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languages。〃
〃Indeed！〃 exclaimed M。 Moriaz。 〃Do you see no other career open to
you； my dear count？〃
〃I am no longer a count；〃 he replied； with an heroic smile。 〃Counts do
not run about giving private lessons。〃 And a strange light flashed in his
eyes as he spoke。 〃I shall run about giving private lessons until I hear
anew the voice that spoke to me in California。 It will find me ever ready；
my reply will be： 'I belong to thee； dispose of me at thy pleasure。' Ah！ this
chimera is one that I never will renounce！〃
Then suddenly he started as one just awakening from a dream； he drew
his hand over his brow； looked confusedly around him； and said： 〃/Grand
Dieu！/ here I have been talking to you of myself for two hours！ It is the
most stupid way of passing one's time； and I promise you it shall not
happen again。〃
With these words he rose； took up his hat； and left。
M。 Moriaz paced the floor for some moments； his hands behind his
back； presently he said： 〃This /diable/ of a man has strangely moved me。
One thing alone spoils his story for methat is the gun。 A man who once
has drunk will drink again； one who has invented will invent again。 No
man in the world ever remained satisfied with his first gun。〃
〃I beg of you； monsieur；〃 cried Mlle。 Moiseney； 〃could you not speak
to the Minister of War about adopting the Larinski musket？〃
〃Are you your country's enemy？〃 he asked。 〃Do you wish its
destruction？ Have you sworn that after Alsace we must lose Champagne？〃
〃I am perfectly sure；〃 she replied； mounting on her high horse； 〃that
the Larinski musket is a /chef…d'oeuvre/； and I would pledge my life that
he who invented it is a man of genius。〃
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〃If you would pledge your word of honour to that； mademoiselle；〃 he
replied； making her a profound bow； 〃you may well feel assured that the
French Government would not hesitate a moment。〃
Mlle。 Moriaz took no part in this conversation。 Her face slightly
contracted； buried in her thoughts as in a solitude inaccessible to earthly
sounds； her cheek resting in the palm of her left hand； she held in her right
hand a paper…cutter； and she kept pricking the point into one of the grooves
of the table on which her elbow rested； while her half…closed eyes were
fixed on a knot of the mahogany。 She saw in this knot the Isthmus of
Panama； San Francisco； the angelic countenance of the beautiful Polish
woman who had given birth to Count Abel Larinski； she saw there also
fields of snow； ambuscades； retreats more glorious than victories； and；
beyond all else； the bursting of a gun and of a man's heart。
She arose； and saluted her father without a word。 In crossing the
/salon/ she perceived that M。 Larinski had forgotten a book he had left on
the piano when he came in。 She opened the volume； he had written his
name on the top of the first page； and Antoinette recognised the
handwriting of the note。
Shut up in her own room； while taking down and combing her hair； her
imagination long wandered through California and Poland。 She compared
M。 Larinski with all the other men she ever had known； and she concluded
that he resembled none of them。 And it was he who had written： 〃I arrived
in this village disgusted with life； sorrowful and so weary that I longed to
die。 I saw you pass by； and I know not what mysterious virtue entered into
me。 I will live。〃
It seemed to her that for long years she had been seeking some one；
and that she had done well to come to the Engadine； because here she had
found the object of her search。
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CHAPTER III
Two； three； four days passed without Count Larinski reappearing at the
Hotel Badrutt； where every evening he was expected。 This prolonged
absence keenly affected Mlle。 Moriaz。 She sought an explanation thereof；
the search occupied part of her days； and troubled her sleep。 She had too
much character not to conceal her trouble and anxiety。 Those about her
had not the least suspicion that she asked herself a hundred times in the
twenty…four hours： 〃Why does he not come？ will he never come again？ is
it a fixed resolution？ Does he blame us for drawing out； by our questions；
the secret of his life？ or does he suspect that I have discovered him to be
the writer of the anonymous letter？ Will he leave Engadine without
bidding us good…bye？ Perhaps he has already gone； and we shall never see
him again。〃 This thought caused Mlle。 Moriaz a heart…burn that she had
never before experienced。 Her day had come； her heart was no longer free：
the bird had allowed itself to be caught。
Mlle。 Moiseney said to her one evening： 〃It seems certain to me that
we never shall see Count Larinski again。〃
She replied in an almost indifferent tone； 〃No doubt he has found
people at Cellarina； or elsewhere； who are more entertaining than we。〃
〃You mean to say；〃 said Mlle。 Moiseney； 〃that M。 Moriaz and the
/bezique/ has frightened him away。 I would not for worlds speak ill of your
father； he has all the good qualities imaginable； except a certain delicacy
of sentiment； which is not to be learned in dealing with acids。 Think of
condemning a Count Larinski to play /bezique/！ There are some things
that your father does not and never will understand。〃
M。 Moriaz had entered meanwhile。 〃Please oblige me by explaining
what it is that I do not understand；〃 said he to Mlle。 Moiseney。
She replied with some embarrassment； 〃You do not understand；
monsieur； that certain visits were a charming diversion to us； and that now
we miss them。〃
〃And do you think that I do not miss them？ It has been four days since
I have had a game of cards。 But how can it be helped？ Poles are fickle
more fools they who trust them。〃
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〃It may be simply that M。 Larinski has been ill；〃 interrupted Antoinette；
with perfect tranquility。 〃I think； father； that it would be right for us to
make inquiries。〃
The following day M。 Moriaz went to Cellarina。 He brought back
word that M。 Larinski had gone on a walking…excursion through the
mountains； that he had started out with the intention of climbing to the
summit of Piz…Morteratsch； and of attempting the still more difficult
ascent of Piz…Roseg。 Mlle。 Moriaz found it hard to decide whether this
news was good or bad news。 All depended on what point of view was
taken； and she changed hers every hour。
Since his mishap； M。 Moriaz had become less rash than formerly。
Experience had taught him that there are treacherous rocks that can be
climbed without much difficulty； but from which it is impossible to
descendrocks exposing one to the danger of ending one's days in their
midst； if there is no Pole near at hand。 Certain truths stamp themselves
indelibly on the mind； so M。 Moriaz never ventured again on the
mountains without being attended by a guide； who received orders from
Antoinette not to leave him； and not to let him expose himself。 One day he
came in later than usual； and his daughter reproached him； with some
vivacity； for the continual anxiety he caused her。 〃The glaciers and
precipices will end by giving me the nightmare；〃 she said to him。
〃Pray on whose account； my dear？〃 he playfully rejoined。 〃I assure
you the ascent that I have just made was neither more difficult nor more
dangerous than that of Montmartre； nor of the Sannois Hill； and as to
glaciers； I have firmly resolved to keep shy of them。 I have passed the age
of prowess。 My guide has been making me tremble by relating the dangers
to which he was