the nabob-第23章

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Jansoulet　apologized　for　being　obliged　to　interrupt　the　sitting；　but　a　visit　of　the　most　extreme　importance　She　smiled　in　pity。

〃Don't　mention　it；　don't　mention　it。　At　the　point　which　we　have　reached　I　can　work　without　you。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃the　work　is　almost　completed。〃

He　added　with　the　air　of　a　connoisseur：

〃It　is　a　fine　piece　of　work。〃

And；　counting　upon　covering　his　retreat　with　this　compliment；　he　made　for　the　door　with　shoulders　drooped；　but　Felicia　detained　him　abruptly。

〃Stay；　you。　I　have　something　to　say　to　you。〃

He　saw　clearly　from　her　look　that　he　would　have　to　yield；　on　pain　of　an　explosion。

〃You　will　excuse　me；　/cher　ami/？　Mademoiselle　has　a　word　for　me。　My　brougham　is　at　the　door。　Get　in。　I　will　be　with　you　immediately。〃

As　soon　as　the　door　of　the　studio　had　closed　on　that　heavy；　retreating　foot；　each　of　them　looked　at　the　other　full　in　the　face。

〃You　must　be　either　drunk　or　mad　to　have　allowed　yourself　to　behave　in　this　way。　What！　you　dare　to　enter　my　house　when　I　am　not　at　home？　What　does　this　violence　mean？　By　what　right〃

〃By　the　right　of　a　despairing　and　incurable　passion。〃

〃Be　silent；　Jenkins；　you　are　saying　words　that　I　will　not　hear。　I　allow　you　to　come　here　out　of　pity；　from　habit；　because　my　father　was　fond　of　you。　But　never　speak　to　me　again　of　yourlove〃she　uttered　the　word　in　a　very　low　voice；　as　though　it　were　shameful〃or　you　shall　never　see　me　again；　even　though　I　should　have　to　kill　myself　in　order　to　escape　you　once　and　for　all。〃

A　child　caught　in　mischief　could　not　bend　its　head　more　humbly　than　did　Jenkins；　as　he　replied：

〃It　is　true。　I　was　in　the　wrong。　A　moment　of　madness；　of　blindness　But　why　do　you　amuse　yourself　by　torturing　my　heart　as　you　do？〃

〃I　think　of　you　often；　however。〃

〃Whether　you　think　of　me　or　not；　I　am　there；　I　see　what　goes　on；　and　your　coquetry　hurts　me　terribly。〃

A　touch　of　red　mounted　to　her　cheeks　at　this　reproach。

〃A　coquette；　I？　And　with　whom？〃

〃With　that；〃　said　the　Irishman；　indicating　the　ape…like　and　powerful　bust。

She　tried　to　laugh。

〃The　Nabob？　What　folly！〃

〃Don't　tell　an　untruth　about　it　now。　Do　you　think　I　am　blind；　that　I　do　not　notice　all　your　little　manoeuvres？　You　remain　alone　with　him　for　very　long　at　a　time。　Just　now；　I　was　there。　I　saw　you。〃　He　dropped　his　voice　as　though　breath　had　failed　him。　〃What　do　you　want；　strange　and　cruel　child？　I　have　seen　you　repulse　the　most　handsome；　the　most　noble；　the　greatest。　That　little　de　Gery　devours　you　with　his　eyes；　you　take　no　notice。　The　Duc　de　Mora　himself　has　not　been　able　to　reach　your　heart。　And　it　is　that　man　there　who　is　ugly；　vulgar；　who　had　no　thought　of　you；　whose　head　is　full　of　quite　other　matters　than　love。　You　saw　how　he　went　off　just　now。　What　can　you　mean？　What　do　you　expect　from　him？〃

〃I　wantI　want　him　to　marry　me。　There！〃

Coldly；　in　a　softened　tone；　as　though　this　avowal　had　brought　her　nearer　the　level　of　the　man　whom　she　so　much　despised；　she　explained　her　motives。　The　life　which　she　led　was　pushing　her　into　a　situation　from　which　there　was　no　way　out。　She　had　luxurious　and　expensive　tastes；　habits　of　disorder　which　nothing　could　conquer　and　which　would　bring　her　inevitably　to　poverty；　both　her　and　that　good　Crenmitz；　who　was　allowing　herself　to　be　ruined　without　saying　a　word。　In　three　years；　four　years　at　the　outside；　all　would　be　over　with　them。　And　then　the　wretched　expedients；　the　debts；　the　tatters　and　old　shoes　of　poor　artists'　households。　Or；　indeed；　the　lover；　the　man　who　keeps　a　mistressthat　is　to　say；　slavery　and　infamy。

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Jenkins。　〃And　what　of　me；　am　I　not　here？〃

