samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第22章
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occasions； their refuge。'
〃I gave him Antoinette's letter to read。 I was very glad； at any hazard；
to prove to him that she could write four pages without asking about him。
He read it with extreme attention： but when he came to the famous
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passage'If I were a man； I would go and fight for them！'he smiled； and
returned me the letter； saying； in a disdainful and rather a dry tone：
〃 'Write for me to Mlle。 Moriaz that I believe I am a man； yet that I
will not fight for the Bosnians； and that the Turks are my greatest friends。'
〃 'She is foolish；' I said。 'Fortunately； she changes her folly with every
new moon！'
〃 'What would you have？' he replied； 'in order not to be insipid； it is
well to be a little foolish。 My poor mother used often to say： 〃My son；
youth should be employed in laying by a great store of extravagant
enthusiasm； otherwise； at the end of life's journey the heart will be void；
for much is left on the road。〃 '
〃Calm； /seigneur/； your excited fears； no one has designs on your
daughter； we evidently find her charming； but are by no means in love
with her。 With much precaution and circumlocution I gently proceeded to
question Count Larinski on the state of his affairs； about which he never
has opened his mouth。 He frowned。 I did not lose courage。 I offered him
this place of professor of the Slavonian languages of which the abbe had
again spoken。 I saw in an instant that his sensitive pride had taken alarm。
However； upon reflection； he softened； thanked me； declined my kind
offer； and announcedguess what！ How much is my news worth？ what
will you give for it？ He announced； I tell you； that in two weeksyou
understand mehe will return to Vienna； where he has been promised a
post in the archives of the Minister of War。 I did not dare to ask what was
the salary； after all； if he is satisfied； it is not for us to be harder to please
than he。 When I affirm that Count Larinski is a good； worthy man！In two
weeks！ you understand me perfectly。
〃My dear friend； I am enchanted to know that the water of Saint
Moritz and the air of the Engadine have entirely re…established your health；
but do not be imprudent。 Half…cures are fatal。 Be careful not to leave
Churwalden too soon； for the descent into the heavy atmosphere of the
plains。 Your physician； whom I have just seen； declares that； if you hasten
your return he will not answer for the consequences。 Antoinette； I am sure；
will join her entreaties to ours。 Do not let us see you before the end of
three weeks！ Follow my orders； my dear professor； and all will go well。
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Camille is about to leave； he has become insupportable。 He had the
audacity to assert to me that I was a good woman； but very credulous；
which in my estimation is not very polite。 He no longer acts as a nephew；
and respect is dead。〃
Ten days later M。 Moriaz received at Churwalden a fourth and last
letter：
〃September 6th。
〃Decidedly my dear friend； Count Larinski is a delightful man； and I
never will pardon myself for having judged ill of him。 The day before
yesterday I did not know the extent of his merit and of his virtues。 His
beautiful soul is like a country where one passes from one pleasing
discovery to another； and at each step a new scene is revealed。 Between
ourselves； Antoinette is a dreamer： where has she got the idea that this
man is in love with her？ These Counts Larinski have artists' enthusiasm；
tender and sensitive hearts； and poetic imaginations； they love everything；
and they love nothing； they admire a pretty woman as they admire a
beautiful flower； a humming…bird； a picture of Titian's。 Did I tell you that
the other day； as I was showing him through my park； he almost fainted
before my purple beechwhich assuredly is a marvel？ He was in ecstasy； I
truly believe there were tears in his eyes。 I might have supposed he was in
love with my beech； yet he has not asked my permission to marry it。
〃Moreover； if he were up to his eyes in love with your daughter； have
no fear； he will not marry her； and this is the reason Wait a little； I must
go further back。
〃Abbe Miollens came to see me yesterday afternoon； he was
distressed that M。 Larinski had not approved of his proposition。
〃 'The evil is not so great；' I said； 'let him go back to Vienna； where
all his acquaintances are； he will be happier there。'
〃 'The evil that I see in it；' he replied； 'is that he will be lost to us
forever。 Vienna is so far away！ Professor in London； only ten hours'
