the nabob-第26章

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　taps　to　the　omnibus　trotting　off　with　jingling　of　its　posting　bells　to　meet　every　train　of　the　day　at　Rueil　station！　Finally；　magnificent　goats；　Thibetan　goats；　silky；　swollen　with　milk。　In　regard　to　organization；　everything　was　admirable；　but　there　was　a　point　where　it　all　failed。　This　artificial　feeding；　so　greatly　extolled　by　the　advertisements；　did　not　agree　with　the　children。　It　was　a　singular　piece　of　obstinacy；　a　word　which　seemed　to　have　been　passed　between　them　by　a　signal；　poor　little　things！　for　they　couldn't　yet　speak；　most　of　them　indeed　were　never　to　speak　at　all：　〃Please；　we　will　not　suck　the　goats。〃　And　they　did　not　suck　them；　they　preferred　to　die　one　after　another　rather　than　suck　them。　Was　Jesus　of　Bethlehem　in　his　stable　suckled　by　a　goat？　On　the　contrary；　did　he　not　press　a　woman's　soft　breast；　on　which　he　could　go　to　sleep　when　he　was　satisfied？　Who　ever　saw　a　goat　between　the　ox　and　the　ass　of　the　story　on　that　night　when　the　beasts　spoke　to　each　other？　Then　why　lie　about　it；　why　call　the　place　Bethlehem？

The　director　had　been　moved　at　first　by　the　spectacle　of　so　many　victims。　This　Pondevez；　a　waif　of　the　life　of　the　〃Quarter；〃　mere　student　still　after　twenty　years；　and　well　known　in　all　the　resorts　of　the　Boulevard　St。　Michel　under　the　name　of　Pompon；　was　not　an　unkind　man。　When　he　perceived　the　small　success　of　the　artificial　feeding；　he　simply　brought　in　four　or　five　vigorous　nurses　from　the　district　around　and　the　children's　appetites　soon　returned。　This　humane　impulse　went　near　costing　him　his　place。

〃Nurses　at　Bethlehem！〃　said　Jenkins；　furious；　when　he　came　to　pay　his　weekly　visit。　〃Are　you　out　of　your　mind？　Well！　why　then　have　we　goats　at　all；　and　meadows　to　pasture　them；　what　becomes　of　my　idea；　and　the　pamphlets　upon　my　idea？　What　happens　to　all　that？　But　you　are　going　against　my　system。　You　are　stealing　the　founder's　money。〃

〃All　the　same；　/mon　cher　maitre/；〃　the　student　tried　to　reply；　passing　his　hands　through　his　long　red　beard；　〃all　the　same；　they　will　not　take　this　nourishment。〃

〃Well；　then；　let　them　go　without；　but　let　the　principle　of　artificial　lactation　be　respected。　That　is　the　whole　point。　I　do　not　wish　to　have　to　repeat　it　to　you　again。　Send　off　these　wretched　nurses。　For　the　rearing　of　our　children　we　have　goats'　milk；　cows'　milk　in　case　of　absolute　necessity。　I　can　make　no　further　concession　in　the　matter。〃

He　added；　with　an　assumption　of　his　apostle's　air：　〃We　are　here　for　the　demonstration　of　a　philanthropic　idea。　It　must　be　made　to　triumph；　even　at　the　price　of　some　sacrifices。〃

Pondevez　insisted　no　further。　After　all　the　place　was　a　good　one；　near　enough　to　Paris　to　allow　of　descents　upon　Nanterre　of　a　Sunday　from　the　Quarter；　or　to　allow　the　director　to　pay　a　visit　to　his　old　/brasseries/。　Mme。　Polge；　to　whom　Jenkins　always　referred　as　〃our　intelligent　superintendent；〃　and　whom　he　had　placed　there　to　superintend　everything；　and　chiefly　the　director　himself；　was　not　so　austere；　as　her　prerogatives　might　have　led　one　to　suppose；　and　submitted　willingly　to　a　few　liqueur…glasses　of　cognac　or　to　a　game　of　bezique。　He　dismissed　the　nurses；　therefore；　and　endeavoured　to　harden　himself　in　advance　to　everything　that　could　happen。　What　did　happen？　A　veritable　Massacre　of　the　Innocents。　Consequently　the　few　parents　in　fairly　easy　circumstances；　workpeople　or　suburban　tradesfolk；　who；　tempted　by　the　advertisements；　had　severed　themselves　from　their　children；　very　soon　took　them　home　again；　and　there　only　remained　in　the　establishment　some　little　unfortunates　picked　up　on　doorsteps　or　in　out…of…the…way　places；　sent　from　the　foundling　hospitals；　doomed　to　all　evil　things　from　their　birth。　As　the　mortality　continued　to　increase；　even　these　came　to　be　scarce；　and　the　omnibus　which　had　posted　to　the　railway　station　would　return　bouncing　and　light　as　an　empty　hearse。　How　long　would　the　thing　last？　How　long　would　the　twenty…five　or　thirty　little　ones　who　remained　take　to　die？　This　was　what　Monsieur　the　Director；　or　rather；　to　give　him　the　nickname　which　he　had　himself　invented；　Monsieur　the　Grantor…of…Certificates…of…death　Pondevez；　was　asking　himself　one　morning　as　he　sat　opposite　Mme。　Polge's　venerable　ringlets；　taking　a　hand　in　this　lady's　favourite　game。

