samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第30章
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！
first time by another。
〃You are not misleading me？〃 ejaculated Samuel Brohl； overwhelmed
with joy； transported beyond himself。 〃Can it really be true！One day I
may flatter myselfone day she may judge me worthy Ah！ what a
glorious vision you cause to pass before my eyes！ How good and cruel
together you are to me！ What bitterness is intermingled with the ineffable
sweetness of your words！ No； I never could have believed that there could
be so much joy in anguish； so much anguish in joy。〃
〃What would you imply； my dear count？〃 interposed Abbe Miollens。
〃Have you need of a negotiator？ I can boast of having had some
experience in that line。 I am wholly at your service。〃
These words calmed Samuel Brohl。 Quickly recovering himself； he
123
… Page 124…
SAMUEL BROHL & COMPANY
coldly rejoined：
〃A negotiator？ What occasion would I have for a negotiator？ Do not
delude me with a chimera； and above all do not tempt me to sacrifice my
honour to it。 This height of felicity that you offer to me I must renounce
forever； I have told you why。〃
Abbe Miollens was at first inclined to be indignant； he even took the
liberty to rebuke； to expostulate with his noble friend。 He endeavoured to
prove to him that his principles were too rigorous； that such a thing is
possible as exaggeration in virtue； too great refinement in delicacy of
conscience。 He represented to him that noble souls should beware of
exaltation of sentiment。 He cited the Gospels； he cited Bossuet； he also
cited his well…beloved Horace； who censored all that was ultra or
excessive； and recommended the sage to flee all extremities。 His reasoning
was weak against the unwavering resolution of Samuel； who resisted； with
the firmness of a rock； all his remonstrances； and finally ended these with
the words：
〃Peace； I implore you！ Respect my folly； which is surely wisdom in
the eyes of God。 I repeat it to you； I am no longer free； and； even if I were；
do you not know that there is between Mlle。 Moriaz and myself an
insurmountable barrier？〃
〃And pray； what is that？〃 demanded the abbe。
〃Her fortune and my pride；〃 said Samuel。 〃She is rich； I am poor； this
adorable being is not made for me。 I told Mme。 de Lorcy one day what I
thought of this kind of alliances； or； to speak more clearly； of bargains。 Yes；
my revered friend； I love Mlle。 Moriaz with an ardour of passion with
which I reproach myself as though it were a crime。 Nothing remains to me
but to avoid seeing her； and I never will see her again。 Let me follow to its
end my solitary and rugged path。 One consolation will accompany me： I
can say that happiness has not been denied to me： that it is my conscience；
admonished from on high； which has refused to accept it； and there is a
divine sweetness in great trials religiously accepted。 Believe me； it is God
who speaks to me； as he spoke to me of old in San Francisco； to enjoin me
to forsake everything and give my blood for my country。 I recognise his
voice； which to…day bids my heart be silent and immolate itself on the altar
124
… Page 125…
SAMUEL BROHL & COMPANY
of its chosen cause。 God and Poland！ Beyond this； my watch…word； I have
no longer the right to yield to anything。〃
And； turning towards the statuette； he exclaimed： 〃It is at her feet that I
lay down my dolorous offering； she it is who will cure my bruised and
broken heart。〃
Samuel Brohl spoke in a voice thrilling with emotion； the breath of the
Divine Spirit seemed to play through his hair； and make his eyes grow
humid。 The eyes of the good abbe also grew moist： he was profoundly
moved； he gazed with veneration upon this hero； he was filled with respect
for this antique character； for this truly celestial soul。 He never had seen
anything like it； either in the odes or in the epistles of Horace。 Lollius
himself was surpassed。 Transported with admiration； he opened wide his
arms to Samuel Brohl； spreading them out their full length； as though
otherwise they might fail to accomplish their object； and； clasping him to
his bosom； he cried：
〃Ah！ my dear count； how grand you are！ You are immense as the
world！〃
125
… Page 126…
SAMUEL BROHL & COMPANY
CHAPTER VIII
Abbe Miollens hastened to repair to Cormeilles； where he gave a
faithful circumstantial account of his conference with Count Larinski。 He
was still warm from the interview； and he gave free vent to the effusions of
his enthusiasm。 He struck up a Canticle of Zion in honour of the antique
soul； the celestial soul； which had just been revealing to him all its hidden
treasures。 M。 Moriaz； both astonished and scandalized； observed； dryly：
