Samuel Brohl and Company

es, Mlle. Moriaz was the prey of an agitation t

ved. During several days she had suffered cruelly from anxiety, from actual agony of mind, and over and over again she had said to herself, "Perhaps they are right." A woman's heart believes itself to be at the mercy of error, and it is torture to it to be obliged to doubt itself and its own clairvoyance. When it is unmistakably demonstrated to it that its god is only an idol of wood or of stone, that what was once adored must henceforth be despised, it

vely blue sky, the tranquil waters, the verdant banks of the river, with their long range of poplar-trees. It seemed to her that all was going well, that order rei

ious stock in detail-his furnaces, his long-necked, big-bellied matrasses, the curved necks and the tubulures of his retorts, his cucurbits, and his alembics. Balloons, tubes, pipettes, pneumatic vats, receivers, cupels, lamps, bell-glasses, blow-pipes, and mortars, he passed in review to assure himself that during his absence nothing h

ew that Antoinette had repaired to Maisons Lafitte to have an explanation with Mme. de Lorcy, and this thought cast a shadow over his felicity. He hoped, however,

upon the threshold. He gazed at her fixedly. Her eye was so animated, her countenance so beaming, so lumin

h havoc in her father's lab

the fragments of the vial. It was his way of gaining time, but he did it so awkward

scene at Churwalden. It is now I who wear a long face, and sh

nd remarked: "Well, here you are once more in your paradise-

e-happy enough that is,"

It is altogether charm

hapelle. You, perhaps, are unacquainted with a chapelle. It is a framework or basket-funnel above a chimney, for facilitating the release of volatiles and pernicious vapours,

"You are a very romantic man, and your romance is a transparent chap

it, placed another seat facing her, and said: "Come, sit down here near me on this stoo

d put his ear towards her. "Must

y s

about matters pertaining to the height of ro

l that I desire and stipulate is, that you

tranquil tone; she grew animated; she warmed up by degrees; her eyes sparkled. He listened to her with deep chagrin; but

m to his reflections. As he maintained an ominous silence, she grew impa

you are a

do for once

at you are wrong, nor has it been proved to me

touched, felt-a retort and its contents. Beyond this all is null and void, a lie, a cheat. Ah! your wretc

otested, "have mercy on my poor crucibles, my honest retorts, my innocent jars! They have nothing to do with this affair. Is it their

n, believe in th

alute it," replied he, drawing off his cap and bow

ly imagined that the inve

, since it failed to c

tituted, and how they detest all that astonishes, all that exceeds their limits, all

the world; I always fancie

mitted to pass an opinion on it, and I often tell myself that if Christ should reappear among us with his train of publicans and fisherm

t Larinski; and, pray, do not let us enter into a theological discussion; you know it is wholly out of my line. Religion seems to me an excellent thing, a most useful thing, and I freely accept

t that must dec

art!" exclaimed he. "There never

"And so, my dear, you are persuaded that M. Lari

of deceiving herself, or rather of having wished to deceive herself. Do you know what you are goin

and for my daughter, who adores you. Certain malicious tongues assert that you are no longer free; I do not believe them; besides, this would be a mere bagatelle.' On the whole, I beli

a thing? Abbe Miollens is our friend; he is a

angue. Here we have an acceptable idea, a possible interview. This evening, after my dinner, I sha

thing that you can imagine; you shall not so much as suspect that I even regret my chim

ell as I that

ntent without your consent. Here once more as

formula has been pronounced, one is

ord. Would you not rather that it shoul

ll su

a good

resign

erful res

welcome him all the days of my life; in the contrary case, I will repeat, morning and ev

re in perfect harmony," she replied, impulsively s

n his half-closed eyes, and th

u why do you

ecause I love him; this is my s

my retorts and crucibles, if they listen to you much longer, will fall into a syncope as p

sons, where Abbe Miollens passed the summer in the vicinity of Mm

ole! With what resolution she has renounced an impossible happiness! Did you obser

as you are sagac

th of mind! what equability of temperament! what nobility of sentiment! You do not admire her enough, monsieur; you are not proud enough of having such a daughter. As to me, I glory in having been of some value

u can most assuredly boast of having accomplished a marvellous work; but I beg of you, mademoiselle,

f it. I fell on the unlucky idea of calling Mme. de Lorcy to my aid, and she has spoiled everything by her boasted finesse. As soon as Antoinette had reason to suspect that her choice was condemned by us, and that we were plotting the enemy's destruction, the sympathy, mingled with admiration, which she accorded to M. Larinski, became transformed into love; the fire

dly onward, and thirty-five minutes sufficed to reach the little maison de campagne occupied by Abbe Miollens. He found him in his cabinet, installed in a cushioned arm-chair embroidered by M

ame of Count Larinski, the abbe assumed the charmed and conte

"A most truly

they think to condemn me to a state of perpetual admiration of their prodigy? I fear there must be some kinshi

r, "for having given us the pleasure of the acquaintance of this rare man! It is you who sent

te," humbly rejoined M. Moriaz. "

t you the world never would have suspected the existence of this superb genius

y her cousin-german,

d him, trait for trait, in the person of Lollius. You know Marcus Lollius, to whom he addressed Ode ix. of book

money which seduces most men-abstinens ducentis ad se cuncta pecuniae.' This trait is very striking; I find even, between ourselves, that our dear count despises money entirely too much, he turns from it in horror, its very name is odious to him; he is an Epictetus, he is a Diogenes, he is an anchorite of ancient times who would live happily in a Thebaid. He told us himself that it made little difference to him whether he dined on a piece of bread and a glass of water, or in luxury at the Café Anglais. But I have not finished.

