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〃Seriously； will you receive this man？〃
〃I have been asked to examine him。〃
〃I am lost； if you feel the need of hearing before condemning him。 Our
most sacred duty is to be resolutely unjust towards the enemies of our
friends。〃
〃Nonsense！ I shall not be indulgent towards him。〃
〃Do as you like； I have my plan。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃I shall seek some groundless quarrel with this contraband； this
poacher； and I will blow his brains out。〃
〃A fine scheme； my dear Camille！ And afterward； when you have
killed him； you will have gained a great deal。 Have you confidence in me？
I have already begun to work for you。 The Abbe Miollens； as you know； is
well acquainted in the society of Polish emigrants； I have sent to him for
information。 I have also written to Vienna for intelligence concerning him。
Antoinette is foolish in forming such an acquaintance； it must be admitted；
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but； in matters of honour； she is as delicate as an ermine in tending the
whiteness of her robe； if there be in M。 Larinski's past a stain no larger
than a ten…sou piece； she will forever discard him。 Let me act； be wise； do
not blow out any one's brains。 /Grand Dieu！/ what would become of us； if
the only way to get rid of people was by killing them？〃
As she pronounced these words a servant entered； bearing a card on a
silver salver。 She took the card and exclaimed： 〃When you speak of the
wolf Here is our man！〃 She begged M。 Langis to retire； he implored
permission to remain； promising to be a model of discretion。 She was
insisting on his leaving when Count Abel Larinski appeared。
Samuel Brohl had scarcely taken three steps in Mme。 de Lorcy's
/salon/ before he conjectured why M。 Moriaz had asked him to go there；
and what was the significance of the commission with which he was
charged。 Notwithstanding the /salon/ had a southern exposure； and that it
was then the middle of the month of August； it seemed to him to be cold
there。 He thought that he felt a draught of chilly air； an icy wind； which
pierced him through and through； and caused him an unpleasant shiver。 He
did not need to look very attentively at Mme。 de Lorcy to be convinced
that he was before his judge； and that this judge was not a friendly one；
and； as soon as his gaze met that of M。 Camille Langis； something warned
him that this young man was his enemy。 Samuel Brohl had the gift of
observation。
He delivered his message； and handed Mme。 de Lorcy the little
portfolio that contained Mlle。 Moriaz's painting； expressing his regret that
business had prevented his coming sooner。 Mme。 de Lorcy thanked him
for his kindness； with rather a cool politeness； and asked him for news of
her goddaughter。 He did not expatiate on this topic。
〃The valley of Saint Moritz is a dreary country；〃 she next said。
〃Rather say； madame； that it is a dreary country possessing a great
charm for those who love it。〃
〃It appears that Mlle。 Moriaz is almost wearied to death there。 I should
think she would die of ennui。〃
〃Do you think her capable of yielding to ennui in any place？〃
〃Certainly； do not doubt it； but she has recourse to her imagination to
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dispel the tedium。 She has a marvellous talent for procuring herself
diversion and for varying her pleasures。 Hers is an imagination having
many relays： no sooner is one horse exhausted than there is another to take
its place。〃
〃That is a precious gift；〃 he replied； briefly。 〃I assure you； however；
that you calumniate the Engadine。 The trees there are not so well grown as
those in your park； but the Alpine fir and pine have their beauty。〃
〃You went to this hole for your health； monsieur？〃
〃Yes； and no； madame。 I was not ill； but any physician contended that I
should be still better if I breathed the air of the Alps for three weeks。 It
was taking a cure as a preventive。〃
〃M。 Larinski made the ascent of the Morteratsch；〃 said Camille； who；
seated on a divan with his arms extended on his knees； never had ceased to
look at Samuel Brohl with a hard and hostile glance。 〃That is an exploit
that can be performed only by well people。〃
〃It is no exploit；〃 replied Samuel； 〃it is a work of patience； easy for
those who are not subject to vertigo。〃
〃You are too modest；〃 rejoined the young man。 〃Had I done as much； I
would sound a trumpet。〃
〃Have you attempted the ascent？〃 asked Samuel。
〃Not at all。 I do not care about having feats of prowess to relate；〃 he
replied； in an almost challenging tone。
Mme。 de Lorcy hastened to interrupt the conversation by saying； 〃Is
this the first time you have been in Paris； monsieur？〃
〃Yes； madame；〃 replied Samuel； who withdrew more and more into his
shell。
〃And does Paris please you as much as a pine…grove？〃
〃Much more； madame。〃
〃Have you any acquaintances？〃
〃None； and the truth is； I have no desire to make any。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Shall I tell you my reason？ I am not fond of breaking ice； and Poles
complain that there is nothing in the world so icy as Parisian coldness。〃
〃That explains itself；〃 cried Camille。 〃Paris； that is Paris proper； is a
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small city of a hundred thousand souls； and this small city is invaded more
and more； by strangers who come here to seek pleasure or fortune。 It is but
natural that Paris should protect itself。〃
〃Parisians pride themselves on their penetration；〃 replied Samuel。 〃It
does not require much of it to distinguish an honest man from an
adventurer。〃
〃Ah！ permit me；〃 returned M。 Langis； 〃that depends a good deal on
practice。 The most skillful are deceived。〃
Samuel Brohl rose and made a movement to leave。 Mme。 de Lorcy
insisted on his sitting down again。 She saw that she had made a bad
beginning in the fulfilment of her office of examining magistrate； and of
gaining the prisoner's confidence。 Fearing that Camille； in spite of his
promise； would spoil everything by some insult； she found a pretext to
send him away； she begged that he would go and examine a pair of horses
that were a recent acquisition。
As soon as he was gone； she changed her manner； she grew amiable；
she endeavoured to remove the ill impression of her first welcome； she put
Count Abel at his ease； who felt that the air lost its chilliness about him。
Without appearing to do so； she made him undergo an examination… she
asked him many questions； he replied promptly。 Visitors came in； it was an
hour before he took leave； after having promised Mme。 de Lorcy to dine
with her the next day。
She did not wait until then to write to M。 Moriaz。 Her letter was thus
conceived：
〃August 16； 1875。
〃You recommend me to be impartial； my dear friend。 Why should I
not be？ It is true that I have dreamed of a certain marriage： one of the
parties would not listen to my propositions； and the other had abandoned
the idea。 My project has come to nothing。 Camille has enjoined me