samuel brohl & company-第30节

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〃Peace；　I　implore　you！　Respect　my　folly；　which　is　surely　wisdom　in　the　eyes　of　God。　I　repeat　it　to　you；　I　am　no　longer　free；　and；　even　if　I　were；　do　you　not　know　that　there　is　between　Mlle。　Moriaz　and　myself　an　insurmountable　barrier？〃

〃And　pray；　what　is　that？〃　demanded　the　abbe。

〃Her　fortune　and　my　pride；〃　said　Samuel。　〃She　is　rich；　I　am　poor；　this　adorable　being　is　not　made　for　me。　I　told　Mme。　de　Lorcy　one　day　what　I　thought　of　this　kind　of　alliances；　or；　to　speak　more　clearly；　of　bargains。　Yes；　my　revered　friend；　I　love　Mlle。　Moriaz　with　an　ardour　of　passion　with　which　I　reproach　myself　as　though　it　were　a　crime。　Nothing　remains　to　me　but　to　avoid　seeing　her；　and　I　never　will　see　her　again。　Let　me　follow　to　its　end　my　solitary　and　rugged　path。　One　consolation　will　accompany　me：　I　can　say　that　happiness　has　not　been　denied　to　me：　that　it　is　my　conscience；　admonished　from　on　high；　which　has　refused　to　accept　it；　and　there　is　a　divine　sweetness　in　great　trials　religiously　accepted。　Believe　me；　it　is　God　who　speaks　to　me；　as　he　spoke　to　me　of　old　in　San　Francisco；　to　enjoin　me　to　forsake　everything　and　give　my　blood　for　my　country。　I　recognise　his　voice；　which　to…day　bids　my　heart　be　silent　and　immolate　itself　on　the　altar　of　its　chosen　cause。　God　and　Poland！　Beyond　this；　my　watch…word；　I　have　no　longer　the　right　to　yield　to　anything。〃

And；　turning　towards　the　statuette；　he　exclaimed：　〃It　is　at　her　feet　that　I　lay　down　my　dolorous　offering；　she　it　is　who　will　cure　my　bruised　and　broken　heart。〃

Samuel　Brohl　spoke　in　a　voice　thrilling　with　emotion；　the　breath　of　the　Divine　Spirit　seemed　to　play　through　his　hair；　and　make　his　eyes　grow　humid。　The　eyes　of　the　good　abbe　also　grew　moist：　he　was　profoundly　moved；　he　gazed　with　veneration　upon　this　hero；　he　was　filled　with　respect　for　this　antique　character；　for　this　truly　celestial　soul。　He　never　had　seen　anything　like　it；　either　in　the　odes　or　in　the　epistles　of　Horace。　Lollius　himself　was　surpassed。　Transported　with　admiration；　he　opened　wide　his　arms　to　Samuel　Brohl；　spreading　them　out　their　full　length；　as　though　otherwise　they　might　fail　to　accomplish　their　object；　and；　clasping　him　to　his　bosom；　he　cried：

〃Ah！　my　dear　count；　how　grand　you　are！　You　are　immense　as　the　world！〃



CHAPTER　VIII

Abbe　Miollens　hastened　to　repair　to　Cormeilles；　where　he　gave　a　faithful　circumstantial　account　of　his　conference　with　Count　Larinski。　He　was　still　warm　from　the　interview；　and　he　gave　free　vent　to　the　effusions　of　his　enthusiasm。　He　struck　up　a　Canticle　of　Zion　in　honour　of　the　antique　soul；　the　celestial　soul；　which　had　just　been　revealing　to　him　all　its　hidden　treasures。　M。　Moriaz；　both　astonished　and　scandalized；　observed；　dryly：

〃You　are　right；　this　Pole　is　a　prodigy；　he　should　either　be　canonized　or　hanged；　I　do　not　know　which。〃

