the nabob-第31章

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liers；　the　park　scenes　with　their　gleaming　flights　of　steps；　all　the　luxurious　circumstance　expected　in　stage　effects；　as　well　as　the　glorious　tumult　of　his　first　night；　the　applause　of　which　was　represented　for　him　by　the　rain　beating　on　the　glass　roof　and　the　boards　rattling　in　the　door；　while　the　wind；　driving　below　over　the　murky　timber…yard　with　a　noise　as　of　far…off　voices；　borne　near　and　anew　carried　off　into　the　distance；　resembled　the　murmurs　from　the　boxes　opened　on　the　corridor　to　let　the　news　of　his　success　circulate　among　the　gossip　and　wonderment　of　the　crowd。　It　was　not　only　fame　and　money　that　it　was　destined　to　procure　him；　this　thrice…blessed　play；　but　something　also　more　precious　still。　With　what　care　accordingly　did　he　not　turn　over　the　leaves　of　the　manuscript　in　five　thick　books；　all　bound　in　blue；　books　like　those　that　the　Levantine　was　accustomed　to　strew　about　on　the　divan　where　she　took　her　siestas；　and　that　she　marked　with　her　managerial　pencil。

Paul；　having　in　his　turn　approached　the　table　in　order　to　examine　the　masterpiece　had　his　glance　attracted　by　a　richly　framed　portrait　of　a　woman；　which；　placed　so　near　to　the　artist's　work；　seemed　to　be　there　to　preside　over　it。　Elise；　doubtless？　Oh；　no；　Andre　had　not　yet　the　right　to　bring　out　from　its　protecting　case　the　portrait　of　his　little　friend。　This　was　a　woman　of　about　forty；　gentle　of　aspect；　fair；　and　extremely　elegant。　As　he　perceived　her；　de　Gery　could　not　suppress　an　exclamation。

〃You　know　her？〃　asked　Andre　Maranne。

〃Why；　yes。　Mme。　Jenkins；　the　wife　of　the　Irish　doctor。　I　have　had　supper　at　their　house　this　winter。〃

〃She　is　my　mother。〃　And　the　young　man　added　in　a　lower　tone：

〃Mme。　Maranne　made　a　second　marriage　with　Dr。　Jenkins。　You　are　surprised；　are　you　not；　to　see　me　in　these　poor　surroundings；　while　my　relatives　are　living　in　the　midst　of　luxury？　But；　you　know；　the　chances　of　family　life　sometimes　group　together　natures　that　differ　very　widely。　My　stepfather　and　I　have　never　been　able　to　understand　each　other。　He　wished　to　make　me　a　doctor；　whereas　my　only　taste　was　for　writing。　So　at　last；　in　order　to　avoid　the　continual　discussions　which　were　painful　to　my　mother；　I　preferred　to　leave　the　house　and　plough　my　furrow　alone；　without　the　help　of　anybody。　A　rough　business。　Funds　were　wanting。　The　whole　fortune　has　gone　to　thatto　M。　Jenkins。　The　question　was　to　earn　a　livelihood；　and　you　are　aware　what　a　difficult　thing　that　is　for　people　like　ourselves；　supposed　to　be　well　brought…up。　To　think　that　among　all　the　accomplishments　gained　from　what　we　are　accustomed　to　call　a　complete　education；　this　child's　play　was　the　only　thing　I　could　find　by　which　I　could　hope　to　earn　my　bread。　A　few　savings；　my　own　purse；　slender　like　that　of　most　young　men；　served　to　buy　my　first　outfit　and　I　installed　myself　here　far　away；　in　the　remotest　region　of　Paris；　in　order　not　to　embarrass　my　relatives。　Between　ourselves；　I　don't　expect　to　make　a　fortune　out　of　photography。　The　first　days　especially　were　very　difficult。　Nobody　came；　or　if　by　chance　some　unfortunate　wight　did　mount；　I　made　a　failure　of　him；　got　on　my　plate　only　an　image　blurred　and　vague　as　a　phantom。　One　day；　at　the　very　beginning；　a　wedding…party　came　up　to　me；　the　bride　all　in　white；　the　bridegroom　with　a　waistcoatlike　that！　And　all　the　guests　in　white　gloves；　which　they　insisted　on　keeping　on　for　the　portrait　on　account　of　the　rarity　of　such　an　event　with　them。　No；　I　thought　I　should　go　mad。　Those　black　faces；　the　great　white　patches　made　by　the　dresses；　the　gloves；　the　orange…blossoms；　the　unlucky　bride；　looking　like　a　queen　of　Niam…niam　under　her　wreath　merging　indistinguishably　into　her　hair。　And　all　of　them　so　full　of　good…will；　of　encouragements　to　the　artist。　I　began　them　over　again　at　least　twenty　times；　and　kept　them　till　five　o'clock　in　the　evening。　And　then　they　only　left　me　because　it　was　time　for　dinner。　Can　you　imagine　that　wedding…day　passed　at　a　photographer's？〃

