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〃Alas！ that is all。〃
〃Will you swear it？〃
〃What； monsieur！ you admit； then； that Samuel Brohl has a word of
honourthat when he has sworn； he can be believed？〃
〃You are right； I am still very young。〃
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〃That is all； then； I swear to you；〃 affirmed Samuel； sighing。 〃My shop
is poorly stocked； I had begun laying in a supply； but an unfortunate
accident deranged my little business。〃
〃Bah！ be consoled；〃 replied M。 Langis； 〃you will find another
opportunity； a genius of such lofty flights as yours never is at a loss。 You
have been unfortunate； some day Fortune will compensate you for the
wrongs she has done you； and the world will accord justice to your fine
talents。〃
Speaking thus； he laid on the table twenty…five notes of a thousand
francs each。 He counted them； Samuel counted them after him； and at once
delivered to him the medallion； the hood； and the two letters。
Camille rose to leave。 〃Monsieur Brohl；〃 he said； 〃from the first day I
saw you； I formed the highest opinion of your character。 The reality
surpasses my expectations。 I am charmed to have made your acquaintance；
and I venture to hope that you are not sorry to have made mine。 However；
I shall not say； /au revoir/。〃
〃Who knows？〃 replied Samuel； suddenly changing his countenance
and attitude。 And he added； 〃If you are fond of being astonished； monsieur；
will you remain still another instant in this den？〃
He rolled and twisted the twenty…five one…thousand…franc notes into
lamp…lighters； then； with a grand gesture； /a la Poniatowski/； he
approached the candle； held them in the flame until they blazed； and then
threw them on the hearth； where they were soon consumed。
Turning towards M。 Langis； he cried； 〃Will you now do me the honour
of fighting with me？〃
〃After such a noble act as that； I can refuse you nothing；〃 returned
Camille。 〃I will do you that signal honour。〃
〃Just what I desire；〃 replied Samuel。 〃I am the offended； I have the
choice of arms。〃 And； in showing M。 Langis out； he said； 〃I will not
conceal from you that I have frequented the shooting…galleries； and that I
am a first…class pistol…shot。〃
Camille bowed and went out。
The next day； in a lucid interval； Mlle。 Moriaz saw at the foot of her
bed a medallion laid on a red hood。 From that moment the physician
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announced an improvement in her symptoms。
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CHAPTER XII
Six days after these events； Samuel Brohl； having passed through
Namur and Liege without stopping at either place； arrived by rail at Aix…
la… Chapelle。 He went directly to the Hotel Royal； close to the railroad…
station； he ordered a hearty dinner to be served him； which he washed
down with foaming champagne。 He had an excellent appetite； his soul
kept holiday； his heart was expanded； inflated with joy； and his brain
intoxicated。 He had revenged himself； he had meted out justice to that
insolent fellow； his rival。 Mlle。 Moriaz did not belong to Samuel Brohl；
but she never would belong to Camille Langis。 Near the Franco… Belgian
frontier； on the verge of a forest； a man had been shot in the breast；
Samuel Brohl had seen him fall； and some one had cried； 〃He is dead！〃 It
is asserted that Aix…la…Chapelle is a very dull city； that the very dogs suffer
so sadly from ennui that they piteously beg passers…by to kick them； with a
view to having a little excitement。 Samuel never felt one moment's ennui
during the evening that he spent in Charlemagne's city。 He had constantly
in mind a certain spot in a forest； and a man falling； and he experienced a
thrill of delight。
After the champagne； he drank punch； an after that he slept like a
dormouse； unfortunately； sleep dissipated his exhilaration； and when he
awoke his gaiety had left him。 He had the fatal custom of reflecting； his
reflections saddened him； he was revenged； but what then？ He thought for
a long while of Mlle。 Moriaz； he gazed with melancholy eye at his two
hands； which had allowed her and good fortune to elude their grasp。
He recited in a low voice some German verses； signifying：
〃I have resolved to bury my songs and my dreams； bring me a large
coffin。 Why is this coffin so heavy？ Because in it with my dreams I have
laid away my love and my sorrows。〃
When he had recited these verses Samuel felt sadder than before； and
he cursed the poets。 〃They did me great harm；〃 he said； bitterly。 〃Without
them I had spent days interwoven with gold and silk。 My future was
secure： it was they who gave me a distaste for my position。 I believed in
them； I was the dupe of their hollow declamation； they taught me
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thoughtless contempt； and they gave me the sickly ambition to play the
silly part of a man of fine sentiments。 I despised the mud。 Where am I
now？〃
He had formed the project of going to Holland and of embarking
thence for America。 What would he do in the United States？ He did not
know yet。 He passed in review all the professions that at all suited him；
they all required an outlay for first expenses。 Thanks to God and to M。
Guldenthal； whose loan was in the greatest danger； he was not destitute of
all supplies。 But a week previous he had held into the flames and burned
twenty…five one…thousand…franc bills of the Bank of France。 He felt some
remorse for the act； he could not help thinking that a revenge that cost
twenty…five thousand francs was an article of luxury of which poor devils
should deprive themselves。 In thinking over this adventure； it seemed to
him that it was another than himself who had burned those bills； or at least
that he had mechanically executed this /auto…da…fe/ through a sort of
thoughtless impulse； like a puppet moved by an invisible string。 Suddenly
the phantom with whom he had had frequent conversations appeared； and
there was a sneer on its lips。 Samuel addressed it once morethis was to
be the last time； he said：
〃Imbecile！ You are my evil genius。 It was you who caused me to
commit this extravagance。 You yourself lighted the candle； you put the
bills into my hands； you guided my arm； extended it； held it above the
fatal flame。 This act of supreme heroism was your work； it is not I； it is
you； who paid so dearly for the pleasure of astonishing one who wantonly
insulted me； and of killing him。 Cursed forever be the day when I assumed
your name； and when I conceived the foolish notion of becoming your
second self！ I made myself a Pole： did Poland ever have the least idea of
government？ You of all men were the mo