samuel brohl & company-第22部分

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〃Please　show　me　the　letter　that　you　have　received　from　Mme。　de　Lorcy。〃

〃What　is　the　use？〃　he　rejoined。　〃I　know　it　by　heart。　I　am　ready　to　recite　it　to　you。〃

〃Is　it　a　letter　that　cannot　be　shown？〃

〃No；　indeed；　but　as　I　tell　you　that　I　am　ready　to　give　you　an　account　of　it〃

〃I　would　prefer　to　read　it　with　my　own　eyes。〃

〃After　all；　you　have　a　right。　There！　take　it。　But　I　beg　of　you　do　not　be　offended　by　unfortunate　expressions。〃

〃Mme。　de　Lorcy　always　knows　how　to　choose　the　proper　word　to　express　her　thought；〃　she　responded。

When　she　had　run　her　eye　rapidly　over　Mme。　de　Lorcy's　eight　closely　written　pages；　she　looked　at　her　father　and　smiled。

〃You　must　own　that　you　found　a　very　useful　and　a　very　zealous　ally　in　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　do　her　this　justice；　she　has　worked　hard；　and　you　owe　her　many　thanks　for　having　busied　herself　so　actively　in　ridding　you　of　'this　worthy　man；　this　good　man；　this　delightful　man'；　those　are　her　own　words；　if　you　remember。〃

M。　Moriaz　exclaimed：　〃I　hope　you　do　not　imagine　that　it　was　a　matter　arranged　between　us。　Do　you　really　suspect　me　of　having　some　dark　plot　with　Mme。　de　Lorcy！　Do　you　believe　me　capable　of　being　implicated　in　an　act　of　perfidy？〃

〃God　forbid！　I　only　accuse　you　of　being　too　joyous；　and　of　not　knowing　how　to　conceal　it。〃

〃Is　that　a　crime？〃

〃Perhaps　it　is　an　indiscretion。〃

〃I　swear　to　you；　my　dear　child；　that　I　only　consider　your　happiness；　and　Mme。　de　Lorcy　herself　Since　M。　Langis　no　longer　thinks　of　you；　what　reason　could　she　have〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　interrupted　Antoinette；　〃but　her　prejudice　would　take　the　place　of　reason。〃

〃So　you　will　not　believe　that　Count　Larinski　is　married？〃

〃I　believe　it；　without　being　certain；　and　I　wish　to　be　assured　of　it。　Have　I　not　acted　in　good　faith　through　all　this　matter？　was　I　not　ready　to　comply　with　your　conditions？　I　consented　to　refer　to　the　judgment　of　Mme。　de　Lorcy。　She　has　deigned　to　be　gracious　to　the　accused。　She　has　admitted　that　M。　Larinski　is　a　perfectly　honourable　and　even　a　delightful　man；　but　she　has　discovered；　at　intervals　of　several　days；　first；　that　he　does　not　love　me；　and　then；　that　he　has　deceived　me　by　letting　me　believe　that　he　was　still　free。　I　wish　to　satisfy　my　own　mind；　and　convince　myself　that　I　am　not　being　played　with。〃

〃And　you　have　concluded〃

〃I　have　concluded　that；　with　your　permission；　we　shall　leave　to…morrow　morning　for　Cormeilles。〃

This　conclusion　was　by　no　means　agreeable　to　M。　Moriaz；　whose　face　grew　sensibly　longer。

〃Of　what　are　you　afraid？　You　know　that　I　have　character；　and　you　ought　to　know；　no　matter　what　Mme。　de　Lorcy　says；　that　I　am　not　wanting　in　good　sense。　When　it　is　proved　to　me　that　I　have　deceived　myself；　I　will　make　the　sign　of　the　cross　over　my　romance；　it　will　be　dead　and　buried；　and　I　promise　you　not　to　wear　mourning　for　it。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　he；　〃I　believe　in　your　good　sense；　I　have　faith　in　your　reason：　we　shall　leave　to…morrow　for　Cormeilles。〃

Four　days　later；　Mme。　de　Lorcy　was　walking　in　an　alley　in　her　park。　She　was　joined　there　by　M。　Langis；　to　whom　she　said；　in　a　good…　humoured　tone：　〃Always　grave　and　melancholy；　my　dear　Camille！　When　will　you　cease　your　drooping　airs？　I　cannot　understand　you。　I　do　my　best　to　be　agreeable　to　you；　to　settle　matters　satisfactorily。　Nothing　seems　to　cheer　you。　You　make　me　think　of　the　hare　in　La　Fontaine：