〃You are right； this Pole is a prodigy； he should either be canonized or
hanged； I do not know which。〃
Antoinette said not a word； she kept her reflections to herself。 She
retired to her chamber； where she paced to and fro for some time；
uncertain regarding what she was about to do； or； rather more restless than
uncertain。 Several times she approached her writing…table； and gazed
earnestly at her inkstand； then； seized with a sudden scruple； she would
move away。 At last she formed a resolute decision； seized her pen； and
wrote the following lines：
〃MONSIEUR： Before setting out for Vienna； will you be so good as
to come and pass some moments at Cormeilles？ I desire to have a
conversation with you in the presence of my father。
〃Accept； monsieur； I beg of you； the expression of my most profound
esteem。
〃ANTOINETTE MORIAZ。〃
The next morning she received by the first mail the response she
awaited； and which was thus fashioned：
〃This test would be more than my courage could endure。 I never shall
see you again； for； should I do so； I would be a lost man。〃
This short response caused Mlle。 Moriaz a disappointment full of
bitterness； and blended with no little wrath。 She held in her hand a pencil；
which she deliberately snapped in two； apparently to console herself for
not having broken the proud and obstinate will of Count Abel Larinski。
And yet can one break iron or a diamond？ The carrier had brought her at
the same time another letter； which she opened mechanically； merely to
satisfy her conscience。 She ran through the first lines without succeeding
126
… Page 127…
SAMUEL BROHL & COMPANY
in comprehending a single word that she read。 Suddenly her attention
became riveted； her face brightened up； her eyes kindled。 This letter；
which a kind Providence had sent her as a supreme resource in her distress；
was from the hand of Mlle。 Galet； and here was what this retired florist of
the Rue Mouffetard wrote：
〃MA CHERE DEMOISELLE： I learn that you have returned。 What
happiness for me！ and how I long to see you！ You are my good angel；
whom I should like to see every day of my life； and the time has seemed
so long to me without you。 When you enter the garret of the poor； infirm
old woman； it seems to her as though there were three suns in the heavens；
when you abandon her； the blackness of midnight surrounds her。 Mme。 de
Lorcy has been very good to me。 As my angel requested her； she came a
fortnight since to pay me the quarter due of my pension。 She is a very
charitable lady； and she dresses beautifully； but she is a little hard on poor
people。 She asks a great many questions； she wants to know everything。
She reproached me with spending too much； being too fond of luxury； and
you know how that is。 She forgets that everything is higher priced than it
used to be； that meat and vegetables are exorbitant； and that just now eggs
cost one franc and fifty centimes a dozen。 Besides； a poor creature；
deprived of the use of her limbs； as I am； cannot go to market herself； and
it is quite possible that my /femme de menage/ does not purchase as
wisely as she might。 I know I have great scenes with her sometimes for
bringing me early vegetables； /le bon Dieu/ can； at least； bear me witness
that I am no glutton。
〃The good Mme。 de Lorcy scolded me about a bouquet of camellias
she saw on my table； just like those for which I have been grateful to my
angel。 I don't know what notions she got into her head about them。 Ah！
well； /ma chere demoiselle/； I have learned since that these double
camelliasthey are variegated； red and whitecame to me from a man； for；
at present； as it would appear； men have taken to give me bouquets and
making me visits； it is rather late in the day。 The particular man to whom I
refer presented himself one fine morning； and； telling me that you had
spoken to him of me； said that he wished to assure himself that I was well
and wanted nothing。 He returned several times； always pampering me with
127
… Page 128…
SAMUEL BROHL & COMPANY
some attention or other。 But the best of all was when he came to tell me
that my angel had returned。 What a man he is！ he has surely dropped right
down from the skies！ One evening when I was sick he gave me my
medicine himself； and would have sat up with me all night if I had been
willing to let him。 You must tell me who he is； for it puzzles me greatly。
He has the head of some grand lion； he is as generous as he is handsome；
but very sad。 He must have some great sorrow on his heart。 The
misfortune； so far as I am concerned； is that he cannot spoil me much
longerit is almost over now。 He expects to leave here in two days； and he
