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her but remembrance and silence。
Towards the end of November； M。 Moriaz proposed to her that they
should return to Paris。 She expressed her desire not to leave Cormeillesto
pass the winter in solitude； the human face terrified her。 M。 Moriaz tried to
represent to her that she was unreasonable。
〃Will you wear eternal mourning for a stranger？〃 he asked； 〃for； in
reality； the man that you loved you never saw。 Ah！ /mon Dieu/； you
deceived； you deluded yourself。 Is there； I will not say a single woman；
but a single member of the Institute； who has not once been grossly
imposed on？ It is through the means of failures in experiments that science
progresses。〃
And he rose to still higher considerations； he endeavoured to prove to
her that； if it is bad to have erred； an excessive fear of erring is a still
worse evil； because it is better to lose one's way than not to walk at all。
When he had finished his harangue； she said； shaking her head； 〃I have
no longer faith in any one。〃
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〃What！ not even in the brave fellow to whom you owe the recovery of
your portrait and your letters？〃
〃Of whom do you speak？〃 she exclaimed。
Then he declared to her how M。 Langis had effected the descent into
the den； without telling her what had resulted therefrom。
〃Ah！ that was kind； very kind；〃 she said。 〃I never doubted that Camille
was a true friend。〃
〃A friend？ Are you very sure that it is only friendship that he feels for
you？〃
Whereupon M。 Moriaz told her all the rest。 She grew pensive and sank
into a reverie。 Suddenly the door of the /salon/ opened； and Camille
entered。 After inquiring after her health； he informed her that in
consequence of a cold he； too； had been sick； and； as he was now free
from business engagements； his physician was sending him to pass the
winter in Sorrento。
She replied： 〃That is a journey that I would like to make。 Will you take
me with you？〃
She gazed fixedly at him； there was everything in her gaze。 He bent
his knee before her； and for some moments they remained hand…in…hand；
and eye to eye。 In the midst of this； Mlle。 Moiseney appeared； who； at
sight of this /tableau vivant/； stood perfectly confounded。
〃You are very much astonished； mademoiselle；〃 said M。 Moriaz to her。
〃Not so much as you fancy； monsieur；〃 replied she； recovering herself。
〃I did not dare to say it； but in my heart I always believed； always thought…
… Yes； I always was sure that it would end thus。〃
〃God bless Pope Joan！〃 he cried； 〃I shall cease to correct her。〃
We have failed to learn what Samuel Brohl is doing in America。 In
waiting for something better； has he become an humble teacher？ has he
attempted a new matrimonial enterprise？ has he become a reporter of the
/New York Herald/； or a politician in one of the Northern States； or a
carpet…bagger in South Carolina？ does he dream of being some day
President of the glorious republic with the starry banner？
Up to the present time； no American journal has devoted the shortest
paragraph to him。 Adventurers are beings who constantly vanish and
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reappear； they belong to the family of divers； but； after many plunges； they
always end by some catastrophe。 The wave supports the drowning man an
instant； then bears him away and drags him down to the depths of the
briny abyss； there is heard a splash； a ripple； a hoarse cry； followed by a
smothered groan； and Samuel Brohl is no more！ For some days the
question is agitated whether his real name is Brohl； Kicks； or Larinski；
soon something else is talked about； and his memory becomes a prey to
eternal silence。
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