the nabob-第28章

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iven　the　old　gentleman　from　the　Tuileries　an　appetite　such　as　he　has　not　known　for　a　long　time；　so　that　he　chats　and　laughs　as　if　he　were　at　a　picnic；　and　at　the　moment　of　departure；　as　they　are　all　standing；　raises　his　glass；　nodding　his　head；　to　drink；　〃To　Be…Be…Bethlehem！〃　Those　present　are　moved；　glasses　are　touched；　then；　at　a　quick　trot；　the　carriage　bears　the　party　away　down　the　long　avenue　of　limes；　over　which　a　red　and　cold　sun　is　just　setting。　Behind　them　the　park　resumes　its　dismal　silence。　Great　dark　masses　gather　in　the　depths　of　the　copses；　surround　the　house；　gain　little　by　little　the　paths　and　open　spaces。　Soon　all　is　lost　in　gloom　save　the　ironical　letters　embossed　above　the　entrance…gate；　and；　away　over　yonder；　at　a　first…floor　window；　one　red　and　wavering　spot；　the　light　of　a　candle　burning　by　the　pillow　of　the　dead　child。

　　〃By　a　decree　dated　the　12th　March；　1865；　issued　upon　the　proposal　　　of　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；　Monsieur　the　Doctor　Jenkins；　　　President　and　Founder　of　the　Bethlehem　Society　is　named　a　　　Chevalier　of　the　Imperial　Order　of　the　Legion　of　Honour。　Great　　　devotion　to　the　cause　of　humanity。〃

As　he　read　these　words　on　the　front　page　of　the　/Official　Journal/；　on　the　morning　of　the　16th；　the　poor　Nabob　felt　dazed。

Was　it　possible？

Jenkins　decorated；　and　not　he！

He　read　the　paragraph　twice　over；　distrusting　his　own　eyes。　His　ears　buzzed。　The　letters　danced　double　before　his　eyes　with　those　great　red　rings　round　them　which　they　have　in　strong　sunlight。　He　had　been　so　confident　of　seeing　his　name　in　this　place；　Jenkins；　only　the　evening　before；　had　repeated　to　him　with　so　much　assurance；　〃It　is　already　done！〃　that　he　still　thought　his　eyes　must　have　deceived　him。　But　no；　it　was　indeed　Jenkins。　The　blow　was　heavy；　deep；　prophetic；　as　it　were　a　first　warning　from　destiny；　and　one　that　was　felt　all　the　more　intensely　because　for　years　this　man　had　been　unaccustomed　to　failure。　Everything　good　in　him　learned　mistrust　at　the　same　time。

〃Well；〃　said　he　to　de　Gery　as　he　came　as　usual　every　morning　into　his　room；　and　found　him　visibly　affected；　holding　the　newspaper　in　his　hand；　〃have　you　seen？　I　am　not　in　the　/Official/。〃

He　tried　to　smile；　his　features　puckered　like　those　of　a　child　restraining　his　tears。　Then；　suddenly；　with　that　frankness　which　was　such　a　pleasing　quality　in　him：　〃It　is　a　great　disappointment　to　me。　I　was　looking　forward　to　it　too　confidently。〃

The　door　opened　upon　these　words；　and　Jenkins　rushed　in；　out　of　breath；　stammering；　extraordinarily　agitated。

〃It　is　an　infamy；　a　frightful　infamy！　The　thing　cannot　be；　it　shall　not　be！〃

The　words　stumbled　over　each　other　in　disorder　on　his　lips；　all　trying　to　get　out　at　once；　then　he　seemed　to　despair　of　finding　expression　for　his　thoughts　and　in　disgust　threw　on　the　table　a　small　box　and　a　large　envelope；　both　bearing　the　stamp　of　the　chancellor's　office。

〃There　are　my　cross　and　my　brevet。　They　are　yours；　friend。　I　could　not　keep　them。〃

At　bottom　the　words　did　not　signify　much。　Jansoulet　adorning　himself　with　Jenkins's　ribbon　might　very　well　have　been　guilty　of　illegality。　But　a　piece　of　theatrical　business　is　not　necessarily　logical；　this　one　brought　about　between　the　two　men　an　effusion　of　feeling；　embraces；　a　generous　battle；　at　the　end　of　which　Jenkins　replaced　the　objects　in　his　pocket；　speaking　of　protests；　letters　to　the　newspapers。　The　Nabob　was　again　obliged　to　check　him。

〃Be　very　careful　you　do　no　such　thing。　To　begin　with；　it　would　be　to　injure　my　chances　for　another　timewho　knows；　perhaps　on　the　15th　of　August；　which　will　soon　be　here。〃

〃Oh；　as　to　that；〃　said　Jenkins；　jumping　at　this　idea；　and　stretching　out　his　arm　as　in　the　/Oath/　of　David；　〃I　solemnly　swear　it。〃

