the nabob-第32章

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ld　have　made　himself　familiar　with　its　contents　as　in　the　case　of　all　the　rest　of　the　Nabob's　correspondence。　This　person　is　his　/valet　de　chambre/；　M。　Noel；　to　whom　I　had　the　honour　of　being　introduced　last　Friday　at　a　small　evening…party　of　persons　in　service　which　he　gave　to　all　his　friends。　I　record　an　account　of　this　function　in　my　memoirs　as　one　of　the　most　curious　things　which　I　have　seen　in　the　course　of　my　four　years　of　sojourn　in　Paris。

I　had　thought　at　first　when　M。　Francis；　Monpavon's　/valet　de　chambre/；　spoke　to　me　of　the　thing；　that　it　was　a　question　of　one　of　those　little　clandestine　junketings　such　as　are　held　sometimes　in　the　garrets　of　our　boulevards　with　the　fragments　of　food　brought　up　by　Mlle。　Seraphine　and　the　other　cooks　in　the　building；　at　which　you　drink　stolen　wine；　and　gorge　yourself；　sitting　on　trunks；　trembling　with　fear；　by　the　light　of　a　couple　of　candles　which　are　extinguished　at　the　least　noise　in　the　corridors。　These　secret　practices　are　repugnant　to　my　character。　But　when　I　received；　as　for　the　regular　servants'　ball；　an　invitation　written　in　a　very　beautiful　hand　upon　pink　paper：

〃M。　Noel　rekwests　M　to　be　present　at　his　evenin…party　on　the　25th　instent。　Super　will　be　provided〃

I　saw　clearly；　not　withstanding　the　defective　spelling；　that　it　was　a　question　of　something　serious　and　authorized。　I　dressed　myself　therefore　in　my　newest　frock…coat；　my　finest　linen；　and　arrived　at　the　Place　Vendome　at　the　address　indicated　by　the　invitation。

For　the　giving　of　his　party；　M。　Noel　had　taken　advantage　of　a　first…　night　at　the　opera；　to　which　all　fashionable　society　was　thronging；　thus　giving　the　servants　a　free　rein；　and　putting　the　entire　place　at　our　disposal　until　midnight。　Notwithstanding　this；　the　host　had　preferred　to　receive　us　upstairs　in　his　own　bed…chamber；　and　this　I　approved　highly；　being　in　that　matter　of　the　opinion　of　the　old　fellow　in　the　rhyme：

　　Fie　on　the　pleasure　　　That　fear　may　corrupt！

But　my　word；　the　luxury　on　the　Place　Vendome！　A　felt　carpet　on　the　floor；　the　bed　hidden　away　in　an　alcove；　Algerian　curtains　with　red　stripes；　an　ornamental　clock　in　green　marble　on　the　chimneypiece；　the　whole　lighted　by　lamps　of　which　the　flames　can　be　regulated　at　will。　Our　oldest　member；　M。　Chalmette；　is　not　better　lodged　at　Dijon。　I　arrived　about　nine　o'clock　with　Monpavon's　old　Francis；　and　I　must　confess　that　my　entry　made　a　sensation；　preceded　as　I　was　by　my　academical　past；　my　reputation　for　politeness；　and　great　knowledge　of　the　world。　My　fine　presence　did　the　rest；　for　it　must　be　said　that　I　know　how　to　go　into　a　room。　M。　Noel；　in　a　dress…coat；　very　dark　skinned　and　with　mutton…chop　whiskers；　came　forward　to　meet　us。

〃You　are　welcome；　M。　Passajon；〃　said　he；　and　taking　my　cap　with　silver　galloons　which；　according　to　the　fashion；　I　had　kept　in　my　right　hand　while　making　my　entry；　he　gave　it　to　a　gigantic　negro　in　red　and　gold　livery。

〃Here；　Lakdar；　hang　that　upand　that；〃　he　added　by　way　of　a　joke；　giving　him　a　kick　in　a　certain　region　of　the　back。

