samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第4章
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leaned over it； contemplating at her ease the depths below； which the
foaming torrent beneath filled with its roars。
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Her father speedily joined her。
〃Do you not find this music charming？〃 she asked of him。
〃Charming； I grant；〃 he replied； 〃but more charming still are those
brave workmen who； at the risk of their necks； have engineered such a
suspended highway as we see here。 I think you admire the torrent too
much； and the road not enough。〃 And after a pause he added； 〃I wish that
our friend Camille Langis had had fewer dangers to contend with in
constructing his。〃 Antoinette turned quickly and looked at her father； then
she bestowed her attention once more upon the Albula。 〃To be sure；〃
resumed M。 Moriaz； stroking his whiskers with the head of his cane；
〃Camille is just the man to make his way through difficulties。 He has a
youthful air that is very deceptive； but he always has been astonishingly
precocious。 At twenty years of age he became head of his class at the
Central School； but the best thing about him is that； although in possession
of a fortune； yet he has a passion for work。 The rich man who works
accepts voluntary poverty。〃
There arose from the precipice a damp； chill breeze； Mlle。 Moriaz
drew over her head a red hood that she held in her hand； and scraping off
with her finger some of the facing of the parapet； which glittered with
scales of mica； she asked： 〃What do you call this？〃
〃It is gneiss； a sort of sheet…granite； but do not you too admire people
who work when they are not compelled to do anything？〃
〃Then you must admire yourself a great deal。〃
〃Oh； I！ In my early youth I worked from necessity； and then I formed a
habit which I cannot now get rid of； while Camille Langis〃
〃Once more？〃 she ejaculated； with a gesture of impatience。 〃What
prompts you to speak to me of Camille？〃
〃Nothing。 I often think of him。〃
〃Do not let us two play at diplomacy。 You have had news of him
lately？〃
〃You just remind me that I have； through a letter from Mme。 De
Lorcy。〃
〃Mme de Lorcy； my godmother； would do better to meddle with what
concerns her。 That woman is incorrigible。〃
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〃Of what would you have her correct herself？〃
〃Simply of her mania for making my happiness after her own fashion。
I read in your eyes that Camille has returned to Paris。 What is his object？〃
〃I know nothing about it。 How should I know？ I only presumethat is；
I suppose〃
〃You do not supposeyou know。〃
〃Not at all。 At the same time； since hypothesis is the road which leads
to science； a road we /savants/ travel every day； I〃
'You know very well；〃 she again interposed； 〃that I promised him
nothing。〃
〃Strictly speaking； I admit； but you requested me to tell him that you
found him too young。 He has laboured conscientiously since then to
correct that fault。〃 Then playfully pinching her cheeks； he added： 〃You are
a great girl for objections。 Soon you will be twenty…five years old； and you
have refused five eligible offers。 Have you taken a vow to remain
unmarried？〃
〃Ah！ you have no mercy；〃 she cried。 〃What！ you cannot even spare me
on the Albula！ You know that； of all subjects of conversation； I have most
antipathy for this。〃
〃Come； come； you are slandering me now； my child。 I spoke to you of
Camille as I might have spoken of the King of Prussia； and you rose in
arms at once； taking it wholly to yourself。〃
Antoinette was silent for some moments。
〃Decidedly； you are very fond of Camille；〃 she presently said。
〃Of all the sons…in…law you could propose to me〃
〃But I do not propose any。〃
〃That is precisely what I find fault with。〃
〃Very good； since you think so much of him； this Camille； suppose
you command me to marry him？〃
〃If I were to command； would you obey？〃
〃Perhaps； just for the curiosity of the thing；〃 she rejoined； laughing。
〃Naughty girl； to mock at her father！〃 said he。 〃If these twenty years I
have been in servitude； I can scarcely emancipate myself in a day。
However； since the great king deigns to hold parley with his ministers； I
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am Pomponnelet us argue。〃
〃Ah； well！ you know as well as I that I have a real friendship for
Camille； as the playmate of my childhood。 I remember him when he was
ever so small； and he remembers me； too； when I was a tiny creature。 We
played hide…and…seek together； and he humoured me in my ten thousand
little caprices。 Delightful reminiscences these； but unfortunately I think of
