samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第11节
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knew the United States and Turkey； New Orleans and Bucharest； San
Francisco and Constantinople。 His travels had been profitable to him： he
had observed men and things； countries and institutions； customs and laws；
the indigenous races and the settlers； all but the transient visitors； with
whom he seemed to have had no time to occupy himself； at least they
formed no part of his conversation。 He related several anecdotes； with
some show of sprightliness； his melancholy began to melt away； he even
indulged in little bursts of gaiety； and Antoinette could not avoid
comparing him and his discourse to some of the more rigorous passages of
the Engadine； where； amid the black shades of the pines； among frowning
rocks； there are to be found lilies； gentians； and lakes。
He resumed his gravity to reply to a question of M。 Moriaz concerning
Poland。 〃Unhappy Poland！〃 cried he。 〃To…day the Jew is its master。 Active；
adroit； inventive； little scrupulous； he makes capital out of our indolence
and our improvidence。 He has over us one great advantage； which is
simply that； while we live from day to day； he possesses a notion of a to…
morrow； we despise him； and we could not do without him。 We are always
thirsty； and he supplies us with drink； we never have ready money； and he
loans it to us at an enormous rate of interest； we cannot return it to him；
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and he reimburses himself by seizing our goods and chattels； our jewels；
our land； and our castles。 We take out our revenge in insolence； and from
time to time in petty persecutions； and we gradually arrive at the
conclusion that the sole means of freeing ourselves from the yoke of the
Jew would be to conquer the vices by which he lives。〃 Count Abel added
that for his part he had no prejudice against these children of Abraham；
and he quoted the words of an Austrian publicist who said that each
country had the kind of Jews it deserved。 〃In fact；〃 he continued； 〃in
England； as in France； and in every country where they are placed on a
footing of equality； they become one of the most wholesome； most
vigorous elements of the nation； while they are the scourge； the leeches； of
the countries that persecute them。〃
〃And； truly； justice demands that it should be so；〃 cried Mlle。 Moriaz。
For the first time the count addressed himself directly to her； saying；
with a smile： 〃How is this； mademoiselle？ You are a woman； and you love
justice！〃
〃This astonishes you； monsieur？〃 she rejoined。 〃You do not think
justice one of our virtues？〃
〃A woman of my acquaintance；〃 he replied； 〃always maintained that it
would be rendering a very bad service to this poor world of ours to
suppress all injustice； because with the same stroke would also be
suppressed all charity。〃
〃That is not my opinion；〃 said she。 〃When I give； it seems to me that I
make restitution。〃
〃She is somewhat of a socialist；〃 cried M。 Moriaz。 〃I perceive it every
January in making out her accounts； and it is fortunate that she intrusts this
to me； for she never takes the trouble to look at the memorandum her
banker sends her。〃
〃I am proud for Poland that Mlle。 Moriaz has a Polish failing；〃 said
Abel Larinski； gallantly。
〃Is it a failing？〃 queried Antoinette。
〃Arithmetic is the most beautiful of the sciences and the mother of
certainty；〃 said M。 Moriaz。 And turning towards the count； he added： 〃She
is very wrong…headed； this girl of mine； she holds absolutely revolutionary
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principles； dangerous to public order and the preservation of society。 Why；
she maintains that people who are in need have a right to the superfluities
of others！〃
〃This appears to me self…evident；〃 said she。
〃And； for example；〃 further continued M。 Moriaz； 〃she has among her
/proteges/ a certain Mlle。 Galard〃
〃Galet；〃 said Mlle。 Moiseney； bridling up； for she had been impatiently
awaiting an opportunity to put in a word。
〃This Mlle。 Leontine Galet； who lives at No。 25 Rue Mouffetard〃
〃No。 27；〃 again interposed Mlle。 Moiseney； in a magisterial tone。
〃As usual； you are sure of it； perfectly sure。 Very good！ This Mlle。
Galard or Galet； residing at No。 25 or No。 27 Rue Mouffetard； was
formerly a florist by trade； and now she has not a sou。 I do not wish to
fathom the mysteries of her pastit is very apt to be 'lightly come； lightly
go' with the money of these peoplebut certain it is that Mlle。 Galard〃
〃Galet；〃 put in Mlle。 Moiseney； sharply。
〃Is to…day an infirm old woman； a worthy object of the compassion of
charitable people；〃 continued M。 Moriaz； heedless of this last interruption。
〃Mlle。 Moriaz allows her a pension； with which I find no fault； but Mlle。
GaletI mistake； Mlle。 Galardhas retained from her former calling her
passion for flowers； and during the winter Mlle。 Moriaz sends her every
week a bouquet costing from ten to twelve francs； which shows； according
to my opinion； a lack of common…sense。 In the month of January last； she
sent for Parma violets for this /prot 間*/ of hers。 Now； I appeal to M。
Larinskiis this reasonable； or is it absurd？〃
〃It is admirably absurd and foolishly admirable；〃 replied the count。
〃The flowers I give her are never so beautiful as some that were sent
me the other day；〃 exclaimed Mlle。 Moriaz。
She went then into the next room； and returned； carrying the vase of
water containing the mysterious bouquet。 〃What do you think of these？〃
she asked the count。 〃They are already much faded； and yet I think they
are beautiful still。〃
He admired the bouquet； but； although Antoinette regarded him
fixedly； she detected neither blush nor confusion on his face。 〃It was not
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he；〃 she said to herself。
There was a piano in the room where they had dined。 As Count Abel
was taking leave； Mlle。 Moiseney begged him to give Mlle。 Moriaz proof
of his talent。 He slightly knit his brows at this request； and resumed that
sombre； almost savage； air he had worn when he met Antoinette at the foot
of the mountain。 He urged in excuse the lateness of the hour； but he
allowed the promise to be wrested from him that he would be more
complaisant the next day。
When he was gone； accompanied by M。 Moriaz； who said he would
walk a little distance with him； Antoinette exclaimed： 〃You see； my dear
it was not he。〃
〃Suppose I was wrong；〃 replied Mlle。 Moiseney； in a piqued tone
〃you will at least grant that he is handsome？〃
〃As handsome as you please。 Do you know what I think of when I
look at him？ A haunted castle。 And I feel curious to make the acquaintance
of the goblins that visit it。〃
Notwithstanding his promise； Count Larinski did not reappear before
the lapse of three days； but this time he gave all the music that was asked
of him。 His memory was surprising； and his whole soul seemed to be at
the ends of his fingers； and he drew marvellous strains from an instrument
which； in itself； was far from being a marvel。 He sang； too； he had a
barytone voice； mellow and resonant。 After having hummed in a low tone
some Roumanic melodies； he struck up one of his own national songs。
This he failed to finish； tears started in his eyes； emotion overpowered his
voice。 He broke off abruptly； asking pardon for the weakness that had
caused him to make himself ridiculous； but one glance at Mlle。 Moriaz
convinced him that she did not find him ridiculous。
A most invaluable resource； indeed； in a mountain…country where the
evenings are long； is a Pole who knows how to talk and to sing。 M。 Moriaz
liked music； but he liked something else besides。 When he could not go
into society and was forbidden to work； he grew sleepy after dinner； in
order to rouse himself he was glad to play a hand of /be
