samuel brohl & company-第36节

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e　of　expressions　that　shocked　the　modest　and　delicate　ears　of　Mlle。　Moriaz。　The　astonishment　the　latter　had　at　first　experienced　became　now　blended　with　horror　and　disgust；　she　judged　that　her　visit　had　lasted　long　enough；　and　she　proceeded　to　beat　a　retreat；　which　Mme。　de　Lorcy　made　no　effort　to　prevent。

Upon　arriving　at　Cormeilles；　her　carriage　crossed　with　a　young　man　on　horseback；　who　with　his　head　bowed　down　allowed　his　animal　full　liberty　to　take　his　own　course。　This　young　man　trembled　when　a　clear；　soprano　voice；　which　he　preferred　to　the　most　beautiful　music　in　the　world；　cried　to　him；　〃Where　are　you　going；　Camille？〃

He　bowed　over　his　horse's　neck；　drew　down　his　hat　over　his　eyes；　and　replied；　〃To　Maisons。〃

〃Do　not　go　there。　I　have　just　left　because　there　is　a　dreadful　old　woman　there　who　says　horrid　things。〃　Then　Mlle。　Moriaz　added；　in　a　queenly　tone；　〃You　cannot　passyou　are　my　prisoner。〃

She　obliged　him　to　turn　back；　ten　minutes　later　she　had　alighted　from　her　coupe；　he　had　sprung　from　his　saddle；　and　they　were　seated　side　by　side　on　a　rustic　bench。

A　few　days　previous　M。　Langis　had　met　M。　Moriaz；　who　had　complained　bitterly　of　being　forsaken　by　him　as　well　as　by　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　and　who　had　extracted　from　him　the　promise　to　come　and　see　him。　Camille　had　kept　this　promise。　Had　he　chosen　well　his　time　of　doing　so？　The　truth　is；　he　had　been　both　rejoiced　and　heart…broken　to　learn　that　Mlle。　Moriaz　was　absent。　Man　is　a　strange　combination　of　contradictions；　especially　a　man　who　is　in　love。　In　the　same　way　he　had　bestowed　both　blessings　and　imprecations　upon　Heaven　for　permitting　him　to　meet　Antoinette。　During　some　moments　he　had　lost　countenance；　but　had　quickly　recovered　himself；　he　had　formed　the　generous　resolution　to　act　out　consistently　his　role　of　friend　and　brother。　He　had　acquitted　himself　of　it　so　well　at　Saint　Moritz；　that　Antoinette　believed　him　cured　of　the　caprice　of　a　day　with　which　she　had　inspired　him　and　which　she　had　never　taken　seriously。

〃The　last　time　I　saw　you；〃　said　she；　〃you　dropped　a　remark　that　pained　me；　but　I　am　pleased　to　think　that　you　did　not　mean　to　do　so。〃

〃I　am　a　terrible　culprit；〃　he　rejoined；　〃and　I　smite　myself　upon　the　breast　therefore。　I　was　wanting　in　respect　to　your　idol。〃

〃Fortunately；　my　idol　knew　nothing　about　it；　and；　if　he　had　known；　I　would　have　appeased　him　by　saying：　'Pardon　this　young　man；　he　does　not　always　know　what　he　is　saying。'　〃

〃He　even　seldom　knows　it；　but　what　help　is　there　for　it？　A　man　given　to　fainting　always　did　seem　a　curiosity　to　me。　I　know　we　should　endeavour　to　conquer　our　prejudices；　every　country　has　its　customs；　and；　since　Poland　is　a　country　that　pleases　you；　I　will　make　an　effort　to　see　only　its　good　sides。〃

〃Now　that　is　the　right　way　to　talk。　I　hope　this　very　day　to　reconcile　you　with　Count　Larinski；　stay　and　dine　with　ushe　will　be　here　very　soon；　the　first　duty　of　the　people　whom　I　love　is　to　love　one　another。〃

M。　Langis　at　first　energetically　declined　accepting　this　invitation；　Antoinette　insisted：　he　ended　by　bowing　in　sign　of　obedience。　Youth　has　a　taste　for　suffering。

