Samuel Brohl and Company

had been a happy one, she considered that liberty is to be prized above all else; she employed hers in a most irreproachable manner. She was self-possessed, even better acquainted with numbers th

that the rich may be kind-hearted, that the poor may have bread, that the ladies may have pretty dresses, that the men may have patience, that the foolish may get a little reason, and that sensible people may grow poetic. Mme. de Lorcy was kind-hearted, she had pretty dresses and a great deal of reason; but her reason was wanting in poetry, and poetic people to whom she gave advice required a good deal of patience to listen to the

himself. He said to Mme. de Lorcy: "If she refuse me, I shall no longer be able to see her; and so long as I can see her, I am only half-wretched." It was Mme. de Lorcy who forced him to draw his sword and open the campaign, in which she was to act as second. This campaign had not been a successful one. Deeply wounded at the refusal, which she had in vain attempted to prevent, she was ready to force Mlle. Moriaz into comp

R MA

z, 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. Besid

n you touch the right spring, he starts, and cannot be stopped. Seriously, M. Larinski is no ordinary man; 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

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 h

plied in these wor

peak 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 g

olved 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 he

iving it, seized her hand, and, devoutly kissing it, threw his hat on the table, and then dropped into

exclaimed Mme. de Lorcy.

you see before you the most unhappy of men. Why is your

roidery, and crossed her arms.

here! It is a land where poison

. You have seen her? W

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 betray

what did she

ighted with the change, that

or it. And he, d

ting the humility of my position. This fortunate man, this g

lly so fas

uspended 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 fell-I believe

this incident

ied out, clinching his hands: "Ah! madame, I entreat you, do you know where I can procure a Polish head, a Polish mustache, a Polish smile

same?" gravely as

name you every day in my prayers. You are my only resource, my consolation,

ant, and then said: "Love elsewhere, my dear; aba

my own master; she has taken possession of me-she holds me. Love else

more than metaphors. Both are unsolid food. When

oose from. I never had but one, and that no lon

before having seen M. Larinski-before

expect to

to call, and I am sorr

ill you recei

n asked to

condemning him. Our most sacred duty is to be res

ll not be indulg

like; I hav

t is

el with this contraband, this poach

have sent to him for information. I have also written to Vienna for intelligence concerning him. Antoinette is foolish in forming such an acquaintance, it must be admitted; but, in matters of honour, she is as delicate as an ermine in tending the whiteness of h

imed: "When you speak of the wolf-Here is our man!" She begged M. Langis to retire; he implored permission to r

that it was then the middle of the month of August, it seemed to him to be cold there. He thought that he felt a draught of chilly air, an icy wind, which pierced him through and through, and caused him an unpleasant shiver. He did not need to look very attentiv

expressing his regret that business had prevented his coming sooner. Mme. de Lorcy thanked him for his kindnes

Moritz is a dreary co

a dreary country possessing a gr

lmost wearied to death there. I sh

pable of yielding to

a marvellous talent for procuring herself diversion and for varying her pleasures. Hers is an imagi

that you calumniate the Engadine. The trees there are not so well grow

s hole for your

ded that I should be still better if I breathed the air of th

with his arms extended on his knees, never had ceased to look at Samuel Brohl with a

"it is a work of patience, easy for

the young man. "Had I done as

pted the ascent

ng feats of prowess to relate," he re

conversation by saying, "Is this the fir

amuel, who withdrew more

lease you as much

more,

any acqu

th is, I have no d

hy

reaking ice, and Poles complain that there is n

hundred thousand souls, and this small city is invaded more and more, by strangers who c