　〃　'Cet　animal　est　triste；　et　la　Crainte　le　ronge。'　〃

〃Fear　and　hate；　madame；〃　replied　he。　〃I　hate　this　man；　he　is　insupportable　to　me。　I　will　give　up　coming　to　Maisons　if　I　always　must　meet　him　here。　Has　he　paid　you　his　adieux　for　the　last　time？〃

〃Not　yet；　a　little　patiencewe　shall　not　count　the　minutes。　Besides；　what　harm　can　this　man　do　you？　The　lion　has　lost　his　clawswhat　do　I　say？he　has　carried　his　good…nature　to　the　point　of　muzzling　himself。　It　is　not　generous　to　pursue　with　hate　a　disarmed　enemy。〃

〃Very　well；　madame；　if　he　is　not　gone　in　three　days；　I　return　to　my　first　idea；　it　was　the　best。〃

〃You　will　cut　his　throat？〃

〃With　all　my　heart。〃

〃For　the　love　of　art？〃

〃I　am　not　a　very　bloodthirsty　individual；　but　I　would　take　a　singular　delight　in　slashing　at　the　skin　of　this　gloomy　personage。〃

Mme。　de　Lorcy　shrugged　her　shoulders。　〃What　makes　you　think　him　gloomy；　my　dear？　You　are　perfectly　reasonable。　You　ought　to　adore　M。　Larinski；　you　are　under　the　greatest　obligations　to　him。　He　has　been　the　first　to　succeed　in　touching　the　heart　of　our　dear；　hitherto　insensible　girl；　he　has　broken　the　charm。　She　was　the　Sleeping　Beauty；　he　has　awakened　her；　and；　through　the　favour　of　Heaven；　he　cannot　marry　her。　I　can　see　her　in　Churwalden；　a　prey　to　the　gloomiest　ennui；　weeping　over　her　illusions；　furious　at　having　been　deceived。　Do　you　not　divine　all　the　advantage　that　can　be　derived　from　a　woman's　anger？〃

〃You　know　that　I　love　her；　and　yet　I　do　not　wish　to　owe　anything　to　her　spite。〃

〃You　are　a　child：　be　guided。　The　moment　is　come　for　you　to　propose。　In　a　few　days　you　will　start　for　Churwalden；　and　you　will　say　to　this　angry　woman；　'I　have　liedI　love　you。'　In　short；　you　will　talk　to　her　of　your　amorous　flame；　and　you　may；　freely；　under　these　circumstances；　exhaust　all　your　treasure…store　of　hyperbole。　She　will　listen　to　you；　I　can　promise　you；　and　she　will　say　to　herself；　'I　seek　vengeance　here　it　is。'　〃

〃I　would　like　to　believe　you；　madame；〃　he　replied；　〃but　are　you　very　certain　that　Mlle。　Moriaz　is　still　at　Churwalden？〃

And；　pointing　with　his　finger；　he　showed　her　at　the　end　of　the　avenue　a　figure　coming　towards　them　clad　in　a　pretty　nut…brown　dress　with　a　long　train　sweeping　the　gravel。

〃Truly；　I　believe　that　it　is　she；〃　cried　Mme。　de　Lorcy。　〃M。　Moriaz　is　the　most　unskilful　person；　but；　after　all；　not　much　harm　is　done。〃

Mlle。　Moriaz　had　arrived　the　evening　previous　at　Cormeilles。　After　resting　somewhat　from　the　fatigues　of　the　journey；　she　had　nothing　more　urgent　to　do　than　to　order　the　horses　put　to　her　coupe　and　to　come　and　pay　her　respects　to　her　godmother；　who　could　not　fail　to　be　touched　by　this　attention。

Mme。　de　Lorcy　ran　to　Antoinette　and　embraced　her　several　times；　saying：　〃You　are　here　at　last！　How　charmed　I　am　to　see　you　again！　You　made　us　wait　long　enough；　I　began　to　fear　that　you　had　taken　root　in　the　Grisons。　Is　it　indeed　an　enchanted　land？　I　rather　believe　that　your　father　is　a　cruel　egotist；　that　he　shamefully　sacrificed　you　to　his　own　convenience　in　prolonging　his　cure；　but　here　you　areI　will　pardon　him。　Your　poor；　your　/proteges/；　are　clamorous　for　you。　Who　do　you　think　asked　after　you；　the　other　day？　Mlle。　Galet；　whom；　according　to　your　orders；　I　supplied　with　her　quarter's　allowance。　How　you　spoil　her！　I　found　on　her　table　a　bouquet　fit　for　a　duchess；　she　insisted　that　you　had　sent　it　to　her　from　where　you　were；　and　I　had　all　the　trouble　in　the　world　to　make　her　understand　that　double　camellias　are　not　gathered　among　the　glaciers　of　Roseg。　Strew　with　flowers；　if　you　will；　Mlle。　Galet's　existence　and　garret；　but　do　not　fling　at　her　head　a　bushel　of　double　camellias；　streaked　with　white；　it　is　madness。　I　seriously　propose　to　have　you　put　under　restraint。　Never　mind；　I　am　very　happy　to　see　you　again。　You　are　looking　very　well。Don't　you　think；　Camille；　that　she　appears　extremely　well？〃

