samuel brohl & company-第8节

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Although　there　seemed　small　chance　of　his　being　heard　in　this　solitude；　he　called　aloud　several　times；　he　had　great　difficulty　in　raising　his　voice　above　the　noise　of　the　cataract。　Suddenly　he　believed　that　he　heard　below　him　a　distant　voice　replying　to　his　call。　He　redoubled　his　cries；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　voice　drew　nearer；　and　soon　he　saw　emerging　from　the　thicket　bordering　the　opposite　bank　of　the　torrent　a　pale　face　with　chestnut　beard；　which　he　remembered　having　beheld　in　the　cathedral　at　Chur；　and　to　have　seen　again　at　Bergun。

〃You　are　a　prisoner；　monsieur；〃　was　the　salutation　of　Count　Larinski；　for；　of　course；　the　newcomer　was　none　other　than　he。　〃One　moment's　patience；　and　I　am　with　you。〃　And　his　face　beamed　with　joy。　He　had　him　at　last；　this　precious　game　which　has　caused　him　so　many　steps。

He　turned　away；　bounding　from　rock　to　rock　with　the　agility　of　a　chamois。　In　about　twenty　minutes　he　reappeared；　bearing　on　his　shoulder　a　long　plank　which　he　had　detached　from　the　inclosure　of　a　piece　of　pasture…land。　He　threw　it　across　the　torrent；　secured　it　as　well　as　he　could；　crossed　this　impromptu　foot…bridge　of　his　own　device；　and　joined　M。　Moriaz；　who　was　quite　ready　to　embrace　him。

〃Nothing　is　more　perfidious　than　the　mountains；〃　said　the　count。　〃They　are　haunted　by　some　mysterious　sprite；　who　fairly　delights　in　playing　tricks　with　venturesome　people；　but　'all's　well　that　ends　well。'　Before　setting　out　from　here　you　need　something　to　revive　you。　The　rarefied　atmosphere　of　these　high　regions　makes　the　stomach　frightfully　hollow。　More　prudent　than　you；　I　never　undertake　these　expeditions　without　providing　myself　with　some　refreshment。　But　how　pale　you　are！〃　he　added；　looking　at　him　with　sympathetic；　almost　tender；　eyes。　〃Put　on；　I　beg　of　you；　my　overcoat；　and　I　will　wrap　myself　up　in　my　plaid；　and　then　we　will　both　be　warm。〃

With　these　words　he　took　off　his　overcoat　and　handed　it　to　M。　Moriaz；　who；　feeling　almost　frozen；　offered　feeble　objections　to　donning　the　garment；　although　he　had　some　difficulty　in　getting　into　the　sleeves。

During　this　time　Count　Abel　had　thrown　down　on　the　rock　the　wallet　he　carried　slung　to　a　leathern　strap　over　his　shoulders。　He　drew　forth　from　it　a　loaf　of　light　bread；　some　hard…boiled　eggs；　a　/pate/　of　venison；　and　a　bottle　of　excellent　burgundy。　These　provisions　he　spread　out　around　him；　and　then　presented　to　M。　Moriaz　a　cup　cut　from　a　cocoanut…shell；　and　filled　it　to　the　brim；　saying；　〃Here　is　something　that　will　entirely　restore　you。〃　M。　Moriaz　drained　the　cup；　and　soon　felt　his　weakness　disappear。　His　natural　good　spirits　returned　to　him；　and　he　gaily　narrated　to　his　Amphitryon　his　deplorable　Odyssey。　In　return；　Abel　recounted　to　him　a　similar　adventure　he　had　had　in　the　Carpathian　Mountains。　It　is　very　easy　to　take　a　liking　to　a　man　who　helps　you　out　of　a　scrape；　who　gives　you　drink　when　you　are　thirsty；　and　food　when　you　are　hungry；　but；　even　had　not　M。　Moriaz　been　under　great　obligations　to　Count　Larinski；　he　could　not　have　avoided　the　discovery　that　this　amiable　stranger　was　a　man　of　good　address　and　agreeable　conversation。

