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announced an improvement in her symptoms。
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CHAPTER XII
Six days after these events； Samuel Brohl； having passed through
Namur and Liege without stopping at either place； arrived by rail at Aix…
la… Chapelle。 He went directly to the Hotel Royal； close to the railroad…
station； he ordered a hearty dinner to be served him； which he washed
down with foaming champagne。 He had an excellent appetite； his soul
kept holiday； his heart was expanded； inflated with joy； and his brain
intoxicated。 He had revenged himself； he had meted out justice to that
insolent fellow； his rival。 Mlle。 Moriaz did not belong to Samuel Brohl；
but she never would belong to Camille Langis。 Near the Franco… Belgian
frontier； on the verge of a forest； a man had been shot in the breast；
Samuel Brohl had seen him fall； and some one had cried； 〃He is dead！〃 It
is asserted that Aix…la…Chapelle is a very dull city； that the very dogs suffer
so sadly from ennui that they piteously beg passers…by to kick them； with a
view to having a little excitement。 Samuel never felt one moment's ennui
during the evening that he spent in Charlemagne's city。 He had constantly
in mind a certain spot in a forest； and a man falling； and he experienced a
thrill of delight。
After the champagne； he drank punch； an after that he slept like a
dormouse； unfortunately； sleep dissipated his exhilaration； and when he
awoke his gaiety had left him。 He had the fatal custom of reflecting； his
reflections saddened him； he was revenged； but what then？ He thought for
a long while of Mlle。 Moriaz； he gazed with melancholy eye at his two
hands； which had allowed her and good fortune to elude their grasp。
He recited in a low voice some German verses； signifying：
〃I have resolved to bury my songs and my dreams； bring me a large
coffin。 Why is this coffin so heavy？ Because in it with my dreams I have
laid away my love and my sorrows。〃
When he had recited these verses Samuel felt sadder than before； and
he cursed the poets。 〃They did me great harm；〃 he said； bitterly。 〃Without
them I had spent days interwoven with gold and silk。 My future was
secure： it was they who gave me a distaste for my position。 I believed in
them； I was the dupe of their hollow declamation； they taught me
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thoughtless contempt； and they gave me the sickly ambition to play the
silly part of a man of fine sentiments。 I despised the mud。 Where am I
now？〃
He had formed the project of going to Holland and of embarking
thence for America。 What would he do in the United States？ He did not
know yet。 He passed in review all the professions that at all suited him；
they all required an outlay for first expenses。 Thanks to God and to M。
Guldenthal； whose loan was in the greatest danger； he was not destitute of
all supplies。 But a week previous he had held into the flames and burned
twenty…five one…thousand…franc bills of the Bank of France。 He felt some
remorse for the act； he could not help thinking that a revenge that cost
twenty…five thousand francs was an article of luxury of which poor devils
should deprive themselves。 In thinking over this adventure； it seemed to
him that it was another than himself who had burned those bills； or at least
that he had mechanically executed this /auto…da…fe/ through a sort of
thoughtless impulse； like a puppet moved by an invisible string。 Suddenly
the phantom with whom he had had frequent conversations appeared； and
there was a sneer on its lips。 Samuel addressed it once morethis was to
be the last time； he said：
〃Imbecile！ You are my evil genius。 It was you who caused me to
commit this extravagance。 You yourself lighted the candle； you put the
bills into my hands； you guided my arm； extended it； held it above the
fatal flame。 This act of supreme heroism was your work； it is not I； it is
you； who paid so dearly for the pleasure of astonishing one who wantonly
insulted me； and of killing him。 Cursed forever be the day when I assumed
your name； and when I conceived the foolish notion of becoming your
second self！ I made myself a Pole： did Poland ever have the least idea of
government？ You of all men were the most incapable of making your way；
I aped a poor model indeed。 Abel Larinski； I break off all connection with
you； I wind up the affairs of our firm； I put the key under the door； or drop
it down the well。 O my great Pole！ I return to you your title； your name；
and with your name all that you gave meyour pride； your pretensions；
your dangerous delicacy； your attitudes； your sentimental grimaces； and
your waving plume。〃
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It was thus that Samuel Brohl took a decisive farewell of Count Abel
Larinski； who might henceforth rest quietly in his grave； there was no
further danger of a dead man being compromised by a living one。 What
name did Samuel Brohl mean now to assume？ Out of spite to his destiny；
he chose for the time the humblest of all； he decided to call himself Kicks；
which was his mother's name。
His melancholy would have known no bounds； had he suspected that
Camille Langis was still in the world。 Camille Langis for two weeks lay
between life and death； but the ball had finally been successfully extracted。
Mme。 de Lorcy hastened to Mons and nursed him like a mother； she had
the joy of bringing him back alive to Paris。
Care was taken that no mention of the duel should be made to Mlle。
Moriaz； and not a word concerning it reached her； her condition for a long
time caused the gravest anxiety。 After she became convalescent she
remained sunk in a gloomy； taciturn sadness。 She never made the least
allusion to what had passed； and would not permit any one to speak of it to
her。 She had been deceived； and a mortification； mingled with dread； was
the result of her mistake。 It seemed to her that nothing remained in life for
her but remembrance and silence。