the nabob-第3章

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the　description　of　Jansoulet's　sitting　down　to　play　/ecarte/　with　Mora；　to　the　story　of　how　he　gorged　himself　with　the　duke's　putative　mushrooms；　and　to　similar　episodes　and　touches。　In　the　matter　of　effective　and　ironically　turned　situations　few　novels　can　compare　with　this；　indeed；　it　almost　seems　as　if　Daudet　made　an　inordinate　use　of　them。　Think　of　the　poor　Nabob　reading　the　announcement　of　the　cross　bestowed　on　Jenkins；　and　of　the　absurd　populace　mistaking　him　for　the　ungrateful　Bey！　As　for　great　dramatic　moments；　there　is　at　least　one　that　no　reader　can　forgetthe　moment　when　Jansoulet；　in　the　midst　of　the　speech　on　which　his　fate　depends；　catches　sight　of　his　old　mother's　face　and　forbears　to　clear　himself　of　calumny　at　the　expense　of　his　wretched　elder　brother。　The　situation　may　not　bear　close　analysis；　but　who　wishes　to　analyze？　Or　who；　indeed；　wishes　to　indulge　in　further　comment　after　the　scene　has　risen　to　his　mind？

/The　Nabob/　was　followed　by　/Kings　in　Exile/；　then　came　/Numa　Roumestan/　and　/The　Evangelist/；　then；　on　the　eve　of　Daudet's　breakdown；　/Sapho/；　and　the　greatest　of　his　humorous　masterpieces；　/Tartarin　in　the　Alps/。　It　is　not　yet　certain　what　rank　is　to　be　given　to　these　books。　Perhaps　the　adventures　of　the　mountain…climbing　hero　of　the　Midi；　combined　with　his　previous　exploits　as　a　slayer　of　lions　his　experiences　as　a　colonist　in　/Port…Tarascon/　need　scarcely　be　consideredwill　prove；　in　the　lapse　of　years；　to　be　the　most　solid　foundation　of　that　fame　which　even　envious　Time　will　hardly　begrudge　Daudet。　As　for　/Kings　in　Exile/；　it　is　difficult　to　see　how　even　the　art　with　which　the　tragedy　of　Queen　Frederique's　life　is　unfolded　or　the　growing　power　of　characterization　displayed　in　her；　in　the　loyal　Merault；　in　the　facile；　decadent　Christian；　can　make　up　for　the　lack　of　broadly　human　appeal　in　the　general　subject…matter　of　a　book　which　was　so　sympathetically　written　as　to　appeal　alike　to　Legitimists　and　to　Republicans。　Good　as　/Kings　in　Exile/　is；　it　is　not　so　effective　a　book　as　/The　Nabob/；　nor　such　a　unique　and　marvellous　work　of　art　as　/Numa　Roumestan/；　due　allowance　being　made　for　the　intrusion　of　sentimentality　into　the　latter。　Daudet　thought　/Numa/　the　〃least　incomplete〃　of　his　works；　it　is　certainly　inclusive　enough；　since　some　critics　are　struck　by　the　tragic　relations　subsisting　between　the　virtuous　discreet　Northern　wife　and　the　peccable；　expansive　Southern　husband；　while　others　see　in　the　latter　the　hero　of　a　comedy　of　manners　almost　worthy　of　Moliere。　If　/Numa/　represents　the　highest　achievement　of　Daudet　in　dramatic　fiction　or　else　in　the　art　of　characterization；　/The　Evangelist/　proved　that　his　genius　was　not　at　home　in　those　fields。　Instead　of　marking　an　ordered　advance；　this　overwrought　study　of　Protestant　bigotry　marked　not　so　much　a　halt；　or　a　retreat；　as　a　violent　swerving　to　one　side。　Yet　in　a　way　this　swerving　into　the　devious　orbit　of　the　novel　of　intense　purpose　helped　Daudet　in　his　progress　towards　naturalism；　and　imparted　something　of　stability　to　his　methods　of　work。　/Sapho/；　which　appeared　next；　was　the　first　of　his　novels　that　left　little　to　be　desired　in　the　way　of　artistic　unity　and　cumulative　power。　If　such　a　study　of　the　/femme　collante/；　the　mistress　who　cannot　be　shaken　offor　rather　of　the　man　whom　she　ruins；　for　it　is　Gaussin；　not　Sapho；　that　is　the　main　subject　of　Daudet's　acute　analysiswas　to　be　written　at　all；　it　had　to　be　written　with　a　resolute　art　such　as　Daudet　applied　to　it。　It　is　not　then　surprising　that　Continental　critics　rank　/Sapho/　as　its　author's　greatest　production；　it　is　more　in　order　to　wonder　what　Daudet　might　not　have　done　in　this　line　of　work　had　his　health　remained　unimpaired。　The　later　novels；　in　which　he　came　near　to　joining　forces　with　the　naturalists　and　hence　to　losing　some　of　the　vogue　his　eclecticism　gave　him；　need　not　detain　us。

