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〃You are rightI should not comprehend you。 Don Quixote did not do
Sancho the honour to explain himself to him every day。〃
〃Ah； I beg of you； let us talk a little of the man…monkey；〃 he observed；
in a rather more pliant tone than he had at first assumed。 〃That is a
question that has the advantage of being neither Russian nor Polish。〃
〃You will not succeed that way in throwing me off the track。 I mean to
tell you all the evil I think of you； no matter how it may incense you。 You
uttered； at table； theories that displeased me。 You are not only a Polish
patriot； you are an idealist； a true disciple of Plato； and you do not know
how I always have detested this man。 In all these sixty years that I have
been in this world； I have seen nothing but selfishness； and grasping after
self…gratification。 Twice during dinner you spoke of an ideal world。 What
is an ideal world？ Where is it situated？ You speak of it as of a house
whose inhabitants you are well acquainted with； whose key is in your
pocket。 Can you show me the key？ I promise not to steal it from you。 O
poet！for you are quite as much of a poet as of a Pole； which is not saying
much〃
〃Nothing remains but to hang me；〃 he interposed； smilingly。
〃No； I shall not hang you。 Opinions are free； and there is room enough
in the world for all； even idealists。 Besides； if you were to be hanged； it
would bring to the verge of despair a charming girl who adores you； who
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was created expressly for you； and whom you will shortly marry。 When
will the ceremony take place？〃
〃If I dared hope that you would do me the honour of being present；
princess； I should postpone it until your return from England。〃
〃You are too amiable； but I could not on any consideration retard the
happiness of Mlle。 Moriaz。 There； my dear count； I congratulate you
sincerely。 I had the pleasure to meet here the future Countess Larinski。 She
is adorable！ It is an exquisite nature； hersa true poet's wife。 She must
have brains； discernment； she has chosen you that says everything。 As to
her fortune； I dare not ask you if she has any； you would turn away from
me in disgust。 Do idealists trouble their heads with such vile questions？〃
She leaned towards him； and； fanning herself excitedly； added： 〃These
poor idealists！ they have one misfortune。〃
〃And what is that； princess？〃
〃They dream with open eyes； and the awakening is sometimes
disagreeable。 Ah； my dear Count Larinski； this； that； and the other； /et
cetera/。 Thus endeth the adventure。〃
Then； stretching out her neck until her face was close to his； she darted
at him a venomous； viper…like look； and； in a voice that seemed to cut into
his tympanum like a sharp…toothed saw； she hissed； 〃Samuel Brohl； the
man with the green eyes； sooner or later the mountains must meet！〃
It seemed to him that the candelabra on the mantel…piece darted out
jets of flame； whose green； blue； and rose…coloured tongues ascended to
the ceiling； and it appeared to him as though his heart was beating as
noisily as a clock…pendulum； and that every one would turn to inquire
whence came the noise。 But every one was occupied； no one turned round；
no one suspected that there was a man present on whom a thunderbolt had
just fallen。
The man passed his hand over his brow； which was covered with a
cold sweat； then dispelling； by an effort of will； the cloud that veiled his
eyes； he； in turn； leaned towards the princess； and with quivering lip and
evil； sardonic glance； said to her； in a low voice：
〃Princess； I have a slight acquaintance with this Samuel Brohl of
whom you speak。 He is not a man who will allow himself to be strangled
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without a great deal of outcry。 You are not much in the habit of writing；
nevertheless he received from you two letters； which he copied； placing
the originals in safety。 If ever he sees the necessity of appearing in a court
of justice； these two letters can be made to create quite a sensation； and
unquestionably they will be the delight of all the petty journals of Paris。〃
Thereupon he made a profound bow； respectfully took leave of Mme。
de Lorcy； and retired； followed by Abbe Miollens； who inflicted a real
torture by insisting on accompanying him to the station。
No longer restrained by Mme。 de Lorcy's presence； the abbe spoke
freely of the happy event in which he prided himself to have been a co…
operator； he overwhelmed him with congratulation； and all the good
wishes he could possibly think of for his happiness。 During a quarter of an
hour he lavished on him his myrrh and honey。 Samuel would gladly have
wrung his neck。 He could not breathe until the abbe had freed him from
his obtrusive society。
A storm muttered in the almost cloudless sky。 It was a dry storm； the
rain fell elsewhere。 The incessant lightning； accompanied by distant
thunder； gleamed from all quarters of the horizon； and darted its luminous
flashes over the whole extent of the plain。 At intervals the hills seemed to
be on fire。 Several times Samuel； who stood with his nose against the glass
of the car…door； thought that he saw in the direction of Cormeilles the
flaring light of a conflagration； in which were blazing his dream and two
millions； to say nothing of his great expectations。
He bitterly reproached himself for his folly of the previous day。 〃If I
had passed yesterday evening with her；〃 he thought； 〃surely she would
have spoken of the Princess Gulof。 I would have taken measures
accordingly； and nothing would have happened。〃 It was all M。 Langis's
fault； it was to him that he imputed the disaster； and he hated him all the
more。
However； as he approached Paris； he felt his courage returning。
〃Those two letters frightened the old fairy；〃 he thought。 〃She will think
twice before she declares war with me。 No； she will not dare。〃 He added：
〃And if she dared； Antoinette loves me so much that I can make her
believe what I please。〃
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And he prepared in his mind what he should say； in case the event
occurred。
At that very moment Mme。 de Lorcy； who was alone with Princess
Gulof； was saying： 〃Well； my dear； you have talked with my man。 What
do you think of him？〃
The princess distressed her by her reply。 〃I think； my dear；〃 she
rejoined； 〃that Count Larinski is the last of the heroes of romance or； if
you like better； the last of the troubadours； but I have no reason to believe
him to be an adventurer。〃
Mme。 de Lorcy could get nothing further from Princess Gulof； she had
invited her to remain overnight； she got no pay for her hospitality。 The
princess spent part of the night in reflecting and deliberating。 Samuel
Brohl's insolent menace had produced some effect。 She sought to
remember the exact purport of the two letters that formerly she had had
the imprudence to write him from London； while he was fulfilling a
business commission for her in Paris。 On his return she had required
Samuel to burn these two compromising epistles； in her presence； he had
deceived her； he burned the envelopes and blank paper。 The thought of
some day having her composition quoted in court； and printed verbatim in
the petty journals； terrified her； and made her blood boil in her veins； she
hardly cared to take Paris and St。 Petersburg into her confidence
concerning an experience the recollection of which caused her disgustbut
to let such an admirable opportunity of vengeance escape her！ renounce
the delight of the gods and of princesses！ permit this man who had just
defied her to accomplish his underhand intr