〃Yes；　my　good　Mme。　Polge；　what　is　to　become　of　us？　Things　cannot　go　on　much　longer　as　they　are。　Jenkins　will　not　give　way；　the　children　are　as　obstinate　as　mules。　There　is　no　denying　it；　they　will　all　slip　through　our　fingers。　There　is　the　little　WallachianI　mark　the　king；　Mme。　Polgewho　may　die　from　one　moment　to　another。　Just　think；　the　poor　little　chap　for　the　last　three　days　has　had　nothing　in　his　stomach。　It　is　useless　for　Jenkins　to　talk。　You　cannot　improve　children　like　snails　by　making　them　go　hungry。　It　is　disheartening　all　the　same　not　to　be　able　to　save　one　of　them。　The　infirmary　is　full。　It　is　really　a　wretched　outlook。　Forty　and　bezique。〃

A　double　ring　at　the　entrance　gate　interrupted　his　monologue。　The　omnibus　was　returning　from　the　railway　station　and　its　wheels　were　grinding　on　the　sand　in　an　unusual　manner。

〃What　an　astonishing　thing；〃　remarked　Pondevez；　〃the　conveyance　is　not　empty。〃

Indeed　it　did　draw　up　at　the　foot　of　the　steps　with　a　certain　pride；　and　the　man　who　got　out　of　it　sprang　up　the　staircase　at　a　bound。　He　was　a　courier　from　Jenkins　bearing　a　great　piece　of　news。　The　doctor　would　arrive　in　two　hours　to　visit　the　Home；　accompanied　by　the　Nabob　and　a　gentleman　from　the　Tuileries。　He　urgently　enjoined　that　everything　should　be　ready　for　their　reception。　The　thing　had　been　decided　at　such　short　notice　that　he　had　not　had　the　time　to　write；　but　he　counted　on　M。　Pondevez　to　do　all　that　was　necessary。

〃That　is　good！necessary！〃　murmured　Pondevez　in　complete　dismay。　The　situation　was　critical。　This　important　visit　was　occurring　at　the　worst　possible　moment；　just　as　the　system　had　utterly　broken　down。　The　poor　Pompon；　exceedingly　perplexed；　tugged　at　his　beard；　thoughtfully　gnawing　wisps　of　it。

〃Come；〃　said　he　suddenly　to　Mme。　Polge；　whose　long　face　had　grown　still　longer　between　her　ringlets；　〃we　have　only　one　course　to　take。　We　must　remove　the　infirmary　and　carry　all　the　sick　into　the　dormitory。　They　will　be　neither　better　nor　worse　for　passing　another　half…day　there。　As　for　those　with　the　rash；　we　will　put　them　out　of　the　way　in　some　corner。　They　are　too　ugly；　they　must　not　be　seen。　Come　along；　you　up　there！　I　want　every　one　on　the　bridge。〃

The　dinner…bell　being　violently　rung；　immediately　hurried　steps　are　heard。　Seamstresses；　infirmary…nurses；　servants；　goatherds；　issue　from　all　directions；　running；　jostling　each　other　across　the　court…yards。　Others　fly　about；　cries；　calls；　but　that　which　dominates　is　the　noise　of　a　mighty　cleansing；　a　streaming　of　water　as　though　Bethlehem　had　been　suddenly　attacked　by　fire。　And　those　groanings　of　sick　children　snatched　from　the　warmth　of　their　beds；　all　those　little　screaming　bundles　carried　across　the　damp　park；　their　coverings　fluttering　through　the　branches；　powerfully　complete　the　impression　of　a　fire。　At　the　end　of　two　hours；　thanks　to　a　prodigious　activity；　the　house　is　ready　from　top　to　bottom　for　the　visit　which　it　is　about　to　receive；　all　the　staff　at　their　posts；　the　stove　lighted；　the　goats　picturesquely　sprinkled　over　the　park。　Mme。　Polge　has　donned　her　green　silk　dress；　the　director　a　costume　somewhat　less　/neglige/　than　usual；　but　of　which　the　simplicity　excluded　all　idea　of　premeditation。　The　Departmental　Secretary　may　come。

