The Doll - Bolesaw Prus [65]
The Count laughed and said: ‘No doubt he might have held out for more than two hundred thousand…’
‘Yes, but then he would not have been here today,’ the Prince replied and moved away with a nod.
‘Old fool,’ the Count whispered, looking after the Prince contemptuously.
In the third drawing-room, which Wokulski now entered with the Countess, there was a buffet and many small and large tables, at which guests sat in couples, threes or even foursomes. Servants were handing round food and wine, and Izabela was directing them, evidently taking the place of the hostess. She wore a pale blue gown, and had large pearls at her throat. She was so beautiful, her gestures so queenly, that Wokulski turned to stone as he looked at her. ‘How can I even so much as dream of her?’ he thought in despair.
At the same moment, he caught sight in a window-seat of the young man who had been in church the previous day, and who was now sitting alone at a small table, without taking his eyes off Izabela. ‘Of course, he loves her…’ Wokulski thought, and he felt as though the chill of the grave had enveloped him. ‘I am lost…’ he added, to himself.
All this lasted only a few seconds.
‘Do you see that old lady between the bishop and the general?’ the Countess asked Wokulski. ‘That is Duchess Zaslawska, my best friend, who insists on meeting you. She is very interested in you,’ the Countess went on, smiling, ‘she has no children, and several pretty grand-daughters. Make a good choice! Meanwhile, keep your eye on her, and when those gentlemen go away I will introduce you. Ah, Prince!’
‘How do you do,’ the Prince said to Wokulski, ‘may I, cousin?’
‘Of course,’ the Countess replied. ‘Here is a vacant table for you both…Allow me to leave you for a moment.’
‘Let us sit down, Mr Wokulski,’ said the Prince. ‘This is indeed convenient, as I have an important matter to discuss with you. Pray imagine that your plans have caused a tremendous upheaval among our cotton manufacturers…Isn’t that the word: “cotton”?… They insist you want to kill the industry. Is the competition you are creating really so dangerous?’
‘It is true’, Wokulski replied, ‘that I have three or even four million roubles credit with the Moscow manufacturers, but I do not yet know whether their products will suit our market.’
‘A huge sum of money, to be sure,’ the Prince murmured. ‘Do you not see a genuine threat to our factories in it?’
‘Not in the least. I see only an insignificant decrease in their own immense profits, which are no concern of mine. My duty is to concern myself with my own profits and give my customers good value; for our goods will be cheaper.’
‘Have you reflected upon this problem as a citizen?’ the Prince asked, pressing his arm. ‘As things are, we have so little to lose…’
‘It seems to me it is enough for a citizen to provide cheap products for consumers and to smash the monopoly of factory owners, who have nothing in common with us except that they exploit our customers and workers…’
‘You think so? I hadn’t considered that. However, I’m not concerned with factory owners but with our country, our unhappy country…’
‘What may I offer you?’ asked Izabela, suddenly approaching. The Prince and Wokulski rose.
‘How pretty you look today, cousin,’ said the Prince, taking her hand. ‘I much regret that I am not my own son… Although perhaps it is just as well. For if you were to turn me down, which is very likely, I should be very unhappy… I beg your pardon!’ the Prince added, ‘allow me, cousin, to introduce Mr Wokulski. An active man, an active citizen… That is recommendation enough, is it not?’
‘We have met,’ Izabela whispered in response to Wokulski’s bow. He looked into her eyes and saw there