Antoinette　said　not　a　word；　she　kept　her　reflections　to　herself。　She　retired　to　her　chamber；　where　she　paced　to　and　fro　for　some　time；　uncertain　regarding　what　she　was　about　to　do；　or；　rather　more　restless　than　uncertain。　Several　times　she　approached　her　writing…table；　and　gazed　earnestly　at　her　inkstand；　then；　seized　with　a　sudden　scruple；　she　would　move　away。　At　last　she　formed　a　resolute　decision；　seized　her　pen；　and　wrote　the　following　lines：

　〃MONSIEUR：　Before　setting　out　for　Vienna；　will　you　be　so　good　as　to　　　come　and　pass　some　moments　at　Cormeilles？　I　desire　to　have　a　　　conversation　with　you　in　the　presence　of　my　father。

　〃Accept；　monsieur；　I　beg　of　you；　the　expression　of　my　most　profound　　　esteem。

〃ANTOINETTE　MORIAZ。〃

The　next　morning　she　received　by　the　first　mail　the　response　she　awaited；　and　which　was　thus　fashioned：

　〃This　test　would　be　more　than　my　courage　could　endure。　I　never　　　shall　see　you　again；　for；　should　I　do　so；　I　would　be　a　lost　man。〃

This　short　response　caused　Mlle。　Moriaz　a　disappointment　full　of　bitterness；　and　blended　with　no　little　wrath。　She　held　in　her　hand　a　pencil；　which　she　deliberately　snapped　in　two；　apparently　to　console　herself　for　not　having　broken　the　proud　and　obstinate　will　of　Count　Abel　Larinski。　And　yet　can　one　break　iron　or　a　diamond？　The　carrier　had　brought　her　at　the　same　time　another　letter；　which　she　opened　mechanically；　merely　to　satisfy　her　conscience。　She　ran　through　the　first　lines　without　succeeding　in　comprehending　a　single　word　that　she　read。　Suddenly　her　attention　became　riveted；　her　face　brightened　up；　her　eyes　kindled。　This　letter；　which　a　kind　Providence　had　sent　her　as　a　supreme　resource　in　her　distress；　was　from　the　hand　of　Mlle。　Galet；　and　here　was　what　this　retired　florist　of　the　Rue　Mouffetard　wrote：

　〃MA　CHERE　DEMOISELLE：　I　learn　that　you　have　returned。　What　　　happiness　for　me！　and　how　I　long　to　see　you！　You　are　my　good　　　angel；　whom　I　should　like　to　see　every　day　of　my　life；　and　the　　　time　has　seemed　so　long　to　me　without　you。　When　you　enter　the　　　garret　of　the　poor；　infirm　old　woman；　it　seems　to　her　as　though　　　there　were　three　suns　in　the　heavens；　when　you　abandon　her；　the　　　blackness　of　midnight　surrounds　her。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　has　been　very　　　good　to　me。　As　my　angel　requested　her；　she　came　a　fortnight　since　　　to　pay　me　the　quarter　due　of　my　pension。　She　is　a　very　charitable　　　lady；　and　she　dresses　beautifully；　but　she　is　a　little　hard　on　　　poor　people。　She　asks　a　great　many　questions；　she　wants　to　know　　　everything。　She　reproached　me　with　spending　too　much；　being　too　　　fond　of　luxury；　and　you　know　how　that　is。　She　forgets　that　　　everything　is　higher　priced　than　it　used　to　be；　that　meat　and　　　vegetables　are　exorbitant；　and　that　just　now　eggs　cost　one　franc　　　and　fifty　centimes　a　dozen。　Besides；　a　poor　creature；　deprived　of　　　the　use　of　her　limbs；　as　I　am；　cannot　go　to　market　herself；　and　it　　　is　quite　possible　that　my　/femme　de　menage/　does　not　purchase　as　　　wisely　as　she　might。　I　know　I　have　great　scenes　with　her　sometimes　　　for　bringing　me　early　vegetables；　/le　bon　Dieu/　can；　at　least；　　　bear　me　witness　that　I　am　no　glutton。