The　matter　was　dropped　at　this　point。　At　luncheon　the　Nabob　was　as　gay　as　usual。　This　good　humour　was　maintained　all　day；　and　de　Gery；　for　whom　the　scene　had　been　a　revelation　of　the　true　Jenkins；　the　explanation　of　the　ironies　and　the　restrained　wrath　of　Felicia　Ruys　whenever　she　spoke　of　the　doctor；　asked　himself　in　vain　how　he　could　enlighten　his　dear　patron　about　such　hypocrisy。　He　should　have　been　aware；　however；　that　in　southerners；　with　all　their　superficiality　and　effusion；　there　is　no　blindness；　no　enthusiasm；　so　complete　as　to　remain　insensible　before　the　wisdom　of　reflection。　In　the　evening　the　Nabob　had　opened　a　shabby　little　letter…case；　worn　at　the　corners；　in　which　for　ten　years　he　had　been　accustomed　to　work　out　the　calculations　of　his　millions；　writing　down　in　hieroglyphics　understood　only　by　himself　his　receipts　and　expenditures。　He　buried　himself　in　his　accounts　for　a　moment；　then　turning　to　de　Gery：

〃Do　you　know　what　I　am　doing；　my　dear　Paul？〃　he　asked。

〃No；　sir。〃

〃I　am　just　calculating〃and　his　mocking　glance　thoroughly　characteristic　of　his　race；　rallied　the　good　nature　of　his　smile〃I　am　just　calculating　that　I　have　spend　four　hundred　and　thirty　thousand　francs　to　get　a　decoration　for　Jenkins。〃

Four　hundred　and　thirty　thousand　francs！　And　that　was　not　the　end。



BONNE　MAMAN

Paul　de　Gery　went　three　times　a　week　in　the　evening　to　take　his　lesson　in　bookkeeping　in　the　Joyeuses'　dining…room；　not　far　from　that　little　parlour　in　which　he　had　seen　the　family　the　first　day；　and　while　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　his　teacher　he　was　being　initiated　into　all　the　mysteries　of　〃debtor　and　creditor；〃　he　used　to　listen；　in　spite　of　himself；　for　the　light　sounds　coming　from　the　industrious　group　behind　the　door；　with　thoughts　dwelling　regretfully　on　the　vision　of　all　those　pretty　brows　bent　in　the　lamplight。　M。　Joyeuse　never　said　a　word　of　his　daughters；　jealous　of　their　charms　as　a　dragon　watching　over　beautiful　princesses　in　a　tower；　and　excited　by　the　fantastic　imaginings　of　his　excessive　affection　for　them；　he　would　answer　with　marked　brevity　the　inquiries　of　his　pupil　regarding　the　health　of　〃the　young　ladies；〃　so　that　at　last　the　young　man　ceased　to　mention　them。

He　was　surprised；　however；　at　not　once　seeing　that　Bonne　Maman　whose　name　was　constantly　recurring　in　the　conversation　of　M。　Joyeuse；　entering　into　the　least　details　of　his　existence；　hovering　over　the　household　like　the　emblem　of　its　perfect　ordering　and　of　its　peace。

So　great　a　reserve　on　the　part　of　a　venerable　lady　who　must　assuredly　have　passed　the　age　at　which　the　interest　of　young　men　is　to　be　feared；　seemed　to　him　exaggerated。　The　lessons；　however；　were　good　ones；　given　with　great　clearness；　the　teacher　having　an　excellent　system　of　demonstration；　and　only　one　fault；　that　of　becoming　absorbed　in　silences；　broken　by　sudden　starts　and　exclamations　let　off　like　rockets。　Apart　from　this；　he　was　the　best　of　masters；　intelligent；　patient；　and　conscientious；　and　Paul　learned　to　know　his　way　through　the　complex　labyrinth　of　commercial　books　and　resigned　himself　to　ask　nothing　beyond。

One　evening；　towards　nine　o'clock；　as　the　young　man　had　risen　to　go；　M。　Joyeuse　asked　him　if　he　would　do　him　the　honour　of　taking　a　cup　of　tea　with　his　family；　a　custom　dating　from　the　time　when　Mme。　Joyeuse；　/nee/　de　Saint…Amand；　was　alive；　she　having　been　used　to　receive　her　friends　on　Thursdays。　Since　her　death　and　the　change　in　the　financial　position；　the　friends　had　become　dispersed；　but　his　little　weekly　function　had　been　kept　up。

Paul　having　accepted；　the　good　old　fellow　opened　the　door　and　called：

〃Bonne　Maman！〃

An　alert　footstep　in　the　passage；　and　immediately　the　face　of　a　girl　of　twenty；　in　a　halo　of　abundant　brown　hair；　made　its　appearance。

