samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第15节
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house where Kosciuszko； the greatest of Poles； had died。 He had thought
of this pilgrimage for a long time。 He added： 〃Still another useless action。
Ah！ when shall I improve？〃
〃Don't improve too much；〃 she said； smiling。 And then he went away。
M。 Moriaz returned to the hotel about noon： his guide being engaged
elsewhere； he had taken only a short ramble。 After breakfast his daughter
proposed to him that he should go down with her to the banks of the lake。
They made the descent； which is not difficult。 This pretty piece of water；
that has been falsely accused of resembling a shaving…dish； is said to be
not less than a mile in length。 When the father and daughter reached the
entrance of the woods that pedestrians pass through in going to Pontresina；
they seated themselves on the grass at the foot of a larch。 They remained
some time silent。 Antoinette watched the cows grazing； and stroked the
smooth； glossy leaves of a yellow gentian with the end of her parasol。 M。
Moriaz busied himself with neither the cows nor the yellow gentianhe
thought of M。 Camille Langis； and felt more than a little guilty in that
quarter； he had not written to him； having nothing satisfactory to tell him。
He could see the young man waiting in vain； at the Hotel Steinbock。 To
pass a fortnight at Chur is a torture that the most robust constitution
scarcely can endure； and it is an increased torture to watch every evening
and every morning for a letter that never comes。 M。 Moriaz resolved to
open hostilities； to begin a new assault on the impregnable place。 He was
seeking in his mind for a beginning for his first phrase。 He had just found
it； when suddenly Antoinette said to him； in a low； agitated； but distinct
voice： 〃I have a question for you。 What would you think if I should some
day marry M。 Abel Larinski？〃
M。 Moriaz started up； and his cane； slipping from his hand； rolled to
the bottom of the declivity。 He looked at his daughter； and said to her： 〃I
beg of you to repeat what you just said to me。 I fear I have misunderstood
you。〃
She answered in a firmer voice； 〃I am curious to know what you
would think if I should marry； some day or other； Count Larinski。〃
He was startled； thunderstruck。 He never had foreseen that such a
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catastrophe could occur； nor had the least suspicion that anything had
passed between his daughter and M。 Larinski。 Of all the ideas that had
suggested themselves to him； this seemed the least admissible； the most
improbable and ridiculous。 After a long silence； he said to Antoinette；
〃You want to frighten methis is not serious。〃
〃Do you dislike M。 Larinski？〃 she asked。
〃Certainly not； I by no means dislike him。 He has good manners； he
speaks well； and I must acknowledge that he had a very graceful way of
taking me from off my rock； where I should still be had it not been for him。
I am grateful to him for it； but； from that to giving him my daughter； there
is a wide margin。 If he wanted me to give him a medal he should have it。〃
〃Let us talk seriously；〃 said she。 〃What objections have you to make？〃
〃First； M。 Larinski is a stranger； and I mistrust strangers。 Then； I know
him but slightly。 I naturally demand additional information。 Finally； I own
that the state of his affairs〃
〃Ah！ that is the main point；〃 she interrupted。 〃He is poor； that is his
crime； which he has not disguised。 How differently we think！ I have some
fortune； its only advantage that I can see is that it makes me free to marry
the man I esteem； though he be poor。〃
〃And perhaps a little because of that very reason；〃 interrupted M。
Moriaz； in his turn。 〃Come； I entreat you； let me explain the anxieties
arising from my miserable good sense。 M。 Larinski has related his history
to us。 Frankly； do you not think that it is rather thatwhat shall I sayof an
adventurer？ The word shocks youI take it backbut you must admit that
this Pole belongs to theambulatory family。〃
〃Or family of heroes；〃 she replied。
〃That is it； of wandering heroes。 I wish all manner of good to heroes；
although I never have clearly discovered their use。 At all events； I am not
sure that they are the best qualified men in the world to make a wife happy；
and I intend that my daughter shall be happy。〃
〃You are not convinced as I am that M。 Larinski has a superior mind；
and a heart of gold？〃
〃A heart of gold！ I should be glad to believe it。 I have no reason to
doubt it； but many very skilful persons are deceived by false jewellery。 Ah！
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my dear； if you were better versed in chemistry； you would know how
easy it is to manufacture a false trinket。 Formerly； after having cleaned the
piece to be gilded； a gold amalgam was applied。 Now； the brass or copper
trinket is steeped in a solution of perchloride of gold and bicarbonate of
potash； and in less than a minute the thing is accomplished。 It is called
gilding by immersion。 There is another process in which galvanism But
let us admit that M。 Larinski's heart is real gold。 In the purest gold there is
usually some alloy； to dispense with which resort must be had to the cupel。
Do you not know what a cupel is？ It is a small capsule or cup of a porous
substance； used in the refining process； and possessing the property of
absorbing the fused oxides and retaining the refined metal。 What is the
proportion of lead or of gold ore in M。 Larinski's heart？ Neither you nor I
know。〃
She was no longer listening； her chin in her hand； her glances
wandered over the glade。 He touched her arm gently to rouse her； and said：
〃It is all over？ You love him？〃
〃Why will you make me say so？〃 she replied； blushing。
〃And he has declared himself？ He has dared〃
〃He has dared nothing。 Ah！ how little you know him！ If you were to
offer me to him； his pride would say no； and I would have to go down on
my knees to get the better of his refusal。〃
〃We will say； at once； that he is unique； that he is a marvel； that there is
not a second Pole like him； the mould has been broken。 And yet are you
sure that he loves you？〃
She replied by a motion of the head。
〃I should confess；〃 he resumed； 〃that the passion that is called the
grand passion is for me a sealed letter； the mystery of mysteries。 I am
completely ignorant of it。 Yet that did not prevent my marrying； and
making a choice that brought me great happiness。 Your method is different；
and I must believe that you have yielded to an irresistible force。 It seems
to me； however； that resistance can always be made。 You have will；
character〃
She interrupted him； murmuring； 〃It is either he or no one。〃
〃Oh！ if it comes to that；〃 he continued； 〃you are of age； and mistress of
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your actions； there is nothing for me but to submit。 Still； it will be painful
to you； I like to believe； to marry in opposition to my wishes。〃
〃Do you doubt it？ I am willing not to marry。〃
〃Bad solution！ It is worse than the other。 Let us come to terms。 The
positive has its place only in science。 It is absolutely true that borax is a
salt composed of boracic acid and soda。 Beyond such facts all is uncertain。
Does this happy man surmise the sentiments he has inspired？〃
〃I tell you that you do not know him？ Do you take him for a coxcomb？
When he came this morning to announce his departure； his serious
intention was to bid us an eternal farewell； and never to see me again。〃
〃A most excellent idea that；〃 sighed M。 Moriaz。 〃Unfortunately； you
represented to him that it took but two hours to go from Paris to
Cormeilles。〃
〃I had trouble to persuade him of it。〃
〃Well； since the matter stands thus； nothing is yet lost。 You know； my
dear； that my physician advised me to beware of abrupt transitions； and
not to change too suddenly from the keen air of Engadine to the heavy
a
