samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第7节
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taking breath。 He clambered up a little hillock； where he seated himself。 At
his feet were wide open the yawning jaws of a cavern； obstructed by great
tufts of aconite （wolf's…bane）； with sombre foliage； one would have said
that they kept guard over some crime in which they had been accomplices。
Count Abel contemplated the awful silence that surrounded him；
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everywhere enormous boulders； heaped together； or scattered about in
isolated grandeur； some pitched on their sides； others standing erect； still
others suspended； as it were； in mid…air。 It seemed to him that these
boulders had formerly served for the games of bacchanalian Titans； who；
after having used them as skittles or jack…stones； had ended by hurling
them at one another's heads。 It is most probable that He who constructed
the Albula Pass； alarmed and confused by the hideous aspect of his work；
did justice to it by breaking it into fragments with his gigantic hammer。
Count Abel heard a tinkling of bells； and； looking up； he saw
approaching a post…chaise； making its way from Engadine to Bergun。 It
was a large； uncovered berlin； and in it sat a woman of about sixty years of
age； accompanied by her attendants and her pug…dog。 This woman had
rather a bulky head； a long face； a snub…nose； high cheek… bones； a keen；
bright eye； a large mouth； about which played a smile； at the same time
/spirituel/； imperious； and contemptuous。 Abel grew pale； and became at
once convulsed with terror； he could not withdraw his eyes from this
markedly Mongolian physiognomy； which from afar he had recognised。
〃Ah； yes；〃 he said； 〃it is she！〃 He drew over his face the cape of his mantle；
and disappeared as completely as it is possible to disappear when one is
perched upon a hillock。 It was six years since he had seen this woman； and
he had promised himself never to see her again； but man is the plaything
of circumstances； and his happiness as well as his pride is at the mercy of
a chance encounter。 Count Abel was no longer proud； for some moments
he had humbled himself； he had ceased to exist。
Happily he discovered that he had not been recognised； that the
woman of sixty years of age was not looking his way。 She had good taste；
discovering the hideous aspect of the country； which is usually known as
the Vallee du Diable； she had opened a volume； bound in morocco； which
her waiting…woman had placed in her hands。 This volume was not a new
novel； it was a German book； entitled 〃The History of Civilization； viewed
in Accordance with the Doctrines of Evolution； from the most Remote
Period to the Present Day。〃 She neither had made much progress in the
pages of the book nor in the history of civilization； she had not got beyond
the age of stone or of bronze； she was still among primitive animal life；
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among the protozoa； the monads； the infusoria； the vibratilesin the age of
albumen； or gelatinous civilization； as it was called by the author； the
sagacity of whose views charmed her。 She only interrupted her reading at
intervals to lightly stroke the nose of her pug； who lay snoring in her lap；
and she was a thousand leagues from suspecting that Count Abel Larinski
was at hand； watching her。
The berlin passed by him without stopping； and soon it had begun the
descent towards Bergun。 Then he felt a great weight roll from his heart；
which beat freely once more。 The berlin moved rapidly away； the count
followed it with his prayers； smoothing its course； removing every stone
or other obstacle that might retard its progress。 It was just disappearing
round one of the curves of the road； when it crossed another post…chaise；
making the ascent in a walk； and in it Count Abel perceived something red：
it was the hood of Mlle。 Antoinette Moriaz。 A moment more and the berlin
was gone； it seemed to him that the shadow of his sorrowful youth；
emerged suddenly from the realm of shades； had been plunged back there
forever； and that the fay of hopeshe who holds in her keeping the secrets
of the futurewas ascending toward him； red…hooded； flowers in her hands；
sunshine in her eyes。 The clouds parted； the deep shadow covering the
Vallee du Diable cleared away； and the dismal solitude began to smile。
Count Abel arose； picked up his staff； and shook himself。 As he passed
before the cavern； he discovered； among the tufts of aconite which
covered it； a mossy hollow； and he perceived that this hollow was
ornamented with beautiful blue campanulas； whose little bells gracefully
waved in the gentle breeze which was stirring。 He gathered one of these
campanulas； carried it to his lips； and found its taste most agreeable。 Half
an hour later he turned from the highway into a foot…path which led
through green pastures and forests of larch…trees。
By the time he had reached the heart of the valley it was nightfall。 He
traversed the hamlet of Cresta； crossed a bridge； found himself at the
entrance of the village of Cellarina； about twenty…five minutes' walk form
Saint Moritz。 After taking counsel with himself； he resolved to proceed no
farther； and so he put up at a neat； pretty inn； which had just been freshly
white…washed。
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The air of the Engadine is so keen and bracing that the first nights
passed there are apt to be sleepless ones。 Count Larinski scarcely slept at
all in his new quarters。 Would he have slept better on the plains？ He
became worn out with his thoughts。 Of what was he thinking？ Of the
cathedral at Chur； of the Vallee du Diable； of the tufts of aconite； the
campanulas； and the meeting of the two post…chaises； one ascending； the
other descending。 After that he saw no longer anything but a red hood； and
his eyes were open when the first blush of the morning penetrated his
modest chamber。 Eagles sleep little when they are preparing for the chase。
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CHAPTER II
The Baths of Saint Moritz are； according to the verdict of a large
number of people； by no means an enlivening resort； and here tarry chiefly
genuine invalids； who cherish a sincere desire to recover health and
strength。 The invigorating atmosphere； the chalybeate waters； which are
unquestionably wholesome； although they do taste like ink； have wrought
more than one actual miracle； nevertheless； it is said to require no little
philosophy to tolerate existence there。 〃I am charmed to have had the
experience of visiting the Baths；〃 we once heard an invalid say； 〃for I
know now that I am capable of enduring anything and everything。〃 But
this； let us hasten to assure the reader； is an exaggerationthe mere
babbling of an ingrate。
The Upper Engadine Valley； in which Saint Moritz is situated； has； as
well as the Baths； its detractors and its admirers。 This narrow valley；
throughout whose whole length flows the Inn； shut in by glacier…capped
mountains； whose slopes are covered with spruce； pine； and larch trees；
lies at an altitude of some five thousand feet above the level of the sea。 It
often snows there in the month of August； but spring and early summer in
the locality are delightful； and dotted about are numerous little romantic
green lakes； glittering like emeralds in the sunshine。 Those who slander
these by comparing them to wash…bowls and cisterns； are simply troubled
with the spleen； a malady which neither iron； iodine； nor yet sulphur； can
cure。
One thing these discontented folks cannot deny； and that is that it
would be difficult； not to say impossibl