Nevertheless；　so　soon　as　the　repast　was　finished；　he　said：　〃We　have　forgotten　ourselves　in　our　talk。　I　am　the　happy　father　of　a　charming　daughter　who　has　a　vivid　imagination。　She　will　believe　that　I　have　met　with　an　untimely　end　if　I　do　not　hasten　as　speedily　as　possible　to　reassure　her。〃

Count　Abel　hereupon　gave　his　hand　to　M。　Moriaz　to　aid　him　in　preserving　his　equilibrium　as　he　crossed　the　plank；　which　was　not　wide。　Throughout　the　descent　he　overwhelmed　him　with　attentions；　sustaining　him　with　his　arm　when　the　descent　became　too　abrupt。　So　soon　as　they　had　made　their　way　to　a　foot…path；　they　resumed　their　conversation。　Abel　was　very　clear…sighted；　and；　like　Socrates；　as　we　said　before；　he　was　master　in　the　art　of　interrogating。　He　turned　the　conversation　to　erratic　glaciers　and　boulders。　M。　Moriaz　was　enchanted　with　his　manner　of　asking　questions；　as　Professor　of　the　College　of　France；　he　was　well　pleased　to　owe　his　life　to　an　intelligent　man。

As　they　traversed　a　pine…forest；　they　heard　a　voice　hailing　them；　and　they　were　shortly　joined　by　a　guide　whom　Mlle。　Moriaz；　mortally　disquieted　at　the　prolonged　absence　of　her　father；　had　sent　in　quest　of　him。　Pale　with　emotion；　trembling　in　every　fibre；　she　had　seated　herself　on　the　bank　of　a　stream。　She　was　completely　a　prey　to　terror；　and　in　her　imagination　plainly　saw　her　father　lying　half　dead　at　the　bottom　of　some　precipice　or　rocky　crevasse。　On　perceiving　him　she　uttered　a　cry　of　joy　and　ran　to　meet　him。

〃Ah！　truly；　my　love；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　been　more　fortunate　than　wise。　And　I　shall　have　to　ask　my　deliverer　his　name　in　order　to　present　him　to　you。〃

Count　Abel　appeared　not　to　have　heard　these　last　words。　He　stammered　out　something　about　M。　Moriaz　having　exaggerated　the　worth　of　the　little　service　it　had　been　his　good　fortune　to　render　him；　and　then　with　a　cold；　formal；　dignified　air；　he　bowed　to　Antoinette　and　moved　hurriedly　away；　as　a　man　who　cares　little　to　make　new　acquaintances；　and　who　longs　to　get　back　to　his　solitude。

He　was　already　at　some　distance　when　M。　Moriaz；　who　had　been　busily　recounting　his　adventures　to　his　daughter；　bethought　him　that　he　had　kept　his　deliverer's　overcoat。　He　searched　in　the　pockets；　and　there　found　a　memorandum…book　and　some　visiting…cards　bearing　the　name　of　Count　Abel　Larinski。　Before　dinner　he　made　the　tour　of　all　the　hotels　in　Saint　Moritz　without　discovering　where　M。　Larinski　lodged。　He　learned　it　in　the　evening　from　a　peasant　who　came　over　from　Cellarina　for　the　overcoat。

The　good　Mlle。　Moiseney　was　quite　taken　with　Count　Abel；　first；　because　he　was　handsome；　and　then　because　he　played　the　piano　bewitchingly。　There　could　be　no　doubt　that　Antoinette　would　feel　grateful　to　this　good…looking　musician　who　had　restored　to　her　her　father。　Certain　of　being　no　longer　thwarted　in　her　enthusiasm；　she　said　to　her　that　evening；　with　a　smile　which　was　meant　to　be　excessively　ironical：

〃Well；　my　dear；　do　you　still　think　that　Count　Larinski　has　a　stoop　in　his　shoulders；　and　that　his　head　is　badly　poised？〃

