samuel brohl & company-第2部分

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　〃M。　LE　COMTE：

　〃Although　you　both　write　and　understand　German　very　well；　you　do　　　not　like　to　read　it；　and　therefore　I　write　to　you　in　French。　It　　　grieves　me　deeply　not　to　have　it　in　my　power　to　satisfy　your　　　honoured　demand。　Business　is　very　dull。　It　is　impossible　for　me　to　　　advance　you　another　florin；　or　even　to　renew　your　note；　which　　　falls　due　shortly。　I　am　the　father　of　a　family；　it　pains　me　to　be　　　compelled　to　remind　you　of　this。

　〃I　wish　to　tell　you　quite　freely　what　I　think。　I　did　believe　in　　　your　gun；　but　I　believe　in　it　no　longer；　no　one　believes　in　it　any　　　more。　When　strong；　it　was　too　heavy；　when　you　made　it　lighter；　it　　　was　no　longer　strong。　What　came　next？　You　know　it　burst。　Beware　　　how　you　further　perfect　it；　or　it　will　explode　whenever　it　becomes　　　aware　that　any　one　is　looking　at　it。　This　accursed　gun　has　eaten　　　up　the　little　you　had；　and　some　of　my　savings　besides；　although　I　　　have　confidence　that　you　will；　at　least；　pay　me　the　interest　due　　　on　that。　It　grieves　me　to　tell　you　so；　M。　de　Comte；　but　all　　　inventors　are　more　or　less　crack…brained；　and　end　in　the　hospital。　　　For　the　love　of　God；　leave　guns　as　they　are；　and　invent　nothing　　　more；　or　you　will　go　overboard；　and　there　will　be　no　one　to　fish　　　you　out。〃

Abel　Larinski　paused　at　this　place。　He　put　his　letter　down　on　the　table；　and；　turning　round　in　his　arm…chair；　with　a　savage　air；　his　eye　fixed　on　a　distant　corner　of　the　room；　he　fell　to　thus　soliloquizing　in　a　sepulchral　voice：

〃Do　you　hear；　idiot？　This　old　knave　is　right。　Accursed　be　the　day　when　the　genius　of　invention　thrilled　your　sublime　brain！　A　grand　discovery　you　have　made；　forsooth！　What　have　I　gained　from　it？　Grand　illusions；　grand　discomfitures！　What　hath　it　availed　me　that　I　passed　whole　nights　discussing　with　you　breech…loaders；　screw…plates；　tumbrels；　sockets；　bridges；　ovoid　balls；　and　spring…locks？　What　fruits　have　I　gained　from　these　refreshing　conversations？　You　foresaw　everything；　my　great　man；　except　that　one　little　thing　which　great　men　so　often　fail　to　see；　that　mysterious　something；　I　know　not　what；　which　makes　success。　When　you　spoke　to　me；　in　your　slow；　monotonous　tones；　when　you　fixed　upon　me　your　melancholy　gaze；　I　should　have　been　able　to　read　in　your　eyes　that　you　were　only　a　fool。　The　devil　take　thee　and　thy　gun；　thy　gun　and　thee；　hollow　head；　head　full　of　chimeras；　true　Pole；　true　Larinski！〃

To　whom　was　Count　Abel　speaking？　To　a　phantom？　To　his　double？　He　alone　knew。　When　he　had　uttered　the　last　words；　he　resumed　the　perusal　of　his　letter；　which　ended　thus：

　〃Will　you　permit　me　to　give　you　a　piece　of　advice；　M。　le　Comte；　a　　　good　little　piece　of　advice？　I　have　known　you　for　three　years；　and　　　have　taken　much　interest　in　your　welfare。　You　invent　guns；　which；　　　when　they　are　strong；　lack　lightness。　I　beg　your　pardon；　but　I　do　　　not　comprehend　you；　M。　le　Comte。　The　name　you　bear　is　excellent；　　　the　head　you　carry　on　your　shoulders　is　superb；　and　it　is　the　　　general　opinion　that　you　resemble　/Faust/；　but　neither　name　nor　　　head　does　you　any　good。　Leave　the　guns　as　they　are；　and　bestow　　　your　attention　upon　women；　they；　and　they　alone；　can　draw　you　out　　　of　the　deep　waters　where　you　are　now　floundering。　There　is　no　time　　　to　lose。　I　beg　your　pardon；　but　you　must　be　thirty　years　old；　and　　　perhaps　a　little　more。　This　/diable/　of　a　gun　has　made　you　lose　　　three　valuable　years。

