按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
not to change too suddenly from the keen air of Engadine to the heavy
atmosphere of the plains。 On leaving Saint Moritz； we will descend five
hundred metres lower； and remain three weeks at Churwalden；
consequently； we will not be in Paris for a month。 You will employ this
month in somewhat calming your imagination。 It is very easy for it to
become excited in these mountain…holes； without taking into account the
wearisomeness of hotel…life。 From the very day after our arrival you took a
dislike to the paper in our little /salon/； and its squares； I confess； are very
ugly。 In every square； a thrush stretching out its neck to peck a currant。
Two hundred thrushes and two hundred currantsit was enough to weary
you to death。 Suddenly there appears a Pole〃
〃The thrushes had nothing to do with it；〃 she replied； smiling。 〃A
month hence I shall say as I do to…day。 'It is either he or no one。' And you
shall choose。〃
〃Do not repeat that formula； I beg。 Fixed resolves are the prison… house
of the will。 Promise me to reflect； reflection is an excellent thing。 One
thing moregrant me in advance what I am going to ask you。〃
〃It is granted。〃
52
… Page 53…
SAMUEL BROHL & COMPANY
〃You have a godmother〃
〃Ah！ now we are coming to the point；〃 she added。
〃You cannot deny that Mme。 De Lorcy is a woman of the world； a
woman of good sense； a woman of experience； who is deeply interested in
your welfare〃
〃And who has decided from time immemorial； that I can only be
happy on condition that I marry her nephew； M。 Camille Langis。〃
〃Well； I admit that she is partial。 That is no reason why we should not
send her our Pole。 She will inspect him； she will tell us her opinion； it will
be a new element in the argument。〃
〃Ah！ I know her opinion without asking it。 This woman of experience
and good sense is incapable of recognising merit in a man who is
sufficiently impertinent to make Mlle。 Moriaz love him； without having at
least fifty thousand livres a year to offer her。〃
〃What does that matter？ We will let her speakwe need not question
her； an oracle； but she knows false jewellery。 If she discover〃
〃I would require proofs；〃 she interrupted； quickly。
〃And if she furnish them？〃
She was silent an instant； then she said： 〃Let it be so； do as you
please。〃
With these words they ended the conversation； then arose； and retook
the road to Saint Moritz。 M。 Moriaz scarcely had reached there； when he
entered a carriage to drive to Cellarina； provided with a portfolio given
him by Antoinette。 He found M。 Larinski busy strapping his trunks； and
waiting for the mail…coach that made the journey between Samaden and
Chur by the Col du Julier。
M。 Moriaz expressed his regret at having missed his visit； and asked if
he would consent to charge himself with a commission for his daughter；
who desired to send to her godmother； Mme。 De Lorcy； a sketch of Saint
Moritz。
〃Cheerfully；〃 coldly replied Count Abel； and he promised； so soon as
he reached Paris； to send the portfolio to Maisons Lafitte。
〃Do better than that；〃 rejoined M。 Moriaz； 〃and carry your good…nature
so far as to take it yourself to its address。 Mme。 de Lorcy is an amiable
53
… Page 54…
SAMUEL BROHL & COMPANY
woman； who will be charmed to make your acquaintance； and hear from
you of us。〃
The count bowed with a submissive air。 There was so little ardour in
this submission that M。 Moriaz queried if his daughter had not been
dreaming； if M。 Larinski was as much in love with her as she fancied。 He
had not read the anonymous letter； Antoinette had refrained from even
mentioning it to him。
He was returning to Saint Moritz； when he met midway a pedestrian；
who； lost in thought； neither looked at him nor recognised him。 M。 Moriaz
ordered the coachman to stop； sprang out of the carriage； went up to the
traveller whom he seized by both shoulders； exclaiming：
〃What； you！ you again！ I can go nowhere in Grisons without meeting
you。 I ask as I did at Chur； 'Where do you come from？' 〃
〃Did you think I would stay there forever？〃 rejoined M。 Camille
Langis； reproachfully。 〃You have not kept your word； you have forgotten
me； you did not write to me。 I am tired of waiting； so here I am。〃
〃And where are you going？〃
〃To the Hotel Badrutt； to plead my own cause； because my advocate
has failed me。〃
〃Ah！ you have chosen an excellent time；〃 cried M。 Moriaz； 〃you have
a real genius for arriving in season。 Go； hurry； plead； moan； weep； entreat；
you will be well received； you can come and tell me all about it。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Camille； 〃is it all over？ Have you spoken；
and did she silence you？〃
〃Not at all； she listened to me； without enthusiasm； it is true； but with
attention and deference； when suddenlyAh！ my poor friend； how can it
be helped？ This sad world is full of accidents and Poles。〃
M。 Langis looked at him in amazement； as if to ask for an explanation。
M。 Moriaz continued： 〃Do yourself justice。 You are the most honest fellow
upon earth； I grant； you are a charming man； and an engineer of the
highest merit。 But； unfortunately； there is no mystery of blood and tears in
your existence； you are perfectly unpretending； frank； unaffected； and as
transparent as crystal； in short； you are not a stranger。 Had you a delicate；
blond； and romantic mother； and do you wear her portrait on your heart？
54
… Page 55…
SAMUEL BROHL & COMPANY
have you unfathomable green eyes？ have you adventures to relate？ have
you visited California？ have you swept the streets of San Francisco？ have
you exchanged bullets with the Cossacks？ have you been killed in three
combats and in ten skirmishes？ I fear you have not even thought of dying
once。 Have you tried all professions； without succeeding in one？ have you
invented a gun which burst？ and； above all； are you as poor as a church…
mouse？ What！ is it possible that you possess none of these fine advantages；
and yet are audacious enough to ask me for my daughter's hand？〃
M。 Moriaz ended this harangue as the Samaden mail…coach passed。
Count Abel； seated on the outside； bowed and waved his hand to them。
〃Look well at that man；〃 said M。 Moriaz to Camille； 〃for he is the
enemy。〃
And then； instead of giving him the remaining information that the
youth desired； he said：
〃Go away and forget； it is the best thing that you can do。〃
〃You do not know me yet；〃 replied Camille。 〃I am obstinate； I fire to
the last cartridge。 I will follow your steps。 Oh！ don't be afraid； I will lie
deceive Antoinette； let her think that I have relinquished my claims。 I shall
pay her only a friendly visit； but my eyes hunger to see her； and I will see
her。〃
The morning of the following day the enemy arrived at Chur； whence
he proceeded to Berne。 Deponent saith not why he failed to turn aside at
Soleure； as he had expressed his intention of doing in order to pay tribute
there to the memory of the great Kosciuszko。 The facts of the case are； that
from Berne he went direct to Lausanne； and that immediately on reaching
there he hastened to the Saxon Casino。 When he seated himself at the
gaming…table； he experienced a violent palpitation of the heart。 His ears
tingled； his brain was on fire； and the cold sweat started out on his
forehead。 He cast fierce glances right and left； he seemed to see in his
partner's eyes his past； his future； and Mlle。 Moriaz life…size。 Fortune made
amends for the harshness she had shown him at Milan。 After a night of
anguish and many vicissitudes； at daybreak Count Abel had twenty
thousand francs in his pocket。 It was sufficient to pay his debts； which he
was anxious to do； and to enable him to await without too much
55
… Page 56…
SAMUEL BROHL & COMPANY
impatience the moment for executing his projects。 He left the casino； his
face fl