" replied Samuel. "It does not require much of it

"that depends a good deal on practi

filment of her office of examining magistrate, and of gaining the prisoner's confidence. Fearing that Camille, in spite of his promise, would spoil ev

at his ease, who felt that the air lost its chilliness about him. Without appearing to do so, she made him undergo an examination-she asked him many q

to write to M. Moriaz. Her

st 16

idea. My project has come to nothing. Camille has enjoined me never to speak of it to him again. You see I am no longer interested in the question, or, rather, I have in the matter no other interest than that which

estates. This principle is revolting to me, my dear friend. We are accused in foreign countries of being an immoral people. Heavens! it seems to me that we understand and practise virtue quite as much as the English or Germans, and, to speak the whole truth, I am not afraid to advance the opinion that this, of all the countries of the universe, is the one where there is the most virtue. It is not at that point that we sin. Our misfortune is, that we

n his duty if he does not leave them a settled position, a certain future. Their second preconceived notion is that they must find a wife who will bring them as much at least as they have to offer her. I have so much, you have so much-we are evidently created for each other; let us marry. All this is deplorable. I like better to hear of the young American who only expects from his parents the education necessary for a man to make his way; he has his tools given to him and the method

k a sufficient income to render him independent of his wife; but if he submit to be dependent on her, if he expect from her his daily bread, to roll in her carriage, to ask her for the expenses of his toilet, for his pocket-money, and perhaps for sundry questionable outlays-frankly, this young man lacks pride; and what is a man who has no pride? Besides, what surety is there that in marrying it is, indeed, the woman he is in love with and not the dower? Who assures me that Count Abel Larinski?-I name no one, personalities are odious, and I own there are exceptions. Dieu, how rare they are! If I were Antoinette, I would love the poor, but in their own interest. I would not marry

m that shocks me-I scarcely know what-a mingling of two natures that I cannot explain. He might be said to resemble, according to circumstances, a lion or a fox; I believe that the fox-nature predominates, that the lion is supplementary. I simply give you my impressions, which I am perfectly willing to be induced to change. I am inclined to fancy that M. Larinski passed his first youth amid

led five feather-beds; between the two mattresses she slipped three peas. The next day the traveller was asked how she had slept. 'Very badly,' she replied. 'I do not know what was in my bed, but my whole body is bruised; I am black and blue, and I never closed my eyes until dawn!' 'She is a true princess,' cried the queen. Is M. Larinski a true prince? I made him under

sily to strangers. You tell me that, thanks to M. Larinski's kindness, you did not break your leg. Mercy on me! a father would better break his leg

perty, the emigration to America, the Isthmus of Panama-all is true; the history is authentic. Countess Larinski was a saint. Concerning the son, nothing is known; he must have been three or four years old when he landed in New York. No one ever saw him; no one seems to know anything about his taking part in the insurrection of 1863. Having spoken the truth about his parents, it is to be presumed that he told the

her that I think her a simpleton; it is a conviction in which I shall die.

Mme. de Lorcy wrot

ust

roast their chestnuts. I will not return to the subject of the gun; you know all about it. It seems that there was some good in this explosive gun, and that he who invented it united a sort of genius with ingenuousness, inexperience, and ignorance enough to make one weep. Nothing can be said against the private character of the man. He had a few debts, and his tradespeople felt considerable anxiety when he left Vienna one morning on foot. He had no sooner reached Switzerland than he sent back money to settle everything. Here we have an admirable trait. However, his tastes were simple, and he led a steady life;

I now have them in his favour. Do you know, I am by no means sure that he cherishes in his heart any serious sentiment for your daughter? As a man of taste he admires her. I should like to know who would not admire her! I suspect Antoinette of allowing her imaginat

r, Abbe Miollens, who is a great linguist and a great traveller, and who has at the ends of his fingers everything concerning Poland and the Poles, led the conversation to the insurrection of 1863. M. Larinski, at first, refrained from discussing this sad subject; little by little the flood-gates were opened: he related his adventures or campaigns without boasting, praisi

a concert by Mozart-divine music performed by two angels of the first class. The conversation that followed charmed me more than the concerto. I do not know by what fatality we came to speak of marriage. I did not miss the opportunity to disclose with a most innocent air, my little theories, with which you are acquainted. Would you believe that the count concurred, mo

edients. The abbe's arm reaches a long way; he promised me that he would busy himself, at the expense of all other business, to find some employment for M. Larinski. He remembered that there was some talk of establishing in London an international school for the living languages. One of the founders of this institute had applied to him t

daughter. I rely on you to read my letters to her with care and

e Lorcy wrote a third lette

ust

on your part, my dear friend, that you are not dissatisfied with Antoinette. She is gay, tranquil; she walks, paints, never speaks of Count Abel Larinski, and, when you speak to her of him, she smiles and does not reply

