samuel brohl & company-第33节
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truly that the whole world had arisen from the dead。 The little old man continued to laugh jeeringly； then in a sharp； peevish voice； he cried： 〃/Schandbube！ vermaledeiter Schlingel！ ich will dich zu Brei schlagen！/〃 which signifies： 〃Scoundrel！ accursed blackguard！ I will beat you to a jelly！〃 It was a mode of address that Samuel had heard often in his infancy； but familiar though he might be with paternal amenities； when he saw his father uplift a withered； claw…like hand； a cry escaped his lips； he started back to evade the blow； entangled his feet in the legs of a chair； stumbled； and flung himself violently against a table。
He opened his eyes and saw no one。 He ran to the window and threw open the shutter； the growing dawn illumined the chamber with its grayish light。 Thank God！ there was no one there。 The vision had been so real that it was some time before Samuel Brohl could fully regain his senses； and persuade himself that his nightmare was forever dissipated； that phantoms were phantoms； that cemeteries do not surrender their prey。 When he had once acquired this rejoicing conviction； he spoke to the dead man who had appeared to him； and whose provoking visit had indiscreetly troubled his sleep； and with considerable hauteur he said； in a tone of superb defiance： 〃We must be resigned； my poor Abel； we shall see each other again only in the valley of Jehosaphat； I have seen twenty shovelfuls of earth cast upon youyou are dead； I live； and she is mine！〃
Thereupon he hastened to settle his account； and to quit the Coeur… Volant； within whose walls he promised himself never again to set foot。
At the very same moment； M。 Moriaz； who had risen early； was engaged in writing the following letter：
〃It is done； my dear friendI have yielded。 Pray； do not reproach me with my weakness； what else could I do？ When one has been for twenty years the most submissive of fathers； one does not emancipate one's self in a day； I never have been in the habit of erecting barriers； and it is scarcely likely that I could learn to do so at my age。 Ah！ /mon Dieu！/ who knows if； after all； her heart has not counselled her well； if one day she will not satisfy us all that she was in the right/ It must be confessed that this /diable/ of a man has an indescribable charm about him。 I can detect only one fault in him： he has committed the error of existing at all； it is a grave error； I admit； but thus far I have nothing else with which to reproach him。
〃When one loses a battle； nothing remains but to plan an orderly retreat。 Count Larinski； I regret to inform you； is armed with all needful weapons； he carries with him his certificate of birth； and certificate of the registry of death of both his parents。 No pretext can be made on this score； and my future son…in…law will not aid me to gain time。 The sole point upon which we must henceforth direct our attention is the contract。 We scarcely can take too many precautions； we must see that this Pole's hands are absolutely tied。 If you will permit me； I will one day ask you to confer with me and my notary； who is also yours。 I venture to hope that upon this point Antoinette will consent to be guided by our counsels。
〃I am not gay； my friend； but； having been born a philosopher； I bear my misfortunes patiently； and I will forthwith reread /Le Monde comme il va； ou la Vision de Babouc/； in order to endeavour to persuade myself that； if all is not well； all is at least supportable。〃
The evening of the same day； M。 Moriaz received the following response：
〃I never will pardon you。 You are a great chemist； I grant； but a pitiful； a most deplorable father。 Your weakness； which well merits another name； is without excuse。 You should have resisted； you should have stood your ground firmly。 Antoinette； although she is of age； never in the world would have decided to address to you a formal request of consent to this marriage。 She would have made some scenes； she would have pouted； she would have endeavoured to soften you by assuming the airs of a tearful； heart…broken widow； she would have draped herself in black crape。 And after that？ Desperate case！ These Artemisias are very tiresome； I admit； but one can accustom one's self to anything。 Should philosophers； who plead such sublime indifference about the affairs of this mundane sphere； be at the mercy of a fit of the sulks； or a dress of black crape？ Besides； black is all the fashion just now； even for those who are not in mourning。
