samuel brohl & company-第28节

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d　by　Abbe　Miollens。　He　found　him　in　his　cabinet；　installed　in　a　cushioned　arm…chair　embroidered　by　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　slowly　sipping　a　cup　of　excellent　tea　brought　him　by　the　missionaries　from　China。　On　his　left　was　his　violin…box；　on　his　right　his　beloved　Horace；　Orelli's　edition；　Zurich；　1844。

Conversation　began。　As　soon　as　M。　Moriaz　had　pronounced　the　name　of　Count　Larinski；　the　abbe　assumed　the　charmed　and　contented　countenance　of　a　dog　lying　in　wait　for　its　favourite　game。

He　exclaimed；　〃A　most　truly　admirable　man！〃

〃Mercy　upon　us！〃　thought　M。　Moriaz。　〃Here　we　have　an　exordium　strangely　similar　to　that　of　Mlle。　Moiseney。　Do　they　think　to　condemn　me　to　a　state　of　perpetual　admiration　of　their　prodigy？　I　fear　there　must　be　some　kinship　of　spirit　between　our　friend　the　abbe　and　that　crack…brained　woman；　that　he　is　cousin…german　to　her　at　least。〃

〃How　grateful　I　am　to　you；　my　dear　monsieur；〃　continued　Abbe　Miollens；　lying　back　in　his　chair；　〃for　having　given　us　the　pleasure　of　the　acquaintance　of　this　rare　man！　It　is　you　who　sent　him　to　us；　to　you　belongs　the　merit　of　having　discovered　him；　or　invented　him；　if　you　choose。〃

〃Oh！　I　beg　of　you　not　to　exaggerate；〃　humbly　rejoined　M。　Moriaz。　〃He　invented　himself；　I　assure　you。〃

〃At　all　events　it　was　you　who　patronized　him；　who　made　him　known　to　us；　without　you　the　world　never　would　have　suspected　the　existence　of　this　superb　genius；　this　noble　character；　who　was　hidden　from　sight　like　the　violet　in　the　grass。〃

〃He　is　unquestionably　her　cousin…german；〃　thought　M。　Moriaz。

〃Only　think；〃　continued　the　abbe；　〃I　have　found　M。　Larinski　all　over　again　in　Horace！　Yes；　Horace　has　represented　him；　trait　for　trait；　in　the　person　of　Lollius。　You　know　Marcus　Lollius；　to　whom　he　addressed　Ode　ix。　of　book　iv。；　and　who　was　consul　in　the　year　733　after　the　foundation　of　Rome。　The　resemblance　is　striking；　pay　attention！〃

Depositing　his　cup　on　the　table　he　took　the　book　in　his　right　hand；　and　placing　the　forefinger　of　his　left　by　turns　on　his　lips　or　complacently　following　with　it　the　lines　of　especial　beauty　in　the　text；　he　exclaimed：　〃Now　what　do　you　say　to　this？　'Thy　soul　is　wise；'　wrote　Horace　to　Lollius；　'and　resists　with　the　same　constancy　the　temptations　of　happiness　as　those　of　adversity/est　animus　tibi　et　secundis　temporibus　dubiisque　rectus/。'　Is　not　this　Count　Larinski？　Listen　further：　'Lollius　detested　fraud　and　cupidity；　he　despised　money　which　seduces　most　men/abstinens　ducentis　ad　se　cuncta　pecuniae/。'　This　trait　is　very　striking；　I　find　even；　between　ourselves；　that　our　dear　count　despises　money　entirely　too　much；　he　turns　from　it　in　horror；　its　very　name　is　odious　to　him；　he　is　an　Epictetus；　he　is　a　Diogenes；　he　is　an　anchorite　of　ancient　times　who　would　live　happily　in　a　Thebaid。　He　told　us　himself　that　it　made　little　difference　to　him　whether　he　dined　on　a　piece　of　bread　and　a　glass　of　water；　or　in　luxury　at　the　Café　Anglais。　But　I　have　not　finished。　'Happy　be　those；'　exclaimed　Horace；　'who　know　how　to　suffer　uncomplainingly　the　hardships　of　poverty/qui　duram　que　callet　pauperiem　pati/！'　Of　whom　does　he　speakof　Lollius；　or　of　our　friend；　who　not　only　endures　his　poverty　but　who　loves　it；　cherishes　it　as　a　lover　adores　his　mistress？　And　the　final　trait；　what　to　you　think　of　it？　Lollius　was　always　ready　to　die　for　his　country'/non　ille　pro　patria　timidus　perire/。'　In　good　faith；　is　it　not　curious？　Does　it　not　seem　as　though　Horace　had　known　Count　Larinski　at　Rome　or　at　Tibur？〃

