samuel brohl & company-第34部分

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th　Abbe　　　Miollens；　who　is　dying　to　embrace　you；　he　studies　men　in　Horace；　　　you　know；　and　he　finds　none　whom　he　prefers　to　you。

　〃You　need　not　answer；　but　come；　else　I　will　be　displeased　with　you　　　as　long　as　I　live。〃

Samuel　replied　as　follows　to　Mlle。　Moriaz：

　〃Be　assured　I　have　suffered　more　than　you。　Forgive　me；　much　should　　　be　forgiven　a　man　who　has　suffered　much。　My　imagination　is　subject　　　to　the　wildest　alarms。　Great；　unlooked…for　joy　has　rendered　me　　　mistrustful。　I　have　been　especially　low…spirited　of　late。　After　　　having　resolutely　fought　against　my　happiness；　I　tremble　now　lest　　　it　escape　me；　it　appears　to　me　too　beautiful　not　to　prove　only　a　　　dream。　To　be　loved　by　you！　How　can　I　help　fearing　to　lose　the　　　great　boon？　Each　evening　I　ask　myself：　'Will　she　still　love　me　　　to…morrow？'　Perhaps　my　anxiety　is　blended　with　secret　remorse。　My　　　pride；　ever　on　the　alert　to　take　umbrage；　has　often　been　my　　　torment；　you　can　tell　me　it　is　only　self…love：　I　will　endeavour　to　　　cure　myself　of　it；　but　this　cannot　be　done　in　a　day。　During　these　　　long　months　of　waiting　there　will　come　to　me　more　than　one　　　suspicion；　more　than　one　troubled　thought。　I　promise　you；　however；　　　that　I　shall　maintain　a　rigid　silence　concerning　them；　and；　if　　　possible；　hide　them。

　〃You　condemn　me；　for　my　punishment；　to　love　you　to…day　more　than　　　yesterday；　you　know　well　this　were　impossible。　No；　I　shall　inflict　　　upon　myself　another　chastisement。　Mme。　de　Lorcy　has　invited　me　to　　　dinner。　I　suspect　her　of　having　a　very　mediocre　feeling　of　good…　　　will　for　me；　and　I　also　accuse　her　of　being　cold　and　insensible；　　　of　understanding　nothing　whatever　of　the　heart's　unreasonableness；　　　which　is　true　wisdom。　Nevertheless；　I　will　refrain　from　declining　　　her　invitation。　It　is　at　Maisons　and　not　at　Cormeilles　that　I　　　shall　this　day　pass　my　evening。　Are　you　content　with　me？　Is　not　　　the　penance　severe　enough？

　〃But　to…morrowoh！　I　shall　arrive　at　your　home　to…morrow　by　two　　　o'clock；　and　I　shall　enter　by　the　little　green　gate　at　the　foot　of　　　the　orchard。　Will　you　do　me　a　favour？　Promenade　about　two　o'clock　　　in　the　gravel…walk　that　I　adore。　The　wall　being　low　at　that　place；　　　I　shall　perceive　from　afar；　before　entering；　the　white　silk　of　　　your　sun…umbrella。　I　am　counting；　you　see；　upon　sunshine。　How　very　　　childish！　Yet；　even　this　is　not　strange；　I　was　born　three　months　　　and　a　half　ago；　I　commenced　to　live　July　5th　of　this　year；　at　four　　　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　in　the　cathedral　at　Chur。　Forgive　me　all　　　my　errors；　my　suspicions；　my　childish　absurdities。〃

Mlle。　Moriaz　concluded　that　it　would　be　well　to　shorten　the　term　of　waiting；　and　that　she　would　ask　Count　Larinski　to　fix　the　date　of　their　marriage　himself。　As　to　the　contract；　she　had　immediate　occasion　to　speak　of　it　to　her　father；　who　announced　to　her　that　he　had　invited　his　notary；　Maitre　Noirot；　to　dine　with　him　the　next　day。

She　was　silent　a　few　moments；　and　then　said；　〃Can　you　explain　to　me　the　use　of　notaries？〃

He　replied　about　as　did　/le　Philosophe　sans　le　savoir/：　〃We　only　see　the　present；　notaries　foresee　the　future　and　possible　contingencies。〃

She　replied　that　she　did　not　believe　in　contingencies；　and　that　she　did　not　like　precautions；　because　they　presupposed　distrust；　and　might　appear　offensive。

