samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第42章
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into his hand； but he found that he could not win fast enough by fair play；
so he ended by cheating。 It is not my place to overwhelm the poor devil
we owe some consideration to those who are under obligations to us； and；
once more； I desire not to appear further in this business。 Promise me that
Samuel Brohl never will be informed of the measures I have taken。〃
She replied； in a haughty tone： 〃I promise you； madame； that I never
will do Count Larinski the wrong to repeat to him a single word of the
very likely story you have related to me。〃
The princess rose hastily； remained standing before Mlle。 Moriaz； and
contemplated her in silence； finally she said； in tones of the most cutting
sarcasm： 〃Ah！ you do not believe me； my dear。 Decidedly you do not
believe me。 You are right； you should not put faith in an old woman's
childish chatter。 No； my darling； there is no Samuel Brohl： I dined
yesterday at Maisons with the most authentic of Counts Larinski； and
nothing remains for me to say but to present my best wishes for the certain
happiness of the Countess Larinski； /et cetera/of the Countess Larinski
and company。〃
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With these words she bowed； turned on her heels； and disappeared。
Mlle。 Moriaz remained an instant as if stunned by a blow。 She
questioned herself as to whether she had not seen a vision； or had had the
nightmare。 Was it； indeed； a Russian princess of flesh and blood who had
just been there； who had been seated close beside her； and had conversed
so strangely with her that the belfry of Cormeilles could not hear it
without falling into a profound stupor？ In fact； the belfry of Cormeilles
had become silent； its bells no longer rang； an appalling silence reigned
for two leagues round。
Antoinette soon controlled her emotions。 〃The day before yesterday；〃
she thought； 〃this woman appeared to me to be deranged： she is a lunatic； I
wish that Abel were here； he could tell me what happened at dinner
between him and this dotard； and we should laugh over it together。
Perhaps nothing happened at all。 The Princess Gulof should be confined。
They do very wrong to let maniacs like that go at large。 It is dangerous；
the bells of Cormeilles have ceased ringing。 Ah！ /bon Dieu/； who knows？
Mme。 de Lorcy surely has a hand in this business； it is the result of some
grand plot。 How many acts are there in the play？ Here we are at the second
or third； but there are some jokes that are very provoking。 I shall end by
being seriously angry。〃
Princess Gulof appeared to have entirely failed in her object。 It seemed
to Mlle。 Moriaz that for the last twenty minutes she loved Count Larinski
more than ever before。
The hour drew near； he was on the way； she had never been so
impatient to see him。 She saw some one at the end of the terrace。 It was M。
Camille Langis； who was going towards the laboratory。
He turned his head； retraced his steps； and came to her。 M。 Moriaz had
asked him to translate two pages of a German memoir which he had not
been able to understand。 Camille was bringing the translation； perhaps that
was the reason of his coming back to Cormeilles after two days； perhaps；
too； it was only a pretext。
Mlle。 Moriaz could not help thinking that his visit was inopportune；
that he had chose an unfortunate time for it。 〃If the count finds him still
here；〃 thought she； 〃I am not afraid that he will make a scene； but all his
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pleasure will be spoiled。〃 There was a tinge of coldness in her welcome to
M。 Langis； of which he was sensible。
〃I am in the way；〃 he said； making a movement to retire。
She kept him； and altered her tone： 〃You are never in the way； Camille。
Sit there。〃
He seated himself； and talked of the races at Chantilly； that he had
attended the day before。
She listened to him； bowed her head in sign of approval； but she heard
his voice through a mist that veiled her senses。 She lifted her hand to brush
away a wasp that annoyed her by its buzzing。 The lace of her cuff； in
falling back； left her wrist exposed。
〃What a curious bracelet you have！〃 said M。 Langis。
〃Have you not seen it before？〃 she replied。 〃It is some time since〃
She interrupted herself； a sudden idea occurring to her。 She looked at
her wrist。 This bracelet from which she never was partedthis bracelet that
Count Larinski had given to herthis bracelet that he loved because it had
belonged to his mother； and that the late Countess Larinski had worn as
long as she livedresembled none other； but Mlle。 Moriaz observed that it
had a strong resemblance to the Persian bracelet that the Princess Gulof
had described to her； and which she had exchanged for Samuel Brohl。 The
three gold plates； the grotesque animals； the filigree networknothing was
