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with her quarter's allowance。 How you spoil her！ I found on her table a
bouquet fit for a duchess； she insisted that you had sent it to her from
where you were； and I had all the trouble in the world to make her
understand that double camellias are not gathered among the glaciers of
Roseg。 Strew with flowers； if you will； Mlle。 Galet's existence and garret；
but do not fling at her head a bushel of double camellias； streaked with
white； it is madness。 I seriously propose to have you put under restraint。
Never mind； I am very happy to see you again。 You are looking very well。…
…Don't you think； Camille； that she appears extremely well？〃
Mlle。 Moriaz coldly received Mme。 de Lorcy's embraces； but she
smiled graciously on M。 Langis； and pressed his hand affectionately。 Mme。
de Lorcy led them into her /salon/； where they talked on indifferent
subjects。 Antoinette was waiting for M。 Langis's departure to broach the
subject that she had at heart。 At the end of twenty minutes； he rose； but
immediately reseated himself。 A door had just opened； giving admittance
to Count Abel Larinski。
At the unexpected apparition of Samuel Brohl； the two women
changed colour； the one flushed from the effort that she made to
dissimulate her vexation； the other turned pale from emotion。 Samuel
Brohl crossed the /salon/ with deliberate step； without appearing to
recognise the person who was with Mme。 de Lorcy。 Suddenly he trembled；
as if he had been touched by a torpedo； and； profoundly agitated； almost
lost countenance。 Was he as much astonished as he seemed？ For some
time the Sannois Hill had become his favourite promenade； and he never
went there without going as far as a certain spot whence he could see the
front of a certain house； the window…shutters of which had remained
during two months as though hermetically sealed。 It might be that the
evening before he had found them open。 Induction is a scientific process
with which Samuel Brohls are familiar。
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He had abundant will and self…control。 He was not long in recovering
himself； he raised his head like one who feels himself strong enough to
defy all dangers。 After greeting Mme。 de Lorcy； he drew near Antoinette；
and asked how she was； in a grave； almost ceremonious tone。
〃Your visit distresses me； my dear count；〃 said Mme。 de Lorcy to him；
〃I fear it is the last。 Have you come to bid us farewell？〃
〃Alas！ yes； madame；〃 he replied。 〃The letter for which I have been
waiting has not yet arrived； but this delay will not alter my plans： in three
days I shall leave Paris。〃
〃Without a desire to return； without regret？〃 she asked。
〃I shall only regret Maisons； and the kind reception I have received
there。 Paris is too large； little people like myself feel their smallness more
here than elsewhere； it does not require an excess of pride for one to
dislike being reduced to the state of an atom。 Residing in Vienna suits me
better； I breathe freer there； it is a city better adapted to my size and taste。
Birds do wrong to change their nests。〃
Thereupon； he began to describe and warmly extol the Prater and its
fine walks； Schonbrunn； its botanical gardens and the Gloriette； the church
of St。 Stephen's； and the limpid waters of the Danube； sometimes
addressing himself to Antoinette； who listened without a word； and
sometimes to Mme。 de Lorcy； whose eyes were turned at intervals towards
M。 Langis； seeming to say to him： 〃Was I not right？ Confess that your
apprehensions lacked common…sense。 Do you hear him？ he has only half
an hour to spend with her； and he describes the Prater。 Are you still
thinking of cutting his throat？ Please say one polite and civil word to him。
It is not he； it is you who are gloomy。 Throw off your sinister air。 How
long will this taciturn reverie last in which you are sunk？ You make
yourself a laughing…stockyou act like a fool。 You resemble a sphinx of
the desert engaged in meditating upon a serpent； and who mistakes an
innocent adder for a viper。〃 M。 Langis understood what she wished to say
to him； but he did not throw off his sinister air。
After praising Vienna and its environs； Samuel Brohl eulogized the
easy； careless character of the Viennese。 He told； in a sprightly way；
several anecdotes。 His gaiety was rather feverishsomewhat forced
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studied； and abrupt； but； nevertheless； it was gaiety。 Mme。 de Lorcy
responded to him； Mlle。 Moriaz continued silent； she crumpled between
her fingers the guipure lace of her Marie…Antoinette fichu； and； with fixed
eye； she seemed to be counting the stitches。 Samuel Brohl interrupted
himself in the midst of a sentence； and rose suddenly。 He turned towards
Antoinette； in a hollow voice he begged her to tell M。 Moriaz how much
he regretted that his early departure would deprive him of the honour and
pleasure of visiting him at Cormeilles； then he bowed to Mme。 de Lorcy；
thanked her for the happy moments that he had spent with her； and
charged her to commend him to the kind remembrance of Abbe Miollens。
〃We shall meet again； my dear count；〃 she said to him； in a clear voice；
emphasizing her words； 〃and I hope that； before long； we shall make the
acquaintance of the Countess Larinski。〃
He looked at her in astonishment； and murmured； 〃I lost my mother
ten years ago。〃
Immediately； without giving Mme。 de Lorcy time to explain herself； he
directed his steps hastily towards the door； followed by three glances； all
three of which spoke； although they did not all say the same thing。 The
room was large； during the thirty seconds that it took him to cross it； the
angel of silence hovered in the air。
He was about passing through the door； when； as fatality ordained；
there occurred to him an unfortunate and disastrous thought。 He could not
resist the desire to see Mlle。 Moriaz once more； to impress forever on his
memory her ador