and the opera. The last paragraph of her letter is devoted to the insurrection in Herzegovina, and it is hardly worth while to say that all her sympathies are with the insurgents. 'If I were a man,' she writes, 'I would go and fight for them.' That is very well; she always took the part of thieves against the police. I remember long ago-she was ten years old-I told her the story of an unfortunate traveller besieged in a forest by an army of wo

ious smile, 'What I like best in Paris is Maisons Lafitte.' Thereupon he said some exceedingly pretty things, which I will not repeat. We walked tete-a-tete around the park. Heaven be praised that I ret

he Cross against the Crescent.' He pronounced these words, Christian, Catholic, and cross, in

hat the Poles had sympath

oppressors, and they cannot forget that the Osmanlis are

es without asking about him. He read it with extreme attention: but when he came to the famous passage-'If I were a ma

am a man, yet that I will not fight for the Bosn

Fortunately, she changes her

or mother used often to say: "My son, youth should be employed in laying by a great store of extravagant

d him this place of professor of the Slavonian languages of which the abbe had again spoken. I saw in an instant that his sensitive pride had taken alarm. However, upon reflection, he softened, thanked me, declined my kind offer, and announced-guess what! How much is my news worth? what will you give for it? He announced, I tell you, that in tw

here of the plains. Your physician, whom I have just seen, declares that, if you hasten your return he will not answer for the consequences. Antoinette, I am sure, will join her entreaties to ours. Do not let us see you before the end of three weeks! Follow my orders, m

received at Churwalden

ember

evealed. Between ourselves, Antoinette is a dreamer: where has she got the idea that this man is in love with her? These Counts Larinski have artists' enthusiasm, tender and sensitive hearts, and poetic imaginations; they love everything, and they love nothing; they admire a pretty woman as they admire a beautiful flower, a humming-b

daughter, have no fear; he will not marry her, and th

afternoon; he was distressed that M. Lar

him go back to Vienna, where all his acq

r. Vienna is so far away! Professor in London, only ten hours' journey from Par

the least; whatever it cost me I will bear it, and resign my

eir archivists badly; the English manage matte

as you approach the bread-and-butter question, our man assumes a r

amental basis of incomparable nobility of sentiment i

r which he is distinguished. He quoted a Latin verse that he was kind enough to translate for me, and that signified something e

gain gave me a concert. Why was Antoinette not there? I fancied I was at the Conservatoire. Then w

the salary-well, as this terrible word has been spoken, listen to me; I will do all in my power to obt

on!' Then he added, gravely: 'M. l'Abbe, you are a thousand times too good, but the place offered to me in Vienna seems to me better adapted to

r century,' said he, 'less than

I feel myself incapable of thinking of the future, of practising thoroughly French habits of economy. If my purse is full, I soon empty it; after which I condemn myself to privations-no, that does not express it-I enjoy them. According to me, there is no true happiness into which a little suffering does not ente

ne day of folly will sometimes suffice to com

never are very dangerous. There was method in Hamlet's

h I got Abbe Miollens to translate for me, and which is not long. The hero of the song is an amorous pine, standing on the summit of a barren mountain of the north. He is alone;

once felt, is apt to be constantly returning. I asked myself if he had met his palm in the Engadine, and added aloud,

only deferring my departure on account of a letter that cannot be much longer d

m of the pine. You sang it with so much soul that it seemed to me you must be relating

longer the right to dre

ut, in his simple-hearted way

e, and he hastened to speak of a ballet that he had seen the even

I think that he is very keen, and that he has conjectured for some time the mistrust with which he inspired me. If he wanted to mock me a little, I will pardon him; a good man unjustly suspected has a perfect right to revenge himself by a

y married, I fear, for his smile was melancholy. You see he may have married out of gratitude some grisette, some little working-woman, who nursed him through illness, o

te. In what way will your undeceive our dreamer? In your place I would use some precautions. Be prudent; g

heat; we literally suffocate. You need to spend a fortnight longer amid the

dulous, the sceptical, the suspicious, the absurd, the ridiculous Cami