samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第30节
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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？〃
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〃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
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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。
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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 e
