samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第3节
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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
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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？〃
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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 regarded the intruder with a bewildered air。
〃How？〃 cried the latter。 〃You do not know me？ So sure as you are one
of the most illustrious chemists of the day； I am Camille Langis； son of
your best friend； a young man of great expectations； who admires you
truly； who has followed you here； and who is now ready to begin all over
again。 There； my dear master； do you recognise me？〃
〃Ay； to be sure I recognise you； my boy；〃 replied M。 Moriaz； 〃although；
to tell the truth； you have greatly changed。 When you left us you were a
mere youth。〃
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〃And now？〃
〃And now you have the air of a young man； but； I beg of you； where
have you come from？ I thought you were in the heart of Transylvania。〃
〃It is possible to return from there； as you see。 Three days ago I arrived
in Paris and flew to Maisons…Lafitte。 Mme。 De Lorcy； who bears the
double insignia of honour of being my aunt and the godmother of
AntoinetteI beg your pardon； I mean Mlle。 Antoinette Moriaz informed
me that you were in ill…health； and that your physician had sent you to
Switzerland； to Saint Moritz； to recruit。 I hastened after you； this morning
I missed you by one hour at Zurich； but I have you now； and you will
listen to me。〃
〃I warn you； my dear child； that I am at this moment a most detestable
auditor。 We have done to…day one /hotel de ville/； one episcopal palace；
one cathedral； and some relics of St。 Lucius。 To speak plainly； I am
overpowered with sleep。 Is there any great haste for what you have to say
to me？〃
〃Is there any great haste？ Why； I arrive breathless from Hungary to
demand your daughter in marriage。〃
M。 Moriaz threw up his arms； then； seating himself on the edge of his
bed； he piteously gasped：
〃You could not wait until to…morrow？ If a judge is desired to take a
favourable view of a case； he surely should not be disturbed in his first
sleep to consider
