samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第41节
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has； which is most excellent； since it proves successful。 Do not think of
such trifles as contracts； marry them with equal rights； and leave the
consequences to Providence！ Follies have neither beauty nor merit； unless
they are complete。 Ah； my good friend； Poland has its charm； has it？
Admirable！ But you must swallow the whole thing。 I am your obedient
servant。〃
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CHAPTER IX
The pitiless sentence pronounced by Mme。 de Lorcy grieved M。
Moriaz； but did not discourage him。 It was his opinion that； let her say
what she might； precautions were good； that； well though it might be to
bear our misfortunes patiently； there was no law forbidding us to assuage
them； that it was quite permissible to prefer to complete follies those of a
modified character； and that a bad cold or an influenza was decidedly
preferable to inflammation of the lungs； which is so apt to prove fatal。
〃Time and myself will suffice for all things；〃 proudly said Philip II。 M。
Moriaz said； with perhaps less pride： 〃To postpone a thing so long as
possible； and to hold deliberate counsel with one's notary； are the best
correctives of a dangerous marriage that cannot be prevented。〃 His notary；
M。 Noirot； in whom he reposed entire confidence； was absent； a case of
importance had carried him to Italy。 Nothing remained but to await his
return； until which everything stood in suspense。
In the first conversation he had with his daughter on the subject； M。
Moriaz found her very reasonable； very well disposed to enter into his
views； to accede to his desires。 She was too thoroughly pleased with his
resignation not to be willing to reward him for it with a little complaisancy；
besides； she was too happy to be impatient； she had gained the main points
of her caseit cost her little to yield in matters of secondary detail。
〃You will be accused of having taken a most inconsiderate step；〃 said
her father to her。 〃You are little sensible to the judgment of the world； to
what people say； I am much more so。 Humour my weakness or cowardice。
Let us endeavour to keep up appearances； do not let us appear to be in a
hurry； or to have something to hide； let us act with due deliberation。 Just at
present no one is in Paris； let us give our friends time to return there。 We
will present Count Larinski to them。 Great happiness does not fear being
discussed。 Your choice will be regarded unfavourably by some； approved
by others。 M。 Larinski has the gift of pleasing； he will please； and all the
world will pardon my resignation； which Mme。 de Lorcy esteems a
crime。〃
〃You promised me that your resignation would be mingled with
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cheerfulness： I find it somewhat melancholy。〃
〃You scarcely could expect me to be intoxicated with joy。〃
〃Will you at least assure me that you have taken your part bravely； and
that you will think of no further appeal？〃
〃I swear it to you！〃
〃Very good； then we will honour your weakness；〃 she replied； and she
said Amen to all that he proposed。
It was agreed that the marriage should take place during the winter；
and that two months should be allowed to elapse before proceeding to the
preliminary formalities。 M。 Moriaz undertook to explain matters to
Samuel Brohl； who found the arrangement little to his taste。 He took pains；
however； to give no signs of this。 He told M。 Moriaz that he was still in the
first bewildering surprise of his happiness； that he was not sorry to have
time to recover from it； but he secretly promised himself to devise some
artifice for abridging delays； for hastening the /denoument/。 He was
apprehensive of accidents； unforeseen occurrences； squalls； storms；
tornadoes； sudden blights； in short everything that might damage or
destroy a harvest； he impatiently longed to gather in his； and to have it
carefully stowed away in his granary。 In the interim he wrote to his old
friend M。 Guldenthal a letter at once majestic and confidential； which
produced a most striking effect。 M。 Guldenthal concluded that a good
marriage was much better security than a poor gun。 Besides； he had had
the agreeable surprise of being completely reimbursed for his loan； capital
and interest。 He was charmed to have so excellent a debtor return to him；
and he hastened to advance to him all that he could 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
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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
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curious properties。 Since his re