f resuscitating himself some thirty years ago, which procured for us the great joy of meeting him at Saint Moritz; and while we are on the subject-My dear abbe, have you a free, impartial mind? Can you listen to me? I have

bbe, crossing the shapely legs i

my dear Monsieur, and, believe me, no one can be more grieved than I. I fully comprehend with what joy you would have seen your charming daughter consecrate, I will not say her fortune, for you know as well as I how little Count Larinski would care for that, but consecrate, I say, her graces, her beauty,

in a burst of enthusiasm that the goo

apropos of I scarcely remember what, it occurred to me to ask if he were married, and he replied, briefly: 'I thought I had told yo

M. Moriaz hastened to observe, "and ther

en, after a pause, during which he wore

' M. l'Abbe. Believe m

ossibly have m

idence in your ears

you know what? Count Larinski came recently to see me without finding me at home.

ut God forbid that I should uselessly interfere with your daily pursuits; your time is too precious! I

thy man should call on Count Larinski, and that from Paris he should repair to Cormeilles, in order to communicate to the proper person the result of his mission. M. Moriaz perceived the advantage of having Antoinette learn from the abbe's own lips the fatal truth; and he did not leave without impressing upon him to be very c

might be of advantage to him, whom he considered destined to render him some essential service. He seldom mistook; he was a admirable diagnostician; he recognised at first sight the divine impress of predestination. He gave the most cordial reception to his reverend friend, and ushered him into his modest quarters with all the more empressement, because he detected at once the mysterious, rather agitated air h

rohl listened to him and replied with a melancholy grace. Lively as was his curiosity he well knew how to hold it in check. Samuel Brohl neve

u to Maisons. I have a spare chamber there which I might offer to you. Hoc erat in votis, I should indeed have been happy to have had you for a guest. We should have chatted and made music to our hearts' content, close by a window opening on a garden. 'Hae latebrae dulces, et

had viewed Mme. de Lorcy when she undertook to speak to him o

fide to me yourself t

and beginning to smile, he said: "Ah! I see-I see. Did you take me literally? I thought you understood what I said. No, m

s dear count a sermon on the immorality and positive danger of free unions, but Samuel Brohl gave him no time. "I am not

ed gaze, expecting to see a woman start out of so

posed on a piedouche. The statuette represented a woman bound tightly, on whom two Cossack

othed away from his brow, his mouth relaxed, a joyous light shone in his eyes. "How we

rds Samuel h

age-that it interferes with nothing else. Poland is not jealous, and if, peradventure, you should meet a woman worthy of you whom you would like to marry, your mistress would hav

stern and sombre countenance. His eye

of either my heart, or my soul, or my life; she will have my every thought and my last dr

atriots come to take the vow of celibacy? Their first duty is to become the fathers of children who wil

d him, pressing his arm

d: "You know what occurred in Bosnia. How do we know that war may not very shortly be proclaimed, and who can foresee the consequences? I must hold myself in readiness for the great day. Perhaps an inscrutable Providence may ere long offer me a new occasion to risk my life for my country; perhaps Poland will call me, crying, 'Come, I have need of thee!

angue, tapping his fingers impatiently on the lid of his handsome gold snuf

y, is it sure that from your standpoint your conscience has no accusations to make you? Is it certain that your heart has not been unfaithful to its

face in his hands, doubtless to hide from the abbe the blushes rem

know not how deep a

you love Mlle. Antoinett

nts of the most humble contrition. "Yesterday I had the unworthy wea

apart his fingers, and fixed upon the abbe two glittering eyes t

ially when this man is a noble chevalier, a true knight of the Round Table. I have reason to believe that Mlle. Moriaz did not take your accident unkindly. Shall I tell you my

hrill quiver through his frame. The abbe was telling him nothing he had not known before; but there are things of which we are

-one day she may judge me worthy-Ah! what a glorious vision you cause to pass before my eyes! How good and cruel together you are to me! What bitterness is

ens. "Have you need of a negotiator? I can boast of having h

Brohl. Quickly recovering

a chimera, and above all do not tempt me to sacrifice my honour to it. This heig

in virtue, too great refinement in delicacy of conscience. He represented to him that noble souls should beware of exaltation of sentiment. He cited the Gospels, he cited Bossuet, he also cited his well-beloved Horace, who censored all that wa

God. I repeat it to you, I am no longer free, and, even if I were, do you not

t is that?" de

to me but to avoid seeing her, and I never will see her again. Let me follow to its end my solitary and rugged path. One consolation will accompany me: I can say that happiness has not been denied to me: that it is my conscience, admonished from on high, which has refused to accept it, and there is a divine sweetness in great trials religiously accepted.

is at her feet that I lay down my dolorous offering;

d with veneration upon this hero; he was filled with respect for this antique character, for this truly celestial soul. He never had seen anything like it, either in the odes or in the epistles of Horace. Lollius himself was

grand you are! You are