the nabob-第29章

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ing　Sunday。　They　lent　themselves　to　his　experiments　with　unequalled　long…suffering；　the　prosperity　of　this　suburban　photographer's　business　was　for　them　all　an　affair　of　/amour　propre/；　and　awakened；　even　in　the　girls；　that　touching　confraternity　of　feeling　which　draws　together　the　destinies　of　people　as　insignificant　in　importance　as　sparrows　on　a　roof。　Andre　Maranne；　with　the　inexhaustible　resources　of　his　great　brow　full　of　illusion；　used　to　explain　without　bitterness　the　indifference　of　the　public。　Sometimes　the　season　was　unfavourable；　or；　again；　people　were　complaining　of　the　bad　state　of　business　generally；　and　he　would　always　end　with　the　same　consoling　reflection；　〃When　/Revolt/　is　produced！〃　That　was　the　title　of　his　play。

〃It　is　surprising　all　the　same；〃　said　the　fourth　of　M。　Joyeuse's　daughters；　twelve　years　old；　with　her　hair　in　a　pigtail；　〃it　is　surprising　that　with　such　a　good　balcony　so　little　business　should　result。〃

〃And；　if　he　were　established　on　the　Boulevard　des　Italiens；〃　remarks　M。　Joyeuse　thoughtfully；　and　he　is　launched　forth！riding　his　chimera　till　it　is　brought　to　the　ground　suddenly　with　a　gesture　and　these　words　uttered　sadly：　〃Closed　on　account　of　bankruptcy。〃　In　the　space　of　a　moment　the　terrible　visionary　has　just　installed　his　friend　in　splendid　quarters　on　the　Boulevard；　where　he　gains　enormous　sums　of　money；　at　the　same　time；　however；　increasing　his　expenditure　to　so　disproportionate　an　extent　that　a　fearful　failure　in　a　few　months　engulfs　both　photographer　and　his　photography。　They　laugh　heartily　when　he　gives　this　explanation；　but　all　agree　that　the　Rue　Saint…　Ferdinand；　although　less　brilliant；　is　much　more　to　be　depended　upon　than　the　Boulevard　des　Italiens。　Besides；　it　happens　to　be　quite　near　the　Bois　de　Boulogne；　and　if　once　the　fashionable　world　got　into　the　way　of　passing　through　it　That　exalted　society　which　was　so　much　sought　by　her　mother；　is　Mlle。　Henriette's　fixed　idea；　and　she　is　astonished　that　the　thought　of　receiving　〃le　high…life〃　in　his　little　apartment　on　the　fifth　floor　makes　their　neighbour　laugh。　The　other　week；　however；　a　carriage　with　livery　had　called　on　him。　Only　just　now；　too；　he　had　a　very　〃swell〃　visit。

〃Oh；　quite　a　great　lady！〃　interrupts　Bonne　Maman。　〃We　were　at　the　window　on　the　lookout　for　father。　We　saw　her　alight　from　her　carriage　and　look　at　the　show…frame；　we　made　sure　that　her　visit　was　for　you。〃

〃It　was　for　me；〃　said　Andre；　a　little　embarrassed。

〃For　a　moment　we　were　afraid　that　she　was　going　to　pass　on　like　so　many　others；　on　account　of　your　five　flights　of　stairs。　So　all　four　of　us　tried　to　attract　her　without　her　knowing　it；　by　the　magnetism　of　our　four　staring　pairs　of　eyes。　We　drew　her　gently　by　the　feathers　of　her　hat　and　the　laces　of　her　cape。　'Come　up　then；　madame；　come　up；'　and　finally　she　entered。　There　is　so　much　magnetism　in　eyes　that　are　kindly　disposed。〃

Magnetism　she　certainly　had；　the　dear　creature；　not　only　in　her　glances；　indeterminate　of　colour；　veiled　or　gay　like　the　sky　of　her　Paris；　but　in　her　voice；　in　the　draping　of　her　dress；　in　everything　about　her；　even　to　the　long　curl；　falling　over　the　neck　erect　and　delicate　as　a　statue's。

Tea　having　been　served；　while　the　gentlemen　finished　their　cups　and　talkedold　Joyeuse　was　always　very　long　over　everything　he　did；　by　reason　of　his　sudden　expeditions　to　the　moonthe　girls　brought　out　their　work；　the　table　became　covered　with　wicker　baskets；　embroideries；　pretty　wools　that　rejuvenated　with　their　bright　tints　the　faded　flowers　of　the　old　carpet；　and　the　group　of　the　other　evening　gathered　once　more　within　the　bright　circle　defined　by　the　lamp…shade；　to　the　great　satisfaction　of　Paul　de　Gery。　It　was　the　first　evening　of　the　kind　that　he　had　spent　in　Paris；　it　recalled　to　him　others　of　a　like　sort　very　far　away；　lulled　by　the　same　innocent　laughter；　the　peaceful　sound　produced　by　scissors　as　they　are　put　down　on　the　table；　by　a　needle　as　it　pierces　through　linen；　or　the　rustle　of　a　page　turned　over；　and　dear　faces；　disappeared　for　ever；　gathered　also　around　the　family　lamp；　alas！　so　abruptly　extinguished。