journey from Paris； he could cross the Channel sometimes； and we could
have our music together。'
〃You can understand that this reasoning did not touch me in the least；
whatever it cost me I will bear it； and resign myself to lose M。 Larinski
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forever； but the abbe is obstinate。
〃 'I fear；' he said； 'that the Austrians pay their archivists badly； the
English manage matters better； and Lord C… gave me /carte blanche/。'
〃 'Oh！ but that；' rejoined I； 'is a delicate point to touch。 As soon as you
approach the bread…and…butter question； our man assumes a rigid； formal
manner； as if an attack had been made on his dignity。'
〃 'I truly believe；' he replied； 'that there is a fundamental basis of
incomparable nobility of sentiment in his character； he is not proud； he is
pride itself。'
〃The abbe is passionately fond of Horace； he assets that it is to this
great poet that he owes that profound knowledge of men for which he is
distinguished。 He quoted a Latin verse that he was kind enough to
translate for me； and that signified something equivalent to the statement
that certain horses rear and kick when you touch the sensitive spot。 'That is
like the Poles；' he said。
〃Meanwhile； M。 Larinski entered； and I retained the two gentlemen
to dinner。 In the evening they again gave me a concert。 Why was
Antoinette not there？ I fancied I was at the Conservatoire。 Then we
conversed； and the abbe； who never can let go his idea； said； without any
reserve； to the count：
〃 'My dear count； have you reflected？ If you go to London； we could
hope to see you often； and； besides； the salarywell； as this terrible word
has been spoken； listen to me； I will do all in my power to obtain
conditions for you in every way worthy of your merit； your learning； your
character； your position。'
〃He was not permitted to finish the list； the count reared like the
horse in Horace； exclaiming； 'O Mozart！ what a horrid subject of
conversation！' Then he added； gravely： 'M。 l'Abbe； you are a thousand
times too good； but the place offered to me in Vienna seems to me better
adapted to my kind of ability； I would make； I fear； a detestable professor；
and the salary； were it double； would in my opinion have but little weight。'
〃The abbe still insisted。 'In our century；' said he； 'less than any other；
can one live on air。'
〃 'I have lived on it sometimes；' replied the count； gaily； 'and I did not
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find it bad。 My health is proof against accidents。 Ah！ where money is
concerned； you have no idea how far my indifference goes。 It is not a
virtue with me； it is an infirmity； it is because of my nationality； because I
am my father's son。 I feel myself incapable of thinking of the future； of
practising thoroughly French habits of economy。 If my purse is full； I soon
empty it； after which I condemn myself to privationsno； that does not
express itI enjoy them。 According to me； there is no true happiness into
which a little suffering does not enter。 Besides； I have a taste for contrasts。
At times I believe myself a millionaire； I have the pretensions of a nabob；
I give full scope to my fancies； the next day； my bed is hard and I live on
bread… and…water； and am perfectly happy。 In short； I am a fool once in the
year； and a philosopher the rest of the time。'
〃 'The trouble is；' returned the abbe； 'that one day of folly will
sometimes suffice to compromise forever the future of a philosopher。'
〃 'Oh； reassure yourself；' replied he； 'my extravagances never are very
dangerous。 There was method in Hamlet's madness； and there is always a
little reason in mine。'
〃While making this declaration of principles； he had seated himself at
the piano； and idly began running his fingers over the keys。 Suddenly he
began to sing a German song； which I got Abbe Miollens to translate for
me； and which is not long。 The hero of the song is an amorous pine；
standing on the summit of a barren mountain of the north。 He is alone； he
is weary； the snow and ice wrap him in a white mantle； and he spends his
dreary hours of leisure in dreaming of a palm； which in days of yore he
met； it seems； in his travels。
〃M。 Larinski sang this little melody with so much pathos that the
good abbe was touched； and I became anxious。 Anxiety； once felt； is apt to
be constantly returning。 I asked myself if he had met his palm in the
Engadine； and added aloud； rather dryly： 'Is the day of your departure
definitely fixed？ will you not do us the favour of granting us a reprieve？'
〃He executed the most pearly chromatic scale； and replied： 'Alas！
madame； I am only deferring my departu
