samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第3章
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to being waited upon。 Mlle。 Moriaz is an heiress。 Why； then； is she not
married？〃
Count Larinski pursued his soliloquy as long as Mlle。 Moriaz
promenaded in the garden。 As soon as she re…entered the hotel； it appeared
to him that the garden had become empty； and that the musicians were
playing out of tune。 He closed his window。 He gave up his plan of starting
the next day for Saxon。 He had decided that he would set out for Saint
Moritz； to pass there at least two or three days。 He said to himself； 〃It
seems absurd； but who can tell？〃
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Thereupon he proceeded to investigate the state of his finances； and he
weighed and re…weighed his purse； which was very light。 Formerly Count
Larinski had possessed a very pretty collection of jewellery。 He had
looked upon this as a reserve fund； to which he would have recourse only
in cases of extreme distress。 Alas！ there remained to him now only two
articles of his once considerable storethe bracelet that was in the hands
of M。 Guldenthal； and a diamond ring that he wore on his finger。 He
decided that； before quitting Chur； he would borrow money on this ring； or
that he would try to sell it。
He remained some time seated at the foot of his bed； dangling his legs
to and fro； his eyes closed。 He had closed them； in order to better call up a
vision of Mlle。 Moriaz； and he repeated the words： 〃It seems absurd； but
who can tell？ The fact is； we can know nothing of a surety； and anything
may happen。〃 Then he recalled one of Goethe's poems； entitled 〃Vanitas！
vanitatum vanitas！〃 and he recited several time in German these two lines：
〃Nun hab' ich mein' Sach' auf nichts gestellt； Und mein gehort die
ganze Welt！〃
This literally signifies； 〃Now that I no longer count on anything； the
whole world is mine。〃 Abel Larinski recited these lines with a purity of
accent that would have astonished M。 Moses Guldenthal。
M。 Moriaz； after wishing his daughter good…night； and imprinting a
kiss upon her brow； as was his custom； had retired to his chamber。 He was
preparing for bed； when there came a knock at his door。 Opening this； he
saw before him a fair…haired youth； who rushed eagerly towards him；
seized both his hands； and pressed them with effusion。 M。 Moriaz
disengaged his hands； and regarded the intruder with a bewildered air。
〃How？〃 cried the latter。 〃You do not know me？ So sure as you are one
of the most illustrious chemists of the day； I am Camille Langis； son of
your best friend； a young man of great expectations； who admires you
truly； who has followed you here； and who is now ready to begin all over
again。 There； my dear master； do you recognise me？〃
〃Ay； to be sure I recognise you； my boy；〃 replied M。 Moriaz； 〃although；
to tell the truth； you have greatly changed。 When you left us you were a
mere youth。〃
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〃And now？〃
〃And now you have the air of a young man； but； I beg of you； where
have you come from？ I thought you were in the heart of Transylvania。〃
〃It is possible to return from there； as you see。 Three days ago I arrived
in Paris and flew to Maisons…Lafitte。 Mme。 De Lorcy； who bears the
double insignia of honour of being my aunt and the godmother of
AntoinetteI beg your pardon； I mean Mlle。 Antoinette Moriaz informed
me that you were in ill…health； and that your physician had sent you to
Switzerland； to Saint Moritz； to recruit。 I hastened after you； this morning
I missed you by one hour at Zurich； but I have you now； and you will
listen to me。〃
〃I warn you； my dear child； that I am at this moment a most detestable
auditor。 We have done to…day one /hotel de ville/； one episcopal palace；
one cathedral； and some relics of St。 Lucius。 To speak plainly； I am
overpowered with sleep。 Is there any great haste for what you have to say
to me？〃
〃Is there any great haste？ Why； I arrive breathless from Hungary to
demand your daughter in marriage。〃
M。 Moriaz threw up his arms； then； seating himself on the edge of his
bed； he piteously gasped：
〃You could not wait until to…morrow？ If a judge is desired to take a
favourable view of a case； he surely should not be disturbed in his first
sleep to consider it。〃
〃My dear master； I am truly distressed to be compelled to be
disagreeable to you； but it is absolutely necessary that you should listen to
me。 Two years ago； for the first time； I asked of you your daughter's hand。
After having consulted Antoinetteyou will permit me to call her
Antoinette； will you not？after having consulted her； you told me that I
was too young； that she would not listen seriously to my proposal； and you
