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thousand francs at whist。 'What will Paz say？' thought I as I walked
home。 Paz paid them to me； not without a sigh； but he never reproached
me； even by a look。 But that sigh of his restrained me more than the
remonstrances of uncles； mothers； or wives could have done。 'Do you
regret the money？' I said to him。 'Not for you or me； no；' he replied；
'but I was thinking that twenty poor Poles could have lived a year on
that sum。' You must understand that the Pazzi are fully the equal of
the Laginski； so I couldn't regard my dear Paz as an inferior。 I never
went out or came in without going first to Paz； as I would to my
father。 My fortune is his； and Thaddeus knows that if danger
threatened him I would fling myself into it and drag him out； as I
have done before。〃
〃And that is saying a good deal； my dear friend；〃 said the countess。
〃Devotion is like a flash of lightning。 Men devote themselves in
battle； but they no longer have the heart for it in Paris。〃
〃Well；〃 replied Adam； 〃I am always ready； as in battle； to devote
myself to Paz。 Our two characters have kept their natural asperities
and defects； but the mutual comprehension of our souls has tightened
the bond already close between us。 It is quite possible to save a
man's life and kill him afterwards if we find him a bad fellow； but
Paz and I know THAT of each other which makes our friendship
indissoluble。 There's a constant exchange of happy thoughts and
impressions between us； and really； perhaps； such a friendship as ours
is richer than love。〃
A pretty hand closed the count's mouth so promptly that the action was
somewhat like a blow。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃friendship； my dear angel； knows nothing of bankrupt
sentiments and collapsed joys。 Love； after giving more than it has；
ends by giving less than it receives。〃
〃One side as well as the other；〃 remarked Clementine laughing。
〃Yes；〃 continued Adam； 〃whereas friendship only increases。 You need
not pucker up your lips at that； for we are； you and I； as much
friends as lovers； we have； at least I hope so； combined the two
sentiments in our happy marriage。〃
〃I'll explain to you what it is that has made you and Thaddeus such
good friends；〃 said Clementine。 〃The difference in the lives you lead
comes from your tastes and from necessity； from your likings； not your
positions。 As far as one can judge from merely seeing a man once； and
also from what you tell me； there are times when the subaltern might
become the superior。〃
〃Oh； Paz is truly my superior；〃 said Adam； naively； 〃I have no
advantage over him except mere luck。〃
His wife kissed him for the generosity of those words。
〃The extreme care with which he hides the grandeur of his feelings is
one form of his superiority；〃 continued the count。 〃I said to him
once： 'You are a sly one； you have in your heart a vast domain within
which you live and think。' He has a right to the title of count； but
in Paris he won't be called anything but captain。〃
〃The fact is that the Florentine of the middle…ages has reappeared in
our century；〃 said the countess。 〃Dante and Michael Angelo are in
him。〃
〃That's the very truth；〃 cried Adam。 〃He is a poet in soul。〃
〃So here I am； married to two Poles；〃 said the young countess； with a
gesture worthy of some genius of the stage。
〃Dear child！〃 said Adam； pressing her to him； 〃it would have made me
very unhappy if my friend did not please you。 We were both rather
afraid of it； he and I； though he was delighted at my marriage。 You
will make him very happy if you tell him that you love him；yes； as
an old friend。〃
〃I'll go and dress； the day is so fine； and we will all three ride
together；〃 said Clementine； ringing for her maid。
II
Paz was leading so subterranean a life that the fashionable world of
Paris asked who he was when the Comtesse Laginska was seen in the Bois
de Boulogne riding between her husband and a stranger。 During the ride
Clementine insisted that Thaddeus should dine with them。 This caprice
of the sovereign lady compelled Paz to make an evening toilet。
Clementine dressed for the occasion with a certain coquetry； in a
style that impressed even Adam himself when she entered the salon
where the two friends awaited her。
〃Comte Paz；〃 she said； 〃you must go with us to the Opera。〃
This was said in the tone which； coming from a woman means： 〃If you
refuse we shall quarrel。〃
〃Willingly； madame；〃 replied the captain。 〃But as I have not the
fortune of a count； have the kindness to call me captain。〃
〃Very good； captain； give me your arm；〃 she said；taking it and
leading the way to the dining…room with the flattering familiarity
which enchants all lovers。
The countess placed the captain beside her； his behavior was that of a
poor sub…lieutenant dining at his general's table。 He let Clementine
talk； listened deferentially as to a superior； did not differ with her
in anything； and waited to be questioned before he spoke at all。 He
seemed actually stupid to the countess； whose coquettish little ways
missed their mark in presence of such frigid gravity and conventional
respect。 In vain Adam kept saying： 〃Do be lively； Thaddeus； one would
really suppose you were not at home。 You must have made a wager to
disconcert Clementine。〃 Thaddeus continued heavy and half asleep。 When
the servants left the room at the end of the dessert the captain
explained that his habits were diametrically opposite to those of
society；he went to bed at eight o'clock and got up very early in the
morning； and he excused his dulness on the ground of being sleepy。
〃My intention in taking you to the Opera was to amuse you； captain；
but do as you prefer；〃 said Clementine； rather piqued。
〃I will go；〃 said Paz。
〃Duprez sings 'Guillaume Tell；'〃 remarked Adam。 〃But perhaps you would
rather go to the 'Varietes'？〃
The captain smiled and rang the bell。 〃Tell Constantin；〃 he said to
the footman； 〃to put the horses to the carriage instead of the coupe。
We should be rather squeezed otherwise；〃 he said to the count。
〃A Frenchman would have forgotten that；〃 remarked Clementine； smiling。
〃Ah！ but we are Florentines transplanted to the North；〃 answered
Thaddeus with a refinement of accent and a look in his eyes which made
his conduct at table seem assumed for the occasion。 There was too
evident a contrast between his involuntary self…revelation in this
speech and his behavior during dinner。 Clementine examined the captain
with a few of those covert glances which show a woman's surprise and
also her capacity for observation。
It resulted from this little incident that silence reigned in the
salon while the three took their coffee； a silence rather annoying to
Adam； who was incapable of imagining the cause of it。 Clementine no
longer tried to draw out Thaddeus。 The captain； on the other hand；
retreated within his military stiffness and came out of it no more；
neithe