〃I　do　not　doubt　it　for　an　instant；〃　replied　M。　Moriaz；　taking　the　book　from　the　hands　of　Abbe　Miollens　and　placing　it　respectfully　on　the　table。　〃Luckily；　our　friend　Larinski；　as　you　call　him；　fell　upon　the　excellent　idea　of　resuscitating　himself　some　thirty　years　ago；　which　procured　for　us　the　great　joy　of　meeting　him　at　Saint　Moritz；　and　while　we　are　on　the　subject　My　dear　abbe；　have　you　a　free；　impartial　mind？　Can　you　listen　to　me？　I　have　a　question　to　propound；　an　elucidation　to　demand。　It　is　not　only　the　friend　to　whom　I　address　myself；　it　is　the　confessor；　the　director　of　consciences；　the　man　of　the　whole　universe　in　whose　discretion　I　place　most　reliance。〃

〃I　am　all　ears；〃　responded　the　abbe；　crossing　the　shapely　legs　in　which　he　took　no　little　pride。

M。　Moriaz　entered　at　once　into　the　subject　that　troubled　him。　It　was　some　moments　before　Abbe　Miollens　divined　whither　he　was　tending。　As　soon　as　he　had　grasped　a　ray　of　light；　his　face　contracted；　and　uncrossing　his　limbs；　he　cried：　〃Ah；　what　a　misfortune！　You　will　have　to　renounce　your　delightful　dream；　my　dear　Monsieur；　and；　believe　me；　no　one　can　be　more　grieved　than　I。　I　fully　comprehend　with　what　joy　you　would　have　seen　your　charming　daughter　consecrate；　I　will　not　say　her　fortune；　for　you　know　as　well　as　I　how　little　Count　Larinski　would　care　for　that；　but　consecrate；　I　say；　her　graces；　her　beauty；　and　all　the　qualities　of　her　angelic　character　to　the　happiness　of　a　man　of　rare　merit　who　has　been　cruelly　scourged　by　Providence。　She　loves　him；　she　is　loved　by　him；　Heaven　would　have　blest　their　union。　Ah；　what　a　misfortune！　I　must　repeat　it；　this　marriage　is　impossible；　our　friend　is　already　married。〃

〃You　are　sure　of　it？〃　cried　M。　Moriaz；　in　a　burst　of　enthusiasm　that　the　good　abbe　mistook　for　an　access　of　despair。

〃I　scarcely　can　pardon　myself　for　causing　you　this　pain。　You　ask　if　I　am　sure　of　it！　I　have　it　from　our　friend　himself。　One　evening；　apropos　of　I　scarcely　remember　what；　it　occurred　to　me　to　ask　if　he　were　married；　and　he　replied；　briefly：　'I　thought　I　had　told　you　so。'　Ah！　my　dear　professor；　it　were　needless　to　discuss　whether　such　a　marriage　would　be　a　happy　one；　for　it　never　can　take　place。〃

〃Well；　now　we　have　something　positive；〃　M。　Moriaz　hastened　to　observe；　〃and　there　is　nothing　to　do　but　yield　to　evidence。〃

〃Alas！　yes；〃　rejoined　the　abbe；　and；　then；　after　a　pause；　during　which　he　wore　a　reflective　air；　he　added；　〃However〃