While　Andre　was　recounting　to　him　with　this　good　humour　the　troubles　of　his　life；　Paul　recalled　the　tirade　of　Felicia　that　day　when　Bohemians　had　been　mentioned；　and　all　that　she　had　said　to　Jenkins　of　their　lofty　courage；　avid　of　privations　and　trials。　He　thought　also　of　Aline's　passion　for　her　beloved　Paris；　of　which　he　himself　was　only　acquainted；　for　his　part；　with　the　unwholesome　eccentricities；　while　the　great　city　hid　in　its　recesses　so　many　unknown　heroisms　and　noble　illusions。　This　last　impression；　already　experienced　within　the　sheltered　circle　of　the　Joyeuse's　great　lamp；　he　received　perhaps　still　more　vividly　in　this　atmosphere；　less　warm；　less　peaceful；　wherein　art　also　entered　to　add　its　despairing　or　glorious　uncertainty；　and　it　was　with　a　moved　heart　that　he　listened　to　Andre　Maranne　as　he　spoke　to　him　of　Elise；　of　the　examinations　which　it　was　taking　her　so　long　to　pass；　of　the　difficulties　of　photography；　of　all　that　unforeseen　element　in　his　life　which　would　end　certainly　〃when　he　could　have　secured　the　production　of　/Revolt/；〃　a　charming　smile　accompanying　on　the　poet's　lips　this　so　often　expressed　hope；　which　he　was　wont　himself　to　hasten　to　make　fun　of；　as　though　to　deprive　others　of　the　right　to　do　so。



MEMOIRS　OF　AN　OFFICE　PORTER　SERVANTS

Truly　Fortune　in　Paris　has　bewildering　turns　of　the　wheel！

To　have　seen　the　Territorial　Bank　as　I　have　seen　it；　the　rooms　without　fires；　never　swept；　the　desert　with　its　dust；　protested　bills　piled　high　as　/that/　on　the　desks；　every　week　a　notice　of　sale　posted　at　the　door；　my　stew　spreading　throughout　the　whole　place　the　odour　of　a　poor　man's　kitchen；　and　then　to　witness　now　the　reconstitution　of　our　company　in　its　newly　furnished　halls；　in　which　I　have　orders　to　light　fires　big　enough　for　a　Government　department；　amid　a　busy　crowd；　blowings　of　whistles；　electric　bells；　gold　pieces　piled　up　till　they　fall　over；　it　savours　of　miracle。　I　need　to　look　at　myself　in　the　glass　before　I　can　believe　it；　to　see　in　the　mirror　my　iron…gray　coat；　trimmed　with　silver；　my　white　tie；　my　usher's　chain　like　the　one　I　used　to　wear　at　the　Faculty　on　the　days　when　there　were　sittings。　And　to　think　that　to　work　this　transformation；　to　bring　back　to　our　brows　gaiety；　the　mother　of　concord；　to　restore　to　our　scrip　its　value　ten　times　over；　to　our　dear　governor　the　esteem　and　confidence　of　which　he　had　been　so　unjustly　deprived；　one　man　has　sufficed；　the　being　of　supernatural　wealth　whom　the　hundred　voices　of　renown　designate　by　the　name　of　the　Nabob。

