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refused two offers。 Mme。 de Lorcy had inferred this to be a favourable
omen for her projects。 Thus she felt annoyance mingled with anger on
receiving the following letter from M。 Moriaz：
〃DEAR MADAME：
〃You will be charmed to learn that I am extremely well。 My cheeks
are full； my complexion florid； my legs as nimble as a chamois； my
appetite like that of an ogre。 If ever you become anemic； which God forbid；
you should set out forthwith for Saint Moritz； and I shall soon have good
news from you。 Saint Moritz is a place where you find what you want； but
you find； besides； what you do not want。 I do not speak of bears； I have
not seen any； and should I meet one； I am strong enough to strangle it。
Besides； bears are taciturn animals； they never relate their histories； and
the only animals I fear are those that have the gift of narrating； and that
one is not allowed to strangle。 I will say no more。 Have I made myself
intelligible？ You are so intelligent。
〃Apropos； Antoinette sends you a sketch or a painting； I do not know
which； that will be handed to you by Count Abel Larinski。 He is a Pole； of
that there can be no doubt； you will perceive it at once。 I wish him well； he
was obliging enough to extricate me from a breakneck position into which
I had foolishly thrust myself。 That I have a pair of legs to walk on； and a
hand to write with； I owe to him。 I recommend him to your kind reception；
and I beg you to get him to relate his history。 He is one of those who
narrate； not every day； it is true； but when you touch the right spring； he
starts； and cannot be stopped。 Seriously； M。 Larinski is no ordinary man；
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you will find pleasure in his acquaintance。 I have discovered that he is in
rather embarrassed circumstances。 He is the son of an emigrant； whose
property has been confiscated。 His father was a half fool； who made great
attempts to cut a channel through the Isthmus of Panama； and never
succeeded in cutting his way through anything。 He was himself beginning
to earn money in San Francisco； when； in 1863； he gave everything up to
go and fight against the Russians。 This enthusiastic patriot has since
adopted the calling of an inventor； in which he has been unsuccessful； he
is now in search of a livelihood。 Do not think he will ask for anything； he
is an hidalgo； he wraps himself proudly in his poverty； as a Castilian does
in his cloak。 I am interested in him；； I want to assist him； give him a lift；
but； first； I wish to feel sure that he is worthy of my sympathy。 Examine
him closely； sift him well； I trust your eyes rather than my own； I have the
greatest faith in your skill in this kind of valuation。
〃Antoinette sends you her most affectionate greetings。 She adores
Saint Moritz； you would think that she had found something here which
has wrought a charm over her。 For my own part； I am delighted to have
recovered my appetite； my sleep； and all the rest； and yet I regret having
come； can you reconcile that？ Let me know as soon as possible what you
think of my Pole； but； pray do not condemn him unheard。 No hasty
decision； I entreat； an expert is bound not to be influenced by his
prejudices； but to weigh his judgments as his words。 Adieu； dear madame；
pity me in spite of my full cheeks。〃
Madame de Lorcy replied in these words； by return mail：
〃You are indeed innocent； my dear professor； and your finesse is but
too apparent； I could not help understanding。 Is she； indeed so foolish。 I
did not think her overwise； but here she astonishes me more than I would
have believed。 You can tell her； for meor rather don't say anything to her；
I will only speak to you； I am too angry to reason with her。 I will see your
Pole； I await him resolutely； but； in truth； I have seen him already。 I am
well acquainted with him； I know him by heart； I have no doubt that he is
some impostor。 I will examine him without prejudice； with religious
impartiality。 You are so good as to remind me that an expert suspends his
judgment。 I will hold my police force in reserve； and I will let you know
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before long what I think of your adventurer。 Ah！ yes； I do pity you； poor
man。 After all； however； you alone are to blame； is it my fault that you did
not know how to act？ God bless you！〃
At the time when Samuel Brohl； seated amid the heather； in an oak…
grove； was conversing with phantoms； Mme。 de Lorcy； alone in her /salon/；
was occupied with her needlework； and her thoughts； which revolved in a
circle； like a horse in a riding…school。 She had for several days been
expecting Count Abel Larinski's visit； she wondered at his want of
promptness； and suspected that he was afraid of her。 This suspicion
pleased her。 Several times she fancied she heard a man's step in the
antechamber； at which she started nervously； and the rose…coloured strings
of her cap fluttered on her shoulders。
Suddenly； while she was counting her stitches； with head bent down；
some one entered without her perceiving it； seized her hand； and； devoutly
kissing it； threw his hat on the table； and then dropped into a chair； where
he remained motionless； with his legs stretched out； and his eyes riveted
on the floor。
〃Oh！ It is you； Camille；〃 exclaimed Mme。 de Lorcy。 〃You come
apropos。 Well？〃
〃Well！ yes； madame； that is it；〃 replied M。 Langis； 〃and you see before
you the most unhappy of men。 Why is your pond dry？ I want to fling
myself into it head foremost。〃
Mme。 de Lorcy laid down her embroidery； and crossed her arms。 〃So
you have returned？〃 said she。
〃Would to God I never had gone there！ It is a land where poison is sold；
and I have drunk of it。〃
〃Don't abuse metaphors。 You have seen her？ What did you say to her？〃
〃Nothing； madamenothing of what is in my heart。 I made her believe
that I had reflected； and changed my views； that I was entirely cured of my
foolish passion for her； that I was simply making her a friendly visit。 Yes；
madame； I remained half a day with her； and during the half day I never
once betrayed myself。 I convinced her that the mask was a face。 Tell me；
conscientiously； have you ever read of a more heroic act in Plutarch's
/Lives of Great Men/？〃
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〃She herself； what did she say to you？〃
〃She was so enchanted； so delighted with the change； that she was
dying to embrace me。〃
〃She shall pay for it。 And he； did you see him？〃
〃Just caught a glimpse of him； looked up to him as was befitting the
humility of my position。 This fortunate man； this glorious mortal； was
enthroned on the top of the mail…coach。〃
〃Is he really so fascinating？〃
〃He has； I assure you； a certain look of deep profundity； and he bears
his exploits inscribed on his brow。 What am I； to contend against him！ You
must allow that I have the appearance of a school…boy。 And yet； if I were
to boast。 This road in Transylvania for which I had the contract was by no
means easy to construct。 We had to cut through the solid rock； working in
the air； suspended by ropes。 This perilous labour so disheartened our
workmen that some of them left us； to encourage the rest； I was slung up
like them； and like them handled the pickaxe。 One day； in the explosion of
a charge a piece of stone struck the rope of one of my men with such
violence that it cut it as clean in two as the edge of a razor would have
done。 The man fellI believed him to be lost； by a miracle； his clothes
caught in some brushwood； to which he succeeded in clinging。 It was I
who went to his assistance； and I swear to you that in this rescue I proved
the strength of my muscles； and ran the risk twenty times of breaking my
neck。 The workmen had mistrusted me on account of my youth； from that
day； I can assure you； they held me in respect。〃
〃Did you relate this incident to Antoinette？〃
〃What would have