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He drew near； seated himself； and put his ear towards her。 〃Must I take
off my apron？〃 he asked。
〃Why so？〃
〃I foresee that our conversation will revolve about matters pertaining
to the height of romance。 I wish to make a suitable appearance。〃
〃Nonsense！ your apron is very becoming。 All that I desire and stipulate
is； that you will accord me most religious attention。〃
She then proceeded to recount to him； point by point； all that had
occurred at Mme。 de Lorcy's。 She began her recital in a tranquil tone； she
grew animated； she warmed up by degrees； her eyes sparkled。 He listened
to her with deep chagrin； but he gazed on her with pride as he did so；
thinking； 〃/Mon Dieu/； how beautiful she is； and what a lucky rascal is this
Pole！〃
When she had ended； there was a moment's pause； during which she
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left him to his reflections。 As he maintained an ominous silence； she grew
impatient。 〃Speak；〃 she exclaimed。 〃I wish to know your innermost
thoughts。〃
〃I think you are adorable。〃
〃Oh！ please； do for once be serious。〃
〃Seriously；〃 he rejoined； 〃I am not certain that you are wrong； nor has
it been proved to me that you are right； there remain some doubts。〃
She cried out eagerly： 〃According to this； the sole realities of this
world are things that can be seen； touched； felta retort and its contents。
Beyond this all is null and void； a lie； a cheat。 Ah！ your wretched retorts
and crucibles！ If I followed out this thought； I should be ready to break
every one of them。〃
She cast about her as she spoke so ferocious and threatening a look；
that M。 Moriaz trembled for his laboratory； 〃I beg of you；〃 he protested；
〃have mercy on my poor crucibles； my honest retorts； my innocent jars！
They have nothing to do with this affair。 Is it their fault that the stories you
narrate to me so disturb my usual train of thoughts that I find it wholly
impossible to make adroit replies？〃
〃You do not； then； believe in the extraordinary？〃
〃The extraordinary！ Every time I encounter it； I salute it；〃 replied he；
drawing off his cap and bowing low； 〃but at the same time I demand its
papers。〃
〃Ah！ there we are。 I really imagined that the investigation had been
made。〃
〃It was not conclusive； since it failed to convince Mme。 de Lorcy。〃
〃Ah！ who could convince Mme。 de Lorcy？ Do you forget how people
of the world are constituted； and how they detest all that astonishes； all
that exceeds their limits； all that they cannot weight with their small
balances； measure with their tiny compasses？〃
〃/Peste！/ you are severe on the world； I always fancied that you were
fond of it。〃
〃I do not know whether I am fond of it or not； it is certain that I
scarcely should know how to live without it； but I surely may be permitted
to pass an opinion on it； and I often tell myself that if Christ should
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reappear among us with his train of publicans and fishermanare you
listening？that if the meek and the lowly Jesus should come to preach his
Sermon on the Mount in the Boulevard des Italiens〃
〃To make a show of probability；〃 he interrupted； 〃suppose you were to
place the scene at Montmartre。 Frankly； I cannot see what possible
connection there can be between the Christ and your Count Larinski； and；
pray； do not let us enter into a theological discussion； you know it is
wholly out of my line。 Religion seems to me an excellent thing； a most
useful thing； and I freely accept Christianity； minus the romantic side； with
which I have no time to occupy myself。 You will at least grant me that； if
there are true miracles； there are also false ones。 How distinguish them？〃
〃It is the heart that must decide；〃 said she。
〃Oh！ the infallibility of the heart！〃 exclaimed he。 〃There never was
council yet that voted that。〃
There was a pause； after which M。 Moriaz resumed： 〃And so； my dear；
you are persuaded that M。 Larinski is still free； and that Mme。 de Lorcy
lied？〃
〃Not at all； if she had lied； she would not have betrayed herself so
naively just now。 I accuse her of deceiving herself； or rather of having
wished to deceive herself。 Do you know what you are going to doI mean
this eveningafter dinner？ You are going to order up the carriage； and you
are going〃
〃To Paris； Rue Mont…Thabor！〃 he exclaimed； bounding up in his seat。
〃Very good； I will put on a dress…coat； and I will say to Count Larinski：
'My dear monsieur； I come to demand your hand for my daughter； who
adores you。 Certain malicious tongues assert that you are no longer free； I
do not believe them； besides； this would be a mere bagatelle。' On the
whole； I believe you would do better to put it down in writing for me； left
to myself I never will get through with it； out of my professor's chair I
have considerable difficulty in finding words！〃
〃Dear me； how hasty you are！ Who suggests such a thing？ Abbe
Miollens is our friend； he is a worthy man； whose testimony would be
reliable。〃
〃Now this is something like！ I see what you mean。 At this rate you will
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not need to prepare my harangue。 Here we have an acceptable idea； a
possible interview。 This evening； after my dinner； I shall go see Abbe
Miollens； but it is clearly understood； I presume； that if he confirms the
sentence〃
〃I shall not ask for its repeal； and I promise you that I will be
courageous beyond anything that you can imagine； you shall not so much
as suspect that I even regret my chimera。 But； as a fair exchange； you on
your side must make me a promise。 If Abbe Miollens〃
〃You know as well as I that you are of age。〃
〃I know as well as you that I never will be content without your
consent。 Here once more as in the Engadine； I say； 'Either he or no one。' 〃
〃Did I not warn you that when once a formula has been pronounced；
one is apt to keep on repeating it f