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eagles themselves seldom ascend。 His face was weather… beaten by the ice
and snow。 He had successfully accomplished the double ascent； of which
he was compelled to give an account。 In descending from Morteratsch he
had been overtaken by a storm； and had come very near never again seeing
the valley or Mlle。 Moriaz。 He owed his life to the presence of mind and
courage of his guide； on whom he could not bestow sufficient praise。
While he modestly narrated his exploits； Antoinette had dismissed her
pupil。 He seemed embarrassed by the /tete…a…tete/ which； nevertheless； he
had sought。 He rose； saying： 〃I regret not being able to see M。 Moriaz； I
came to bid him farewell。 I leave this evening。〃
She summoned courage and replied： 〃You did well to come； you left a
volume of Shakespearehere it is。〃 Then drawing from her notebook a
paper〃I have still another restitution to make to you。 I have had the
misfortune to discover that it was you who wrote this letter。〃
With these words she handed him the anonymous note。 He changed
countenance； and it was now his turn to grow red。 〃Who can prove to
you；〃 he demanded； 〃that I am the author of this offence； or rather crime？〃
〃Every bad case may be denied； but do not you deny。〃
After a moment's silence； he replied： 〃I will not lie； I am not capable of
lying。 Yes； I am the guilty one； I confess it with sorrow； because you are
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offended by my audacity。〃
〃I never liked madrigals； either in prose or verse； signed or
anonymous；〃 she returned； rather dryly。
He exclaimed； 〃You took this letter for a madrigal？〃 Then； having
reread it； he deliberately tore it up； throwing the pieces into the fireplace；
and added； smiling： 〃It certainly lacked common…sense； he who wrote it is
a fool； and I have nothing to say in his defence。〃
Crossing her hands on her breast； and uplifting to him her brown eyes；
that were as proud as gentle； she softly murmured； 〃What more？〃
〃I came to Chur；〃 he replied； 〃I entered a church； I there saw a fair
unknown； and I forgot myself in gazing at her。 That evening I saw her
again； she was walking in a garden where there was music； and this music
of harps and violins was grateful to me。 I said within myself： 'What a thing
is the heart of man！ The woman who has passed me by without seeing me
does not know me； will never know of my existence； I am ignorant of
even her name； and I wish to remain so； but I am conscious that she exists；
and I am glad； content； almost happy。 She will be for me the fair unknown；
she cannot prevent me from remembering her。 I will think sometimes of
the fair unknown of Chur。' 〃
〃Very good；〃 said she； 〃but this does not explain the letter。〃
〃We are coming to that；〃 he continued。 〃I was seated in a copse； by the
roadside。 I had the blueswas profoundly weary； there are times when life
weighs on me like a torturing burden。 I thought of disappointed
expectations； of dissipated illusions； of the bitterness of my youth and of
my future。 You passed by on the road； and I said to myself； 'There is good
in life； because of such encounters； in which we catch renewed glimpses
of what was once pleasant for us to see。' 〃
〃And the note？〃 she asked again； in a dreamy tone。
He went on： 〃I never was a philosopher； wisdom consists in
performing only useful actions； and I was born with a taste for the useless。
That evening I saw you climb a hill； in order to gather some flowers； the
hill was steep and you could not reach the flowers。 I gathered them for you；
and； in sending my bouquet； I could not resist the temptation of adding a
word。 'Before doing penance；' I said to myself； 'let me commit this one
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folly； it shall be the last。' We always flatter ourselves that each folly will
be our last。 The unfortunate note had scarcely gone； when I regretted
having sent it； I would have given much to have had it back； I felt all its
impropriety； I have dealt justly by it in tearing it to pieces。 My only excuse
was my firm resolution not to meet you； not to make your acquaintance。
Chance ordered otherwise： I was presented to you； you know by whom；
and how； I ended by coming here every evening； but I rebelled against my
own weakness； I condemned myself to absence for a few days； so as to
break a dangerous habit； and； thank God！ I have broken my chain。〃
She lightly tapped the floor with the tip of her foot； and demanded
with the air of a queen recalling a subject to his allegiance； 〃Are you to be
believed？〃
He had spoken in a half…serious； half…jesting tone； tinged with the
playful melancholy that was natural to him。 He changed countenance； his
face flushed； and he cried out abruptly； 〃I regained my strength and will on
the summit of Morteratsch； and I only return to bid you farewell； and to
give you the assurance that I never will see you again。〃
〃It is a strange case；〃 she replied； 〃but I pardon you； on condition that
you do not execute your threat。 You are resolved to be wise； the wise avoid
extremes。 You will remember that you have friends in Paris。 My father has
many connections； if we can be of service to you in any way〃
He did not permit her to finish； and responded proudly： 〃I thank you；
with all my heart。 I have sworn to be under obligations to none but
myself。〃
〃Very well；〃 she replied； 〃you will visit us for our pleasure。 In a month
we shall be at Cormeilles。〃
He shook his head in sign of refusal。 She looked fixedly at him； and
said； 〃It must be so。〃
This look； these words； sent to Count Abel's brain such a thrill of joy
and of hope that for a moment he thought he had betrayed himself。 He
nearly fell on his knees before Mlle。 Moriaz； but； speedily mastering his
emotions； he bowed gravely； casting down his eyes。 She herself
immediately resumed her usual voice and manner； and questioned him on
his journey。 He told her； in reply； that he proposed to go by the route of
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Soleure； and to stay there a day in order to visit in Gurzelengasse the
house where Kosciuszko； the greatest of