〃Anything　rather　than　you；〃　she　exclaimed；　stiffening。　〃No；　what　I　require；　what　I　want；　is　a　husband　who　will　protect　me　from　others　and　from　myself；　who　will　save　me　from　many　terrible　things　of　which　I　am　afraid　in　my　moments　of　ennui；　from　the　gulfs　in　which　I　feel　that　I　may　perish；　some　one　who　will　love　me　while　I　am　at　work　and　relieve　my　poor　old　wearied　fairy　of　her　sentry　duty。　This　man　here　suits　my　purpose；　and　I　thought　of　him　from　the　first　time　I　met　him。　He　is　ugly；　but　he　has　a　kind　manner；　then；　too；　he　is　ridiculously　rich；　and　wealth；　upon　that　scale；　must　be　amusing。　Oh；　I　know　well　enough。　No　doubt　there　is　in　his　life　some　blemish　that　has　brought　him　luck。　All　that　money　cannot　be　made　honestly。　But　come；　truly　now；　Jenkins；　with　your　hand　on　that　heart　you　so　often　invoke；　do　you　think　me　a　wife　who　should　be　very　attractive　to　an　honest　man？　See：　among　all　these　young　men　who　ask　permission　as　a　favour　to　be　allowed　to　come　here；　which　one　has　dreamed　of　offering　me　marriage？　Never　a　single　one。　De　Gery　no　more　than　the　rest。　I　am　attractive；　but　I　make　men　afraid。　It　is　intelligible　enough。　What　can　one　imagine　of　a　girl　brought　up　as　I　have　been；　without　a　mother；　among　my　father's　models　and　mistresses？　What　mistresses；　/mon　Dieu/！　And　Jenkins　for　sole　guardian。　Oh；　when　I　think；　when　I　think！〃

And　from　that　far…off　memory　things　surged　up　that　stirred　her　to　a　deeper　wrath。

〃Ah；　yes；　/parbleu/！　I　am　a　daughter　of　adventure；　and　this　adventurer　is；　of　a　truth；　the　fit　husband　for　me。〃

〃You　must　wait　at　least　till　he　is　a　widower；〃　replied　Jenkins　calmly。　〃And；　in　that　case；　you　run　the　risk　of　having　a　long　time　to　wait；　for　his　Levantine　seems　to　enjoy　excellent　health。〃

Felicia　Ruys　turned　pale。

〃He　is　married？〃

〃Married？　certainly；　and　father　of　a　bevy　of　children。　The　whole　camp　of　them　landed　a　couple　of　days　ago。〃

For　a　minute　she　remained　overwhelmed；　looking　into　space；　her　cheeks　quivering。　Opposite　her；　the　Nabob's　large　face；　with　its　flattened　nose；　its　sensual　and　weak　mouth；　spoke　insistently　of　life　and　reality　in　the　gloss　of　its　clay。　She　looked　at　it　for　an　instant；　then　made　a　step　forward　and；　with　a　gesture　of　disgust；　overturned；　with　the　high　wooden　stool　on　which　it　stood；　the　glistening　and　greasy　block；　which　fell　on　the　floor　shattered　to　a　heap　of　mud。



JANSOULET　AT　HOME

Married　he　was　and　had　been　so　for　twelve　years；　but　he　had　mentioned　the　fact　to　no　one　among　his　Parisian　acquaintances；　through　Eastern　habit；　that　silence　which　the　people　of　those　countries　preserve　upon　affairs　of　the　harem。　Suddenly　it　was　reported　that　madame　was　coming；　that　apartments　were　to　be　prepared　for　herself；　her　children；　and　her　female　attendants。　The　Nabob　took　the　whole　second　floor　of　the　house　on　the　Place　Vendome；　the　tenant　of　which　was　turned　out　at　an　expense　worthy　of　a　Nabob。　The　stables　also　were　extended；　the　staff　doubled；　then；　one　day；　coachmen　and　carriages　went　to　the　Gare　de　Lyon　to　meet　madame；　who　arrived　by　train　heated　expressly　for　her　during　the　journey　from　Marseilles　and　filled　by　a　suite　of　negresses；　serving…　maids；　and　little　negro　boys。