There　was　much　laughter　at　this　sally；　and　we　began　to　chat　together　in　very　friendly　fashion。　An　excellent　fellow；　this　M。　Noel；　with　his　accent　of　the　Midi；　his　pronounced　style　of　dress；　the　smoothness　and　the　simplicity　of　his　manners。　He　reminded　me　of　the　Nabob；　without　his　distinction；　however。　I　noticed；　moreover；　that　evening；　that　these　resemblances　are　frequently　to　be　observed　in　/valets　de　chambre/　who；　living　in　the　intimacy　of　their　masters；　by　whom　they　are　always　a　little　dazzled；　end　by　acquiring　their　manners　and　habits。　Thus；　M。　Francis　has　a　certain　way　of　straightening　his　body　when　displaying　his　linen…front；　a　mania　for　raising　his　arms　in　order　to　pull　his　cuffs　downit　is　Monpavon　to　a　T。　Now　one；　for　instance；　who　bears　no　resemblance　to　his　master　is　Joey；　the　coachman　of　Dr。　Jenkins。　I　call　him　Joey；　but　at　the　party　every　one　called　him　Jenkins；　for；　in　that　world；　the　stable　folk　among　themselves　give　to　each　other　the　names　of　their　masters；　call　each　other　Bois　l'Hery；　Monpavon；　and　Jenkins；　without　ceremony。　Is　it　in　order　to　degrade　their　superiors；　to　raise　the　status　of　menials？　Every　country　has　its　customs；　it　is　only　a　fool　who　will　be　surprised　by　them。　To　return　to　Joey　Jenkins；　how　can　the　doctor；　affable　as　he　is；　so　polished　in　every　particular；　keep　in　his　service　that　brute；　bloated　with　/porter/　and　/gin/；　who　will　remain　silent　for　hours　at　a　time；　then；　at　the　first　mounting　of　liquor　to　his　head；　begins　to　howl　and　to　wish　to　fight　everybody；　as　witness　the　scandalous　scene　which　had　just　occurred　when　we　entered？

The　marquis's　little　groom；　Tom　Bois　l'Hery；　as　they　call　him　here；　had　desired　to　have　a　jest　with　this　uncouth　creature　of　an　Irishman；　who　had　replied　to　a　bit　of　Parisian　urchin's　banter　with　a　terrible　Belfast　blow　of　his　fist　right　in　the　lad's　face。

〃A　sausage　with　paws；　I！　A　sausage　with　paws；　I！〃　repeated　the　coachman；　choking　with　rage；　while　his　innocent　victim　was　being　carried　into　the　adjoining　room；　where　the　ladies　and　girls　found　occupation　in　bathing　his　nose。　The　disturbance　was　quickly　appeased；　thanks　to　our　arrival；　thanks　also　to　the　wise　words　of　M。　Barreau；　a　middle…aged　man；　sedate　and　majestic；　with　a　manner　resembling　my　own。　He　is　the　Nabob's　cook；　a　former　/chef/　of　the　Cafe　Anglais；　whom　Cardailhac；　the　manager　of　the　Nouveautes；　has　procured　for　his　friend。　To　see　him　in　a　dress…coat；　with　white　tie；　his　handsome　face　full　and　clean…shaven；　you　would　have　taken　him　for　one　of　the　great　functionaries　of　the　Empire。　It　is　true　that　a　cook　in　an　establishment　where　the　table　is　set　every　morning　for　thirty　persons；　in　addition　to　madame's　special　meal；　and　all　eating　only　the　very　finest　and　most　delicate　of　food；　is　not　the　same　as　the　ordinary　preparer　of　a　/ragout/。　He　is　paid　the　salary　of　a　colonel；　lodged；　boarded；　and　then　the　perquisites！　One　has　hardly　a　notion　of　the　extent　of　the　perquisites　in　a　berth　like　this。　Every　one　consequently　addressed　him　respectfully；　with　the　deference　due　to　a　man　of　his　importance。　〃M。　Barreau〃　here；　〃My　dear　M。　Barreau〃　there。　For　it　is　a　great　mistake　to　imagine　that　servants　among　themselves　are　all　cronies　and　comrades。　Nowhere　do　you　find　a　hierarchy　more　prevalent　than　among　them。　Thus　at　M。　Noel's　party　I　distinctly　noticed　that　the　coachmen　did　not　fraternize　with　their　grooms；　nor　the　valets　with　the　footmen　and　the　lackeys；　any　more　than　the　steward　or　the　butler　would　mix　with　the　lower　servants；　and　when　M。　Barreau　emitted　any　little　pleasantry　it　was　amusing　to　see　how　exceedingly　those　under　his　orders　seemed　to　enjoy　it。　I　am　not　opposed　to　this　kind　of　thing。　Quite　on　the　contrary。　As　our　oldest　member　used　to　say；　〃A　society　without　a　hierarchy　is　like　a　house　without　a　staircase。〃　The　observation；　however；　seems　to　me　one　worth　setting　down　in　these　memoirs。