　〃It　pains　me；　M。　le　Comte；　to　be　compelled　to　remind　you　that　the　　　little　note　falls　due　shortly。　I　have　had　the　value　of　the　　　bracelet　you　left　with　me　as　a　pledge　estimated；　it　is　not　worth　a　　　thousand　florins；　as　you　believed；　it　is　a　piece　of　antiquity　that　　　has　a　value　to　only　those　who　can　indulge　in　a　caprice　for　fancy　　　articles；　and　such　caprices　are　rare　nowadays；　the　time　for　such　　　is　past。

　〃I　am；　M。　le　Comte；　with　much　respect；　your　humble　and　obedient　　　servant；

〃MOSES　GULDENTHAL。〃


Abel　Larinski　turned　once　more　in　his　chair。　He　crumpled　up　between　his　fingers　the　letter　of　M。　Moses　Guldenthal；　saying　to　himself　as　he　did　so；　that　the　Guldenthals　are　often　very　clear…sighted　folks。　〃Ay；　to　be　sure；〃　thought　he；　〃this　Hebrew　is　right；　I　have　lost　three　valuable　years。　I　have　had　fever；　and　my　eyes　have　been　clouded；　but；　Heaven　be　praised！　The　charm　is　broken；　the　illusion　fled；　I　am　cured　saved！　Farewell；　my　chimera；　I　am　no　longer　thy　dupe！　Many　thanks；　my　dear　friend：　I　return　to　you　your　gun；　do　with　it　as　it　seemeth　best　to　you。〃

His　eyes　suddenly　fell　on　his　own　reflection　in　the　mirror　above　the　chimney…piece；　and　he　regarded　it　fixedly　for　a　few　moments。

〃The　semblance　truly　of　an　inventor；〃　he　resumed；　mournfully　smiling。　〃This　pale；　emaciated　face；　these　deep…set　eyes；　with　dark　circles　about　them；　these　hollow；　cadaverous　cheeks！　The　three　years　have　indeed　left　their　traces。　Bah！　a　little　rest　in　the　Alpine　pastures；　and　/Faust/　will　become　rejuvenated。〃

He　seized　a　pen；　and　wrote　the　following　reply：

　〃You　are　truly　kind；　my　dear　Guldenthal：　you　refuse　me　the　　　miserable　florins；　but　you　give　me　in　their　stead　a　little　piece　　　of　advice　that　is　worth　a　fortune。　Unluckily；　I　am　not　capable　of　　　following　it。　Noble　souls　like　ours　comprehend　each　other　with　　　half　a　word；　and　you　are　a　poet　whenever　it　suits　you。　When　in　the　　　course　of　the　day　you　have　transacted　a　neat　little　piece　of　　　business；　after　having　rubbed　your　hands　until　you　have　almost　　　deprived　them　of　skin；　you　tune　your　violin；　which　you　play　like　　　an　angel；　and　you　draw　from　it　such　delightful　strains　that　your　　　ledger　and　your　cash…box　fall　to　weeping　with　emotion。　I；　too；　am　　　a　musician；　and　my　music　is　the　fair　sex。　But；　alas！　women　never　　　can　be　for　me　other　than　an　adorable　inutility；　a　part　of　the　　　dream　of　my　life。　Your　dreams　yield　you　a　handsome　percentage；　as　　　I　have　sorrowfully　experienced；　my　dreams　yield　me　nothing；　and　　　therefore　it　is　that　they　are　dear　to　me。

　〃I　must　prohibitunderstand　me　clearlyyour　disposing　of　the　　　trinket　I　left　with　you；　we　have　the　weakness；　we　Poles；　of　　　clinging　to　our　family　relics。　Set　your　mind　at　rest；　before　the　　　end　of　the　month　I　shall　have　returned　to　Vienna；　and　will　honour　　　the　dear　little　note。　One　day　you　will　go　down　on　your　knees　to　　　beg　of　me　to　loan　you　a　thousand　florins；　and　I　will　astonish　you　　　with　my　ingratitude。　May　the　God　of　Abraham；　of　Isaac；　and　of　　　Jacob；　have　you　in　his　holy　keeping；　my　dear　Guldenthal！〃

As　he　finished　his　letter；　he　heard　the　sound　of　harps　and　violins。　Some　itinerant　musicians　were　giving　a　concert　in　the　hotel…garden；　which　was　lit　up　as　bright　as　day。　Abel　opened　his　window；　and　leaned　on　his　elbows；　looking　out。　The　first　object　that　presented　itself　to　his　eyes　was　Mlle。　Moriaz；　promenading　one　of　the　long　garden…walks；　leaning　on　her　father's　arm。　Many　eyes　were　fixed　on　herwe　have　already　said　it　was　difficult　not　to　gaze　upon　herbut　no　one　contemplated　her　with　such　close　attention　as　Count　Larinski。　He　never　once　lost　sight　of　her。

