the nabob-第13章

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ere　are　twenty　francs　carriage　to　pay；〃　says　the　one　among　us　who　brings　the　thing　in。　（Twenty　francs；　sometimes　thirty；　according　to　the　appearance　of　the　patient。）　Every　one　then　begins　to　ransack　his　pockets：　〃Twenty　francs　carriage！　but　I　haven't　got　it。〃　〃Nor　I　either。　What　a　nuisance！〃　Some　one　runs　to　the　cash…till。　Closed。　The　cashier　is　summoned。　He　is　out。　And　the　gruff　voice　of　the　drayman；　growing　impatient　in　the　antechamber：　〃Come；　come；　make　haste。〃　（It　is　generally　I　who　play　the　drayman；　because　of　the　strength　of　my　vocal　organs。）　What　is　to　be　done　now？　Return　the　parcel？　That　will　vex　the　governor。　〃Gentlemen；　I　beg；　will　you　permit　me；〃　ventures　the　innocent　victim；　opening　his　purse。　〃Ah；　monsieur；　indeed〃　He　hands　over　his　twenty　francs；　he　is　ushered　to　the　door；　and；　as　soon　as　his　heel　is　turned；　we　all　divide　the　fruit　of　the　crime；　laughing　like　highway　robbers。

Fie！　M。　Passajon。　At　your　age；　such　a　trade！　Eh！　/mon　Dieu！/　I　well　know　it。　I　know　that　I　should　do　myself　more　honour　in　quitting　this　evil　place。　But　what！　You　would　have　me　then　renounce　the　hope　of　getting　back　anything　of　all　I　have　put　in　here。　No；　it　is　not　possible。　There　is　urgent　need　on　the　contrary　that　I　should　remain；　that　I　should　be　on　the　watch；　always　at　hand；　ready　to　profit　by　any　windfall；　if　one　should　come。　Oh；　for　example；　I　swear　it　upon　my　ribbon；　upon　my　thirty　years　of　academical　service；　if　ever　an　affair　like　this　of　the　Nabob　allow　me　to　recover　my　disbursements；　I　shall　not　wait　another　single　minute。　I　shall　quickly　be　off　to　look　after　my　pretty　vineyard　down　yonder；　near　Monbars；　cured　forever　of　my　thoughts　of　speculation。　But；　alas！　that　is　a　very　chimerical　hope。　Exhausted；　used　up；　known　as　we　are　upon　the　Paris　market；　with　our　stocks　which　are　no　longer　quoted　on　the　Bourse；　our　bonds　which　are　near　being　waste　paper；　so　many　lies；　so　many　debts；　and　the　hole　that　grows　ever　deeper　and　deeper。　（We　owe　at　this　moment　three　million　five　hundred　thousand　francs。　It　is　not；　however；　those　three　millions　that　worry　us。　On　the　contrary；　it　is　they　that　keep　us　going；　but　we　have　with　the　/concierge/　a　little　bill　of　a　hundred　and　twenty…five　francs　for　postage…stamps；　a　month's　gas　bill；　and　other　little　things。　That　is　the　really　terrible　part　of　it。）　and　we　are　expected　to　believe　that　a　man；　a　great　financier　like　this　Nabob；　even　though　he　were　just　arrived　from　the　Congo；　or　dropped　from　the　moon　the　same　day；　would　be　fool　enough　to　put　his　money　into　a　concern　like　this。　Come！　Is　the　thing　possible？　You　may　tell　that　story　to　the　marines；　my　dear　governor。



A　DEBUT　IN　SOCIETY


〃M。　BERNARD　JANSOULET！〃

The　plebeian　name；　accentuated　proudly　by　the　liveried　servants；　and　announced　in　a　resounding　voice；　sounded　in　Jenkins's　drawing…rooms　like　the　clash　of　a　cymbal；　one　of　those　gongs　which；　in　fairy　pieces　at　the　theatre；　are　the　prelude　to　fantastic　apparitions。　The　light　of　the　chandeliers　paled；　every　eye　sparkled　at　the　dazzling　perspective　of　the　treasures　of　the　Orient；　of　the　showers　of　the　sequins　and　of　pearls　evoked　by　the　magic　syllables　of　that　name；　yesterday　unknown。

He；　it　was　he　himself；　the　Nabob；　the　rich　among　the　rich；　the　great　Parisian　curiosity；　spiced　by　that　relish　of　adventure　which　is　so　pleasing　to　the　surfeited　crowd。　All　heads　turned；　all　conversations　were　interrupted；　near　the　door　there　was　a　pushing　among　the　guests；　a　crush　as　upon　the　quay　of　a　seaport　to　witness　the　entry　of　a　felucca　laden　with　gold。

