the nabob-第27章

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；　even　into　the　little　limbs　that　kick　with　satisfaction　at　the　meal。　The　other；　calmer；　lying　down　indolently；　requires　some　little　encouragement　from　his　Auvergnoise　attendant。

〃Suck；　will　you　suck　then；　you　little　rogue！〃　And　at　length；　as　though　he　had　suddenly　come　to　a　decision；　he　begins　to　drink　with　such　avidity　that　the　woman　leans　over　to　him；　surprised　by　this　extraordinary　appetite；　and　exclaims　laughing：

〃Ah；　the　rascal；　is　he　not　cunning？it　is　his　thumb　that　he　is　sucking　instead　of　the　goat。〃

The　angel　has　hit　on　that　expedient　so　that　he　may　be　left　in　peace。　The　incident　does　not　create　a　bad　impression。　M。　de　la　Perriere　is　much　amused　by　this　notion　of　the　nurse　that　the　child　was　trying　to　take　them　all　in。　He　leaves　the　nursery；　delighted。　〃Positively　de…e…elighted；〃　he　repeats；　nodding　his　head　as　they　ascend　the　great　staircase　with　its　echoing　walls　decorated　with　the　horns　of　stags；　leading　to　the　dormitory。

Very　bright；　very　airy；　is　this　vast　room；　running　the　whole　length　of　one　side　of　the　house；　with　numerous　windows　and　cots；　separated　one　from　another　by　a　little　distance；　hung　with　fleecy　white　curtains　like　clouds。　Women　go　and　come　through　the　large　arch　in　the　centre；　with　piles　of　linen　on　their　arms；　or　keys　in　their　hands；　nurses　with　the　special　duty　of　washing　the　babies。

Here　too　much　has　been　attempted　and　the　first　impression　of　the　visitors　is　a　bad　one。　All　this　whiteness　of　muslin；　this　polished　parquet；　the　brightness　of　the　window…panes　reflecting　the　sky　sad　at　beholding　these　things；　seem　to　throw　into　bold　relief　the　thinness；　the　unhealthy　pallor　of　these　dying　little　ones；　already　the　colour　of　their　shrouds。　Alas！　the　oldest　are　only　aged　some　six　months；　the　youngest　barely　a　fortnight；　and　already　there　is　in　all　these　faces；　these　faces　in　embryo；　a　disappointed　expression；　a　scowling；　worn　look；　a　suffering　precocity　visible　in　the　numerous　lines　on　those　little　bald　foreheads；　cramped　by　linen　caps　edged　with　poor；　narrow　hospital　lace。　What　are　they　suffering？　What　diseases　can　they　have？　They　have　everything；　everything　that　one　can　have：　diseases　of　children　and　diseases　of　men。　The　fruit　of　vice　and　poverty；　they　bring　into　the　world　hideous　phenomena　of　heredity　at　their　very　birth。　This　one　has　a　perforated　palate；　and　this　great　copper…　coloured　patches　on　the　forehead；　all　of　them　rickety。　Then　they　are　dying　of　hunger。　Notwithstanding　the　spoonfuls　of　milk；　of　sweetened　water；　which　are　forced　down　their　throats；　notwithstanding　the　feeding…bottle　employed　now　and　then；　though　against　orders；　they　perish　of　inanition。　These　little　creatures；　worn　out　before　birth；　require　the　most　tender　and　the　most　strengthening　food；　the　goats　might　perhaps　be　able　to　give　it；　but　apparently　they　have　sworn　not　to　suck　the　goats。　And　this　is　what　makes　the　dormitory　mournful　and　silent；　not　one　of　those　little　clinched…fisted　tempers；　one　of　those　cries　showing　the　pink　and　firm　gums　in　which　the　child　makes　trial　of　his　lungs　and　strength；　only　a　plaintive　moaning；　as　it　were　the　disquiet　of　a　soul　that　turns　over　and　over　in　a　little　sick　body；　without　being　able　to　find　a　comfortable　place　to　rest　there。

Jenkins　and　the　director；　who　have　seen　the　bad　impression　produced　on　their　guests　by　this　inspection　of　the　dormitory；　try　to　put　a　little　life　into　the　situation；　talk　very　loudly　in　a　good…natured；　complacent；　satisfied　way。　Jenkins　shakes　hands　warmly　with　the　superintendent。

〃Well；　Mme。　Polge；　and　how　are　our　little　nurslings　getting　on？〃

〃As　you　see；　M。　le　Docteur；〃　she　replies；　pointing　to　the　beds。

This　tall　Mme。　Polge　is　funereal　in　her　green　dress；　the　ideal　of　dry…　nurses。　She　completes　the　picture。

But　where　has　Monsieur　the　Departmental　Secretary　gone？　He　has　stopped　before　a　cot　which　he　examines　sadly；　as　he　stands　nodding　his　head。