Tracing　figures　in　the　gravel　with　a　stick　he　had　picked　up；　M。　Langis　said；　in　a　wholly　unconstrained　voice：　〃I　do　not　wish　M。　Larinski　any　harm；　and　yet　you　must　admit　that　I　would　have　the　right　to　detest　him　cordially；　for　I　had　the　honour　two　years　ago；　if　I　mistake　not；　of　asking　your　hand　in　marriage。　Do　you　remember　it？〃

〃Perfectly；〃　she　replied；　fixing　upon　him　her　pure；　clear　eyes；　〃but　I　ought　to　avow　to　you　that　this　fancy　of　yours　never　seemed　to　me　either　very　reasonable　or　very　serious。〃

〃You　are　wrong；　I　can　certify　to　you　that　your　refusal　plunged　me　for　as　much　as　forty…eight　hours　into　the　depths　of　despairI　mean　one　of　those　genuine　despairs　that　neither　eat；　drink；　nor　sleep；　and　that　speak　openly　of　suicide！〃

〃And　at　the　end　of　forty…eight　hours　were　you　consoled？〃

〃/Eh！　bon　Dieu/；　it　surely　was　time　to　come　to　reason。　I　had　hesitated　a　long　time　before　asking　your　hand；　because　I　thought；　'If　she　refuses　me；　I　cannot　see　her　any　more。'　But　I　still　do　see　you；　so　all　is　well！〃

〃And　how　soon　do　you　mean　to　marry？〃

〃I？　Never！　I　shall　die　a　bachelor。　An　aspirant　to　the　hand　of　Mlle。　Moriaz；　being　unable　to　win　her；　could　not　care　for　another　woman。　Nothing　remains　but　to　strike　the　attitude　of　the　inconsolable　lover。〃

〃And　when　this　ceases　to　hinder　one　from　eating；　drinking；　or　sleeping　what　then？〃

〃One　becomes　interesting　without　being　inconvenienced　by　the　consequences；〃　he　gaily　interposed。　Then；　letting　his　eyes　wander　idly　around　for　a　moment；　he　added：　〃It　seems　to　me　that　you　have　in　some　way　changed　the　order　of　this　terrace；　put　to　the　right　what　was　at　the　left；　thinned　out　the　shrubbery；　cut　the　trees；　I　feel　completely　lost　here。〃

〃You　mistake　greatly；　nothing　is　changed　here；　it　is　you　who　have　become　forgetful。　How！　you　now　longer　recognise　this　terrace；　scene　of　so　many　exploits？　I　was　a　thorough　tyrant；　I　did　with　you　what　I　pleased。　You　revolted　sometimes；　but　in　his　heart　the　slave　adored　his　chains。　Open　your　eyes。　See！　here　is　the　sycamore　you　climbed　one　day　to　escape　me　when　I　wanted　you　to　make　believe　that　you　were　a　girl；　as　you　said；　and　you　had　little　fancy　for　such　a　silly　role。　There　is　the　alley　where　we　played　ball；　and　yonder　the　hedge　and　the　grove　where　we　played　hide…and…seek。〃

〃Say　rather；　/cligne…musette/；　it　is　more　poetical；〃　he　rejoined。　〃When　I　was　down　in　Transylvania　I　made　a　/chanson/　about　it　all；　and　set　it　myself　to　music。〃

〃Sing　me　your　/chanson/。〃

〃You　are　mocking　at　me；　my　voice　is　false；　as　you　well　know；　but　I　will　consent　to　recite　it　to　you。　The　rhymes　are　not　richI　am　no　son　of　Parnassus。〃

With　these　words；　lowering　his　voice；　not　daring　to　look　her　in　the　face；　he　recited　the　couplets。

〃Your　/chanson/　is　very　pretty；〃　said　she；　〃but　it　does　not　tell　the　truth；　for　here　we　are　sitting　together　on　this　bench；　we　have　not　lost　each　other　at　all。〃