gave me your permission to try again in two years。 I have employed these
two mortal years in constructing a railroad and a wire bridge in Hungary；
and； believe me； I took infinite pains to forget Antoinette。 In vain！ She is
the romance of my youth； I never can have another。 On July 5； 1873； did
you not tell me to return in two years？ We are now at July 5； 1875； and I
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return。 Am I a punctual man？〃
〃As punctual as insupportable；〃 rejoined M。 Moriaz； casting a
melancholy look at his pillow。 〃Now； candidly； is it the thing to seek the
presence of the President of the Academy of Sciences between eleven
o'clock and midnight； to pour such silly stuff into his ear？ You are wanting
in respect for the Institute。 Besides； my dear boy； people change in two
years； you are a proof of it。 You have developed from boyhood almost into
manhood； and you have done well to let your imperial grow； it gives you
quite a dashing military airone would divine at first sight that you were
fresh from Hungary。 But； while you have changed for the better； are you
sure that Antoinette has not changed for the worse？ Are you sure that she
is still the Antoinette of your romance？〃
〃I beg your pardon； I saw her just now； without her seeing me。 She
was promenading on your arm in the hotel…garden； which was lit up in her
honour。 Formerly she was enchanting； she has become adorable。 If you
would have the immense goodness to give her to me； I would be capable
of doing anything agreeable to you。 I would relieve you of all your little
troublesome jobs； I would clean your retorts； I would put labels on your
bottles and jars； I would sweep out your laboratory。 I know German very
wellI would read all the large German books it might please you to
consult； I would read them； pen in hand； I would make extractswritten
extractsand such extracts！ /Grand Dieu！/ they would be like copperplate。
My dear master； will you give her to me？〃
〃The absurd creature！ He imagines that it only depends upon me to
give him my daughter。 I could as easily dispose of the moon。 Since she has
had teeth； she had made me desire everything she desires。〃
〃At least you will give me permission to pay my addresses to her to…
morrow？〃
〃Beware； unlucky youth！〃 cried M。 Moriaz。 〃You will ruin your case
forever。 Since you have been away she has refused two offers； one of them
from a second secretary of legation； Viscount de R…； and at the present
moment she holds in holy horror all suitors。 She is accompanying me to
Saint Moritz in order to gather flowers and paint aquarelle sketches of
them。 Should you presume to interrupt her in her favourite occupations；
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should you present yourself before her like a creditor on the day of
maturity； I swear to you that your note would be protested； and that you
would have nothing better to do than return to Hungary。〃
〃You are sure of it？〃
〃As sure as that sulphuric acid will turn litmus red。〃
〃And you have the heart to sent me back to Paris without having
spoken with her？〃
〃What I have said is for your good； and you know whether I mean you
well or not。〃
〃It is agreed； then； that you will take charge of my interests； that you
will plead my cause？〃
〃It is understood that I will sound the premises； that I will prepare the
way〃
〃And that you will send me tidings shortly； and that these tidings will
be good。 I shall await them here； at the Hotel Steinbock。〃
〃As you please； but； for the love of Heaven； let me sleep！〃
M。 Camille Langis pressed his two arms and said； with much emotion：
〃I place myself in your hands； take care how you answer for my life！〃
〃O youth！〃 murmured M。 Moriaz； actually thrusting Camille from the
room。 〃One might search in vain for a more beautiful invention。〃
Ten hours later； a post…chaise bore in the direction of Engadine Mlle。
Antoinette Moriaz； her father； her /demoiselle de compagnie/； and her
/femme de chambre/。 They breakfasted tolerably well in a village situated
in the lower portion of a notch； called Tiefenkasten； which means； literally；
/deep chest/； and certainly a deeper never has been seen。 After breakfast
they pursued their way farther； and towards four o'clock in the afternoon
they reached the entrance of the savage defile of Bergunerstein； which
deserves to be compared with that of Via Mala。 The road lies between a
wall of rocks and a precipice of nearly two hundred metres； at the bottom
of which rush the swift waters of the Albula。 This wild scenery deeply
moved Mlle。 Moriaz； she never had seen anything like it at Cormeilles or
anywhere about Paris。 She alighted； and； moving towards the parapet；
leaned over it； contemplating at her ease the depths below； which the
