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go overboard； and there will be no one to fish you out。〃
Abel Larinski paused at this place。 He put his letter down on the table；
and； turning round in his arm…chair； with a savage air； his eye fixed on a
distant corner of the room； he fell to thus soliloquizing in a sepulchral
voice：
〃Do you hear； idiot？ This old knave is right。 Accursed be the day when
the genius of invention thrilled your sublime brain！ A grand discovery you
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have made； forsooth！ What have I gained from it？ Grand illusions； grand
discomfitures！ What hath it availed me that I passed whole nights
discussing with you breech…loaders； screw…plates； tumbrels； sockets；
bridges； ovoid balls； and spring…locks？ What fruits have I gained from
these refreshing conversations？ You foresaw everything； my great man；
except that one little thing which great men so often fail to see； that
mysterious something； I know not what； which makes success。 When you
spoke to me； in your slow； monotonous tones； when you fixed upon me
your melancholy gaze； I should have been able to read in your eyes that
you were only a fool。 The devil take thee and thy gun； thy gun and thee；
hollow head； head full of chimeras； true Pole； true Larinski！〃
To whom was Count Abel speaking？ To a phantom？ To his double？ He
alone knew。 When he had uttered the last words； he resumed the perusal of
his letter； which ended thus：
〃Will you permit me to give you a piece of advice； M。 le Comte； a
good little piece of advice？ I have known you for three years； and have
taken much interest in your welfare。 You invent guns； which； when they
are strong； lack lightness。 I beg your pardon； but I do not comprehend you；
M。 le Comte。 The name you bear is excellent； the head you carry on your
shoulders is superb； and it is the general opinion that you resemble /Faust/；
but neither name nor head does you any good。 Leave the guns as they are；
and bestow your attention upon women； they； and they alone； can draw
you out of the deep waters where you are now floundering。 There is no
time to lose。 I beg your pardon； but you must be thirty years old； and
perhaps a little more。 This /diable/ of a gun has made you lose three
valuable years。
〃It pains me； M。 le Comte； to be compelled to remind you that the
little note falls due shortly。 I have had the value of the bracelet you left
with me as a pledge estimated； it is not worth a thousand florins； as you
believed； it is a piece of antiquity that has a value to only those who can
indulge in a caprice for fancy articles； and such caprices are rare nowadays；
the time for such is past。
〃I am； M。 le Comte； with much respect； your humble and obedient
servant；
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〃MOSES GULDENTHAL。〃
Abel Larinski turned once more in his chair。 He crumpled up between
his fingers the letter of M。 Moses Guldenthal； saying to himself as he did
so； that the Guldenthals are often very clear…sighted folks。 〃Ay； to be sure；〃
thought he； 〃this Hebrew is right； I have lost three valuable years。 I have
had fever； and my eyes have been clouded； but； Heaven be praised！ The
charm is broken； the illusion fled； I am cured saved！ Farewell； my
chimera； I am no longer thy dupe！ Many thanks； my dear friend： I return to
you your gun； do with it as it seemeth best to you。〃
His eyes suddenly fell on his own reflection in the mirror above the
chimney…piece； and he regarded it fixedly for a few moments。
〃The semblance truly of an inventor；〃 he resumed； mournfully smiling。
〃This pale； emaciated face； these deep…set eyes； with dark circles about
them； these hollow； cadaverous cheeks！ The three years have indeed left
their traces。 Bah！ a little rest in the Alpine pastures； and /Faust/ will
become rejuvenated。〃
He seized a pen； and wrote the following reply：
〃You are truly kind； my dear Guldenthal： you refuse me the miserable
florins； but you give me in their stead a little piece of advice that is worth
a fortune。 Unluckily； I am not capable of following it。 Noble souls like
ours comprehend each other with half a word； and you are a poet
whenever it suits you。 When in the course of the day you have transacted a
neat little piece of business； after having rubbed your hands until you have
almost deprived them of skin； you tune your violin； which you play like an
angel； and you draw from it such delightful strains that your ledger and
your cash…box fall to weeping with emotion。 I； too； am a musician； and my
music is the fair sex。 But； alas！ women never can be for me other than an
adorable inutility； a part of the dream of my life。 Your dreams yield you a
handsome percentage； as I have sorrowfully experienced； my dreams yield
me nothing； and therefore it is that they are dear to me。
〃I must prohibitunderstand me clearlyyour disposing of the trinket
I left with you； we have the weakness； we Poles； of clinging to our family
relics。 Set your mind at rest； before the end of the month I shall have
returned to Vienna； and will honour the dear little note。 One day you will
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go down on your knees to beg of me to loan you a thousand florins； and I
will astonish you with my ingratitude。 May the God of Abraham； of Isaac；
and of Jacob； have you in his holy keeping； my dear Guldenthal！〃
As he finished his letter； he heard the sound of harps and violins。 Some
itinerant musicians were giving a concert in the hotel…garden； which was
lit up as bright as day。 Abel opened his window； and leaned on his elbows；
looking out。 The first object that presented itself to his eyes was Mlle。
Moriaz； promenading one of the long garden…walks； leaning on her father's
arm。 Many eyes were fixed on herwe have already said it was difficult
not to gaze upon herbut no one contemplated her with such close
attention as Count Larinski。 He never once lost sight of her。
〃Is she beautiful？ Is she even pretty？〃 he queried within himself。 〃I
cannot quite make up my mind； but I am very sure that she is charming。
Like my bracelet； this is a fancy article。 She