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〃And where are you going？〃
〃To the Hotel Badrutt； to plead my own cause； because my advocate
has failed me。〃
〃Ah！ you have chosen an excellent time；〃 cried M。 Moriaz； 〃you have
a real genius for arriving in season。 Go； hurry； plead； moan； weep； entreat；
you will be well received； you can come and tell me all about it。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Camille； 〃is it all over？ Have you spoken；
and did she silence you？〃
〃Not at all； she listened to me； without enthusiasm； it is true； but with
attention and deference； when suddenlyAh！ my poor friend； how can it
be helped？ This sad world is full of accidents and Poles。〃
M。 Langis looked at him in amazement； as if to ask for an explanation。
M。 Moriaz continued： 〃Do yourself justice。 You are the most honest fellow
upon earth； I grant； you are a charming man； and an engineer of the
highest merit。 But； unfortunately； there is no mystery of blood and tears in
your existence； you are perfectly unpretending； frank； unaffected； and as
transparent as crystal； in short； you are not a stranger。 Had you a delicate；
blond； and romantic mother； and do you wear her portrait on your heart？
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have you unfathomable green eyes？ have you adventures to relate？ have
you visited California？ have you swept the streets of San Francisco？ have
you exchanged bullets with the Cossacks？ have you been killed in three
combats and in ten skirmishes？ I fear you have not even thought of dying
once。 Have you tried all professions； without succeeding in one？ have you
invented a gun which burst？ and； above all； are you as poor as a church…
mouse？ What！ is it possible that you possess none of these fine advantages；
and yet are audacious enough to ask me for my daughter's hand？〃
M。 Moriaz ended this harangue as the Samaden mail…coach passed。
Count Abel； seated on the outside； bowed and waved his hand to them。
〃Look well at that man；〃 said M。 Moriaz to Camille； 〃for he is the
enemy。〃
And then； instead of giving him the remaining information that the
youth desired； he said：
〃Go away and forget； it is the best thing that you can do。〃
〃You do not know me yet；〃 replied Camille。 〃I am obstinate； I fire to
the last cartridge。 I will follow your steps。 Oh！ don't be afraid； I will lie
deceive Antoinette； let her think that I have relinquished my claims。 I shall
pay her only a friendly visit； but my eyes hunger to see her； and I will see
her。〃
The morning of the following day the enemy arrived at Chur； whence
he proceeded to Berne。 Deponent saith not why he failed to turn aside at
Soleure； as he had expressed his intention of doing in order to pay tribute
there to the memory of the great Kosciuszko。 The facts of the case are； that
from Berne he went direct to Lausanne； and that immediately on reaching
there he hastened to the Saxon Casino。 When he seated himself at the
gaming…table； he experienced a violent palpitation of the heart。 His ears
tingled； his brain was on fire； and the cold sweat started out on his
forehead。 He cast fierce glances right and left； he seemed to see in his
partner's eyes his past； his future； and Mlle。 Moriaz life…size。 Fortune made
amends for the harshness she had shown him at Milan。 After a night of
anguish and many vicissitudes； at daybreak Count Abel had twenty
thousand francs in his pocket。 It was sufficient to pay his debts； which he
was anxious to do； and to enable him to await without too much
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impatience the moment for executing his projects。 He left the casino； his
face flushed and radiant； he was so joyful that he became tender and
affectionate； and； had M。 Guldenthal himself come in his way； he could
have embraced him。
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CHAPTER IV
Although he had said nothing about it to Mlle。 Moriaz in narrating to
her his voyages and Odysseys； Count Abel was already acquainted with
Paris； having made several long sojourns there。 This may seem improbable。
Gone in his early youth to America； he had not recrossed the ocean until
he returned to fight in Poland； since then he had lived in Roumania and
Vienna。 Where； then； had he found time to visit France？ Certain it is；
however； that he was at home on the boulevard； and that he knew well the
streets that led to the places where Paris amuses itself； but he had no
thoughts now for amusements。 Notwithstanding the fact that his purse was
full； he proposed to live a retired and austere life。 He found suitable
apartments in one of the lodging…houses of Rue Mont…Thabor。 These
apartments； on the fifth floor； were pleasant but modest； they consisted of
two rooms having a view of the chestnut…trees in the garden of the
Tuileries。 The portress was a nice woman； whose good…will Count Abel
gained on the very first day。 He considered it useful； in the affairs of this
world； to be at peace with both conscience and portress。
After getting installed in his garret his first care was to write to M。
Moses Guldenthal。 He informed him that he was ready to refund interest
and capital； and he commissioned him to pay off some trifling debts that
he had left in Vienna； he also desired him to send him the bracelet； which
he hoped to make use of。 He felt a genuine relief in the thought that he
owed no man anything； that his condition was clear and transparent。 When
a man is proud he likes to be out of debt； and when he is clever he foresees
all possible contingencies。 His second care was to go to the Passage de
l'Opera and buy a bouquet for sixty francs； which he carried to No。 27 Rue
Mouffetard。 He had one of those memories that retain everything and let
nothing escape them。 This bouquetthe most beautiful Mlle。 Galet ever
had receivedcaused her great astonishment。 She did not know to whom
to attribute it； the modest donor having escaped from the effusions of her
gratitude by not making himself known。 She supposed that Mlle。 Moriaz
had sent it to her； and； as she had taste for composition； she wrote to her a
four page letter of thanks。