登陆注册
15322000000068

第68章

"I am a Russian and you are a Pole, but we shall have no time for fighting; I leave for London to-morrow morning at seven o'clock."He was on the point of casting himself at her feet and tenderly kissing her two hands, in testimony of his gratitude."To-morrow at seven o'clock," he mentally ejaculated."I have slandered her; she has some good in her.""When I say that I am a Russian," resumed the princess, "it is merely a formal speech.Love of country is a prejudice, an idea that has had its day, that had sense in the times of Epaminondas or of Theseus, but that has it no longer.We live in the age of the telegraph, the locomotive; and I know of nothing more absurd now than a frontier, or more ridiculous than a patriot.Rumour says that you fought like a hero in the insurrection of 1863; that you gave proof of incomparable prowess, and that you killed with your own hand ten Cossacks? What harm had they done you, those poor Cossacks? Do they not sometimes haunt your dreams? Can you think of your victims without disquietude and without remorse?"He replied, in a dry, haughty tone: "I really do not know, princess, how many Cossacks I have killed; but I do know that there are some subjects on which I do not love to expatiate.""You are right--I should not comprehend you.Don Quixote did not do Sancho the honour to explain himself to him every day.""Ah, I beg of you, let us talk a little of the man-monkey," he observed, in a rather more pliant tone than he had at first assumed.

"That is a question that has the advantage of being neither Russian nor Polish.""You will not succeed that way in throwing me off the track.I mean to tell you all the evil I think of you, no matter how it may incense you.You uttered, at table, theories that displeased me.You are not only a Polish patriot; you are an idealist, a true disciple of Plato, and you do not know how I always have detested this man.In all these sixty years that I have been in this world, I have seen nothing but selfishness, and grasping after self-gratification.Twice during dinner you spoke of an ideal world.What is an ideal world? Where is it situated? You speak of it as of a house whose inhabitants you are well acquainted with, whose key is in your pocket.Can you show me the key? I promise not to steal it from you.O poet!--for you are quite as much of a poet as of a Pole, which is not saying much--""Nothing remains but to hang me," he interposed, smilingly.

"No, I shall not hang you.Opinions are free, and there is room enough in the world for all, even idealists.Besides, if you were to be hanged, it would bring to the verge of despair a charming girl who adores you, who was created expressly for you, and whom you will shortly marry.When will the ceremony take place?""If I dared hope that you would do me the honour of being present, princess, I should postpone it until your return from England.""You are too amiable; but I could not on any consideration retard the happiness of Mlle.Moriaz.There, my dear count, I congratulate you sincerely.I had the pleasure to meet here the future Countess Larinski.She is adorable! It is an exquisite nature, hers--a true poet's wife.She must have brains, discernment; she has chosen you--that says everything.As to her fortune, I dare not ask you if she has any; you would turn away from me in disgust.Do idealists trouble their heads with such vile questions?"She leaned towards him, and, fanning herself excitedly, added: "These poor idealists! they have one misfortune.""And what is that, princess?"

同类推荐
  • The Mysterious Stranger

    The Mysterious Stranger

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 天台法华疏

    天台法华疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 四分僧戒本

    四分僧戒本

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 得道梯橙锡杖经

    得道梯橙锡杖经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 救命书

    救命书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 绝色凰妃王来疼

    绝色凰妃王来疼

    她22世纪,她被称为第一绝命杀。杀人如麻。一朝穿越,她从绝代杀手兼总裁变成人人唾弃的草包废物。容貌被毁,手被弄残。从此,狠毒妖若诞生。欺她者,害她者杀无赦!夜痴逸,北冥国七王爷,据说,他天生痴傻,一无是处。容貌丑陋不堪。人人都以北冥国因为有这么一位王爷为耻。妖若说了:这是我的男人,想勾引他?断筋砍脚,随你挑。夜痴逸也说了:这是我女人,要想碰她,乘早断子绝孙!唯一值得一提的是,妖若童鞋晚上注定要被某王爷蹂躏,而且蹂躏很多次....
  • Thankful Blossom

    Thankful Blossom

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 浮生未了君若梦

    浮生未了君若梦

    夏晴华丽丽地穿越了到了一个有神秘巫术的异界,呜呜~~妈妈这里好可怕我要回家~~··什么异界皇子什么妖孽殿下统统走开,姐只想回家!!!
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 圈之四分之一

    圈之四分之一

    监狱里面的一些不为人知的秘密!回归社会的一些青春感悟和所遇到的一些人世百态!
  • 第七棵柳树

    第七棵柳树

    葛家庄的葛老根这个人,很有意思。他交往人,对了心思,就是朋友多话不投机,半句不说。据说,他种烟叶很有两下子,常常装满了烟荷包,到大道上转悠。遇上歇脚的过路人,他就把烟荷包递过去:“尝尝。”别人抽了烟,叫一声:“好烟!”他就把满满一荷包烟倒进人家的烟荷包。假如别人抽一口烟,品品味,说:“烟不错,就是呛劲太大了。”他就一把夺过人家的烟袋,把一锅烟全磕在青石板上,嘟哝一声:“不会抽,别糟踏我的烟!”甩手而去。长了,人们都说:“葛家庄有一根老牛筋。”
  • 赤天离浩

    赤天离浩

    宇宙之奥秘,无非是时与空。宇乃空间,天下之大,却连微粒都算不上;宙乃时间,古往今来,却连一秒钟都算不上......
  • 沉吟为君

    沉吟为君

    “呵呵哈哈哈哈哈…”“哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈劳什子的来年旧事故人去…”酒壶对酒盏滴滴答答地注着酒,仿佛咿咿呀呀地吟着:“日月轮流催晓前,青山绿水常在面前。”戏子的一生于小楼是庭有枇杷树的亡灵。铁马金鞭,长命百岁。我不是戏子,上不了戏台,走不了你说的地方。我去了那里,和你也就分别了。琵琶曲入尾,剑锋也走了偏光,春日的梨花你道只得煮酒才有味,杏花又得你几许的新欢?世事无常,悲欢离合,转眼就是明日黄花,你越酒行天下,温柔得不似口口声声的女儿红,被酒莫惊春睡重,赌书消得泼茶香,当时只道是寻常。执酒言欢,秋漫漫,有味是清欢。杏花依旧,一欢如初见。
  • 国名男神:丫头别跑

    国名男神:丫头别跑

    “靠我他妈和你有仇啊要不要这样”“哪样你说的是这样吗”说着又欺上了身.............................................卧槽死不要脸。
  • 重生精彩生活

    重生精彩生活

    前世性格淡然,以一种超然性格面对世事,今生重生,却是美女如云,是像常人一样为情所扰,还是漠视世俗,来者不拒?