第21章

"Wretch, what are you doing there?"

"I am doing what his excellency ordered me to," answered the gardener.

At this moment the Count strolled toward us, his hands in his pockets, humming an aria, and an expression of amiable good humor on his face.Stephane extended his arms towards him, but one of those looks which always petrifies him kept him silent and motionless in the middle of the pathway.He watched with wild eyes the fatal pickax ravage by degrees his beloved garden.In vain he tried to disguise his despair; his legs trembled and his heart throbbed violently.He fixed his large eyes upon his dear, devastated treasures; two great tears escaped them and rolled slowly down his cheeks.But when the instrument of destruction approached a magnificent carnation, the finest ornament of his garden, his heart failed him, he uttered a piercing cry, and raising his hands to Heaven, ran away sobbing.The Count looked after him as he fled, and an atrocious smile passed over his lips!

Ah! if this father does not hate his son, I know not what hatred is, nor how it depicts itself upon a human face.Meantime I threw myself between the carnation and the pickax, as an hour before between the knout and Ivan.Stephane's despair had rent my heart;I wished at any cost to preserve this flower which was so dear to him.The face of Kostia Petrovitch took all hope from me.It seemed to say:

"You still indulge in sentiment; this is a little too much of it.""This plant is beautiful," I said to him; "why destroy it?""Ah! you love flowers, my dear Gilbert;" answered he, with an air of diabolical malice."I am truly glad of it!"And turning to the gardener, he added:

"You will carefully take up all these flowers and place them in pots--they shall decorate Monsieur's room.I am delighted to have it in my power to do him this little favor."Thus speaking, he rubbed his hands gleefully, and turning his back upon me, commenced humming his tune again.He was evidently satisfied with his day's work.

And now Stephane's flowers are here under my eyes, they have become my property.Oh! if he knew it! I do not doubt that M.Leminof wishes his son to hate me; and his wish is gratified.Overwhelmed with respect and attentions, petted, praised, extolled, treated as a favorite and grand vizier, how can I be otherwise than an object of scorn and aversion to this young man? But could he read my heart! what would he read there, after all? An impotent pity from which his pride would revolt.I can do nothing for him; I could not mitigate his misfortunes or pour balm into his wounds.

Go, then, Gilbert, occupy yourself with the Byzantines! Remember your contract, Gilbert! The master of this house has made you promise not to meddle in his affairs.Translate Greek, my friend, and, in your leisure moments, amuse yourself with your puppets.

Beyond that, closed eyes and sealed mouth; that must be your motto.

But do you say, "I shall become a wretch in seeing this child suffer"? Well! if your useless pity proves too much of a burden, six months hence you can break your bonds, resume your liberty, and with three hundred crowns in your pocket, you can undertake that journey to Italy,--object of your secret dreams and most ardent longing.Happy man! arming yourself with the white staff of the pilgrim, you will shake the dust of Geierfels from your feet, and go far away to forget, before the facades of Venetian palaces, the dark mysteries of the old Gothic castle and its wicked occupants.