it。　I　fell　on　the　unlucky　idea　of　calling　Mme。　de　Lorcy　to　my　aid；　and　she　has　spoiled　everything　by　her　boasted　/finesse/。　As　soon　as　Antoinette　had　reason　to　suspect　that　her　choice　was　condemned　by　us；　and　that　we　were　plotting　the　enemy's　destruction；　the　sympathy；　mingled　with　admiration；　which　she　accorded　to　M。　Larinski；　became　transformed　into　love；　the　fire　smouldering　beneath　ashes　leaped　up　into　flames。　We　neglected　to　count　on　that　passion　which　is　innate　in　women；　and　which　phrenologists　call　combativeness。　With　her　there　is　now　a　cause　to　be　gained；　and；　when　love　unites　its　interests　with　cards　or　with　war；　it　becomes　irresistible。　Truly　our　campaign　is　greatly　jeopardized；　unless　Heaven　or　M。　Larinski　interfere。〃

Thus　reasoned　M。　Moriaz；　whom　paternal　misadventures　and　recent　experiences　had　rendered　a　better　psychologist　than　he　ever　had　been。　While　busied　with　his　reflections　the　carriage　drove　rapidly　onward；　and　thirty…five　minutes　sufficed　to　reach　the　little　/maison　de　campagne/　occupied　by　Abbe　Miollens。　He　found　him　in　his　cabinet；　installed　in　a　cushioned　arm…chair　embroidered　by　M