Samuel Brohl and Company

at encountering M. Camille Langis at Cormeilles; he had, doubtless, very particular and very personal reasons for not liking him. He knew, however, that there was n

lder to the wheel of time, and of preparing a contract that would completely tie the hands of Count Larinski. He resolved to seize the first opportunity of proving that he was mistrustful, stormy, susceptible, in the h

e received the

e to succeed, nor to comprehend you. Ah! how your lack of confidence astonishes me! It is so easy to believe when one loves. Please write me word quickly that you also have reflected, and that you have acknowledged your misdemeanour. I will not insis

uel Brohl had the surprise of receiving at

nd that you would hasten to announce to me in person the great event of events, and seek my congratulations. Come, I beg of you, and dine this

me; else I will be displease

as follows to

t escape me; it appears to me too beautiful not to prove only a dream. To be loved by you! How can I help fearing to lose the great boon? Each evening I ask myself: 'Will she still love me to-morrow?' Perhaps my anxiety is blended with secret remorse. My pride, ever on the alert to take umbrage, has often been my torment; you

. I suspect her of having a very mediocre feeling of good-will for me, and I also accuse her of being cold and insensible; of understanding nothing whatever of the heart's unreasonableness, which is true

k that I adore. The wall being low at that place, I shall perceive from afar, before entering, the white silk of your sun-umbrella. I am counting, you see, upon sunshine. How very childish! Yet, even this is not st

ski to fix the date of their marriage himself. As to the contract, she had immediate occasion to speak of it to

and then said, "Can you expl

savoir: "We only see the present; notaries f

s, and that she did not like precautions, because th

a, without fearing to insult Providence. Who speaks to you of offending M. Larinski? Not content with approving of the step I propose taking, he will thank me for it. Why di

isons, let us suppose that you invited one of your friends to take a turn in your garden. Your espaliers are laden with fruit, and you know that your

sted, and that men of science are incapable of comprehending delicacy of sentiment, he gave full vent to his wrath, telling the worthy demoiselle to meddle with what concerned her. For the first time in his life he was serious

. de Lorcy had pleased him immensely; he saw in it the proof that she had ceased to struggle against the inevitable-against Samuel Brohl and destiny; that she had resolved to bear

y took fire, and, when his imagination was kindled, he felt within him something warm, which he took for a heart, and sincerely persuaded himself that he had such an organ. At this moment he saw Antoinette as he had left her the evening previous, her face animated, her cheeks flushed, her countenance full of reproach, her eyes tearful. She never had appeared to him so charming. He be

tty employments, with ungrateful toil, with humiliating servitude, with anxiety about the morrow, with the necessity for counting every sou, with meagre repasts, with sordid expedients, with sorrow, distress, and usuries; to all these he said farewell. Henceforth he would pick up silver and gold by the shovelful; he would have a share in abundance of festi

e his wife; he intended that the daughter of the grand-vizier should consecrate herself wholly to his happiness, to his service. To possess a beautiful slave, with velvety eyes, chestnut hair, tinged with gold, who would make of Samuel Brohl her padishah and her god, who would pass her life at his knees on the alert for his wishes, reading his good pleasure in his face, attentive to his fancies and to his eye-brows, belonging to him body and soul, uplifting to him the gaze of a timid gazelle or a faithful spaniel-such was his dream of conjugal felicity. And little need would he have to exert himself much in the education of Mlle. Antoinette Moriaz. Love would charge itself with that. She adored Samuel Brohl, and

hat although she was piqued with Count Larinski the count was adroit, and would find a way to regain her sympathies. The park appeared to him magnificent; he admired its long, regular alleys, which had the appearance of extending as far as Peking; he paused some moments before the purple beech, and it seemed to him that there must be some resemblance between thi

dead. Samuel Brohl perceived her from afar on the veranda, which she had just stepped out upon in order to watch for his arriv

t affable tone, "We meet to-day under less tragic circumstances than the last time

ying: "Happiness must be purchased;

hatted with Abbe Miollens. He remained motionless, his eyes fixed, scarcely breathing, cold as marble; it seemed to him that the four walls of

here she was; yes, it was indeed she! The first impulse of Samuel Brohl was to regain the door as speedily as possible; but he did nothing of the kind. He looked at Mme. de Lorcy: she herself was regarding him with astonishment; she wondered what could

