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Mme。 de Lorcy； do her this justice； she has worked hard； and you owe her
many thanks for having busied herself so actively in ridding you of 'this
worthy man； this good man； this delightful man'； those are her own words；
if you remember。〃
M。 Moriaz exclaimed： 〃I hope you do not imagine that it was a matter
arranged between us。 Do you really suspect me of having some dark plot
with Mme。 de Lorcy！ Do you believe me capable of being implicated in an
act of perfidy？〃
〃God forbid！ I only accuse you of being too joyous； and of not
knowing how to conceal it。〃
〃Is that a crime？〃
〃Perhaps it is an indiscretion。〃
〃I swear to you； my dear child； that I only consider your happiness；
and Mme。 de Lorcy herself Since M。 Langis no longer thinks of you；
what reason could she have〃
〃I do not know；〃 interrupted Antoinette； 〃but her prejudice would take
the place of reason。〃
〃So you will not believe that Count Larinski is married？〃
〃I believe it； without being certain； and I wish to be assured of it。 Have
I not acted in good faith through all this matter？ was I not ready to comply
with your conditions？ I consented to refer to the judgment of Mme。 de
Lorcy。 She has deigned to be gracious to the accused。 She has admitted
that M。 Larinski is a perfectly honourable and even a delightful man； but
she has discovered； at intervals of several days； first； that he does not love
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me； and then； that he has deceived me by letting me believe that he was
still free。 I wish to satisfy my own mind； and convince myself that I am
not being played with。〃
〃And you have concluded〃
〃I have concluded that； with your permission； we shall leave to…
morrow morning for Cormeilles。〃
This conclusion was by no means agreeable to M。 Moriaz； whose face
grew sensibly longer。
〃Of what are you afraid？ You know that I have character； and you
ought to know； no matter what Mme。 de Lorcy says； that I am not wanting
in good sense。 When it is proved to me that I have deceived myself； I will
make the sign of the cross over my romance； it will be dead and buried；
and I promise you not to wear mourning for it。〃
〃So be it；〃 said he； 〃I believe in your good sense； I have faith in your
reason： we shall leave to…morrow for Cormeilles。〃
Four days later； Mme。 de Lorcy was walking in an alley in her park。
She was joined there by M。 Langis； to whom she said； in a good…
humoured tone： 〃Always grave and melancholy； my dear Camille！ When
will you cease your drooping airs？ I cannot understand you。 I do my best
to be agreeable to you； to settle matters satisfactorily。 Nothing seems to
cheer you。 You make me think of the hare in La Fontaine：
〃 'Cet animal est triste； et la Crainte le ronge。' 〃
〃Fear and hate； madame；〃 replied he。 〃I hate this man； he is
insupportable to me。 I will give up coming to Maisons if I always must
meet him here。 Has he paid you his adieux for the last time？〃
〃Not yet； a little patiencewe shall not count the minutes。 Besides；
what harm can this man do you？ The lion has lost his clawswhat do I
say？he has carried his good…nature to the point of muzzling himself。 It is
not generous to pursue with hate a disarmed enemy。〃
〃Very well； madame； if he is not gone in three days； I return to my first
idea； it was the best。〃
〃You will cut his throat？〃
〃With all my heart。〃
〃For the love of art？〃
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〃I am not a very bloodthirsty individual； but I would take a singular
delight in slashing at the skin of this gloomy personage。〃
Mme。 de Lorcy shrugged her shoulders。 〃What makes you think him
gloomy； my dear？ You are perfectly reasonable。 You ought to adore M。
Larinski； you are under the greatest obligations to him。 He has been the
first to succeed in touching the heart of our dear； hitherto insensible girl；
he has broken the charm。 She was the Sleeping Beauty； he has awakened
her； and； through the favour of Heaven； he cannot marry her。 I can see her
in Churwalden； a prey to the gloomiest ennui； weeping over her illusions；
furious at having been deceived。 Do you not divine all the advantage that
can be derived from a woman's anger？〃
〃You know that I love her； and yet I do not wish to owe anything to her
spite。〃
〃You are a child： be guided。 The moment is come for you to propose。
In a few days you will start for Churwalden； and you will say to this angry
woman； 'I have liedI love you。' In short； you will talk to her of your
amorous flame； and you may； freely； under these circumstances； exhaust
all your treasure…store of hyperbole。 She will listen to you； I can promise
you； and she will say to herself； 'I seek vengeance here it is。' 〃
〃I would like to believe you； madame；〃 he replied； 〃but are you very
certain that Mlle。 Moriaz is still at Churwalden？〃
And； pointing with his finger； he showed her at the end of the avenue a
figure coming towards them clad in a pretty nut…brown dress with a long
train sweeping the gravel。
〃Truly； I believe that it is she；〃 cried Mme。 de Lorcy。 〃M。 Moriaz is the
most unskilful person； but； after all； not much harm is done。〃
Mlle。 Moriaz had arrived the evening previous at Cormeilles。 After
resting somewhat from the fatigues of the journey； she had nothing more
urgent to do than to order the horses put to her coupe and to come and pay
her respects to her godmother； who could not fail to be touched by this
attention。
Mme。 de Lorcy ran to Antoinette and embraced her several times；
saying： 〃You are here at last！ How charmed I am to see you again！ You
made us wait long enough； I began to fear that you had taken root in the
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Grisons。 Is it indeed an enchanted land？ I rather believe that your father is
a cruel egotist； that he shamefully sacrificed you to his own convenience
in prolonging his cure； but here you areI will pardon him。 Your poor；
your /proteges/； are clamorous for you。 Who do you think asked after you；
the other day？ Mlle。 Galet； whom； according to your orders； I supplied
with her quarter's allowance。 How you spoil her！ I fou