Having　been　admitted　to　this　charming　intimacy；　he　remained　in　it；　took　his　lessons　in　the　presence　of　the　girls　and　was　encouraged　to　chat　with　them　when　the　good　old　man　closed　his　big　book。　Here　everything　rested　him　after　the　whirl　of　that　life　into　which　he　was　thrown　by　the　luxurious　social　existence　of　the　Nabob；　he　come　to　renew　his　strength　in　this　atmosphere　of　honesty；　of　simplicity；　tried；　too；　to　find　healing　there　for　the　wounds　with　which　a　hand　more　indifferent　than　cruel　stabbed　his　heart　mercilessly。

〃Some　women　have　hated　me；　other　women　have　loved　me。　She　who　has　hurt　me　most　never　either　loved　or　hated　me。〃　Paul　had　met　that　woman　of　whom　Henri　Heine　speaks。　Felicia　was　full　of　welcome　and　cordiality　for　him。　There　was　no　one　whom　she　treated　with　more　favour。　She　used　to　reserve　for　him　a　special　smile　wherein　one　felt　the　kindliness　of　an　artist's　eye　arrested　by　and　dwelling　on　a　pleasing　type；　and　the　satisfaction　of　a　jaded　mind　amused　by　anything　new；　however　simple　in　appearance　it　may　be。　She　liked　that　reserve；　suggestive　in　a　southerner；　the　honesty　of　that　judgment；　independent　of　every　artistic　or　social　formula　and　enlivened　by　a　touch　of　provincial　accent。　These　things　were　a　change　for　her　from　the　zigzag　stroke　of　the　thumb　illustrating　a　eulogy　with　its　gesture　of　the　studio；　from　the　compliments　of　comrades　on　the　way　in　which　she　would　snub　some　old　fellow；　or　again　from　those　affected　admirations；　from　the　〃char…ar…ming；　very　nice　indeed's〃　with　which　young　men　about　town；　sucking　the　knobs　of　their　canes；　were　accustomed　to　regale　her。　This　young　man　at　any　rate　did　not　say　such　things　as　that　to　her。　She　had　nicknamed　him　Minerva；　on　account　of　his　apparent　tranquility　and　the　regularity　of　his　profile；　and　the　moment　she　saw　him；　however　far…　off；　she　would　call：

〃Ah；　here　comes　Minerva。　Hail；　beautiful　Minerva！　Put　down　your　helmet　and　let　us　have　a　chat。〃

But　this　familiar；　almost　fraternal；　tone　convinced　the　young　man　that　he　would　make　no　further　advance　into　that　feminine　comradeship　in　which　tenderness　was　wanting；　and　that　he　lost　each　day　something　of　his　charmthe　charm　of　the　unforeseenin　the　eyes　of　that　woman　born　weary；　who　seemed　to　have　already　lived　her　life　and　found　in　all　that　she　heard　or　saw　the　insipidity　of　a　repetition。　Felicia　was　bored。　Her　art　alone　could　distract　her；　carry　her　away；　transport　her　into　a　dazzling　fairyland；　whence　she　would　fall　back　worn　out；　surprised　each　time　by　this　awakening　like　a　physical　fall。　She　used　to　draw　a　comparison　between　herself　and　those　jelly…fish　whose　transparent　brilliancy；　so　much　alive　in　the　cool　movements　of　the　waves；　drift　to　their　death　on　the　shore　in　little　gelatinous　pools。　During　those　times　devoid　of　inspiration；　when　the　artist's　hand　was　heavy　on　his　instrument；　Felicia；　deprived　of　the　one　moral　support　of　her　intellectual　being；　became　unsociable；　unapproachable；　a　tormenting　mockerthe　revenge　taken　of　human　weakness　on　the　tired　brains　of　genius。　After　having　brought　tears　to　the　eyes　of　every　one　who　cared　for　her；　raking　up　painful　recollections　or　enervating　anxieties；　she　reached　the　lowest　depths　of　her　fatigue；　and　as　there　was　always　some　fun　in　her；　even　in　her　/ennui/　in　a　kind　of　caged　wild…beast's　howl；　which　she　called　〃the　cry　of　the　jackal　in　the　desert；〃　and　which　used　to　make　the　good　Crenmitz　turn　pale。