〃/Bigre　de　bigre！/〃　says　Pompon　in　a　low　voice　to　Mme。　Polge。　〃It　is　the　Wallachian。〃

The　little　blue　placard　hung　over　the　cot；　as　in　the　foundling　hospitals；　states　the　child's　nationality：　〃Moldo；　Wallachian。〃　What　a　piece　of　ill…luck　that　Monsieur　the　Secretary's　attention　should　have　been　attracted　to　that　particular　child！　Oh；　that　poor　little　head　lying　on　the　pillow；　its　linen　cap　askew；　with　pinched　nostrils；　and　mouth　half　opened　by　a　quick；　panting　respiration；　the　breathing　of　the　newly　born；　of　those　also　who　are　about　to　die。

〃Is　he　ill？〃　asked　Monsieur　the　Secretary　softly　of　the　director；　who　has　come　up　to　him。

〃Not　the　least　in　the　world；〃　the　shameless　Pompon　replies；　and；　advancing　to　the　side　of　the　cot；　he　tries　to　make　the　little　one　laugh　by　tickling　him　with　his　finger；　straightens　the　pillow；　and　says　in　a　hearty　voice；　somewhat　overcharged　with　tenderness：　〃Well；　old　fellow？〃　Shaken　out　of　his　torpor；　escaping　for　a　moment　from　the　shades　which　already　are　closing　on　him；　the　child　opens　his　eyes　on　those　faces　leaning　over　him；　glances　at　them　with　a　gloomy　indifference；　then；　returning　to　his　dream　which　he　finds　more　interesting；　clinches　his　little　wrinkled　hands　and　heaves　an　elusive　sigh。　Mystery！　Who　shall　say　for　what　end　that　baby　had　been　born　into　life？　To　suffer　for　two　months　and　to　depart　without　having　seen　anything；　understood　anything；　without　any　one　even　knowing　the　sound　of　his　voice。

〃How　pale　he　is！〃　murmurs　M。　de　la　Perriere；　very　pale　himself。　The　Nabob　is　livid　also。　A　cold　breath　seems　to　have　passed　over　the　place。　The　director　assumes　an　air　of　unconcern。

〃It　is　the　reflection。　We　are　all　of　us　green　here。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　that　is　so；〃　remarks　Jenkins；　〃it　is　the　reflection　of　the　lake。　Come　and　look；　Monsieur　the　Secretary。〃　And　he　draws　him　to　the　window　to　point　out　to　him　the　large　sheet　of　water　with　its　dipping　willows；　while　Mme。　Polge　makes　haste　to　draw　over　the　eternal　dream　of　the　little　Wallachian　the　parted　curtains　of　his　cradle。

The　inspection　of　the　establishment　must　be　continued　very　quickly　in　order　to　destroy　this　unfortunate　impression。

To　begin　with；　M。　de　la　Perriere　is　shown　a　splendid　laundry；　with　stoves；　drying…rooms；　thermometers；　immense　presses　of　polished　walnut；　full　of　babies'　caps　and　frocks；　labelled　and　tied　up　in　dozens。　When　the　linen　has　been　warmed；　the　linen…room　maid　passes　it　out　through　a　little　door　in　exchange　for　the　number　left　by　the　nurse。　A　perfect　order　reigns；　one　can　see；　and　everything；　down　to　its　healthy　smell　of　soap…suds；　gives　to　this　apartment　a　wholesome　and　rural　aspect。　There　is　clothing　here　for　five　hundred　children。　That　is　the　number　which　Bethlehem　can　accommodate；　and　everything　has　been　arranged　upon　a　corresponding　scale；　the　vast　pharmacy；　glittering　with　bottles　and　Latin　inscriptions；　pestles　and　mortars　of　marble　in　every　corner；　the　hydropathic　installation；　its　large　rooms　built　of　stone；　with　gleaming　baths　possessing　a　huge　apparatus　including　pipes　of　all　dimensions　for　douches；　upward　and　downward；　spray；　jet；　or　whip…lash；　and　the　kitchens　adorned　with　superb　kettles　of　copper；　and　with　economical　coal　and　gas　ovens。　Jenkins　wished　to　institute　a　model　establishment；　and　he　found　the　thing　easy；　for　the　work　was　done　on　a　large　scale；　as　it　can　be　when　funds　are　not　lacking。　You　feel　also　over　it　all　the　experience　and　the　iron　hand　of　〃our　intelligent　superintendent；〃　to　whom　the　director　cannot　refrain　from　paying　a　public　tribute。　This　is　the　signal　for　general　congratulations。　M。　de　la　Perriere；　delighted　with　the　manner　in　which　the　establishment　is　equipped；　congratulates　Dr。　Jenkins　upon　his　fine　creations；　Jenkins　compliments　his　friend　Pondevez；　who；　in　his　turn；　thanks　the　Departmental　secretary　for　having　consented　to　honour　Bethlehem　with　a　visit。　The　good　Nabob　makes　his　voice　heard　in　this　chorus　of　eulogy；　finds　a　kind　word　for　each　one；　but　is　a　little　surprised　all　the　same　that　he　has　not　been　congratulated　himself；　since　they　were　about　it。　It　is　true　that　the　best　of　congratulations　awaits　him　on　the　16th　March　on　the　front　page　of　the　/Official　Journal/　in　a　decree　which　flames　in　advance　before　his　eyes　and　makes　him　glance　every　now　and　then　at　his　buttonhole。

