"I have a story to relate to you," she continued, in a familiar tone;"listen with attention, I beg of you.I err if in the end you do not find it interesting.Thirteen or fourteen years ago, one of those unlucky chances, common in travelling, obliged me to pass several hours in a miserable little town in Galicia.The inn, or rather the tavern, where I stopped, was very dirty; the tavern-keeper, an ill-looking little German Jew, was still dirtier than his tavern, and he had a son who was in no better condition.I am given to forming illusions about people.In spite of his filth, this youth interested me.His stupid father refused him all instruction, and beat him unmercifully; he appeared intelligent; he made me think of a fresh-water fish condemned to live in a quagmire.He was called Samuel Brohl: remember the name.I pitied him and I saw no other way of saving him than to buy him of his father.This horrid little man demanded an exorbitant price.I assure you his pretensions were absurd.Well, my dear, I was out of cash; I had with me just the money sufficient for the expenses of the rest of the journey; but I wore on my arm a bracelet that had the advantage of pleasing him.It was a Persian trinket, more singular than beautiful.I can see it now; it was formed of three large plates of gold ornamented with grotesque animals, and joined by a filigree network.I valued this bracelet; it had been brought to me from Teheran.By means of a secret spring, one of the plates opened, and I had had engraved inside the most interesting dates of my life, and underneath them my profession of faith, with which you have no concern.Ah! my dear, when one has once been touched by that dangerous passion called philanthropy, one becomes capable of exchanging a Persian bracelet for a Samuel Brohl, and I swear to you that it was a real fool's bargain that I made.This miserable fellow paid me badly for my kindness to him.I sent him to the university, and later I took him into my service as secretary.He had a black heart.One fine morning, he took to his heels and disappeared.""That was revolting ingratitude," interrupted Antoinette, "and your good work, madame, was poorly recompensed; but I do not see what relation Samuel Brohl can have to my marriage.""You are too impatient, my darling.If you had given me time I would have told you that I had had the very unexpected pleasure of dining yesterday with him at Mme.de Lorcy's.This German has made great advances since I lost sight of him; not content with becoming a Pole, he is now a person of vast importance.He is called Count Abel Larinski, and he is to marry very soon Mlle.Antoinette Moriaz."The blood rushed into Antoinette's cheeks, and her eyes flashed fire.
Princess Gulof entirely mistook the sentiment that animated her, and said: "My dear, don't be angry, don't be indignant, your indignation will not help you at all.Without doubt, a rascal capable of deceiving such a charming girl as you deserves death ten times over; but be careful not to make an exposure! My dear, scandal always splashes mud over every one concerned, and there is a rather vulgar but exceedingly sensible Turkish proverb that says that the more garlic is crushed, the stronger becomes its odour.Believe me, you would not come off without a tinge of ridicule; certain mistakes always appear a little ridiculous, and it is useless to proclaim them to the universe.Thank Heaven! you are not yet the Countess Larinski--I arrived in time to save you.Be silent about the discovery you have just made; by no means mention it to Samuel Brohl, and seek a proper pretext to break with him.You would not be a woman if you could not find ten for one."Mlle.Moriaz could no longer refrain her anger."Madame," she exclaimed excitedly, "will you declare to M.Larinski, in my presence, that his name is Samuel Brohl?""I made that declaration to him yesterday--it is useless to repeat it.
He was nearer dead than alive, and I was truly sorry for the state into which I had thrown him.I cannot disguise from myself that I am the cause of all this; why did I take the boy from his father's tavern and his natal mud? Perhaps there he would have remained honest.It was I who launched him into the world and gave him the desire to advance, I put the trump-cards into his hand, but he found that he could not win fast enough by fair play, so he ended by cheating.It is not my place to overwhelm the poor devil--we owe some consideration to those who are under obligations to us; and, once more, I desire not to appear further in this business.Promise me that Samuel Brohl never will be informed of the measures I have taken."She replied, in a haughty tone: "I promise you, madame, that I never will do Count Larinski the wrong to repeat to him a single word of the very likely story you have related to me."The princess rose hastily, remained standing before Mlle.Moriaz, and contemplated her in silence; finally she said, in tones of the most cutting sarcasm: "Ah! you do not believe me, my dear.Decidedly you do not believe me.You are right; you should not put faith in an old woman's childish chatter.No, my darling, there is no Samuel Brohl: Idined yesterday at Maisons with the most authentic of Counts Larinski, and nothing remains for me to say but to present my best wishes for the certain happiness of the Countess Larinski, /et cetera/--of the Countess Larinski and company."With these words she bowed, turned on her heels, and disappeared.
Mlle.Moriaz remained an instant as if stunned by a blow.She questioned herself as to whether she had not seen a vision, or had had the nightmare.Was it, indeed, a Russian princess of flesh and blood who had just been there, who had been seated close beside her, and had conversed so strangely with her that the belfry of Cormeilles could not hear it without falling into a profound stupor? In fact, the belfry of Cormeilles had become silent, its bells no longer rang; an appalling silence reigned for two leagues round.