〃It　is　a　matter　of　small　import；　but　I　do　not　gainsay　it。〃

〃Ah；　if　you　had　only　heard　him　play　one　of　Schumann's　romances！〃

〃A　talent　for　music　is　a　noble　one。　Nevertheless；　the　man's　chief　merit；　in　my　eyes；　is　that　he　has　a　taste　for　saving　life。〃

〃Oh；　I　was　sure　from　the　first；　perfectly　sure；　that　this　man　had　a　large　heart　and　a　noble　soul。　I　read　physiognomies　very　correctly；　and　I　never　need　to　see　people　twice　to　know　how　far　they　can　be　relied　on。〃　After　a　pause　she　added；　〃I　wonder　if　I　dare　tell　you；　my　dear；　of　an　idea　that　has　occurred　to　me？〃

〃Tell　me；　by　all　means。　Your　ideas　sometimes　amuse　me。〃

〃Might　it　not　turn　out　that　the　author　of　a　certain　note；　and　sender　of　a　certain　thing；　was　M。　le　Comte　Abel　Larinski？〃

〃Why　he　rather　than　any　other？〃　queried　Antoinette。　〃I　believe　you　do　him　wrong：　he　appears　to　be　a　gentleman；　and　gentlemen　do　not　write　anonymous　letters。〃

〃Oh！　that　was　a　very　innocent　one；　and　you　may　be　sure　that　he　wrote　it　in　perfect　good　faith。〃

〃You　believe；　then；　mademoiselle；　that　in　good　faith　a　man　about　to　put　a　halter　about　his　neck　would　renounce　his　project　because　he　had　encountered　Mlle。　Antoinette　Moriaz　on　a　public　highway？〃

〃Why　not？〃　cried　Mlle。　Moiseney；　looking　at　her　with　eyes　wide　open　with　admiration。　〃Besides；　you　know　the　Poles　are　a　hot…headed　people；　whose　hearts　are　open　to　all　noble　enthusiasms。　One　could　pardon　in　Count　Larinski　what　could　not　be　overlooked　in　a　Parisian。〃

〃I　will　pardon　him　on　condition　that　he　will　keep　his　promise　and　never　make　himself　known　to　me；　for　this　is　unquestionably　the　first　duty　of　a　mysterious　unknown。　Just　now　he　refused　to　let　my　father　present　him　to　me；　which　is　a　good　mark　in　his　favour。　If　he　alters　his　mind；　he　becomes　at　once　a　condemned　man。　I　pity　you；　my　dear　Joan；〃　added　Antoinette；　laughingly。　〃You　are　dying　with　longing　to　hear　one　of　those　romances　without　words；　which　M。　Larinski　plays　so　divinely；　and　if　M。　Larinski　be　the　man　of　the　letter；　his　own　avowal　prohibits　him　from　appearing　before　me　again。　How　can　you　extricate　yourself　from　this　dilemma？　The　case　is　embarrassing。〃

It　was　M。　Moriaz　who　undertook　the　solution　of　this　embarrassing　dilemma。　Three　days　later；　some　moments　before　dinner；　he　was　walking　in　the　hotel…grounds；　smoking　a　cigar。　He　saw　passing　along　the　road　Count　Abel；　on　his　way　back　to　Cellarina。　A　storm　was　coming　up；　already　great　drops　of　rain　were　beginning　to　fall。　M。　Moriaz　ran　after　the　count　and　seized　him　by　the　button；　saying：　〃You　have　saved　my　lifepermit　me；　at　least；　to　save　you　from　the　rain。　Do　me　the　honour　to　share　our　dinner；　we　will　have　it　served　in　my　apartment。〃

Abel　strongly　resisted　this　proposition；　giving　reasons　that　sounded　like　mere　pretences。　A　rumbling　of　thunder　was　heard。　M。　Moriaz　took　his　man　by　the　arm；　and　led　him　in　by　force。　He　presented　him　to　his　daughter；　saying：　〃Antoinette；　let　me　present　to　you　M。　le　Comte　Larinski；　a　most　excellent　man；　but　little　inclined　to　sociability。　I　was　compelled　to　use　violence　in　bringing　him　here。〃

The　count