These　pleasant　words　are　exchanged　as　the　party　passes　along　a　big　corridor　in　which　the　voices　ring　out　in　all　their　honest　accents；　but　suddenly　a　frightful　noise　interrupts　the　conversation　and　the　advance　of　the　visitors。　It　seems　to　be　made　up　of　the　mewing　of　cats　in　delirium；　of　bellowings；　of　the　howlings　of　savages　performing　a　war…　dance；　an　appalling　tempest　of　human　cries；　reverberated；　swelled；　and　prolonged　by　the　echoing　vaults。　It　rises　and　falls；　ceases　suddenly；　then　goes　on　again　with　an　extraordinary　effect　of　unanimity。

Monsieur　the　Director　begins　to　be　uneasy；　makes　an　inquiry。　Jenkins　rolls　furious　eyes。

〃Let　us　go　on；〃　says　the　director；　rather　anxious　this　time。　〃I　know　what　it　is。〃

He　knows　what　it　is；　but　M。　de　la　Perriere　wishes　to　know　also　what　it　is；　and；　before　Pondevez　has　had　the　time　to　unfasten　it；　he　pushes　open　the　massive　door　whence　this　horrible　concert　proceeds。

In　a　sordid　kennel　which　the　great　cleansing　has　passed　over；　for；　in　fact；　it　was　not　intended　to　be　exhibited；　on　mattresses　ranged　on　the　floor；　a　dozen　little　wretches　are　laid；　watched　over　by　an　empty　chair　on　which　the　beginning　of　a　knitted　vest　lies　with　an　air　of　dignity；　and　by　a　little　broken　saucepan；　full　of　hot　wine；　boiling　on　a　smoky　wood　fire。　These　are　the　children　with　ringworm；　with　rashes；　the　disfavoured　of　Bethlehem；　who　had　been　hidden　in　this　retired　corner　with　recommendation　to　their　dry…nurse　to　rock　them；　to　soothe　them；　to　sit　on　them；　if　need　were；　in　order　to　keep　them　from　crying；　but　whom　this　country…woman；　stupid　and　inquisitive；　had　left　alone　there　in　order　to　see　the　fine　carriage　standing　in　the　court…yard。　Her　back　turned；　the　infants　had　very　quickly　grown　weary　of　their　horizontal　position；　and　then　all　these　little　scrofulous　patients　raised　their　lusty　concert；　for　they；　by　a　miracle；　are　strong；　their　malady　saves　and　nourishes　them。　Bewildered　and　kicking　like　beetles　when　they　are　turned　on　their　backs；　helping　themselves　with　their　hips　and　their　elbows；　some　fallen　on　one　side　and　unable　to　regain　their　balance；　others　raising　in　the　air　their　little　benumbed；　swaddled　legs；　spontaneously　they　cease　their　gesticulations　and　cries　as　they　see　the　door　open；　but　M。　de　la　Perrier's　nodding　goatee　beard　reassures　them；　encourages　them　anew；　and　in　the　renewed　tumult　the　explanation　given　by　the　director　is　only　heard　with　difficulty：　〃Children　kept　separateContagionSkin…diseases。〃　This　is　quite　enough　for　Monsieur　the　Departmental　Secretary；　less　heroic　than　Bonaparte　on　his　visit　to　the　plague…stricken　of　Jaffa；　he　hastens　towards　the　door；　and　in　his　timid　anxiety；　wishing　to　say　something　and　yet　not　finding　words；　murmurs　with　an　ineffable　smile：　〃They　are　char…ar…ming。〃

Next；　the　inspection　at　an　end；　see　them　all　gathered　in　the　salon　on　the　ground　floor；　where　Mme。　Polge　has　prepared　a　little　luncheon。　The　cellar　of　Bethlehem　is　well　stocked。　The　keen　air　of　the　table…land；　these　climbs　up　and　downstairs　have　given　the　old　gentleman　from　the　Tuileries　an　appetite　such　as　he　has　not　known　for　a　long　time；　so　t