samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第42节
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curious properties。 Since his return he had been occupied with some very
delicate experiments； which he did not always carry out to his satisfaction；
his movements were brusque； his hands all thumbs； very often he chanced
to ruin everything by breaking his vessels。 Samuel proposed to assist him
in a manipulation requiring considerable dexterity； he had very flexible
fingers； was as expert as a juggler； and the manipulation succeeded beyond
all hopes。
Mme。 de Lorcy was furious at having been outwitted by Count
Larinski； she retracted all the concessions she had made concerning him；
her rancour had decided that the man of fainting…fits could not be other
than an imposter。 She had disputes on this subject with M。 Langis； who
persisted in maintaining that M。 Larinski was a great comedian； but that
this； strictly considered； did not prevent his being a true count； in the
course of his travels he had met specimens of them who cheated at cards
and pocketed affronts。 Mme。 de Lorcy； in return； accused him of being a
simpleton。 She had written again to Vienna； in hopes of obtaining some
further intelligence； she had been able to learn nothing satisfactory。 She
did not lose courage； she well knew that； in the important affairs of life； M。
Moriaz found it difficult to dispense with her approbation； and she
promised herself to choose with discretion the moment to make a decisive
assault upon him。 In the meanwhile she gave herself the pleasure of
tormenting him by her silence； and of grieving him by her long…continued
pouting。 One day M。 Moriaz said to his daughter：
〃Mme。 de Lorcy is displeased with us； this grieves me。 I fear you have
dropped some word that has wounded her。 I shall be greatly obliged to you
if you will go and see her and coax her into good…humour。〃
〃You gave me a far from agreeable commission；〃 she rejoined； 〃but I
can refuse you nothing； I shall go to…morrow to Maisons。〃
At the precise moment when this conversation was taking place； Mme。
de Lorcy； who was passing the day in Paris； entered the Ecole des Beaux…
Arts。 The exhibition of the work of a celebrated painter； recently deceased；
had attracted thither a great throng of people。 Mme。 de Lorcy moved to
and fro； when suddenly she descried a little old woman； sixty years of age；
with a snub nose； whose little gray eyes gleamed with malice and
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impertinence。 Her chin in the air； holding up her eye… glasses with her
hand； she scrutinized all the pictures with a critical； disdainful air。
〃Ah！ truly it is the Princess Gulof；〃 said Mme。 de Lorcy to herself； and
turned away to avoid an encounter。 It was at Ostend； three years previous；
during the season of the baths； that she had made the acquaintance of the
princess； she did not care to renew it。 This haughty； capricious Russian；
with whom a chance occurrence at the /table d'hote/ had thrown her into
intercourse； had not taken a place among her pleasantest reminiscences。
Princess Gulof was the wife of a governor…general whom she had
wedded in second marriage after a long widowhood。 He did not see her
often； two or three times a year； that was all。 Floating about from one end
of Europe to another； they kept up a regular exchange of letters； the prince
never took any step without consulting his wife； who usually gave him
sound advice。 During the first years of their marriage； he had committed
the error of being seriously in love with her： there are some species of
ugliness that inspire actually insane passions。 The princess found this in
the most wretched taste； and soon brought Dimitri Paulovitch to his senses。
From that moment perfect concord reigned between this wedded couple；
who were parted by the entire continent of Europe； united by the mail…
bags。 The princess did not bear a very irreproachable record。 She looked
upon morality as pure matter of conventionality； and she made no secret of
her thoughts。 She was always on the alert for new discoveries； fresh
experiences； she never waited to read a book to the end before flinging it
into the waste…paper basket； most frequently the first chapter sufficed； she
had met with many disappointments； she had wearied of many caprices；
and she had arrived at the conclusion that man is； after all； of but small
account。 Nevertheless； there had come to her late in life a comparatively
lasting caprice； during nearly five years she had flattered herself that she
had found what she sought。 Alas！ for the first time she had been
abandoned； forsaken； and that before she had herself grown tired of her
fancy。 This desertion had inflicted a sharp wound on her pride； she had
conceived an implacable hatred for the faithless one； and then she had
forgotten him。 She had plunged into the natural sciences； she had made
dissectionsit was her way of being avenged。 She held very advanced
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ideas； she believed in the most radical of the doctrines of evolution； she
deemed it a clearly demonstrated fact that man is a development of the
monkey； the monkey of the monad。 She profoundly despised any one who
permitted himself to doubt this。 She did not count melancholy； to analyze
or dissect everything； that was her way of being happy。
During their common sojourn at Ostend； Mme。 de Lorcy had gained
the good graces of the Princess Gulof through the dexterity with which she
had dressed the wounds of Moufflard； her lapdog； whose paw had been
injured by some awkward individual。 She had been quite pleased with
Mme。 de Lorcy； her sympathy and her kindly services； and she had
bestowed her most amiable attentions upon her。 Mme。 de Lorcy had done
her best to respond to her advances； but she found herself revolted by this
old magpie whose prattling never ceased； and whose chief delight was in
the recital of the secret chronicles of every capital of Europe； Mme。 de
Lorcy； in fact； soon grew disgusted with her cosmopolitan gossip and her
physiology； she found her cynical and evil…minded。 In meeting her at the
Ecole des Beaux…Arts； her first impulse was to evade her； but suddenly she
changed her mind。 For some weeks past she had been governed by a fixed
idea； about which all else revolved； an inspiration came over her； which
doubtless fell directly from the skies。
〃Princess Gulof；〃 said she to herself； 〃has passed her life in running
around the world； her real home is a railroad…car； there is not a large city
where she has failed to make a sojourn； she is acquainted with the whole
world： is it not possible that she knows Count Larinski？〃
Mme。 de Lorcy retraced her steps； cut her way through the crowd；
succeeded in approaching the princess； and； taking her by the arm；
exclaimed： 〃Ah！ is it you； princess！ How is Moufflard？〃
The princess turned her head； regarded her fixedly a moment； and then
pressing her hand between her thumb and forefinger she rejoined with as
little ceremony as though they had met the day before： 〃Moufflard does
very poorly indeed； my dear。 He died two months ago of indigestion。〃
〃How you must have mourned his loss！〃
〃I am still inconsolable。〃
〃Ah！ well； princess； I shall undertake to console you。 I own a lapdog；
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not yet six months old： you never saw a more charming one or one with a
shorter nose or whiter and more delicate hair。 I am a great utilitarian； as
you know。 I only care for large dogs that are of some use。 Will you accept
of me Moufflard II？ But you must come and fetch him yourself； which
will procure me the pleasure of seeing you at Maisons。〃
The princess replied that she was on her way to England； that she was
merely taking Paris in passing； that her hours were numbered； and two
minutes later she announced to M