She　was　so　innocent　that　she　had　no　idea　of　the　torture　she　was　inflicting；　and　he　saw　this　so　plainly　that　he　could　not　so　much　as　have　the　satisfaction　of　finding　fault　with　her；　yet　he　asked　himself　whether　in　the　best　woman's　heart　there　was　not　a　foundation　of　cruelty；　of　unconscious　ferocity。　He　felt　the　tears　start　to　his　eyes；　he　scarcely　could　restrain　them；　he　abruptly　bowed　his　head；　and　began　to　examine　a　beautiful　horned　beetle；　which　was　just　crossing　the　gravel…path　at　a　quick　pace；　apparently　having　some　very　important　affairs　to　regulate。　When　M。　Langis　raised　his　head　his　eyes　were　dry；　his　face　serene；　his　lips　smiling。

〃It　is　very　certain；〃　he　observed；　〃that　two　years　ago　I　must　have　appeared　supremely　ridiculous　to　you。　This　little　playmate　of　old；　this　foolish　little　Camille；　to　attempt　to　transform　himself　into　a　husband！　The　pretension　was　absurd　indeed。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　she　replied；　〃but　I　thought　at　once　that　it　was　a　mistake。　Little　Camilles　are　apt　to　be　hot…headed　and　fanciful；　they　are　subject　to　self…deceptions　regarding　their　sentiments。　Friendship　and　love；　however；　are　two　entirely　different　things！　I　once　said　to　Mlle。　Moiseney　that　a　woman　never　should　marry　an　intimate　friend；　because　it　would　be　a　sure　way　of　losing　him　as　such；　and　friends　are　good　to　keep。〃

〃Bah！　How　much　do　you　care　now　for　yours？　I　find　my　role　very　modest；　very　insignificant。　Open　the　trap…doorit　is　time　for　me　to　disappear。〃

〃Bad　counsel！　I　shall　not　open　the　trap…door。　One　always　has　need　of　friends。　I　can　readily　imagine　the　possibility　of　the　very　happiest　married　woman　needing　some　advice　or　assistance　that　she　could　not　ask　of　her　husband；　for　husbands　do　not　understand　everything。　If　ever　such　a　thing　happens　to　me；　Camille；　I　shall　turn　to　you。〃

〃Agreed！〃　he　cried；　〃to　help　you　out　of　embarrassment；　I　would　run；　if　necessary；　all　the　way　from　Transylvania。〃

He　held　out　his　right　hand；　which　she　shook　warmly。

At　this　moment　they　heard　a　step　that　Mlle。　Moriaz　at　once　recognised；　and　Count　Larinski　appeared　from　the　walk　bordering　the　house。　Antoinette　hastened　to　meet　him；　and　led　him　forward　by　laying　hold　of　the　tip　of　his　glove；　which　he　was　in　the　act　of　drawing　off。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　she；　〃I　do　not　need　to　present　you　to　each　other；　you　are　already　acquainted。〃

It　is　a　very　difficult　thing　to　lead　two　men　who　do　not　like　each　other　into　conversation：　the　present　effort　proved　a　total　failure。　Fortunately　for　all　parties；　M。　Moriaz　shortly　made　his　appearance　at　the　end　of　the　terrace；　and　M。　Langis　arose　to　join　him。　Antoinette　remained　alone　with　Samuel　Brohl；　who　at　once　rather　brusquely　asked：

〃Has　M。　Langis　the　intention　of　remaining　here　forever？〃

〃He　has　only　just　arrived；〃　she　replied。

〃And　you　will　send　him　away　soon？〃

〃I　thought　so　little　of　sending　him　away　that　I　asked　him　to　dinner；　in　order　to　give　you　an　opportunity　of　becoming　more　fully　acquainted　with　him。〃

〃I　thank　you　for　your　amiable　intentions；　but　M。　Langis　pleases　me　little。〃

〃What　have　you　against　him？〃

〃I　have　met　him　sometimes　at　Mme。　de　Lorcy's；　and　he　always　has　shown　me　a　most　dubious　politeness。　I　scent　in　him　an　enemy。〃

〃Pure　imagination！　M。　Langis　h