〃Is　she　beautiful？　Is　she　even　pretty？〃　he　queried　within　himself。　〃I　cannot　quite　make　up　my　mind；　but　I　am　very　sure　that　she　is　charming。　Like　my　bracelet；　this　is　a　fancy　article。　She　is　a　little　thin；　and　her　shoulders　are　too　vigorously　fashioned　for　her　waist；　which　is　slender　and　supple　as　a　reed；　but；　such　as　she　is；　she　has　not　her　equal。　Her　walk；　her　carriage；　resemble　nothing　I　ever　have　seen　before。　I　can　well　imagine　that　when　she　appears　in　the　streets　of　Paris　people　turn　to　look　after　her；　but　no　one　would　have　the　audacity　to　follow　her。　How　old　is　she？　Twenty…four　or　twenty…five　years；　I　should　say。　Why　is　she　not　married？　Who　is　this　withered；　pinched…looking　fright　of　a　personage　who　trots　at　her　side　like　a　poodle…dog？　Probably　some　/demoiselle　de　compagnie/。　And　there　comes　her　/femme　de　chambre/；　a　very　spruce　little　lass；　bringing　her　a　shawl；　which　the　/demoiselle　de　compagnie/　hastens　to　put　over　her　shoulders。　She　allows　it　to　be　done　with　the　air　of　one　who　is　accustomed　to　being　waited　upon。　Mlle。　Moriaz　is　an　heiress。　Why；　then；　is　she　not　married？〃

Count　Larinski　pursued　his　soliloquy　as　long　as　Mlle。　Moriaz　promenaded　in　the　garden。　As　soon　as　she　re…entered　the　hotel；　it　appeared　to　him　that　the　garden　had　become　empty；　and　that　the　musicians　were　playing　out　of　tune。　He　closed　his　window。　He　gave　up　his　plan　of　starting　the　next　day　for　Saxon。　He　had　decided　that　he　would　set　out　for　Saint　Moritz；　to　pass　there　at　least　two　or　three　days。　He　said　to　himself；　〃It　seems　absurd；　but　who　can　tell？〃

Thereupon　he　proceeded　to　investigate　the　state　of　his　finances；　and　he　weighed　and　re…weighed　his　purse；　which　was　very　light。　Formerly　Count　Larinski　had　possessed　a　very　pretty　collection　of　jewellery。　He　had　looked　upon　this　as　a　reserve　fund；　to　which　he　would　have　recourse　only　in　cases　of　extreme　distress。　Alas！　there　remained　to　him　now　only　two　articles　of　his　once　considerable　storethe　bracelet　that　was　in　the　hands　of　M。　Guldenthal；　and　a　diamond　ring　that　he　wore　on　his　finger。　He　decided　that；　before　quitting　Chur；　he　would　borrow　money　on　this　ring；　or　that　he　would　try　to　sell　it。

He　remained　some　time　seated　at　the　foot　of　his　bed；　dangling　his　legs　to　and　fro；　his　eyes　closed。　He　had　closed　them；　in　order　to　better　call　up　a　vision　of　Mlle。　Moriaz；　and　he　repeated　the　words：　〃It　seems　absurd；　but　who　can　tell？　The　fact　is；　we　can　know　nothing　of　a　surety；　and　anything　may　happen。〃　Then　he　recalled　one　of　Goethe's　poems；　entitled　〃Vanitas！　vanitatum　vanitas！〃　and　he　recited　several　time　in　German　these　two　lines：

　〃Nun　hab'　ich　mein'　Sach'　auf　nichts　gestellt；　　　Und　mein　gehort　die　ganze　Welt！〃

This　literally　signifies；　〃Now　that　I　no　longer　count　on　anything；　the　whole　world　is　mine。〃　Abel　Larinski　recited　these　lines　with　a　purity　of　accent　that　would　have　astonished　M。　Moses　Guldenthal。

M。　Moriaz；　after　wishing　his　daughter　good…night；　and　imprinting　a　kiss　upon　her　brow；　as　was　his　custom；　had　retired　to　his　chamber。　He　was　preparing　for　bed；　when　there　came　a　knock　at　his　door。　Opening　this；　he　saw　before　him　a　fair…haired　youth；　who　rushed　eagerly　towards　him；　seized　both　his　hands；　and　pressed　them　with　effusion。　M。　Moriaz　disengaged　his　hands；　and　regard