the nabob-第24章

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of　a　Queen　Pomare　in　exile。　The　fact　was　that　now　he　had　seen　real　women　of　the　world；　and　he　made　comparisons。　After　having　planned　a　great　ball　to　celebrate　her　arrival；　he　prudently　changed　his　mind。　Besides；　Mme。　Jansoulet　desired　to　see　nobody。　Here　her　natural　indolence　was　increased　by　the　home…sickness　which　she　suffered；　from　the　first　hour　of　her　coming；　by　the　chilliness　of　a　yellow　fog　and　the　dripping　rain。　She　passed　several　days　without　getting　up；　weeping　aloud　like　a　child；　saying　that　it　was　in　order　to　cause　her　death　that　she　had　been　brought　to　Paris；　and　not　permitting　her　women　to　do　even　the　least　thing　for　her。　She　lay　there　bellowing　among　the　laces　of　her　pillow；　with　her　hair　bristling　in　disorder　about　her　diadem；　the　windows　of　the　room　closed；　the　curtains　drawn　close；　the　lamps　lighted　night　and　day；　crying　out　that　she　wanted　to　go　away…y；　to　go　away…y；　and　it　was　pitiful　to　see；　in　that　funeral　gloom；　the　half…　unpacked　trunks　scattered　over　the　carpets；　the　frightened　maids；　the　negresses　crouched　around　their　mistress　in　her　nervous　attack；　they　also　groaning；　with　haggard　eyes　like　those　dogs　of　artic　travellers　that　go　mad　without　the　sun。

The　Irish　doctor；　called　in　to　deal　with　all　this　trouble；　had　no　success　with　his　fatherly　manners；　the　pretty　phrases　that　issued　from　his　compressed　lips。　The　Levantine　would　have　nothing　to　do　at　any　price　with　the　arsenic　pearls　as　a　tonic。　The　Nabob　was　in　consternation。　What　was　to　be　done？　Send　her　back　to　Tunis　with　the　children？　It　was　scarcely　possible。　He　was　decidedly　in　disgrace　in　that　quarter。　The　Hemerlingues　were　triumphant。　A　last　affront　had　filled　up　the　measure。　At　Jansoulet's　departure；　the　Bey　had　commissioned　him　to　have　gold…pieces　struck　at　the　Paris　Mint　of　a　new　design　to　the　value　of　several　millions；　then　the　order；　suddenly　withdrawn；　had　been　given　to　Hemerlingue。　Publicly　outraged；　Jansoulet　had　replied　by　a　public　demonstration；　offering　for　sale　all　his　possessions；　his　palace　at　the　Bardo　given　to　him　by　the　former　Bey；　his　villas　of　La　Marsu　all　of　white　marble；　surrounded　by　splendid　gardens；　his　counting…houses　which　were　the　largest　and　the　most　sumptuous　in　the　city；　and；　charging；　finally；　the　intelligent　Bompain　to　bring　over　to　him　his　wife　and　children　in　order　to　make　a　clear　affirmation　of　a　definitive　departure。　After　such　an　uproar；　it　was　no　easy　thing　for　him　to　return　there；　this　was　what　he　endeavoured　to　make　evident　to　Mlle。　Afchin；　who　only　replied　to　him　by　deep　groans。　He　tried　to　console　her；　to　amuse　her；　but　what　distraction　could　be　found　to　appeal　to　that　monstrously　apathetic　nature？　And　then；　could　he　change　the　sky　of　Paris；　restore　to　the　unhappy　Levantine　her　/patio/　paved　with　marble；　where　she　used　to　pass　long　hours　in　a　cool；　delicious　sleepiness；　listening　to　the　water　as　it　dripped　on　the　great　alabaster　fountain　with　its　three　basins；　one　over　the　other；　and　her　gilded　barge；　with　its　awning　of　crimson；　which　eight　Tripolitan　boatmen　supple　and　vigorous　rowed　after　sunset　on　the　beautiful　lake　of　El…Baheira？　However　luxurious　the　apartment　of　the　Place　Vendome　might　be；　it　could　not　compensate　for　the　loss　of　these　marvels。　And　then　she　would　be　more　miserable　than　ever。　At　last；　a　man　who　was　a　frequent　visitor　to　the　house　succeeded　in　lifting　her　out　of　her　despair。　This　was　Cabassu；　the　man　who　described　himself　on　his　cards　as　〃professor　of　massage；〃　a　big；　dark；　thick…set　man；　smelling　of　garlic　and　pomade；　square…shouldered；　hairy　to　the　eyes；　and　who　knew　stories　of　Parisian　seraglios；　tales　within　the　reach　of　madame's　intelligence。　Having　once　come　to　massage　her；　she　wished　to　see　him　again；　retained　him。　He　had　to　give　up　all　his　other　clients；　and　became；　at　the　salary　of　a　senator；　the　masseur　of　this　stout　lady；　her　page；　her　reader；　her　body…guard。　Jansoulet；　delighted　to　see　his　wife　contented；　was　unconscious　of　the　ridicule　attached　to　this　intimacy。

