samuel brohl & company-第34节
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ld possibly want； even more。
A month passed peaceably by； during which time Samuel Brohl repaired two or three times each week to Cormeilles。 He made himself adored by the entire household； including the gardener； the porter and his family； and the Angora cat that had welcomed him at the time of his first visit。 This pretty； soft white puss had conceived for Samuel Brohl a most deplorable sympathy； perhaps she had recognised that he possessed the soul of a cat； together with all the feline graces。 She lavished on him the most flattering attentions； she loved to rub coaxingly against him； to spring on his knee； to repose in his lap。 In retaliation； the great； tawny spaniel belonging to Mlle。 Moriaz treated the newcomer with the utmost severity and was continually looking askance at him； when Samuel attempted a caress； he would growl ominously and show his teeth； which called forth numerous stern corrections from his mistress。 Dogs are born gendarmes or police agents； they have marvellous powers of divination and instinctive hatred of people whose social status is not orthodox； whose credentials are irregular； or who have borrowed the credentials of others。 As to Mlle。 Moiseney； who had not the scent of a spaniel； she had gone distracted over this noble； this heroic； this incomparable Count Larinski。 In a /tete…a…tete/ he had contrived to have with her； he had evinced much respect for her character； so much admiration for her natural and acquired enlightenment； that she had been moved to tears； for the first time she felt herself understood。 What moved her； however； still more was that he asked her as a favour never to quit Mlle。 Moriaz and to consider as her own the house he hoped one day to possess。 〃What a man！〃 she ejaculated； with as much conviction as Mlle。 Galet。
The principal study of Samuel Brohl was to insinuate himself into the good graces of M。 Moriaz； whose mental reservations he dreaded。 He succeeded in some measure； or at least he disarmed any lingering suspicions by the irreproachable adjustment of his manners； by the reserve of his language； by his great show of lack of curiosity regarding all questions that might have a proximate or remote connection with his interests。 How； then； had Mme。 de Lorcy come to take it into her head that there was something of the appraiser about Samuel Brohl； and that his eyes took an inventory of her furniture？ If he had forgotten himself at Maisons； he never forgot himself at Cormeilles。 What cared he for the sordid affairs of the sublunary sphere？ He floated in ether； heaven had opened to him its portals； the blessed are too absorbed in their ecstasy to pay heed to details or to take an inventory of paradise。 Nevertheless； Samuel's ecstasies did not prevent him from embracing every opportunity to render himself useful or agreeable to M。 Moriaz。 He frequently asked permission to accompany him into his laboratory。 M。 Moriaz flattered himself that he had discovered a new body to which he attributed most curious properties。 Since his return he had been occupied with some very delicate experiments； which he did not always carry out to his satisfaction； his movements were brusque； his hands all thumbs； very often he chanced to ruin everything by breaking his vessels。 Samuel proposed to assist him in a manipulation requiring considerable dexterity； he had very flexible fingers； was as expert as a juggler； and the manipulation succeeded beyond all hopes。
Mme。 de Lorcy was furious at having been outwitted by Count Larinski； she retracted all the concessions she had made concerning him； her rancour had decided that the man of fainting…fits could not be other than an imposter。 She had disputes on this subject with M。 Langis； who persisted in maintaining that M。 Larinski was a great comedian； but that this； strictly considered； did not prevent his being a true count； in the course of his travels he had met specimens of them who cheated at cards and pocketed affronts。 Mme。 de Lorcy； in return； accused him of being a simpleton。 She had written again to Vienna； in hopes of obtaining some further intelligence； she had been able to learn nothing satisfactory。 She did not lose courage； she well knew that； in the important affairs of life； M。 Moriaz found it difficult to dispense with her approbation； and she promised herself to choose with discretion the moment to make a decisive assault upon him。 In the meanwhile she gave herself the pleasure of tormenting him by her silence； and of grieving him by her long…continued pouting。 One day M。 Moriaz said to his daughter：