And　here　he　is。

He　alights　with　Jenkins　and　Jansoulet　from　a　splendid　coach　with　the　red　and　gold　livery　of　the　Nabob。　Feigning　the　deepest　astonishment；　Pondevez　rushes　forward　to　meet　his　visitors。

〃Ah；　M。　Jenkins；　what　an　honour！　What　a　surprise！〃

Greetings　are　exchanged　on　the　flight　of　steps；　bows；　shakings　of　hands；　introductions。　Jenkins　with　his　flowing　overcoat　wide　open　over　his　loyal　breast；　beams　his　best　and　most　cordial　smile；　there　is　a　significant　wrinkle　on　his　brow；　however。　He　is　uneasy　about　the　surprises　which　may　be　held　in　store　for　them　by　the　establishment；　of　the　distressful　condition　of　which　he　is　better　aware　than　any　one。　If　only　Pondevez　had　taken　proper　precautions。　Things　begin　well；　at　any　rate。　The　rather　theatrical　view　from　the　entrance；　of　those　white　fleeces　frisking　about　among　the　bushes；　have　enchanted　M。　de　la　Perriere；　who　himself；　with　his　honest　eyes；　his　little　white　beard；　and　the　continual　nodding　of　his　head；　resembles　a　goat　escaped　from　its　tether。

〃In　the　first　place；　gentlemen；　the　apartment　of　principal　importance　in　the　house；　the　nursery；〃　said　the　director；　opening　a　massive　door　at　the　end　of　the　entrance…hall。　His　guests　follow　him；　go　down　a　few　steps　and　find　themselves　in　an　immense；　low　room；　with　a　tiled　floor；　formerly　the　kitchen　of　the　mansion。　The　most　striking　object　on　entering　is　a　lofty　and　vast　fireplace　built　on　the　antique　model；　of　red　brick；　with　two　stone　benches　opposite　one　another　beneath　the　chimney；　and　the　singer's　coat　of　armsan　enormous　lyre　barred　with　a　roll　of　musiccarved　on　the　monumental　pediment。　The　effect　is　startling；　but　a　frightful　draught　comes　from　it；　which　joined　to　the　coldness　of　the　tile　floor　and　the　dull　light　admitted　by　the　little　windows　on　a　level　with　the　ground；　may　well　terrify　one　for　the　health　of　the　children。　But　what　was　do　be　done？　The　nursery　had　to　be　installed　in　this　insalubrious　spot　on　account　of　the　sylvan　and　capricious　nurses；　accustomed　to　the　unconstraint　of　the　stable。　You　only　need　to　notice　the　pools　of　milk；　the　great　reddish　puddles　drying　up　on　the　tiles；　to　breathe　in　the　strong　odour　that　meets　you　as　you　enter；　a　mingling　of　whey；　of　wet　hair；　and　of　many　other　things　besides；　in　order　to　be　convinced　of　the　absolute　necessity　of　this　arrangement。

The　gloomy…walled　apartment　is　so　large　that　to　the　visitors　at　first　the　nursery　seems　to　be　deserted。　However；　at　the　farther　end；　a　group　of　creatures；　bleating；　moaning；　moving　about；　is　soon　distinguished。　Two　peasant　women；　hard　and　brutalized　in　appearance；　with　dirty　faces；　two　〃dry…nurses；〃　who　well　deserve　the　name；　are　seated　on　mats；　each　with　an　infant　in　her　arms　and　a　big　nanny…goat　in　front　of　her；　offering　its　udder　with　legs　parted。　The　director　seems　pleasantly　surprised。

〃Truly；　gentlemen；　this　is　lucky。　Two　of　our　children　are　having　their　little　luncheon。　We　shall　see　how　well　the　nurses　and　infants　understand　each　other。〃

〃What　can　he　be　doing？　He　is　mad；〃　said　Jenkins　to　himself　in　consternation。

But　the　director　on　the　contrary　knows　very　well　what　he　is　doing　and　has　himself　skilfully　arranged　the　scene；　selecting　two　patient　and　gentle　beasts　and　two　exceptional　subjects；　two　little　desperate　mortals　who　want　to　live　at　any　price　and　open　their　mouths　to　swallow；　no　matter　what　food；　like　young　birds　still　in　the　nest。

〃Come　nearer；　gentlemen；　and　observe。〃

Yes；　they　are　indeed　sucking；　these　little　cherubs！　One　of　them；　lying　close　to　the　ground；　squeezed　up　under　the　belly　of　the　goat；　is　going　at　it　so　heartily　that　you　can　hear　the　gurglings　of　the　warm　milk　descending；　it　would　seem；　even　into　the　little　limbs　that　kick　with　satisfaction　at　the　meal。　The　other；　calmer；　lying　down