And　now；　in　conclusion；　how　can　we　best　characterize　briefly　this　fascinating；　versatile　genius；　the　most　delightful　humorist　of　his　time；　one　of　the　most　artistic　story…tellers；　one　of　the　greatest　novelists？　It　is　impossible　to　classify　him；　for　he　was　more　than　a　humorist；　he　nearly　outgrew　romance；　he　never　accepted　unreservedly　the　canons　of　naturalism。　He　obviously　does　not　belong　to　the　small　class　of　the　supreme　writers　of　fiction；　for　he　has　no　consistent　or　at　least　profound　philosophy　of　life。　He　is　a　true　poet；　yet　for　the　main　he　has　expressed　himself　not　in　verse；　but　in　prose；　and　in　a　form　of　prose　that　is　being　so　extensively　cultivated　that　its　permanence　is　daily　brought　more　and　more　into　question。　What　is　Daudet；　and　what　will　he　be　to　posterity？　Some　admirers　have　already　answered　the　first　question；　perhaps　as　satisfactorily　as　it　can　be　answered；　by　saying；　〃Daudet　is　simply　Daudet。〃　As　for　the　second　question；　a　whole　school　of　critics　is　inclined　to　answer　it　and　all　similar　queries　with　the　curt　statement；　〃That　concerns　posterity；　not　us。〃　If；　however；　less　evasive　answers　are　insisted　upon；　let　the　following　utterance；　which　might　conceivably　be　more　indefinite　and　oracular；　suffice：　Alphonse　Daudet　is　one　of　those　rare　writers　who　combine　greatness　with　a　charm　so　intimate　and　appealing　that　some　of　us　would　not；　if　we　could；　have　their　greatness　increased。