Jenkins　himself；　so　hospitable；　so　self…possessed；　who　was　standing　in　the　first　drawing…room　receiving　his　guests；　abruptly　quitted　the　group　of　men　about　him　and　hurried　to　place　himself　at　the　head　of　the　galleons　bearing　down　upon　the　guest。

〃You　are　a　thousand　times；　a　thousand　times　kind。　Mme。　Jenkins　will　be　so　glad；　so　proud。Come；　let　me　conduct　you！〃

And　in　his　haste；　in　his　vainglorious　delight；　he　bore　Jansoulet　off　so　quickly　that　the　latter　had　no　time　to　present　his　companion；　Paul　de　Gery；　to　whom　he　was　giving　his　first　entry　into　society。　The　young　man　welcomed　this　forgetfulness。　He　slipped　away　among　the　crowd　of　black　dress…coats　constantly　pressed　back　at　each　new　arrival；　buried　himself　in　it；　seized　by　that　wild　terror　which　is　experienced　by　every　young　man　from　the　country　at　his　first　introduction　to　a　Paris　drawing…room；　especially　when　he　is　intelligent　and　refined；　and　beneath　his　breastplate　of　linen　does　not　wear　like　a　coat　of　mail　the　imperturbable　assurance　of　a　boor。

All　you；　Parisians　of　Paris；　who　from　the　age　of　sixteen；　in　your　first　dress…coat　and　with　opera…hat　against　your　thigh；　have　been　wont　to　air　your　adolescence　at　receptions　of　all　kinds；　you　know　nothing　of　that　anguish；　compounded　of　vanity；　of　timidity；　of　recollections　of　romantic　readings；　which　keeps　a　young　man　from　opening　his　mouth　and　so　makes　him　awkward　and　for　a　whole　night　pins　him　down　to　one　spot　in　a　doorway；　and　converts　him　into　a　piece　of　furniture　in　a　recess；　a　poor；　wandering　and　wretched　being；　incapable　of　manifesting　his　existence　save　by　an　occasional　change　of　place；　dying　of　thirst　rather　than　approach　the　buffet；　and　going　away　without　having　uttered　a　word；　unless　perhaps　to　stammer　out　one　of　those　incoherent　pieces　of　foolishness　which　he　remembers　for　months；　and　which　make　him；　at　night；　as　he　thinks　of　them；　heave　an　〃Ah！〃　of　raging　shame；　with　head　buried　in　the　pillow。

Paul　de　Gery　was　that　martyr。　Away　yonder　in　his　country　home　he　had　always　lived　a　very　retired　existence　with　an　old；　pious；　and　gloomy　aunt；　up　to　the　time　when　the　law…student；　destined　in　the　first　instance　to　the　career　in　which　his　father　had　left　an　excellent　reputation；　had　found　himself　introduced　to　a　few　judges'　drawing…　rooms；　ancient；　melancholy　dwellings　with　faded　pier…glasses；　where　he　used　to　go　to　make　a　fourth　at　whist　with　venerable　shadows。　Jenkins's　evening　party　was　therefore　a　/debut/　for　this　provincial；　of　whom　his　very　ignorance　and　his　southern　adaptability　made　immediately　an　observer。

From　the　place　where　he　stood；　he　watched　the　curious　defile　of　Jenkins's　guests　which　had　not　yet　come　to　an　end　at　midnight；　all　the　clients　of　the　fashionable　physician；　the　fine　flower　of　society；　a　strong　political　and　financial　element；　bankers；　deputies；　a　few　artists；　all　the　jaded　people　of　Parisian　〃high　life；〃　wan…faced；　with　glittering　eyes；　saturated　with　arsenic　like　greedy　mice；　but　with　appetite　insatiable　for　poison　and　for　life。　The　drawing…room　being　thrown　open；　the　vast　antechamber　of　which　the　doors　had　been　removed　to　be　seen；　laden　with　flowers　at　the　sides；　the　principal　staircase　of　the　mansion；　over　which　swept；　now　shaken　out　to　their　full　extent；　the　long　trains；　whose　silky　weight　seemed　to　give　a　backward　pull　to　the　undraped　busts　of　the　women　in　the　course　of　that　pretty　ascending　movement　which　brought　them　into　view；　little　by　little；　till　the　complete　flower　of　their　splendour　was　reached。　The　couples　as　they　gained　the　top　seemed　to　be　making　an　entry　on　the　stage　of　a　theatre；　and　that　was　twice　true；　since　each　person　left　on　the　last　step　the　contracted　eyebrows；　the　lines　that　marked　preoccupation；　the　wearied　air；　his　vexations；　his　sorrows；　to　display　instead　a　contented　face；　a　gay　smile　over　the　reposeful　harmony　of　the　features。　The　men　exchanged　honest　shakes　of　the　hand；　exhibitions　of　fraternal　good…　feeling；　the　women；　preoccupied　with　themselves；　as　they　stood　making　little　caracoling　movements；　with　trembling　graces；　play　of　eyes　and　shoulders；　murmured；　without　meaning　anything；　a　few　words　of　greeting：