　〃The　good　Mme。　de　Lorcy　scolded　me　about　a　bouquet　of　camellias　she　　　saw　on　my　table；　just　like　those　for　which　I　have　been　grateful　to　　　my　angel。　I　don't　know　what　notions　she　got　into　her　head　about　　　them。　Ah！　well；　/ma　chere　demoiselle/；　I　have　learned　since　that　　　these　double　camelliasthey　are　variegated；　red　and　whitecame　　　to　me　from　a　man；　for；　at　present；　as　it　would　appear；　men　have　　　taken　to　give　me　bouquets　and　making　me　visits；　it　is　rather　late　　　in　the　day。　The　particular　man　to　whom　I　refer　presented　himself　　　one　fine　morning；　and；　telling　me　that　you　had　spoken　to　him　of　　　me；　said　that　he　wished　to　assure　himself　that　I　was　well　and　　　wanted　nothing。　He　returned　several　times；　always　pampering　me　　　with　some　attention　or　other。　But　the　best　of　all　was　when　he　came　　　to　tell　me　that　my　angel　had　returned。　What　a　man　he　is！　he　has　　　surely　dropped　right　down　from　the　skies！　One　evening　when　I　was　　　sick　he　gave　me　my　medicine　himself；　and　would　have　sat　up　with　me　　　all　night　if　I　had　been　willing　to　let　him。　You　must　tell　me　who　　　he　is；　for　it　puzzles　me　greatly。　He　has　the　head　of　some　grand　　　lion；　he　is　as　generous　as　he　is　handsome；　but　very　sad。　He　must　　　have　some　great　sorrow　on　his　heart。　The　misfortune；　so　far　as　I　　　am　concerned；　is　that　he　cannot　spoil　me　much　longerit　is　almost　　　over　now。　He　expects　to　leave　here　in　two　days；　and　he　has　　　announced　to　me　that　he　will　come　to　make　his　adieus；　to…morrow　　　afternoon。

　〃You　will　come　soon；　won't　you；　/ma　chere　demoiselle/？　I　burn　with　　　impatience　to　embrace　you；　since　you　permit　me　to　embrace　you。　You　　　are　my　angel　and　my　sunshine；　and　I　am　your　very　humble　and　　　devoted　servant；

〃LOUISE　GALET。〃

This　letter　of　Mlle。　Louise　Galet　continued　nothing　definite；　beyond；　perhaps；　the　passage　relative　to　the　early　vegetables；　and　the　supposed　scenes　with　her　/chambriere/。　Whatever　may　have　been　the　good　demoiselle's　past　record；　she　certainly　was　not　void　of　principles；　and　she　prided　herself　on　her　truthfulness；　only　she　did　not　always　see　the　necessity　of　telling　everything　she　knew；　in　her　narratives　she　frequently　omitted　certain　details。　She　had　written　at　the　instigation　of　Samuel　Brohl；　who　had　not　explained　to　her　his　motives。　To　be　sure；　she　had　partially　divined　these；　being　shrewd　and　sly。　He　had　commended　himself　to　her　discretion；　for　which　he　had　paid　liberally。　Mlle。　Galet　had　at　first　refused　the　round　sum　he　had　offered　her；　she　had　ended　by　accepting　it　with　tender　gratitude。　These　little　pampering　attentions　make　good　friends。

An　audacious　idea　suddenly　came　to　Mlle。　Moriaz；　there　was　no　time　to　recoil　from　it。　She　ordered　up　her　coupe。　M。　Moriaz　had　just　gone　out　to　make　a　call　in　the　neighbourhood。　She　determined　to　profit　by　his　absence；　and　besought　Mlle。　Moiseney　to　make　ready　in　haste　to　accompany　her　to　Paris；　where　she　had　to　confer　with　her　dressmaker。　Ten　minutes　later　she　stepped　into　her　carriage；　having　ordered　her　coachman　to　drive　like　the　wind。

Her　dressmaker　did　not　detain　her　long；　from　the　Rue　de　la　Paix　she　ordered　to　be　driven　to　No。　27　Rue　Mouffetard。　She　never　was　in　the　habit　of　permitting　Mlle。　Moiseney；　who　was　very　short　of　breath；　to　climb　with　her　to　the　fifth　story；　where　Mlle。　Galet　lodged；　upo