Oh；　the　first　time　that　he　came　to　the　office；　with　his　fine　presence；　his　face　a　little　worn　perhaps；　but　so　distinguished；　his　manners　of　one　accustomed　to　frequent　courts；　upon　terms　of　the　utmost　familiarity　with　all　the　princes　of　the　Orientin　a　word；　that　indescribable　quality　of　assurance　and　greatness　which　is　bestowed　by　immense　wealthI　felt　my　heart　bursting　beneath　the　double　row　of　buttons　on　my　waistcoat。　People　may　mouth　in　vain　their　great　words　of　equality　and　fraternity；　there　are　men　who　stand　so　surely　above　the　rest　that　one　would　like　to　bow　one's　self　down　flat　in　their　presence；　to　find　new　phrases　of　admiration　in　order　to　compel　them　to　take　a　practical　interest　in　one。　Let　us　hasten　to　add　that　I　had　need　of　nothing　of　the　kind　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　Nabob。　As　I　rose　at　his　passagemoved　to　some　emotion；　but　with　dignity；　you　may　trust　Passajon　for　thathe　looked　at　me　with　a　smile　and　said　in　an　undertone　to　the　young　man　who　accompanied　him：　〃What　a　fine　head；　like　a〃　Then　there　came　a　word　which　I　did　not　catch　very　well；　a　word　ending　in　/art/；　something　like　/leopard/。　No；　however；　it　cannot　have　been　that。　/Jean…Bart/；　perhaps；　although　even　then　I　hardly　see　the　connection。　However　that　be；　in　any　case　he　did　say；　〃What　a　fine　head；〃　and　this　condescension　made　me　proud。　Moreover；　all　the　directors　show　me　a　marked　degree　of　kindness　and　politeness。　It　seems　that　there　was　a　discussion　with　regard　to　me　at　the　meeting　of　the　board；　to　determine　whether　I　should　be　kept　or　dismissed　like　our　cashier；　that　ill…tempered　fellow　who　was　always　talking　of　getting　everybody　sent　to　the　galleys；　and　whom　they　have　now　invited　to　go　elsewhere　to　manufacture　his　cheap　shirt…fronts。　Well　done！　That　will　teach　him　to　be　rude　to　people。　So　far　as　I　am　concerned；　Monsieur　the　Governor　kindly　consented　to　overlook　my　somewhat　hasty　words；　in　consideration　of　my　record　of　service　at　the　Territorial　and　elsewhere；　and　at　the　conclusion　of　the　board　meeting；　he　said　to　me　with　his　musical　accent：　〃Passajon；　you　remain　with　us。〃　It　may　be　imagined　how　happy　I　was　and　how　profuse　in　the　expression　of　my　gratitude。　But　just　think！　I　should　have　left　with　my　few　pence　without　hope　of　ever　saving　any　more；　obliged　to　go　and　cultivate　my　vineyard　in　that　little　country　district　of　Montbars；　a　very　narrow　field　for　a　man　who　has　lived　in　the　midst　of　all　the　financial　aristocracy　of　Paris；　and　among　those　great　banking　operations　by　which　fortunes　are　made　at　a　stroke。　Instead　of　that；　here　I　am　established　afresh　in　a　magnificent　situation；　my　wardrobe　renewed；　and　my　savings；　which　I　spent　a　whole　day　in　fingering　over；　intrusted　to　the　kind　care　of　the　governor；　who　has　undertaken　to　invest　them　for　me　advantageously。　I　think　that　is　a　manoeuvre　which　he　is　the　very　man　to　execute　successfully。　And　no　need　for　the　least　anxiety。　Every　fear　vanishes　before　the　word　which　is　in　vogue　just　now　at　all　the　councils　of　administration；　in　all　shareholders'　meetings；　on　the　Bourse；　the　boulevards；　and　everywhere：　〃The　Nabob　is　in　the　affair。〃　That　is　to　say；　gold　is　being　poured　out　abundantly；　the　worst　/combinazioni/　are　excellent。

He　is　so　rich；　that　man！

Rich　to　a　degree　one　cannot　imagine。　Has　he　not　just　lent　fifteen　million　francs　as　a　simple　loan　passing　from　hand　to　hand；　to　the　Bey　of　Tunis？　I　repeat；　fifteen　millions。　It　was　a　trick　he　played　on　the　Hemerlingues；　who　wished　to　embroil　him　with　that　monarch　and　cut　the　grass　under　his　feet　in　those　fine　regions　of　the　Orient　where　it　grows　golden；　high；　and　thick。　It　was　an　old　Turk　whom　I　know；　Colonel　Brahim；　one　of　our　directors　at　the　Territorial；　who　arranged　the　affair。　Naturally；　the　Bey；　who　happened　to　be；　it　appears；　short　of　pocket…money；　was　very　much　touched　by　the　alacrity　of　the　Nabob　to　oblige　him；　and　he　has　just　sent　him　through　Brahim　a　letter　of　thanks　in　which　he　announces　that　upon　the　occasion　of　his　next　visit　to　Vichy；　he　will　stay　a　couple　of　days　with　him　at　that　fine　Chateau　de　Saint…Romans；　which　the　former　Bey；　the　brother　of　this　one；　honoured　with　a　visit　once　before。　You　may　fancy；　what　an　honour！　To　receive　a　reigning　prince　as　a　guest！　The　Hemerlingues　are　in　a　rage。　They　who　had　manoeuvred　so　carefullythe　son　at　Tunis；　the　father　in　Paristo　get　the　Nabob　into　disfavour。　And　then　it　is　true　that　fifteen　millions　is　a　big　sum。　And　do　not　say；　〃Passajon　is　telling　us　some　fine　tales。〃　The　person　who　acquainted　me　with　the　story　has　held　in　his　hands　the　paper　sent　by　the　Bey　in　an　envelope　of　green　silk　stamped　with　the　royal　seal。　If　he　did　not　read　it；　it　was　because　this　paper　was　written　in　Arabic；　otherwise　he　would　have　made　himself　familiar　with　its　contents　as　in　the　case　of　all　the　rest　of　the　Nabob's　corres