Cabassu　was　now　seen　in　the　Bois；　seated　beside　the　favourite　maid　in　the　huge　and　sumptuous　open　carriage；　also　at　the　back　of　the　theatre　boxes　taken　by　the　Levantine；　for　she　began　to　go　out；　since　she　had　grown　less　torpid　under　the　treatment　of　her　masseur　and　was　determined　to　amuse　herself。　The　theatre　pleased　her；　especially　farces　or　melodramas。　The　apathy　of　her　large　body　found　a　stimulus　in　the　false　glare　of　the　footlights。　But　it　was　to　Cardailhac's　theatre　that　she　went　for　preference。　There；　the　Nabob　found　himself　in　his　own　house。　From　the　chief　superintendent　to　the　humblest　/ouvreuse/；　the　whole　staff　was　under　his　control。　He　had　a　key　which　enabled　him　to　pass　from　the　corridors　on　to　the　stage；　and　the　small　drawing…room　communicating　with　his　box　was　decorated　in　Oriental　manner；　with　a　concave　ceiling　like　a　beehive；　its　couches　covered　in　camel's　hair；　the　flame　of　the　gas　inclosed　in　a　little　Moorish　lantern。　Here　one　could　enjoy　a　siesta　during　rather　long　intervals　between　the　acts；　a　gallant　attention　on　the　part　of　the　manager　to　the　wife　of　his　partner。　Nor　did　that　ape　of　a　Cardailhac　stop　at　this。　Remarking　the　taste　of　the　Demoiselle　Afchin　for　the　drama；　he　had　ended　by　persuading　her　that　she　also　possessed　the　intuition；　the　knowledge　of　it；　and　by　begging　her　when　she　had　nothing　better　to　do　to　glance　over　and　let　him　know　what　she　thought　of　the　pieces　that　were　submitted　to　him。　A　good　way　of　cementing　the　partnership　more　firmly。

Poor　manuscripts　in　your　blue　or　yellow　covers；　bound　by　hope　with　fragile　ribbons；　that　set　out　full　of　ambition　and　dreams；　who　knows　what　hands　may　touch　you；　turn　over　your　pages；　what　indiscreet　fingers　deflower　your　charm；　the　charm　of　the　unknown；　that　glittering　dust　which　lies　on　new　ideas？　Who　may　judge　you　and　who　condemn？　Sometimes；　before　dining　out；　Jansoulet；　mounting　to　his　wife's　room；　would　find　her　on　her　lounge；　smoking；　her　head　thrown　back；　bundles　of　manuscripts　by　her　side；　and　Cabassu；　armed　with　a　blue　pencil；　reading　in　his　thick　voice　and　with　the　Bourg…Saint…Andeol　accent；　some　dramatic　lucubration　which　he　cut　and　scored　without　pity　at　the　least　criticism　from　the　lady。

〃Don't　disturb　yourselves；〃　the　good　Nabob　would　signal　with　his　hand；　entering　on　tiptoe。　He　would　listen；　shake　his　head　with　an　admiring　air；　as　he　watched　his　wife：　〃She　is　astonishing！〃　for　he　himself　understood　nothing　about　literature；　and　there；　at　least；　he　could　discover　once　again　the　superiority　of　Mlle。　Afchin。

〃She　had　the　instinct　of　the　stage；〃　as　Cardailhac　used　to　say；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　the　maternal　instinct　was　wanting　in　her。　Never　did　she　take　any　interest　in　her　children；　abandoning　them　to　the　hands　of　strangers；　and；　when　they　were　brought　to　her　once　a　month；　contenting　herself　with　offering　to　them　the　flaccid　and　inanimate　flesh　of　her　cheeks　between　two　puffs　of　cigarette…smoke；　without　making　any　inquiries　into　those　details　of　their　bringing　up　and　of　their　health　which　perpetuate　the　physical　bond　of　maternity　and　make　the　hearts　of　true　mothers　bleed　at　the　least　suffering　of　their　children。

