Mme.de Lorcy was a woman of about fifty years of age, who still possessed remains of beauty.She had been a widow for long years, and never had thought of marrying again.Although her wedded life had been a happy one, she considered that liberty is to be prized above all else; she employed hers in a most irreproachable manner.She was self-possessed, even better acquainted with numbers than with dress, and managed her property herself, which was by no means a trifling thing to do.Liking to make good use of her time, she thought to do it by busying herself in the affairs of others.She had a real vocation for the profession of a consulting lawyer.Usually her advice was sensible and judicious--nothing better could be done than to follow it; only her clients complained that she pronounced her sentences with too little tenderness, without granting any appeal.She was good, charitable, but lacked unction, and she had no sympathy with the illusions of others.A German poet, in making his New-Year offerings, wishes that the rich may be kind-hearted, that the poor may have bread, that the ladies may have pretty dresses, that the men may have patience, that the foolish may get a little reason, and that sensible people may grow poetic.Mme.de Lorcy was kind-hearted, she had pretty dresses and a great deal of reason; but her reason was wanting in poetry, and poetic people to whom she gave advice required a good deal of patience to listen to the end.Those who permitted themselves to despise her counsel, and who were happy after their own fashion, incurred her lasting displeasure.She obstinately asserted to them that their seeming happiness was all a deceit; that they had fastened a stone about their necks; and that, without appearing to do so, at the bottom of their hearts they bitterly repented.She added, "It is not my fault; I told you, but you would not believe me."Mme.de Lorcy had an almost maternal affection for her nephew, M.
Camille Langis.Confident that he could not be otherwise than successful in a love-affair, she promised him that he should marry Mlle.Moriaz.To be sure, he was rather young; but she had decided that the question of age made no difference, and that in all else there was a perfect fitness between the parties.M.Langis hesitated a long time about declaring himself.He said to Mme.de Lorcy: "If she refuse me, I shall no longer be able to see her; and so long as I can see her, I am only half-wretched." It was Mme.de Lorcy who forced him to draw his sword and open the campaign, in which she was to act as second.This campaign had not been a successful one.Deeply wounded at the refusal, which she had in vain attempted to prevent, she was ready to force Mlle.Moriaz into compliance.They made her believe, to pacify her, that the sentence was not definite, or at least that a period of grace would be granted to the condemned.M.Langis set out for Hungary, and he had now returned.In the mean time, Antoinette had refused two offers.Mme.de Lorcy had inferred this to be a favourable omen for her projects.Thus she felt annoyance mingled with anger on receiving the following letter from M.Moriaz:
"DEAR MADAME:
"You will be charmed to learn that I am extremely well.My cheeks are full, my complexion florid, my legs as nimble as a chamois, my appetite like that of an ogre.If ever you become anemic, which God forbid, you should set out forthwith for Saint Moritz, and Ishall soon have good news from you.Saint Moritz is a place where you find what you want, but you find, besides, what you do not want.I do not speak of bears; I have not seen any, and should Imeet one, I am strong enough to strangle it.Besides, bears are taciturn animals, they never relate their histories, and the only animals I fear are those that have the gift of narrating, and that one is not allowed to strangle.I will say no more.Have I made myself intelligible? You are so intelligent.
"Apropos, Antoinette sends you a sketch or a painting, I do not know which, that will be handed to you by Count Abel Larinski.He is a Pole, of that there can be no doubt; you will perceive it at once.I wish him well; he was obliging enough to extricate me from a breakneck position into which I had foolishly thrust myself.
That I have a pair of legs to walk on, and a hand to write with, Iowe to him.I recommend him to your kind reception, and I beg you to get him to relate his history.He is one of those who narrate, not every day, it is true, but when you touch the right spring, he starts, and cannot be stopped.Seriously, M.Larinski is no ordinary man; you will find pleasure in his acquaintance.I have discovered that he is in rather embarrassed circumstances.He is the son of an emigrant, whose property has been confiscated.His father was a half fool, who made great attempts to cut a channel through the Isthmus of Panama, and never succeeded in cutting his way through anything.He was himself beginning to earn money in San Francisco, when, in 1863, he gave everything up to go and fight against the Russians.This enthusiastic patriot has since adopted the calling of an inventor, in which he has been unsuccessful; he is now in search of a livelihood.Do not think he will ask for anything; he is an hidalgo; he wraps himself proudly in his poverty, as a Castilian does in his cloak.I am interested in him,; I want to assist him, give him a lift; but, first, I wish to feel sure that he is worthy of my sympathy.Examine him closely, sift him well; I trust your eyes rather than my own; Ihave the greatest faith in your skill in this kind of valuation.