De　Gery；　stupefied；　looked　at　M。　Joyeuse。

〃Bonne　Maman？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　a　name　that　we　gave　her　when　she　was　a　little　girl。　With　her　frilled　cap；　her　authority　as　the　eldest　child；　she　had　a　quaint　little　air。　We　thought　her　like　her　grandmother。　The　name　has　clung　to　her。〃

From　the　honest　fellow's　tone　as　he　spoke　thus；　one　felt　that　to　him　this　grandparent's　title　applied　to　such　an　embodiment　of　attractive　youth　seemed　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。　Every　one　else　thought　as　he　did　on　the　point；　both　her　sisters；　who　had　hastened　to　their　father's　side；　grouping　themselves　round　him　somewhat　as　in　the　portrait　exhibited　in　the　window　on　the　ground　floor；　and　the　old　servant　who　placed　on　the　table　in　the　little　drawing…room　a　magnificent　tea…service；　a　relic　of　the　former　splendours　of　the　household。　Every　one　called　the　girl　〃Bonne　Maman〃　without　her　ever　once　having　grown　tired　of　it；　the　influence　of　that　sacred　title　touching　the　affection　of　each　one　with　a　deference　which　flattered　her　and　gave　to　her　ideal　authority　a　singular　gentleness　of　protection。

Whether　or　not　it　were　by　reason　of　this　appellation　of　grandmother　which　as　a　child　he　had　learned　to　reverence；　de　Gery　felt　an　inexpressible　attraction　towards　this　young　girl。　It　was　not　like　the　sudden　shock　which　he　had　received　from　that　other；　that　emotional　agitation　in　which　were　mingled　the　desire　to　flee；　to　escape　from　a　possession　and　the　persistent　melancholy　of　the　morrow　of　a　festivity；　extinguished　candles；　the　lost　refrains　of　songs；　perfumes　vanished　into　the　night。　In　the　presence　of　this　young　girl　as　she　stood　superintending　the　family　table；　seeing　if　anything　were　wanting；　enveloping　her　children；　her　grandchildren；　with　the　active　tenderness　of　her　eyes；　there　came　to　him　a　longing　to　know　her；　to　be　counted　among　her　old　friends；　to　confide　to　her　things　which　he　confessed　only　to　himself；　and　when　she　offered　him　his　cup　of　tea　without　any　of　the　mincings　of　society　or　drawing…room　affectations；　he　would　have　liked　to　say　with　the　rest　a　〃Thank　you；　Bonne　Maman；〃　in　which　he　would　have　put　all　his　heart。

Suddenly；　a　cheerful　knock　at　the　door　made　everybody　start。

〃Ah；　here　comes　M。　Andre。　Elise；　a　cup　quickly。　Jaia；　the　little　cakes。〃　At　the　same　time；　Mlle。　Henriette；　the　third　of　M。　Joyeuse's　daughters；　who　had　inherited　from　her　mother；　/nee/　de　Saint…Amand；　a　certain　instinct　for　society；　observing　the　number　of　visitors　who　seemed　likely　to　crowd　their　rooms　that　evening；　rushed　to　light　the　two　candles　on　the　piano。

〃My　fifth　act　is　finished；〃　cried　the　newcomer　as　he　entered；　then　he　stopped　short。　〃Ah；　pardon；〃　and　his　face　assumed　a　rather　discomfited　expression　in　the　presence　of　the　stranger。　M。　Joyeuse　introduced　them　to　each　other：　〃M。　Paul　de　GeryM。　Andre　Maranne；〃　not　without　a　certain　solemnity。　He　remembered　the　receptions　held　formerly　by　his　wife；　and　the　vases　on　the　chimneypiece；　the　two　large　lamps；　the　what…not；　the　easy　chairs　grouped　in　a　circle　had　an　air　of　joining　in　this　illusion；　and　seemed　more　brilliant　by　reason　of　this　unaccustomed　throng。

〃So　your　play　is　finished？〃

〃Finished；　M。　Joyeuse；　and　I　hope　to　read　it　to　you　one　of　these　evenings。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　M。　Andre。　Oh；　yes；〃　said　all　the　girls　in　chorus。

Their　neighbour　was　in　the　habit　of　writing　for　the　stage；　and　no　one　here　doubted　of　his　success。　Photography；　in　any　case；　promised　fewer　profits。　Clients　were　very　rare；　passers…by　little　disposed　to　business。　To　keep　his　hand　in　and　to　save　his　new　apparatus　from　rusting；　M。　Andre　was　accustomed　to　practise　anew　on　the　family　of　his　friends　on　each　succeeding　Sunday。　They　lent　themselves　to　his　experiments　with　unequalled　long…suffering；　the　prosperity　o