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merely taking Paris in passing； that her hours were numbered； and two
minutes later she announced to Mme。 de Lorcy that she would call on her
the following day； in the afternoon。
True to her appointment； Princess Gulof entered Mme。 de Lorcy's
/salon/ the following day。 The ladies occupied themselves first of all with
the lapdog； which was found charming and quite worthy to succeed to
Moufflard I。 Mme。 de Lorcy watched all the time for a suitable
opportunity of introducing the subject nearest to her heart； when she
thought it had come； she observed：
〃Apropos； princess； you who know everything； you who are a true
cosmopolitan； have you ever heard of a mysterious personage who calls
himself Count Abel Larinski？〃
〃Not that I am aware of； my dear； although his name may not be
absolutely unknown to me。〃
〃Search among your reminiscences； you must have encountered him
somewhere； you have visited all the countries of the world〃
〃Of the habitable world；〃 she interposed； 〃but according to my
especial point of view Siberia scarcely can be called so； and it is there； if I
mistake not； that your Count Larinski must have been sent。〃
〃Would to heaven！ Perhaps there was question of procuring this little
pleasure for his father； but； unfortunately； he took the precaution to
emigrate to America。 The inconvenience of America is； that people can
return from there； for my Larinski has returned； and it is that that grieves
me。〃
〃What has he done to you？〃 inquired the princess pinching the ears of
the dog who was slumbering in her lap。
〃I spoke to you at Ostend about my goddaughter Mlle。 Moriaz； who is
an adorable creature。 I proposed to marry her to my nephew； M。 Langis； a
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most highly accomplished young man。 This Larinski came suddenly on
the scene； he cast a charm over the child； and he will marry her。〃
〃What a pity！ Is he handsome？〃
〃Yes； that； to tell the truth； is his sole merit。〃
〃It is merit sufficient；〃 replied the princess； whose gray eyes twinkled
as she spoke。 〃There is nothing certain but a man's beauty； all else is open
to discussion。〃
〃Pray； allow me to consider matters from a more matter…of…fact point
of view；： said Mme。 de Lorcy。 〃Also I may as well confide to you my
whole perplexity： I suspect Count Larinski of being neither a true Larinski
nor a true count； I would stake my life that the Larinskis are all dead； and
that this man is some adventurer。〃
〃You will end by interesting me；〃 rejoined the princess。 〃Do not speak
too severely of adventurers； however； they are one of the most curious
varieties of the human family。 Let your goddaughter marry hers； it will
bring a piquant element into her life； the poor world is so generally a prey
to ennui。〃
〃Thank you！ my goddaughter was not born to marry an adventurer。 I
detest this Larinski； and I have vowed that I will play him some
abominable trick！〃
〃Do not become excited； my dear。 What colour are his eyes？〃
〃Green as those of the cats or of the owls。〃
Once more the eyes of Princess Gulof flashed and twinkled； and she
cried： 〃An adventurer with green eyes！ Why； it is a superb match； and I
find you hard to please。〃
〃You grieve me； princess；〃 said Mme。 de Lorcy。 〃I had promised
myself that you would lend me the assistance of your judgment； your
incomparable penetration； your experienced eye； that you would aid me in
unmasking this Pole； in detecting in him some irremediable vice that
would at once prove an insurmountable obstacle to the marriage。 Be good；
for once in your life； may I present him to you？〃
〃I repeat to you that I am merely taking Paris in passing；〃 replied the
princess； 〃and I am expected in England。 Besides； you do too much
honour to my incomparable penetration。 I swear to you that I am no
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connoisseur in Larinskis； you may as well spare yourself the pains of
presenting to me yours。 I am a good…natured woman； who has often been
made a good dupe； and I do not complain of it。 The best reminiscences of
my past are of sundry agreeable errors； and of men skilled in deception。 I
have found it the wisest way to judge by the labels； and never to ask any
one to show me the contents of his sack； for I long ago discovered that
sacks are very apt to be empty or at best only poorly filled。 Let your
goddaughter act according to her own head； if she deceives herself； it is
because she wishes to be deceived； and she knows better than you what
suits her。 /Eh！ bon Dieu/； what matters it if there be one more unhappy
household under the broad canopy of heaven？ Besides； it is only fools who
are unhappy； and who stupidly pause before a closed portal； others manage
in some way to find a loop…hole of escape。 Marriage； my dear； is an
institution worn threadbare。 Ten years hence there will be only free
women and husbands on trial。 Ten years hence the Countess Larinski will
be a liberated countess。 Let her serve her time as a galley…slave； and she
will come out entirely cured of her follies。〃
Just as Princess Gulof was finishing this remarkable declaration of her
principles； the door opened and Mlle。 Moriaz entered。 Whatever it might
cost her to do so； the future Countess Larinski faithfully kept the promise
she had made to her father。 Mme。 de Lorcy was strictly on her guard； she
hastened to meet her； held out both hands； kissed her on both cheeks； and
reproached her； in the most affectionate tone in the world； for the rarity of
her visits。 Then she presented her to the princess； who said： 〃Come here；
my beauty； that I may look at you； I have been told that you are adorable。〃
When Antoinette approached； she fixed on her a keen； penetrating
glance； examined her from head to foot； passed all her perfections in
review： one might have taken her for some Normandy farmer at a cattle…
fair。 The result of this investigation was satisfactory； the princess cried；
〃Truly she does very well！〃 and proceeded to assert that Mlle。 Moriaz
greatly resembled a certain person who had played a certain role in a
certain adventure that she undertook to narrate。 She had scarcely finished
this recital when she entered on another。 Mme。 de Lorcy was on thorns。
She knew by experience that the anecdotes of Princess Gulof were
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ordinarily somewhat indelicate and ill…suited to maiden ears。 She watched
Antoinette anxiously； and； when she saw the approach of an especially
objectionable passage； she was suddenly seized with a fit of coughing。 The
princess； comprehending the significance of that； made an effort to gloss
over； but her glossings were very transparent。 Mme。 de Lorcy coughed
anew； and the princess ended by losing patience； and； brusquely
interrupting herself； exclaimed： 〃And this； that； and the other； etc。 Thus
ended the adventure。〃
Mlle。 Moriaz listened with an astonished air； not in the least
understanding these attacks of coughing and these interruptions； nor
divining the significance of the constant repetition of 〃this； that； and the
other； etc。〃 Princess Gulof struck her as a very eccentric and unpleasantly
brusque person； she even suspected her of being slightly deranged or at
least rather crack…brained； yet she was pleased with her for being present
upon this especial occasion and sparing her a /tete…a…tete/ with Mme。 de
Lorcy with its disagreeable explanations and unpleasant discussions。
She remained nearly an hour； planted on a chair； watching with a sort
of stupor the turning of the fan of this word…mill； whose clapper kept up
such an incessant noise。 After