〃We　have　charming　weather　to…day；〃　said　her　father；　〃nevertheless　there　is　a　possibility　of　rain　to…morrow。　If　I　started　this　evening　on　a　journey；　I　should　carry　my　umbrella；　without　fearing　to　insult　Providence。　Who　speaks　to　you　of　offending　M。　Larinski？　Not　content　with　approving　of　the　step　I　propose　taking；　he　will　thank　me　for　it。　Why　did　he　at　first　refuse　to　marry　you？　Because　you　are　rich；　and　he　is　poor。　The　contract　I　wish　to　have　drawn　up　will　thoroughly　set　at　ease　his　disinterestedness　and　his　pride。〃

〃The　question　of　money　no　longer　exists　for　him；〃　she　eagerly　replied；　〃it　is　my　desire　that　it　should　not　be　started　again。　And　since　you　like　comparisons；　let　us　suppose　that　you　invited　one　of　your　friends　to　take　a　turn　in　your　garden。　Your　espaliers　are　laden　with　fruit；　and　you　know　that　your　friend　is　an　honest　man；　and　that；　besides；　he　does　not　care　for　pears。　Suppose　you　were　to　put　handcuffs　on　him；　would　he　or　would　he　not　be　insulted？〃

He　answered　in　an　exceedingly　vexed　tone；　that　this　was　entirely　different；　and　Mlle。　Moiseney　having　taken　the　liberty　to　interfere　in　the　discussion　in　Antoinette's　behalf；　declaring　that　Counts　Larinski　are　not　to　be　distrusted；　and　that　men　of　science　are　incapable　of　comprehending　delicacy　of　sentiment；　he　gave　full　vent　to　his　wrath；　telling　the　worthy　demoiselle　to　meddle　with　what　concerned　her。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　was　seriously　angry。　Antoinette　caressed　him　into　good…humour；　promised　that　she　would　put　on　the　best　possible　face　to　Maitre　Noirot；　that　she　would　pay　religious　attention　to　his　counsels；　and　that　she　would　endeavour　to　profit　by　them。

While　M。　Moriaz　was　engaged　in　this　stormy　interview　with　his　daughter；　Samuel　Brohl　was　/en　route/　for　Maisons。　After　the　first　flush　of　astonishment；　the　note　and　invitation　of　Mme。　de　Lorcy　had　pleased　him　immensely；　he　saw　in　it　the　proof　that　she　had　ceased　to　struggle　against　the　inevitableagainst　Samuel　Brohl　and　destiny；　that　she　had　resolved　to　bear　her　disappointment　with　a　cheerful　countenance。　He　formed　the　generous　resolution　to　console　her　for　her　vexation；　to　gain　her　good…will　by　force　of　modesty　and　graceful　attentions。

Alone　in　his　compartment　of　the　cars；　Samuel　Brohl　was　happy；　perfectly　happy。　He　was　nearing　port；　he　held　it　for　an　established　fact　that；　before　a　fortnight；　the　banns　would　be　published。　Was　he　alone　in　his　compartment？　An　adored　image　kept　him　company；　he　spoke　to　it；　it　replied　to　him。　Blended　with　a　rather　uncommon　frigidity　of　soul；　Samuel　Brohl　had　an　imagination　that　readily　took　fire；　and；　when　his　imagination　was　kindled；　he　felt　within　him　something　warm；　which　he　took　for　a　heart；　and　sincerely　persuaded　himself　that　he　had　such　an　organ。　At　this　moment　he　saw　Antoinette　as　he　had　left　her　the　evening　previous；　her　face　animated；　her　cheeks　flushed；　her　countenance　full　of　reproach；　her　eyes　tearful。　She　never　had　appeared　to　him　so　charming。　He　believed　himself　so　madly　in　love　that　he　was　inclined　to　mock　a　little　at　himself。　He　teased　in　anticipation　the　joys　that　were　in　reserve　for　him；　he　revelled　in　thought　of　the　day　and　the　hour　when　this　superb　creature　would　be　his；　when　he　could　view　her　as　his　own　undisputed　possession；　and　devour　page　after　page；　chapter　after　chapter；　of　this　elegantly　printed；　richly　bound　book。