〃You speak of contracts！ You are surely jesting！ What！ distrustful of a Pole？ take precautions against an antique man？I quote from Abbe Miollensagainst a soul as noble as great？ Think what you are doing！ At the mere thought of his disinterestedness being called into question； M。 Larinski would swoon away as he did in my /salon/。 It is a little way he has； which is most excellent； since it proves successful。 Do not think of such trifles as contracts； marry them with equal rights； and leave the consequences to Providence！ Follies have neither beauty nor merit； unless they are complete。 Ah； my good friend； Poland has its charm； has it？ Admirable！ But you must swallow the whole thing。 I am your obedient servant。〃
CHAPTER IX
The pitiless sentence pronounced by Mme。 de Lorcy grieved M。 Moriaz； but did not discourage him。 It was his opinion that； let her say what she might； precautions were good； that； well though it might be to bear our misfortunes patiently； there was no law forbidding us to assuage them； that it was quite permissible to prefer to complete follies those of a modified character； and that a bad cold or an influenza was decidedly preferable to inflammation of the lungs； which is so apt to prove fatal。 〃Time and myself will suffice for all things；〃 proudly said Philip II。 M。 Moriaz said； with perhaps less pride： 〃To postpone a thing so long as possible； and to hold deliberate counsel with one's notary； are the best correctives of a dangerous marriage that cannot be prevented。〃 His notary； M。 Noirot； in whom he reposed entire confidence； was absent； a case of importance had carried him to Italy。 Nothing remained but to await his return； until which everything stood in suspense。
In the first conversation he had with his daughter on the subject； M。 Moriaz found her very reasonable； very well disposed to enter into his views； to accede to his desires。 She was too thoroughly pleased with his resignation not to be willing to reward him for it with a little complaisancy； besides； she was too happy to be impatient； she had gained the main points of her caseit cost her little to yield in matters of secondary detail。
〃You will be accused of having taken a most inconsiderate step；〃 said her father to her。 〃You are little sensible to the judgment of the world； to what people say； I am much more so。 Humour my weakness or cowardice。 Let us endeavour to keep up appearances； do not let us appear to be in a hurry； or to have something to hide； let us act with due deliberation。 Just at present no one is in Paris； let us give our friends time to return there。 We will present Count Larinski to them。 Great happiness does not fear being discussed。 Your choice will be regarded unfavourably by some； approved by others。 M。 Larinski has the gift of pleasing； he will please； and all the world will pardon my resignation； which Mme。 de Lorcy esteems a crime。〃
〃You promised me that your resignation would be mingled with cheerfulness： I find it somewhat melancholy。〃
〃You scarcely could expect me to be intoxicated with joy。〃
〃Will you at least assure me that you have taken your part bravely； and that you will think of no further appeal？〃
〃I swear it to you！〃
〃Very good； then we will honour your weakness；〃 she replied； and she said Amen to all that he proposed。
It was agreed that the marriage should take place during the winter； and that two months should be allowed to elapse before proceeding to the preliminary formalities。 M。 Moriaz undertook to explain matters to Samuel Brohl； who found the arrangement little to his taste。 He took pains； however； to give no signs of this。 He told M。 Moriaz that he was still in the first bewildering surprise of his happiness； that he was not sorry to have time to recover from it； but he secretly promised himself to devise some artifice for abridging delays； for hastening the /denoument/。 He was apprehensive of accidents； unforeseen occurrences； squalls； storms； tornadoes； sudden blights； in short everything that might damage or destroy a harvest； he impatiently longed to gather in his； and to have it carefully stowed away in his granary。 In the interim he wrote to his old friend M。 Guldenthal a letter at once majestic and confidential； which produced a most striking effect。 M。 Guldenthal concluded that a good marriage was much better security than a poor gun。 Besides； he had had the agreeable surprise of being completely reimbursed for his loan； capital and interest。 He was charmed to have so excellent a debtor return to him； and he hastened to advance to him all that he could possibly want； even more。
A month passed peaceably by； during which time Samuel Brohl repaired