. "Has my poor salon still the m

hyacinths and tuberoses; their perfume overpowered

an who has terrible nerves; but you know by experience that if yo

marched forward to face the danger. It is a well-known fact

eived that he was still living; the princess had remained impassible-not a muscle of her face had moved. She ended by bestowing upon Samuel a smile that was almost gracious, and addressing to him some insignificant words, which he only half understood, but which seemed to him exquisite-delicious. He fancied that she

great event has been accomplished. What woman wishes, God wishes; but, aft

e as he conducted the princess to table. She herself said nothing; she seemed wholly busied in arranging with her unoccupied hand a lock of her gray hair, which had strayed t

urs and for princesses. She did not neglect so good an opportunity to air her monkey-development theories. He merrily flung back the ball; he declared that he should prefer to be a fallen angel rather than a perfected monkey; that in his estimation a parvenu made a much sorrier figure in th

I have become a different man, I have undergone a complete metamorphosis; I have difficulty sometimes in recognising myself. Formerly, my face was close-shaven, now I have let my entire beard grow. My voice, my accent, the poise of my head, my manners, the expression of my countenance, all are changed; Poland has entered my blood-I am Samuel no longer, I am Larinski." He blessed the microscope, which enfeebled the sight of old women; he blessed Count Abel Larinski, who had

; she concluded by saying to him: "Count, I admire you; but I believe

least it served him as a shield. He held it for a certainty that the princess had not recognised him; yet he did not cease feeling in her presence unutterably ill at ease. This Calmuck visage o

lity of not knowing Samuel Brohl. For Samuel had come to divide the human race into two categories: the first comprehended those well-to-do, thriving people who did not know a certain Brohl; he placed in the second old women who did know him. He interrogated the counsellor with deferen

. de Lorcy: "Where is Count Larinski? Bring hi

for him at the side of the princess, and which had for him the effect of a stool of repentance. Mme. de Lorcy moved away, and he was left tete-a-tet

he asked with a slightly troubled feeling,

shall have no time for fighting; I leave fo

er two hands, in testimony of his gratitude. "To-morrow at seven o'clock,

e live in the age of the telegraph, the locomotive; and I know of nothing more absurd now than a frontier, or more ridiculous than a patriot. Rumour says that you fought like a hero in the insurrection of 1863; that you gave proof of i

rincess, how many Cossacks I have killed; but I do know that

ou. Don Quixote did not do Sancho the ho

d, in a rather more pliant tone than he had at first assumed. "That is

lato, and you do not know how I always have detested this man. In all these sixty years that I have been in this world, I have seen nothing but selfishness, and grasping after self-gratification. Twice during dinner you spoke of an ideal world. What is an ideal world? Wh

t to hang me," he i

s. Besides, if you were to be hanged, it would bring to the verge of despair a charming girl who adores yo

onour of being present, princess, I should

o meet here the future Countess Larinski. She is adorable! It is an exquisite nature, hers-a true poet's wife. She must have brains, discernment; she has chosen you-that

herself excitedly, added: "These poor

is that,

mes disagreeable. Ah, my dear Count Larinski, this, tha

per-like look, and, in a voice that seemed to cut into his tympanum like a sharp-toothed saw, s

eiling; and it appeared to him as though his heart was beating as noisily as a clock-pendulum, and that every one would turn to inquire whence ca

ng, by an effort of will, the cloud that veiled his eyes, he, in turn, leaned towards the

u are not much in the habit of writing, nevertheless he received from you two letters, which he copied, placing the originals in safety. If ever he sees the necessity of a

. de Lorcy, and retired, followed by Abbe Miollens, who inflicte

e overwhelmed him with congratulation, and all the good wishes he could possibly think of for his happiness. During a quarter of an hour he lavishe

, and darted its luminous flashes over the whole extent of the plain. At intervals the hills seemed to be on fire. Several times Samuel, who stood with his nose against the glass of the ca

ught, "surely she would have spoken of the Princess Gulof. I would have taken measures accordingly, and nothing would

ched Paris, he felt h

before she declares war with me. No, she will not dare." He added: "And if she

nd what he should say, in

th Princess Gulof, was saying: "Well, my dear, you

Count Larinski is the last of the heroes of romance-or, if you like better, the

business commission for her in Paris. On his return she had required Samuel to burn these two compromising epistles, in her presence; he had deceived her; he burned the envelopes and blank paper. The thought of some day having her composition quoted in court, and printed verbatim in the petty journals, terrified her, and made her blood boil in her veins; she hardly cared to take Paris and St. Petersburg into her