They　were　three　big；　dull　and　apathetic　boys　of　eleven；　nine；　and　seven　years；　having；　with　the　sallow　complexion　and　the　precocious　bloatedness　of　the　Levantine；　the　kind；　black；　velvety　eyes　of　their　father。　They　were　ignorant　as　young　lords　of　the　middle　ages。　At　Tunis；　M。　Bompain　had　directed　their　studies；　but　at　Paris；　the　Nabob；　anxious　to　give　them　the　benefit　of　a　Parisian　education；　had　sent　them　to　that　smartest　and　most　expensive　of　boarding…schools；　the　College　Bourdaloue；　managed　by　good　priests　who　sought　less　to　instruct　their　pupils　than　to　make　of　them　good…mannered　and　right…　thinking　men　of　the　world；　and　succeeded　in　turning　them　out　affectedly　grave　and　ridiculous　little　prigs；　disdainful　of　games；　absolutely　ignorant；　without　anything　spontaneous　or　boyish　about　them；　and　of　a　desperate　precocity。　The　little　Jansoulets　were　not　very　happy　in　this　forcing…house；　notwithstanding　the　immunities　which　they　enjoyed　by　reason　of　their　immense　wealth；　they　were；　indeed；　utterly　left　to　themselves。　Even　the　creoles　in　the　charge　of　the　institution　had　some　friend　whom　they　visited　and　people　who　came　to　see　them；　but　the　Jansoulets　were　never　summoned　to　the　parlour；　no　one　knew　any　of　their　relatives；　from　time　to　time　they　received　basketfuls　of　sweetmeats；　piles　of　confectionery；　and　that　was　all。　The　Nabob；　doing　some　shopping　in　Paris；　would　strip　for　them　the　whole　of　a　pastry…cook's　window　and　send　the　spoils　to　the　college；　with　that　generous　impulse　of　the　heart　mingled　with　negro　ostentation　which　characterized　all　his　actions。　It　was　the　same　in　the　matter　of　playthings。　They　were　always　too　pretty；　tricked　out　too　finely；　uselessthose　toys　that　are　for　show　but　which　the　Parisian　does　not　buy。　But　that　which　above　all　attracted　to　the　little　Jansoulets　the　respect　both　of　pupils　and　masters；　were　their　purses　heavy　with　gold；　ever　ready　for　school　subscriptions；　for　the　professors'　birthdays；　and　the　charity　visits；　those　famous　visits　organized　by　the　College　Bourdaloue；　one　of　the　tempting　things　in　the　prospectus；　the　marvel　of　sensitive　souls。

Twice　a　month；　turn　and　turn　about；　the　pupils　who　were　members　of　the　miniature　Society　of　St。　Vincent　de　Paul　founded　in　the　college　upon　the　model　of　the　great　one；　went　in　little　squads；　alone；　as　though　they　had　been　grown…up；　to　bear　succour　and　consolation　into　the　deepest　recesses　of　the　more　densely　populated　quarters　of　the　town。　This　was　designed　to　teach　them　a　practical　charity；　the　art　of　knowing　the　needs；　the　miseries　of　the　lower　classes；　and　to　heal　these　heart…rending　evils　by　a　nostrum　of　kind　words　and　ecclesiastical　maxims。　To　console；　to　evangelize　the　masses　by　the　help　of　childhood；　to　disarm　religious　incredulity　by　the　youth　and　/naivete/　of　the　apostles；　such　was　the　aim　of　this　little　society；　an　aim　entirely　missed；　moreover。　The　children；　healthy；　well…dressed；　well…fed；　calling　only　at　addresses　previously　selected；　found　poor　persons　of　good　appearance；　sometimes　rather　unwell；　but　very　clean；　already　on　the　parish　register　and　in　receipt　of　aid　from　the　wealthy　organization　of　the　Church。　Never　did　they　chance　to　enter　one　of　those　nauseous　dwellings　wherein　hunger；　grief；　humiliation；　all　physical　and　moral　ills　are　written　in　leprous　mould　on　the　walls；　in　indelible　lines　on　the　brows。　Their　visits　were　prepared　for；　like　that　of　the　sovereign　who　enters　a　guard…room　to　taste　the　soldiers'　soup：　the　guard…room　is　warmed　and　the　soup　seasoned　for　the　royal　palate。　Have　you　seen　those　pictures　in　pious　books；　where　a　little　communicant；　with　candle　in　hand；　and　perfectly　groomed；　comes　to　minister　to　a　poor　old　man　lying　sick　on　his　straw　pallet　and　turning　the　whites　of　his　eyes　to　heaven？　These　visits　of　charity　had　the　same　conventionality　of　setting　and　of　accent。　To　the　measured　gestures　of　the　little　preachers　were　corresponding　words　learned　by　heart　and　false　enough　to　make　one　squint。　To　the　comic　encouragement；　to　the　〃consolations　lavished〃　in　prize…book　phrases　by　the　voices　of　young　urchins　with　colds；　were　the　affecting　benedictions；　the　whining　and　piteous　mummeries　of　a　church…porch　after　vespers。　And　the　m