Poor　Felicia！　That　life　of　hers　was　indeed　a　frightful　desert　when　art　did　not　beguile　it　with　its　illusions；　a　desert　mournful　and　flat；　where　everything　was　lost；　reduced　to　one　level；　beneath　the　same　monotonous　immensity；　the　naive　love　of　a　child　of　twenty；　a　passionate　duke's　caprice；　in　which　all　was　overwhelmed　by　an　arid　sand　driven　by　blasting　fates。　Paul　was　conscious　of　that　void；　desired　to　escape　it；　but　something　held　him　back；　like　a　weight　which　unrolls　a　chain；　and　in　spite　of　the　calumnies　he　heard；　and　notwithstanding　the　odd　whims　of　the　strange　creature；　he　dallied　deliciously　after　her；　at　the　price　of　bearing　away　with　him　from　this　long　lover's　contemplation　only　the　despair　of　a　believer　reduced　to　the　adoring　of　images　alone。

The　refuge　lay　down　there；　in　that　remote　quarter　of　the　town　where　the　wind　blew　so　hard；　yet　without　preventing　the　flame　from　mounting　white　and　straightit　was　the　family　circle　presided　over　by　Bonne　Maman。　Oh！　she　at　least　was　not　bored；　she　never　uttered　the　cry　of　the　〃jackal　in　the　desert。〃　Her　life　was　far　too　full；　the　father　to　encourage；　to　sustain；　the　children　to　teach；　all　the　material　cares　of　a　home　where　the　mother's　hand　is　wanting；　those　preoccupations　that　awake　with　the　dawn　and　are　put　to　sleep　by　the　evening；　unless　indeed　it　bring　them　back　in　dream；　one　of　those　devotions；　tireless　but　without　apparent　effort；　very　pleasant　for　poor　human　egotism；　because　they　dispense　from　all　gratitude　and　hardly　make　themselves　felt；　so　light　is　their　hand。　She　was　not　the　courageous　daughter　who　works　to　support　her　parents；　gives　private　lessons　from　morning　to　night；　forgets　in　the　excitement　of　a　profession　all　the　troubles　of　the　household。　No；　she　had　understood　her　task　in　a　different　sense；　a　sedentary　bee　restricting　her　cares　to　the　hive；　without　once　humming　out　of　doors　in　the　open　air　among　the　flowers。　A　thousand　functions：　tailoress；　milliner；　mender　of　clothes；　bookkeeper　also　for　M。　Joyeuse；　who；　incapable　of　all　responsibility；　left　to　her　the　free　disposal　of　their　means；　to　be　pianoforte…teacher；　governess。

As　it　happens　in　families　that　have　been　in　a　good　position；　Aline；　as　the　eldest　daughter；　had　been　educated　at　one　of　the　best　boarding…　schools　in　Paris。　Elise　had　been　with　her　there　for　two　years；　but　the　last　two；　born　too　late；　and　sent　to　small　day…schools　in　the　locality；　had　all　their　studies　yet　to　complete；　and　this　was　no　easy　matter；　the　youngest　laughing　upon　every　occasion　from　sheer　good　health；　warbling　like　a　lark　intoxicated　with　the　delight　of　green　corn；　and　flying　away　far　out　of　sight　of　desk　and　exercises；　while　Mlle。　Henriette；　ever　haunted　by　her　ideas　of　grandeur；　her　love　of　luxurious　things；　took　to　work　hardly　less　unwillingly。　This　young　person　of　fifteen；　to　whom　her　father　had　transmitted　something　of　his　imaginative　faculties；　was　already　arranging　her　life　in　advance　and　declared　formally　that　she　should　marry　one　of　the　nobility；　and　would　never　have　more　than　three　children：　〃A　boy　to　inherit　the　name　and　two　little　girlsso　as　to　be　able　to　dress　them　alike。〃

〃Yes；　that's　right；〃　Bonne　Maman　would　say；　〃you　shall　dress　them　alike。　In　the　meantime；　let　us　attend　to　our　participles　a　little。〃

But　the　one　who　caused　the　most　concern　was　Elise；　with　her　examination　taken　thrice　without　success；　always　failing　in　history　and　preparing　herself　anew；　seized　by　a　deep　fear　and　a　mistrust　of　herself　which　made　her　carry　about　with　her　everywhere　and　open　every　moment　that　unfortunate　history　of　France；　in　the　omnibus；　in　the　street；　even　at　the　luncheon…table；　she　was　already　a　grown　girl　and　very　pretty；　and　she　no　longer　possessed　that　little　mechanical　memory　of　childhood　wherein　dates　and　events　lodge　the