W。　P。　TRENT。



BIOGRAPHICAL　NOTE

Alphonse　Daudet　was　born　at　Nimes　on　the　13th　of　May；　1840。　He　was　the　younger　son　of　a　rich　and　enthusiastically　Royalist　silk…manufacturer　of　that　town；　the　novelist；　Ernest　Daudet　（born　1837）；　being　his　elder　brother。　In　their　childhood；　the　father；　Vincent　Daudet；　suffered　reverses；　and　had　to　settle　with　his　family；　in　reduced　circumstances；　at　Lyons。　Alphonse；　in　1856；　obtained　a　post　as　usher　in　a　school　at　Alais；　in　the　Gard；　where　he　was　extremely　unhappy。　All　these　painful　early　experiences　are　told　very　pathetically　in　〃Le　Petit　Chose。〃　On　the　1st　of　November；　1857；　Alphonse　fled　from　the　horrors　of　his　life　at　Alais；　and　joined　his　brother　Ernest；　who　had　just　secured　a　post　in　the　service　of　the　Duc　de　Morny　in　Paris。　Alphonse　determined　to　live　by　his　pen；　and　presently　obtained　introductions　to　the　〃Figaro。〃　His　early　volumes　of　verse；　〃Les　Amoureuses〃　of　1858　and　〃La　Double　Conversion〃　of　1861；　attracted　some　favourable　notice。　In　this　latter　year　his　difficulties　ceased；　for　he　had　the　good　fortune　to　become　one　of　the　secretaries　of　the　Duc　de　Morny；　a　post　which　he　held　for　four　years；　until　the　popularity　of　his　writings　rendered　him　independent。　To　the　generosity　of　his　patron；　moreover；　he　owed　the　opportunity　of　visiting　Italy　and　the　East。　His　first　novel；　〃Le　Chaperon　Rouge；〃　1863；　was　not　very　remarkable；　and　Daudet　turned　to　the　stage。　His　principal　dramatic　efforts　of　this　period　were　〃Le　Dernier　Idole；〃　1862；　and　〃L'OEillet　Blanc；〃　1865。　Alphonse　Daudet's　earliest　important　work；　however；　was　〃Le　Petit　Chose；〃　1868；　a　very　pathetic　autobiography　of　the　first　eighteen　years　of　his　life；　over　which　he　cast　a　thin　veil　of　romance。　After　the　death　of　the　Duc　de　Morny；　Daudet　retired　to　Provence；　leasing　a　ruined　mill　at　Fortvielle；　in　the　valley　of　the　Rhone；　from　this　romantic　solitude；　among　the　pines　and　green　oaks；　he　sent　forth　those　exquisite　studies　of　Provencal　life；　the　〃Lettres　de　mon　Moulin。〃　After　the　war；　Daudet　reappeared　in　Paris；　greatly　strengthened　and　ripened　by　his　hermit…　existence　in　the　heart　of　Provence。　He　produced　one　masterpiece　after　another。　He　had　studied　with　laughter　and　joy　the　mirthful　side　of　southern　exaggeration；　and　he　created　a　figure　in　which　its　peculiar　qualities　should　be　displayed；　as　it　were；　in　excelsis。　This　study　resulted；　in　1872；　in　〃The　Prodigious　Feats　of　Tartarin　of　Tarascon；〃　one　of　the　most　purely　delightful　works　of　humour　in　the　French　language。　Alphonse　Daudet　now；　armed　with　his　cahiers；　his　little　green…backed　books　of　notes；　set　out　to　be　a　great　historian　of　French　manners　in　the　second　half　of　the　nineteenth　century。　His　first　important　novel；　〃Fromont　Jeune　et　Risler　Aine；〃　1874；　enjoyed　a　notable　success；　it　was　followed　in　1876　by　〃Jack；〃　in　1878　by　〃Le　Nabob；〃　in　1879　by　〃Les　Rois　en　Exil；〃　in　1881　by　〃Numa　Roumestan；〃　in　1883　by　〃L'Evangeliste；〃　and　in　1884　by　〃Sapho。〃　These　are　the　seven　great　romances　of　modern　French　life　on　which　the　reputation　of　Alphonse　Daudet　as　a　novelist　is　mainly　built。　They　placed　him；　for　the　moment　at　all　events；　near　the　head　of　contemporary　European　literature。　By　this　time；　however；　a　physical　malady；　which　Charcot　was　the　first　to　locate　in　the　spinal　cord；　had　begun　to　exhaust　the　novelist's　powers。　This　disease；　which　took　the　form　of　what　was　supposed　to　be　neuralgia　in　1881；　racked　him　with　pain　during　the　sixteen　remaining　years　of　his　life；　and　gradually　destroyed　his　powers　of　locomotion。　It　spared　the　functions　of　the　brain；　but　it　cannot　be　denied　that　after　1884　something　of　force　and　spontaneous　charm　was　lacking　in　Daudet's　books。　He　continued；　however；　the　adventures　of　Tartarin；　first　with　unabated　gusto　in　the　Alps；　then　less　happily　as　a　colonist　in　the　South　Seas。　He　wrote；　in　the　form　of　a　novel；　a　bitter　satire　on　the　French　Academy；　of　which　he　was　never　a　member；　this　was　〃L'Immortel〃　of　1888。　He　wrote　romances；　of　little　power；　the　best　being　〃Rose　et　Ninette〃　of　1892；　but　his　imaginative　work　steadily　declined　in　value。　He　published　in　1887　his　reminiscences；　〃Trente　Ans　de　Paris；〃　and　later　on　his　〃Souvenirs　d'un　Homme　de　Lettres。〃　He　suffered　more　and　more　from　his　complaint；　from　the　insomnia　it　caused；　and　from　the　abuse　of　chloral。　He　was　able；　however；　to　the　last；　to　enjoy　the　summer　at　his　country…house；　at　Champrosay；　and　even　to　travel　in　an　invalid's　chair；　in　1896　he　visited　for　the　first　time　London　and　Oxford；　and　saw　Mr。　George　Meredith。　In　Paris　he　had　long　occupied　rooms　in　the　Rue　de　Bellechasse；　where　Madame　Alphonse　Daudet　was　accustomed　to　entertain　a　brilliant　company。　But　in　1897　it　became　impossible　for　him　to　mount　five　flights　of　stairs　any　longer；　and　he　moved　to　the　first　floor　of　No。　41　Rue　de　l'Universite。　Here　on　the　16th　of　December；　1897；　as　he　was　chatting　gaily　at　the　dinner…table；　he　uttered　a　cry；　fell　back　in　his　chair；　and　was　dead。　The　personal　appearance　of　Alphonse　Daudet；　in　his　prime；　was　very　striking；　he　had　clearly　cut　features；　large　brilliant　eyes；　and　an　amazing　exuberance　of　curled　hair　and　forked　beard。

EDMUND　GOSSE；　LL。D。




CONTENTS

Introduction　　　William　Peterfield　Trent

Life　of　Alphonse　Daudet　　　Edmund　Gosse

The　Nabob：　　　Dr。　Jenkins's　patients　　　A　luncheon　in　the　Place　Vendome　　　Memoirs　of　an　office　porterA　mere　glance　at　the　Territorial　Bank　　　A　debut　in　society　　　The　Joyeuse　family　　　Felicia　Ruys　　　Jansoulet　at　home　　　The　Bethlehem　Society　　　Bonne　Maman　　　Memoirs　of　an　office　porterServants　　　The　festivities　in　honour　of　the　Bey　　　A　Corsican　election　　　A　day　of　spleen　　　The　Exhibition　　　Memoirs　of　an　office　porterIn　the　antechamber　　　A　public　man　　　The　apparition　　　The　Jenkins　pearls　　　The　funeral　　　La　Baronne　Hemerlingue　　　The　sitting　　　Dramas　of　Paris　　　Memoirs　of　an　office　porterThe　last　leaves　　　At　Bordighera　　　The　first　night　of　〃Revolt〃




THE　NABOB

by　Alphonse　Daudet



DOCTOR　JENKIN'S　PATIENTS

Standing　on　the　steps　of　his　little　town…house　in　the　Rue　de　Lisbo