She interrupted him, murmuring, "It is either he or no one.""Oh! if it comes to that," he continued, "you are of age, and mistress of your actions; there is nothing for me but to submit.Still, it will be painful to you, I like to believe, to marry in opposition to my wishes.""Do you doubt it? I am willing not to marry.""Bad solution! It is worse than the other.Let us come to terms.The positive has its place only in science.It is absolutely true that borax is a salt composed of boracic acid and soda.Beyond such facts all is uncertain.Does this happy man surmise the sentiments he has inspired?""I tell you that you do not know him? Do you take him for a coxcomb?
When he came this morning to announce his departure, his serious intention was to bid us an eternal farewell, and never to see me again.""A most excellent idea that," sighed M.Moriaz."Unfortunately, you represented to him that it took but two hours to go from Paris to Cormeilles.""I had trouble to persuade him of it."
"Well, since the matter stands thus, nothing is yet lost.You know, my dear, that my physician advised me to beware of abrupt transitions, and not to change too suddenly from the keen air of Engadine to the heavy atmosphere of the plains.On leaving Saint Moritz, we will descend five hundred metres lower, and remain three weeks at Churwalden; consequently, we will not be in Paris for a month.You will employ this month in somewhat calming your imagination.It is very easy for it to become excited in these mountain-holes, without taking into account the wearisomeness of hotel-life.From the very day after our arrival you took a dislike to the paper in our little /salon/, and its squares, I confess, are very ugly.In every square, a thrush stretching out its neck to peck a currant.Two hundred thrushes and two hundred currants--it was enough to weary you to death.
Suddenly there appears a Pole--"
"The thrushes had nothing to do with it," she replied, smiling."Amonth hence I shall say as I do to-day.'It is either he or no one.'
And you shall choose."
"Do not repeat that formula, I beg.Fixed resolves are the prison-house of the will.Promise me to reflect; reflection is an excellent thing.One thing more--grant me in advance what I am going to ask you.""It is granted."
"You have a godmother--"
"Ah! now we are coming to the point," she added.
"You cannot deny that Mme.De Lorcy is a woman of the world, a woman of good sense, a woman of experience, who is deeply interested in your welfare--""And who has decided from time immemorial, that I can only be happy on condition that I marry her nephew, M.Camille Langis.""Well, I admit that she is partial.That is no reason why we should not send her our Pole.She will inspect him, she will tell us her opinion; it will be a new element in the argument.""Ah! I know her opinion without asking it.This woman of experience and good sense is incapable of recognising merit in a man who is sufficiently impertinent to make Mlle.Moriaz love him, without having at least fifty thousand livres a year to offer her.""What does that matter? We will let her speak--we need not question her, an oracle; but she knows false jewellery.If she discover--""I would require proofs," she interrupted, quickly.
"And if she furnish them?"
She was silent an instant, then she said: "Let it be so; do as you please."With these words they ended the conversation; then arose, and retook the road to Saint Moritz.M.Moriaz scarcely had reached there, when he entered a carriage to drive to Cellarina, provided with a portfolio given him by Antoinette.He found M.Larinski busy strapping his trunks, and waiting for the mail-coach that made the journey between Samaden and Chur by the Col du Julier.
M.Moriaz expressed his regret at having missed his visit, and asked if he would consent to charge himself with a commission for his daughter, who desired to send to her godmother, Mme.De Lorcy, a sketch of Saint Moritz.
"Cheerfully," coldly replied Count Abel, and he promised, so soon as he reached Paris, to send the portfolio to Maisons Lafitte.