〃There　is　no　'however；'　M。　l'Abbe。　Believe　me；　your　word　suffices。〃

〃But　I　might　possibly　have　misunderstood。〃

〃I　have　entire　confidence　in　your　earsthey　are　excellent。〃

〃But　pray　allow　me　to　observe　that　it　is　never　worth　while　to　despair　too　soon。　Do　you　know　what？　Count　Larinski　came　recently　to　see　me　without　finding　me　at　home。　I　owe　him　a　farewell　visit。　To…morrow　morning；　I　promise　you；　I　will　call　on　him。〃

〃For　what　purpose？〃　interrupted　M。　Moriaz。　〃I　thank　you　a　thousand　times　for　your　kindly　intentions；　but　God　forbid　that　I　should　uselessly　interfere　with　your　daily　pursuits；　your　time　is　too　precious！　I　declare　myself　completely　edified。　I　consider　the　proof　firmly　established；　there　is　no　further　doubt。〃

As　Madame　de　Lorcy　had　remarked；　Abbe　Miollens　was　not　one　to　easily　relax　his　hold　upon　an　idea　he　had　once　deemed　good。　In　vain　M。　Moriaz　combated　his　proposition；　bestowing　secret　maledictions　on　his　excess　of　zeal；　the　abbe　would　not　give　up；　and　M。　Moriaz　was　forced　to　be　resigned。　It　was　agreed　that　the　next　day　the　worthy　man　should　call　on　Count　Larinski；　and　that　from　Paris　he　should　repair　to　Cormeilles；　in　order　to　communicate　to　the　proper　person　the　result　of　his　mission。　M。　Moriaz　perceived　the　advantage　of　having　Antoinette　learn　from　the　abbe's　own　lips　the　fatal　truth；　and　he　did　not　leave　without　impressing　upon　him　to　be　very　circumspect；　as　prudent　as　a　serpent；　as　discreet　as　a　father　confessor。　He　started　for　home　with　quite　a　contented　mind；　seeing　the　future　lie　smoothly　and　pleasantly　before　him；　and　it　really　seemed　to　him　that　the　drive　from　Maisons　to　Cormeilles　was　a　much　shorter　and　more　agreeable　one　than　that　from　Cormeilles　to　Maisons。

Samuel　Brohl　was　seated　before　an　empty　trunk；　which　he　was　apparently　about　to　pack；　when　he　heard　some　one　knock　at　his　door。　He　went　to　open　it　and　found　himself　face　to　face　with　Abbe　Miollens。　From　the　moment　of　their　first　meeting；　Samuel　Brohl　had　conceived　for　the　abbe　that　warm　sympathy；　that　strong　liking；　with　which　he　was　always　inspired　by　people　in　whom　he　believed　he　recognised　useful　animals　who　might　be　of　advantage　to　him；　whom　he　considered　destined　to　render　him　some　essential　service。　He　seldom　mistook；　he　was　a　admirable　diagnostician；　he　recognised　at　first　sight　the　divine　impress　of　predestination。　He　gave　the　most　cordial　reception　to　his　reverend　friend；　and　ushered　him　into　his　modest　quarters　with　all　the　more　/empressement/；　because　he　detected　at　once　the　mysterious；　rather　agitated　air　he　wore。　〃Does　he　come　in　the　quality　of　a　diplomatic　agent；　charged　with　some　mission　extraordinary？〃　he　asked　himself。　On　his　side　the　abbe　studied　Samuel　Brohl　without　seeming　to　do　so。　He　was　struck　with　his　physiognomy；　which　expressed　at　this　moment　a　manly　yet　sorrowful　pride。　His　eyes　betrayed　at　intervals　the　secret　of　some　heroic　grief　that　he　had　sworn　to　repress　before　men；　and　to　confess　to　God　alone。

He　sat　down　with　his　guest；　and　they　began　to　talk；　but　the　abbe　directed　the　conversation　into　topics　of　the　greatest　indifference。　Samuel　Brohl　listened　to　him　and　replied　with　a　melancholy　grace。　Lively　as　was　his　curiosity　he　well　knew　how　to　hold　it　in　check。　Samuel　Brohl　never　had　been　in　a　hurry；　during　the　month　that　had　elapsed　he　had　proved　that　he　k