〃Thank　youoh；　thank　you！　How　kind　you　are！〃

Then　the　couples　would　separate；　for　evening　parties　are　no　longer　the　gatherings　of　charming　wits；　in　which　feminine　delicacy　was　wont　to　compel　the　character；　the　lofty　knowledge；　the　genius；　even；　of　men　to　bow　graciously　before　it；　but　these　overcrowded　routs；　in　which　the　women；　who　alone　are　seated；　chattering　together　like　slaves　in　a　harem；　have　no　longer　aught　save　the　pleasure　of　being　beautiful　or　appearing　so。　De　Gery；　after　having　wandered　through　the　doctor's　library；　the　conservatory；　the　billiard…room；　where　men　were　smoking；　weary　of　serious　and　dry　conversation　which　seemed　to　him　out　of　place　amid　surroundings　so　decorated　and　in　the　brief　hour　of　pleasuresome　one　had　asked　him　carelessly；　without　looking　at　him；　what　the　Bourse　was　doing　that　daymade　his　way　again　towards　the　door　of　the　large　drawing…room；　which　was　barricaded　by　a　wedged　crowd　of　dress…coats；　a　sea　of　heads　bent　sideways　and　peering　past　each　other；　watching。

This　salon　was　a　spacious　apartment　richly　furnished　with　the　artistic　taste　which　distinguished　the　host　and　hostess。　There　were　a　few　old　pictures　on　the　light　background　of　the　hangings。　A　monumental　chimneypiece；　adorned　by　a　handsome　group　in　marble〃The　Seasons；〃　by　Sebastien　Ruysaround　which　long　green　stems　cut　in　lacework　or　of　a　goffered　bronze…like　rigidity　curved　back　towards　the　mirror　as　towards　the　limpidity　of　a　clear　lake。　On　the　low　seats；　women　in　close　groups；　so　close　as　almost　to　blend　the　delicate　colours　of　their　toilettes；　forming　an　immense　basket　of　living　flowers；　above　which　there　floated　the　gleam　of　bare　shoulders；　of　hair　sown　with　diamonds　that　looked　like　drops　of　water　on　the　dark　women；　glittering　reflections　on　the　fair；　and　the　same　heady　perfume；　the　same　confused　and　gentle　hum；　compact　of　vibrant　warmth　and　intangible　wings；　which；　in　summer；　caresses　a　garden…bed　through　all　its　flowering　time。　Now　and　then　a　little　laugh；　rising　into　this　luminous　atmosphere；　a　quicker　inspiration　in　the　air；　which　would　cause　aigrettes　and　curls　to　tremble；　a　handsome　profile　to　stand　out　suddenly。　Such　was　the　aspect　of　the　drawing…room。

A　few　men　were　present；　a　very　small　number；　however；　and　all　of　them　personages　of　note；　laden　with　years　and　decorations。　They　were　standing　about　near　couches；　leaning　over　the　backs　of　chairs；　with　that　air　of　condescension　which　men　assume　when　speaking　to　children。　But　in　the　peaceful　buzz　of　these　conversations；　one　voice　rang　out　piercing　and　brazen；　that　of　the　Nabob；　who　was　tranquilly　performing　his　evolutions　across　this　social　hothouse　with　the　assurance　bestowed　upon　him　by　his　immense　wealth；　and　a　certain　contempt　for　women　which　he　had　brought　back　from　the　East。

At　that　moment；　comfortably　installed　on　a　settee；　his　big　hands　in　yellow　gloves　crossed　carelessly　one　over　the　other；　he　was　talking　with　a　very　handsome　woman；　whose　original　physiognomymuch　vitality　coupled　with　severe　featuresstood　out　pale　among　the　pretty　faces　about　her；　just　as　her　dress；　all　white；　classic　in　its　folds　and　following　closely　the　lines　of　her　supple　figure；　contrasted　with　toilettes　that　were　richer；　but　among　which　none　had　that　air　of　daring　simplicity。　From　his　corner；　de　Gery　admired　the　low　and　smooth　forehead　beneath　its　fringe　of　downward　combed　hair；　the　well…opened　eyes；　deep　blue　in　colour；　an　abysmal　blue；　the　mouth　which　ceased　to　smile　only　to　relax　its　pure　curve　into　an　expression　that　was　weary　and　drooping。　In　sum；　the　rather　haughty　mien　of　an　exceptional　being。

Somebody　near　him　mentioned　her　nameFelicia　Ru