them too much when I see him。〃
〃He has passed two years among the Magyars； two years is a good
while。〃
〃Bah！ he could never possibly have any authority over me。 I intend
that my husband shall be my government。〃
〃So that you may have the pleasure of governing your government？〃
〃Besides； I know Camille too well。 I could only fall in love with a
stranger；〃 said she； heedless of the last sally。
〃Was not the Viscount R… a stranger？〃
〃At the end of five minutes I knew him by heart。 He is precisely like
all other second secretaries of legation in the world。 You may be sure that
there is not a single idea in his head that is really his own。 Even his figure
does not belong to himself； it is the /chef…d'oeuvre/ of the united efforts of
his tailor and his shirt…maker。〃
〃According to this； a prime requisite in the man whom you could love
is to be poorly clad。〃
〃If ever my heart is touched； it will be because I have met a man who
is not like all the other men of my acquaintance。 After that I will not
positively forbid him to have decent clothing。〃
M。 Moriaz made a little gesture of impatience； and then set out to
regain the chaise； which was some distance in advance。 When he had
proceeded about twenty steps； he paused； and； turning towards Antoinette；
who was engaged in readjusting her hood and rebuttoning her twelve…
button gloves； he said：
〃I have drawn an odd number in the great lottery of this world。 In our
day there are no romantic girls； the last remaining one is mine。〃
〃That is it； I am a romantic girl！〃 she cried； tossing her pretty； curly
head with an air of defiance； 〃and if you are wise you will not urge me to
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marry； for I never shall make any but an ineligible match。〃
〃Ah； speak lower！〃 he exclaimed； casting a hurried glance around him；
and adding： 〃Thank Heaven！ there is no one here but the Albula to hear
you。〃
M。 Moriaz mistook。 Had he raised his eyes a little higher he would
have discovered； above the rock cornice bordering the highway； a foot…
path； and in this foot…path a pedestrian tourist； who had paused beneath a
fir…tree。 This tourist had set out from Chur in the diligence。 At the entrance
of the defile； leaving his luggage to continue without him to Saint Moritz；
he had alighted； and with his haversack on his back had set forward on
foot for Bergun； where he proposed passing the night； as did also M。
Moriaz。 Of the conversation between Antoinette and her father he had
caught only one word。 This word； however； sped like an arrow into his ear；
and from his ear into the innermost recesses of his brain； where it long
quivered。 It was a treasure； this word； and he did not cease to meditate
upon it； to comment on it； to extract from it all its essence； until he had
reached the first houses of Bergun； like a mendicant who has picked up in
a dusty road a well…filled purse； and who opens it； closes it； opens it again；
counts his prize piece by piece； and adds up its value twenty times over。
Our tourist dined at the /table d'hote/； he was so preoccupied that he ate
the trout caught in the Albula without suspecting that they possessed a
marvellous freshness； an exquisite flavour and delicacy； and yet it is
notorious that the trout of the Albula are the first trout of the universe。
Mlle。 Moiseney； the duties of whose office consisted in serving as
chaperon to Mlle。 Moriaz； was not a great genius。 This worthy and
excellent personage had； in fact； rather a circumscribed mind； and she had
not the least suspicion of it。 Her physiognomy was not pleasing to M。
Moriaz； he had several times besought his daughter to part with her。 In the
goodness of her soul Antoinette always refused； she was not one who
could countenance rebuffs to old domestics； old dogs； old horses； or worn…
out governesses。 Young Candide arrived at the conclusion； as the result of
his observations； that the first degree of happiness would be to be Mlle。
Gunegonde； and the second to contemplate her throughout life。 Mlle。
Moiseney believed that it would be the first degree of superhuman felicity
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to be Mlle。 Moriaz； the second to pass one's life near this queen； who；
arbitrary and capricious though she might be； was most thoughtful of the
happiness of her subjects； and to be able to say： 〃It was I that hatched the
egg whence arose this phoenix； I did something for this marvel； I taught
her English and music。〃 She had boundless admiration for her queen；
amounting actually to idolatry。 The English profess that their sovereigns
can do nothing
