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Crossing her hands on her breast； and uplifting to him her brown eyes； that were as proud as gentle； she softly murmured； 〃What more？〃
〃I came to Chur；〃 he replied； 〃I entered a church； I there saw a fair unknown； and I forgot myself in gazing at her。 That evening I saw her again； she was walking in a garden where there was music； and this music of harps and violins was grateful to me。 I said within myself： 'What a thing is the heart of man！ The woman who has passed me by without seeing me does not know me； will never know of my existence； I am ignorant of even her name； and I wish to remain so； but I am conscious that she exists； and I am glad； content； almost happy。 She will be for me the fair unknown； she cannot prevent me from remembering her。 I will think sometimes of the fair unknown of Chur。' 〃
〃Very good；〃 said she； 〃but this does not explain the letter。〃
〃We are coming to that；〃 he continued。 〃I was seated in a copse； by the roadside。 I had the blueswas profoundly weary； there are times when life weighs on me like a torturing burden。 I thought of disappointed expectations； of dissipated illusions； of the bitterness of my youth and of my future。 You passed by on the road； and I said to myself； 'There is good in life； because of such encounters； in which we catch renewed glimpses of what was once pleasant for us to see。' 〃
〃And the note？〃 she asked again； in a dreamy tone。
He went on： 〃I never was a philosopher； wisdom consists in performing only useful actions； and I was born with a taste for the useless。 That evening I saw you climb a hill； in order to gather some flowers； the hill was steep and you could not reach the flowers。 I gathered them for you； and； in sending my bouquet； I could not resist the temptation of adding a word。 'Before doing penance；' I said to myself； 'let me commit this one folly； it shall be the last。' We always flatter ourselves that each folly will be our last。 The unfortunate note had scarcely gone； when I regretted having sent it； I would have given much to have had it back； I felt all its impropriety； I have dealt justly by it in tearing it to pieces。 My only excuse was my firm resolution not to meet you； not to make your acquaintance。 Chance ordered otherwise： I was presented to you； you know by whom； and how； I ended by coming here every evening； but I rebelled against my own weakness； I condemned myself to absence for a few days； so as to break a dangerous habit； and； thank God！ I have broken my chain。〃
She lightly tapped the floor with the tip of her foot； and demanded with the air of a queen recalling a subject to his allegiance； 〃Are you to be believed？〃
He had spoken in a half…serious； half…jesting tone； tinged with the playful melancholy that was natural to him。 He changed countenance； his face flushed； and he cried out abruptly； 〃I regained my strength and will on the summit of Morteratsch； and I only return to bid you farewell； and to give you the assurance that I never will see you again。〃
〃It is a strange case；〃 she replied； 〃but I pardon you； on condition that you do not execute your threat。 You are resolved to be wise； the wise avoid extremes。 You will remember that you have friends in Paris。 My father has many connections； if we can be of service to you in any way〃
He did not permit her to finish； and responded proudly： 〃I thank you； with all my heart。 I have sworn to be under obligations to none but myself。〃
〃Very well；〃 she replied； 〃you will visit us for our pleasure。 In a month we shall be at Cormeilles。〃
He shook his head in sign of refusal。 She looked fixedly at him； and said； 〃It must be so。〃
This look； these words； sent to Count Abel's brain such a thrill of joy and of hope that for a moment he thought he had betrayed himself。 He nearly fell on his knees before Mlle。 Moriaz； but； speedily mastering his emotions； he bowed gravely； casting down his eyes。 She herself immediately resumed her usual voice and manner； and questioned him on his journey。 He told her； in reply； that he proposed to go by the route of Soleure； and to stay there a day in order to visit in Gurzelengasse the house where Kosciuszko； the greatest of Poles； had died。 He had thought of this pilgrimage for a long time。 He added： 〃Still another useless action。 Ah！ when shall I improve？〃
〃Don't improve too much；〃 she said； smiling。 And then he went away。
M。 Moriaz returned to the hotel about noon： his guide being engaged elsewhere； he had taken only a short ramble。 After breakfast his daughter proposed to him that he should go down with her to the banks of the lake。 They made the descent； which is not difficult。 This pretty piece of water； that has been falsely accused of resembling a shaving…dish； is said to be not less than a mile in length。 When the father and daughter reached the entrance of the woods that pedestrians pass through in going to Pontresina； they seated themselves on the grass at the foot of a larch。 They remained some time silent。 Antoinette watched the cows grazing； and stroked the smooth； glossy leaves of a yellow gentian with the end of her parasol。 M。 Moriaz busied himself with neither the cows nor the yellow gentianhe thought of M。 Camille Langis； and felt more than a little guilty in that quarter； he had not written to him； having nothing satisfactory to tell him。 He could see the young man waiting in vain； at the Hotel Steinbock。 To pass a fortnight at Chur is a torture that the most robust constitution scarcely can endure； and it is an increased torture to watch every evening and every morning for a letter that never comes。 M。 Moriaz resolved to open hostilities； to begin a new assault on the impregnable place。 He was seeking in his mind for a beginning for his first phrase。 He had just found it； when suddenly Antoinette said to him； in a low； agitated； but distinct voice： 〃I have a question for you。 What would you think if I should some day marry M。 Abel Larinski？〃
M。 Moriaz started up； and his cane； slipping from his hand； rolled to the bottom of the declivity。 He looked at his daughter； and said to her： 〃I beg of you to repeat what you just said to me。 I fear I have misunderstood you。〃
She answered in a firmer voice； 〃I am curious to know what you would think if I should marry； some day or other； Count Larinski。〃
He was startled； thunderstruck。 He never had foreseen that such a catastrophe could occur； nor had the least suspicion that anything had passed between his daughter and M。 Larinski。 Of all the ideas that had suggested themselves to him； this seemed the least admissible； the most improbable and ridiculous。 After a long silence； he said to Antoinette； 〃You want to frighten methis is not serious。〃
〃Do you dislike M。 Larinski？〃 she asked。
〃Certainly not； I by no means dislike him。 He has good manners； he speaks well； and I must acknowledge that he had a very graceful way of taking me from off my rock； where I should still be had it not been for him。 I am grateful to him for it； but； from that to giving him my daughter； there is a wide margin。 If he wanted me to give him a medal he should have it。〃
〃Let us talk seriously；〃 said she。 〃What objections have you to make？〃
〃First； M。 Larinski is a stranger； and I mistr