samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第35章
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account。 Nevertheless； there had come to her late in life a comparatively
lasting caprice； during nearly five years she had flattered herself that she
had found what she sought。 Alas！ for the first time she had been
abandoned； forsaken； and that before she had herself grown tired of her
fancy。 This desertion had inflicted a sharp wound on her pride； she had
conceived an implacable hatred for the faithless one； and then she had
forgotten him。 She had plunged into the natural sciences； she had made
dissectionsit was her way of being avenged。 She held very advanced
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ideas； she believed in the most radical of the doctrines of evolution； she
deemed it a clearly demonstrated fact that man is a development of the
monkey； the monkey of the monad。 She profoundly despised any one who
permitted himself to doubt this。 She did not count melancholy； to analyze
or dissect everything； that was her way of being happy。
During their common sojourn at Ostend； Mme。 de Lorcy had gained
the good graces of the Princess Gulof through the dexterity with which she
had dressed the wounds of Moufflard； her lapdog； whose paw had been
injured by some awkward individual。 She had been quite pleased with
Mme。 de Lorcy； her sympathy and her kindly services； and she had
bestowed her most amiable attentions upon her。 Mme。 de Lorcy had done
her best to respond to her advances； but she found herself revolted by this
old magpie whose prattling never ceased； and whose chief delight was in
the recital of the secret chronicles of every capital of Europe； Mme。 de
Lorcy； in fact； soon grew disgusted with her cosmopolitan gossip and her
physiology； she found her cynical and evil…minded。 In meeting her at the
Ecole des Beaux…Arts； her first impulse was to evade her； but suddenly she
changed her mind。 For some weeks past she had been governed by a fixed
idea； about which all else revolved； an inspiration came over her； which
doubtless fell directly from the skies。
〃Princess Gulof；〃 said she to herself； 〃has passed her life in running
around the world； her real home is a railroad…car； there is not a large city
where she has failed to make a sojourn； she is acquainted with the whole
world： is it not possible that she knows Count Larinski？〃
Mme。 de Lorcy retraced her steps； cut her way through the crowd；
succeeded in approaching the princess； and； taking her by the arm；
exclaimed： 〃Ah！ is it you； princess！ How is Moufflard？〃
The princess turned her head； regarded her fixedly a moment； and then
pressing her hand between her thumb and forefinger she rejoined with as
little ceremony as though they had met the day before： 〃Moufflard does
very poorly indeed； my dear。 He died two months ago of indigestion。〃
〃How you must have mourned his loss！〃
〃I am still inconsolable。〃
〃Ah！ well； princess； I shall undertake to console you。 I own a lapdog；
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not yet six months old： you never saw a more charming one or one with a
shorter nose or whiter and more delicate hair。 I am a great utilitarian； as
you know。 I only care for large dogs that are of some use。 Will you accept
of me Moufflard II？ But you must come and fetch him yourself； which
will procure me the pleasure of seeing you at Maisons。〃
The princess replied that she was on her way to England； that she was
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
