samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第52节
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was perfectly legible。 Mlle。 Moriaz spelled it out readily； although at that
moment her sight was dim； and she was convinced that the trinket； which
Count Larinski had presented to her as a family relic； had belonged to
Anna Petrovna； Princess Gulof。
She grew mortally pale； and lost consciousness； she seemed on the
verge of an attack of delirium。 In the agitation of her mind； she imagined
that she saw herself at a great distance； at the end of the world； and very
small； she was climbing a mountain； on the other side of which there was
a man awaiting her。 She questioned herself； 〃Am I； or is this traveller； Mlle。
Moriaz？〃 She closed her eyes； and saw a blank abyss open before her； in
which her life was ingulfed； whirled about； like the leaf of a tree in a
whirlpool。
M。 Langis drew near her； and； lightly slapping the palms of her hands；
said； 〃What is the matter？〃
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She roused herself； made an effort to lift her head； and let it sink again。
The trouble that lay in the depths of her heart choked her； she experienced
an irresistible need of confiding in some one； and she judged that the man
who was talking to her was one of those men to whom a woman can tell
her secret； one of those souls to whom she could pour out her shame
without blushing。 She began； in a broken voice； a confused； disconnected
recital that Camille could scarcely follow。 However； he finally understood；
he felt himself divided between an immense pity for her despair； and a
fierce lover's joy that tightened his throat and well…nigh strangled him。
The belfry of Cormeilles had recovered its voice； two o'clock rang out
on the air。 Antoinette rose and exclaimed： 〃I was to meet him at the pretty
little gate that you see from here！ He will have the right to be angry if I
keep him waiting。〃
At once she hastened towards the balustered steps that led from the
terrace to the orchard。 M。 Langis followed her； seeking to detain her。 〃You
need not see him again；〃 said he。 〃I will meet him。 Pray； charge me with
your explanations。〃
She repelled him and replied； in a voice of authority： 〃I wish to see
him； no one but I can say to him what I have in my heart。 I command you
to remain here； I intend that he shall blame no one but me。〃 She added
with a curl of the lips meant for a smile： 〃You must remember； I do not
believe yet that I have been deceived； I will not believe it until I have read
the lie in his eyes。〃
She hastily descended into the orchard； and； during five minutes； her
eye fixed on the gate； she waited for Samuel Brohl。 Her impatience
counted the seconds； and yet Mlle。 Moriaz could have wished the gate
would never open。 There was near by an old apple…tree that she loved； in
the old days she had more than once suspended her hammock from one of
its arched and drooping branches。 She leaned against the gnarled trunk of
the old tree。 It seemed to her that she was not alone； some one protected
her。
At last the gate opened and admitted Samuel Brohl； who had a smile
on his lips。 His first words were： 〃And your umbrella！ You have forgotten
it？〃
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She replied： 〃Do you not see that there is no sunshine？〃 And she
remained leaning against the apple…tree。
He uplifted his hand to show her the blue sky； he let it fall again。 He
looked at Antoinette； and he was afraid。 He guessed immediately that she
knew all。 At once he grew audacious。
〃I spent a dull day yesterday；〃 said he。 〃Mme。 de Lorcy invited me to
dine with a crazy woman； but the night made up for it。 I saw Engadine in
my dreamsthe firs； the Alpine pines； the emerald lakes； and a red hood。〃
〃I； too； dreamed last night。 I dreamed that the bracelet you gave me
belonged to the crazy woman of whom you speak； and that she had her
name engraved on it。〃
She threw him the bracelet： he picked it up； examined it； turned and
returned it in his trembling fingers。 She grew impatient。 〃Look at the place
that has been forced open。 Don't you know how to read？〃
He read； and became stupefied。 Who would have believed that this
trinket that he had found among his father's old traps had come to him
from Princess Gulof？ that it was the price she had paid for Samuel Brohl's
ignominy and shame？ Samuel was a fatalist； he felt that his star had set；
that Fate had conspired to ruin his hopes； that he was found guilty and
condemned。 His heart grew heavy within him。
〃Can you tell me what I ought to think of a certain Samuel Brohl？〃 she
asked。
That name； pronounced by her； fell on him like a mass of lead； he
never would have believed that there could be so much weight in a human
word。 He trembled under the blow； then he struck his brow with his
clinched hand and replied：
〃Samuel Brohl is a man as worthy of your pity as he is of mine。 If you
knew all that he has suffered； all that he has dared； you could not help
deeply pitying him and admiring him。 Listen to me； Samuel Brohl is an
unfortunate man〃
〃Or a wretch！〃 she interrupted； in a terrible voice。 She was seized by a
fit of nervous laughter； she cried out： 〃Mme。 Brohl！ I will not be called
Mme。 Brohl。 Ah！ that poor Countess Larinski！〃
He had a spasm of rage that would have terrified her had she
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conjectured what agitated him。 He raised his head； crossed his arms on his
breast； and said； with a bitter smile：
〃It was not the man that you loved； it was the count。〃
She replied； 〃The man whom I loved never lied。〃
〃Yes； I lied！〃 he cried； gasping for breath。 〃I drank that cup of shame
without remorse or disgust。 I lied because I loved you madly。 I lied
because you were dearer to me than my honour。 I lied because I despaired
of touching your heart； and any road seemed good that led to you。 Why
did I meet you？ why could I not see you without recognising in you the
dream of my whole life？ Happiness had passed me by； it was about to take
flight； I caught it in a trapI lied。 Who would not lie； to be loved by you？〃
Samuel Brohl never had looked so handsome。 Despair and passion
kindled a sombre flame in his eyes； he had the sinister charm of a fiery
Satan。 He fixed on Antoinette a fascinating glance that said： 〃What matter
my name； my lies； and the rest？ My face is not a mask； and I am the man
who pleased you。〃 He had not the least suspicion of the astonishing
facility with which Antoinette had taken back the heart that she had given
away so easily； he did not suspect that miracles can be wrought by
contempt。 In the middle ages people believed in golems； figures in clay of
an entrancing beauty； which had all the appearance of life。 Under a lock of
hair was written； in Hebrew characters； on their brow； the word 〃Truth。〃 If
they chanced to lie； the word was obliterated； they lost all their charm； the
clay was no longer anything but clay。
Mlle。 Moriaz divined Samuel Brohl's thought； she exclaimed： 〃The
man I loved was he whose history you related to me。〃
He would have liked to kill her； so that she never should belong to
another。 Behind Antoinette； not twenty steps distant； he descried the curb
of a well； and grew dizzy at the sight。 He discovered； with despair； that he
was not made of the stuff for crime。 He dropped down on his knees in the
grass； and cried； 〃If you will not pardon me； nothing remains for me but to
die！〃 She stood motionless and impassive。 She repeated between her teeth
Camille Langis's phrase： 〃I am waiting until this great comedian has
finished playing his piece。〃
He rose and started to run towards the well。 She was in front of him
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and barred the passage； but at the same moment she felt two hands clasp
her waist； and the breath of two lips that sought her lips and tha