She　arrived　in　a　condition　of　frightful　exhaustion；　utterly　worn　out　and　bewildered　by　her　long　railway　journey；　the　first　of　her　life；　for；　after　being　taken　to　Tunis　while　still　quite　a　child；　she　had　never　left　it。　From　her　carriage；　two　negroes　carried　her　into　her　apartments　on　an　easy　chair　which；　subsequently；　always　remained　downstairs　beneath　the　entrance　porch；　in　readiness　for　these　difficult　removals。　Mme。　Jansoulet　could　not　mount　the　staircase；　which　made　her　dizzy；　she　would　not　have　lifts；　which　creaked　under　her　weight；　besides；　she　never　walked。　Of　enormous　size；　bloated　to　such　a　degree　that　it　was　impossible　to　assign　to　her　any　particular　age　between　twenty…five　and　forty；　with　a　rather　pretty　face　but　grown　shapeless　in　its　features；　dull　eyes　beneath　lids　that　drooped；　vulgarly　dressed　in　foreign　clothes；　laden　with　diamonds　and　jewels　after　the　fashion　of　a　Hindu　idol；　she　was　as　fine　a　sample　as　could　be　found　of　those　transplanted　European　women　called　Levantinesa　curious　race　of　obese　creoles　whom　speech　and　costume　alone　attach　to　our　world；　but　whom　the　East　wraps　round　with　its　stupefying　atmosphere；　with　the　subtle　poisons　of　its　drugged　air　in　which　everything；　from　the　tissues　of　the　skin　to　the　waists　of　garments；　even　to　the　soul；　is　enervated　and　relaxed。

This　particular　specimen　of　it　was　the　daughter　of　an　immensely　rich　Belgian　who　was　engaged　in　the　coral　trade　at　Tunis；　and　in　whose　business　Jansoulet；　after　his　arrival　in　the　country；　had　been　employed　for　some　months。　Mlle。　Afchin；　in　those　days　a　delicious　little　doll　of　twelve　years　old；　with　radiant　complexion；　hair；　and　health；　used　often　to　come　to　fetch　her　father　from　the　counting…house　in　the　great　chariot　with　its　yoke　of　mules　which　carried　them　to　their　fine　villa　at　La　Marsu；　in　the　vicinity　of　Tunis。　This　mischievous　child　with　splendid　bare　shoulders；　had　dazzled　the　adventurer　as　he　caught　glimpses　of　her　amid　her　luxurious　surroundings；　and；　years　afterward；　when；　having　become　rich　and　the　favourite　of　the　Bey；　he　began　to　think　of　settling　down；　it　was　to　her　that　his　thoughts　went。　The　child　had　grown　into　a　fat　young　woman；　heavy　and　white。　Her　intelligence；　dull　in　the　first　instance；　had　become　still　more　obscured　through　the　inertia　of　a　dormouse's　existence；　the　carelessness　of　a　father　given　over　to　business；　the　use　of　opium…saturated　tobacco　and　of　preserves　made　from　rose…leaves；　the　torpor　of　her　Flemish　blood；　re…enforced　by　Oriental　indolence。　Furthermore；　she　was　ill…bred；　gluttonous；　sensual；　arrogant；　a　Levantine　jewel　in　perfection。

But　Jansoulet　saw　nothing　of　all　this。

For　him　she　was；　and　remained；　up　to　the　time　of　her　arrival　in　Paris；　a　superior　creature；　a　lady　of　the　most　exalted　rank；　a　Demoiselle　Afchin。　He　addressed　her　with　respect；　in　her　presence　maintained　an　attitude　which　was　a　little　constrained　and　timid；　gave　her　money　without　counting；　satisfied　her　most　costly　fantasies；　her　wildest　caprices；　all　the　strange　desires　of　a　Levantine's　brain　disordered　through　boredom　and　idleness。　One　word　alone　excused　everything。　She　was　a　Demoiselle　Afchin。　Beyond　this；　no　intercourse　between　them；　he　always　at　the　Kasbah　or　the　Bardo；　courting　the　favour　of　the　Bey；　or　else　in　his　counting…houses；　she　passing　her　days　in　bed；　wearing　in　her　hair　a　diadem　of　pearls　worth　three　hundred　thousand　francs　which　she　never　took　off；　befuddling　her　brain　with　smoking；　living　as　in　a　harem；　admiring　herself　in　the　glass；　adorning　herself；　in　company　with　a　few　other　Levantines；　whose　supreme　distraction　consisted　in　measuring　with　their　necklaces　arms　and　legs　which　rivalled　each　other　in　plumpness；　and　bearing　children　about　whom　she　never　gave　herself　the　least　trouble；　whom　she　never　used　to　see；　who　had　not　even　cost　her　a　pang；　for　she　gave　birth　to　them　under　chloroform。　A　lump　of　white　flesh　perfumed　with　musk。　And；　as　Jansoulet　used　to　say　with　pride：　〃I　married　a　Demoiselle　Afchin！〃

Under　the　sky　of　Paris　and　its　cold　light　the　disillusion　began。　Determined　to　settle　down；　to　receive；　to　give　entertainments；　the　Nabob　had　brought　his　wife　over　with　the　idea　of　setting　her　at　the　head　of　the　establishment；　but　when　he　saw　the　arrival　of　that　display　of　gaudy　draperies　of　Palais…Royal　jewelry；　and　all　the　strange　paraphernalia　in　her　suite；　he　had　the　vague　impression　of　a　Queen　Pomare　in　exile。　The　fact　was　that　now　he　had　seen　real　women　of　the　world；　and　h