Mlle。　Moriaz　coldly　received　Mme。　de　Lorcy's　embraces；　but　she　smiled　graciously　on　M。　Langis；　and　pressed　his　hand　affectionately。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　led　them　into　her　/salon/；　where　they　talked　on　indifferent　subjects。　Antoinette　was　waiting　for　M。　Langis's　departure　to　broach　the　subject　that　she　had　at　heart。　At　the　end　of　twenty　minutes；　he　rose；　but　immediately　reseated　himself。　A　door　had　just　opened；　giving　admittance　to　Count　Abel　Larinski。

At　the　unexpected　apparition　of　Samuel　Brohl；　the　two　women　changed　colour；　the　one　flushed　from　the　effort　that　she　made　to　dissimulate　her　vexation；　the　other　turned　pale　from　emotion。　Samuel　Brohl　crossed　the　/salon/　with　deliberate　step；　without　appearing　to　recognise　the　person　who　was　with　Mme。　de　Lorcy。　Suddenly　he　trembled；　as　if　he　had　been　touched　by　a　torpedo；　and；　profoundly　agitated；　almost　lost　countenance。　Was　he　as　much　astonished　as　he　seemed？　For　some　time　the　Sannois　Hill　had　become　his　favourite　promenade；　and　he　never　went　there　without　going　as　far　as　a　certain　spot　whence　he　could　see　the　front　of　a　certain　house；　the　window…shutters　of　which　had　remained　during　two　months　as　though　hermetically　sealed。　It　might　be　that　the　evening　before　he　had　found　them　open。　Induction　is　a　scientific　process　with　which　Samuel　Brohls　are　familiar。

He　had　abundant　will　and　self…control。　He　was　not　long　in　recovering　himself；　he　raised　his　head　like　one　who　feels　himself　strong　enough　to　defy　all　dangers。　After　greeting　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　he　drew　near　Antoinette；　and　asked　how　she　was；　in　a　grave；　almost　ceremonious　tone。

〃Your　visit　distresses　me；　my　dear　count；〃　said　Mme。　de　Lorcy　to　him；　〃I　fear　it　is　the　last。　Have　you　come　to　bid　us　farewell？〃

〃Alas！　yes；　madame；〃　he　replied。　〃The　letter　for　which　I　have　been　waiting　has　not　yet　arrived；　but　this　delay　will　not　alter　my　plans：　in　three　days　I　shall　leave　Paris。〃

〃Without　a　desire　to　return；　without　regret？〃　she　asked。

〃I　shall　only　regret　Maisons；　and　the　kind　reception　I　have　received　there。　Paris　is　too　large；　little　people　like　myself　feel　their　smallness　more　here　than　elsewhere；　it　does　not　require　an　excess　of　pride　for　one　to　dislike　being　reduced　to　the　state　of　an　atom。　Residing　in　Vienna　suits　me　better；　I　breathe　freer　there；　it　is　a　city　better　adapted　to　my　size　and　taste。　Birds　do　wrong　to　change　their　nests。〃

Thereupon；　he　began　to　describe　and　warmly　extol　the　Prater　and　its　fine　walks；　Schonbrunn；　its　botanical　gardens　and　the　Gloriette；　the　church　of　St。　Stephen's；　and　the　limpid　waters　of　the　Danube；　sometimes　addressing　himself　to　Antoinette；　who　listened　without　a　word；　and　sometimes　to　Mme。　de　Lorcy；　whose　eyes　were　turned　at　intervals　towards　M。　Langis；　seeming　to　say　to　him：　〃Was　I　not　right？　Confess　that　your　apprehensions　lacked　common…sense。　Do　you　hear　him？　he　has　only　half　an　hour　to　spend　with　her；　and　he　describes　the　Prater。　Are　you　still　thinking　of　cutting　his　throat？　Please　say　one　polite　and　civil　word　to　him。　It