However；　he　was　not　the　man　to　wholly　absorb　himself　in　such　a　reverie。　His　thoughts　travelled　farther；　in　idea　he　embraced　his　entire　future；　which　he　fashioned　out　at　pleasure。　He　took　leave　of　his　sorrowful　past　as　a　blind　man　who　by　some　miracle　recovers　his　sight；　parts　from　his　dog　and　his　stafftroublesome　witnesses　of　evil　days。　He　had　done　with　petty　employments；　with　ungrateful　toil；　with　humiliating　servitude；　with　anxiety　about　the　morrow；　with　the　necessity　for　counting　every　sou；　with　meagre　repasts；　with　sordid　expedients；　with　sorrow；　distress；　and　usuries；　to　all　these　he　said　farewell。　Henceforth　he　would　pick　up　silver　and　gold　by　the　shovelful；　he　would　have　a　share　in　abundance　of　festivalsthe　joy　of　doing　nothingthe　pleasure　of　commandingall　the　sweetness　and　all　the　calm　satisfaction　of　delightful　egotismreposing　in　a　bed　of　eider…downfed　upon　delicate　birdsowning　two　or　three　houses；　a　carriage；　horses；　and　a　box　at　the　opera。　What　a　future！　At　intervals　Samuel　Brohl　passed　his　tongue　over　his　lips；　they　were　parched　with　thirst。

Alnaschar　the　Lazy　received　one　hundred　drachms　of　silver　as　his　entire　patrimony；　and　he　promised　himself　that　he　would　one　day　marry　the　daughter　of　the　grand…vizier。　He　meant　to　clothe　himself　like　a　prince；　to　mount　upon　a　horse　with　a　saddle　of　fine　gold　and　housings　of　gold；　richly　embroidered　with　diamonds　and　pearls。　He　proposed　to　see　that　his　wife　formed　good　habits；　to　train　her　to　obedience；　to　teach　her　to　stand　before　him　and　be　always　ready　to　wait　upon　him；　he　resolved　to　discipline　her　with　his　looks；　his　hand；　and　his　foot。　Samuel　Brohl　possessed　a　calmer　spirit　than　the　Athenian　Hippoclide；　he　was　less　brutal　than　Alnaschar　of　Bagdad：　was　he　much　less　ferocious？　He　proposed；　he　also；　to　educate　his　wife；　he　intended　that　the　daughter　of　the　grand…vizier　should　consecrate　herself　wholly　to　his　happiness；　to　his　service。　To　possess　a　beautiful　slave；　with　velvety　eyes；　chestnut　hair；　tinged　with　gold；　who　would　make　of　Samuel　Brohl　her　padishah　and　her　god；　who　would　pass　her　life　at　his　knees　on　the　alert　for　his　wishes；　reading　his　good　pleasure　in　his　face；　attentive　to　his　fancies　and　to　his　eye…brows；　belonging　to　him　body　and　soul；　uplifting　to　him　the　gaze　of　a　timid　gazelle　or　a　faithful　spanielsuch　was　his　dream　of　conjugal　felicity。　And　little　need　would　he　have　to　exert　himself　much　in　the　education　of　Mlle。　Antoinette　Moriaz。　Love　would　charge　itself　with　that。　She　adored　Samuel　Brohl；　and　he　relied　upon　her　devotion；　it　were　impossible　that　she　could　refuse　him　anything！　She　was　prepared　in　advance　for　every　compliance；　every　obedience；　she　was　ready　to　be　his　humble　servant　in　all　things。　Knaves　make　it　their　boast　that　they　can　readily　fathom　honest　people；　the　truth　is；　they　only　half　comprehend　them。　Honest　people　have　sentiments；　as　do　certain　languages；　reputed　easy；　which　are　full　of　mystery；　of　refined　delicacy；　inaccessible　to　the　vulgar　mind。　A　commercial　traveller　often　learns　to　speak　Italian　in　three　weeks；　and　yet　never　really　knows　the　language；　Samuel　Brohl　had　gained　a　superficial　knowledge　of　Mlle。　Moriaz　in　a　few　days；　and　yet　he　was　far　from　having　a　true　comprehension　of　her。

He　arrived　at　Maisons　in　the　most　cheerful；　self…satisfied　frame　of　mind。　As　he　walked　through　the　park；　he　remembered　that　Mme。　de　Lorcy　had　lost　her　only　two　children　when　they　were　still　of　a　tender　age；　that　she　was　therefore　free　to　will　her　property　as　she　pleased；　that　she　had　a　short　neck；　an　apoplectic　temperament；　that　Antoinette　was　her　goddaughter；　that　although　she　was　piqued　with　Count