wanting。 She took it from her arm and handed it to M。 Langis； saying to
him： 〃There is； it seems； something written on the interior of one of these
plates； but you must know the secret to be able to open it。 Can you guess
secrets？〃
He carefully examined the bracelet。 〃Two of these plates；〃 said he； 〃are
solid； and of heavy gold； the third is hollow； and might serve as a case。 I
see a little hinge that is almost invisible； but I seek in vain for the secretI
cannot find it。〃
〃Is the hinge strong？〃
〃Not very； and the lid easily could be forced open。〃
〃That is what I want you to do；〃 she rejoined。
〃What are you thinking of？ I would not spoil a trinket that you value。〃
She replied： 〃I have made the acquaintance of a Russian princess who
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has a mania for physiology and dissection。 I have caught the disease； and I
want to begin to dissect。 I am fond of this trinket； but I want to know what
is inside。 Do as I tell you；〃 she continued。 〃You will find in the laboratory
the necessary instruments。 Go； the key is in the door。〃 He consulted her
look； her eye was burning； her voice broken； and she repeated： 〃Gogo！
Do you not understand me？〃
He obeyed； went to the laboratory； taking the bracelet with him。 After
five minutes he returned saying： 〃I am very unskilful； I crushed the lid in
raising it； but you wished it； and your curiosity will be satisfied。〃
She could； in truth； satisfy her curiosity。 She eagerly seized the
bracelet； and on the back of the plate； now left bare； she saw engraved in
the gold； characters almost microscopic in size。 Through the greatest
attention she succeeded in deciphering them。 She distinguished several
dates； marking the year； the month； and the day； when some important
event had occurred to the Princess Gulof。 These dates； accompanied by no
indication of any kind； formerly sufficed to recall the principal
experiments that she had practised on mankind before having discovered
Samuel Brohl。 The result had not been very cheerful； for beneath this form
of calendar stood a confession of faith； thus expressed； 〃Vanity of vanities；
all is vanity！〃 This melancholy declaration was signed； and the signature
was perfectly legible。 Mlle。 Moriaz spelled it out readily； although at that
moment her sight was dim； and she was convinced that the trinket； which
Count Larinski had presented to her as a family relic； had belonged to
Anna Petrovna； Princess Gulof。
She grew mortally pale； and lost consciousness； she seemed on the
verge of an attack of delirium。 In the agitation of her mind； she imagined
that she saw herself at a great distance； at the end of the world； and very
small； she was climbing a mountain； on the other side of which there was
a man awaiting her。 She questioned herself； 〃Am I； or is this traveller； Mlle。
Moriaz？〃 She closed her eyes； and saw a blank abyss open before her； in
which her life was ingulfed； whirled about； like the leaf of a tree in a
whirlpool。
M。 Langis drew near her； and； lightly slapping the palms of her hands；
said； 〃What is the matter？〃
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She roused herself； made an effort to lift her head； and let it sink again。
The trouble that lay in the depths of her heart choked her； she experienced
an irresistible need of confiding in some one； and she judged that the man
who was talking to her was one of those men to whom a woman can tell
her secret； one of those souls to whom she could pour out her shame
without blushing。 She began； in a broken voice； a confused； disconnected
recital that Camille could scarcely follow。 However； he finally understood；
he felt himself divided between an immense pity for her despair； and a
fierce lover's joy that tightened his throat and well…nigh strangled him。
The belfry of Cormeilles had recovered its voice； two o'clock rang out
on the air。 Antoinette rose and exclaimed： 〃I was to meet him at the pretty
little gate that you see from here！ He will have the right to be angry if I
keep him waiting。〃
At once she hastened towards the balustered steps that led from the
terrace to the orchard。 M。 Langis followed her； seeking to detain her。 〃You
need not see him again；〃 said he。 〃I will meet him。 Pray； charge me with
your explanations。〃
She repelled him and replied； in a voice of authority： 〃I wish to see
him； no one but I can say to him what I have in my heart。 I command you
to remain here； I intend that he shall blame no one but me。〃 She added
with a curl of the lips meant for a smile： 〃You must remember； I do not
believe yet that I have been deceived； I will not believe it until I have read
the lie in his eyes。〃
She hastily descended into the orchard； and； during five minutes； her
eye fixed on the gate； she waited for Samuel Brohl。 Her impatience
counted the seconds； and yet Mlle。 Moriaz co