〃Mme。 de Lorcy is displeased with us； this grieves me。 I fear you have dropped some word that has wounded her。 I shall be greatly obliged to you if you will go and see her and coax her into good…humour。〃
〃You gave me a far from agreeable commission；〃 she rejoined； 〃but I can refuse you nothing； I shall go to…morrow to Maisons。〃
At the precise moment when this conversation was taking place； Mme。 de Lorcy； who was passing the day in Paris； entered the Ecole des Beaux… Arts。 The exhibition of the work of a celebrated painter； recently deceased； had attracted thither a great throng of people。 Mme。 de Lorcy moved to and fro； when suddenly she descried a little old woman； sixty years of age； with a snub nose； whose little gray eyes gleamed with malice and impertinence。 Her chin in the air； holding up her eye… glasses with her hand； she scrutinized all the pictures with a critical； disdainful air。
〃Ah！ truly it is the Princess Gulof；〃 said Mme。 de Lorcy to herself； and turned away to avoid an encounter。 It was at Ostend； three years previous； during the season of the baths； that she had made the acquaintance of the princess； she did not care to renew it。 This haughty； capricious Russian； with whom a chance occurrence at the /table d'hote/ had thrown her into intercourse； had not taken a place among her pleasantest reminiscences。
Princess Gulof was the wife of a governor…general whom she had wedded in second marriage after a long widowhood。 He did not see her often； two or three times a year； that was all。 Floating about from one end of Europe to another； they kept up a regular exchange of letters； the prince never took any step without consulting his wife； who usually gave him sound advice。 During the first years of their marriage； he had committed the error of being seriously in love with her： there are some species of ugliness that inspire actually insane passions。 The princess found this in the most wretched taste； and soon brought Dimitri Paulovitch to his senses。 From that moment perfect concord reigned between this wedded couple； who were parted by the entire continent of Europe； united by the mail…bags。 The princess did not bear a very irreproachable record。 She looked upon morality as pure matter of conventionality； and she made no secret of her thoughts。 She was always on the alert for new discoveries； fresh experiences； she never waited to read a book to the end before flinging it into the waste…paper basket； most frequently the first chapter sufficed； she had met with many disappointments； she had wearied of many caprices； and she had arrived at the conclusion that man is； after all； of but small account。 Nevertheless； there had come to her late in life a comparatively lasting caprice； during nearly five years she had flattered herself that she had found what she sought。 Alas！ for the first time she had been abandoned； forsaken； and that before she had herself grown tired of her fancy。 This desertion had inflicted a sharp wound on her pride； she had conceived an implacable hatred for the faithless one； and then she had forgotten him。 She had plunged into the natural sciences； she had made dissectionsit was her way of being avenged。 She held very advanced ideas； she believed in the most radical of the doctrines of evolution； she deemed it a clearly demonstrated fact that man is a development of the monkey； the monkey of the monad。 She profoundly despised any one who permitted himself to doubt this。 She did not count melancholy； to analyze or dissect everything； that was her way of being happy。
During their common sojourn at Ostend； Mme。 de Lorcy had gained the good graces of the Princess Gulof through the dexterity with which she had dressed the wounds of Moufflard； her lapdog； whose paw had been injured by some awkward individual。 She had been quite pleased with Mme。 de Lorcy； her sympathy and her kindly services； and she had bestowed her most amiable attentions upon her。 Mme。 de Lorcy had done her best to respond to her advances； but she found herself revolted by this old magpie whose prattling never ceased； and whose chief delight was in the recital of the secret chronicles of every capital of Europe； Mme。 de Lorcy； in fact； soon grew disgusted with her cosmopolitan gossip and her physiology； she found her cynical and evil…minded。 In meeting her at the Ecole des Beaux…Arts； her first impulse was to evade her； but suddenly she changed her mind。 For some weeks past she had been governed by a fixed idea； about which all else revolved； an inspiration came over her； which doubtless fell directly from the skies。
〃Princess Gulof；〃 said she to herself； 〃has passed her life in running around the world； her real home is