The　party；　I　need　scarcely　say；　did　not　shine　with　its　full　splendour　until　after　the　return　of　its　most　beauteous　ornaments；　the　ladies　and　girls　who　had　gone　to　nurse　the　little　Tom；　ladies'…maids　with　shining　and　pomaded　hair；　chiefs　of　domestic　departments　in　bonnets　adorned　with　ribbons；　negresses；　housekeepers；　a　brilliant　assembly　in　which　I　was　immediately　given　great　prestige；　thanks　to　my　dignified　bearing　and　to　the　surname　of　〃Uncle〃　which　the　younger　among　these　delightful　persons　saw　fit　to　bestow　upon　me。

I　fancy　there　was　in　the　room　a　good　deal　of　second…hand　frippery　in　the　way　of　silk　and　lace；　rather　faded　velvet；　even；　eight…button　gloves　that　had　been　cleaned　several　times；　and　perfumes　abstracted　from　madame's　dressing…table；　but　the　faces　were　happy；　thoughts　given　wholly　to　gaiety；　and　I　was　able　to　make　a　little　corner　for　myself；　which　was　very　lively；　always　within　the　bounds　of　proprietythat　goes　without　sayingand　of　a　character　suitable　for　an　individual　in　my　position。　This　was；　moreover；　the　general　tone　of　the　party。　Until　towards　the　end　of　the　entertainment　I　heard　none　of　those　unseemly　jests；　none　of　those　scandalous　stories　which　give　so　much　amusement　to　the　gentlemen　of　our　Board；　and　I　take　pleasure　in　remarking　that　Bois　l'Hery　the　coachmanto　cite　only　one　exampleis　much　more　observant　of　the　proprieties　than　Bois　l'Hery　the　master。

M。　Noel　alone　was　conspicuous　by　his　familiar　tone　and　by　the　liveliness　of　his　repartees。　In　him　you　have　a　man　who　does　not　hesitate　to　call　things　by　their　names。　Thus　he　remarked　aloud　to　M。　Francis；　from　one　end　of　the　room　to　the　other：　〃I　say；　Francis；　that　old　swindler　of　yours　has　made　a　nice　thing　out　of　us　again　this　week。〃　And　as　the　other　drew　himself　up　with　a　dignified　air；　M。　Noel　began　to　laugh。

〃No　offence；　old　chap。　The　coffer　is　solid。　You　will　never　get　to　the　bottom　of　it。〃

And　it　was　on　this　that　he　told　us　of　the　loan　of　fifteen　millions；　to　which　I　alluded　above。

I　was　surprised；　however；　to　see　no　sign　of　preparation　for　the　supper　which　was　mentioned　on　the　cards　of　invitation；　and　I　expressed　my　anxiety　on　the　point　to　one　of　my　charming　nieces；　who　replied：

〃They　are　waiting　for　M。　Louis。〃

〃M。　Louis？〃

〃What！　you　do　not　know　M。　Louis；　the　/valet　de　chambre/　of　the　Duc　de　Mora？〃

I　then　learned　who　this　influential　personage　was；　whose　protection　is　sought　by　prefects；　senators；　even　ministers；　and　who　must　make　them　pay　stiffly　for　it；　since　with　his　salary　of　twelve　hundred　francs　from　the　duke　he　has　saved　enough　to　produce　him　an　income　of　twenty…　five　thousand；　sends　his　daughters　to　the　convent　school　of　the　Sacre　Coeur；　his　son　to　the　College　Bourdaloue；　and　owns　a　chalet　in　Switzerland　where　all　his　family　goes　to　stay　during　the　holidays。

At　this　juncture　the　personage　in　question　arrived；　but　nothing　in　his　appearance　would　have　suggested　the　unique　position　in　Paris　which　is　his。　Nothing　of　majesty　in　his　deportment；　a　waistcoat　buttoned　up　to　the　collar；　a　mean…looking　and　insolent　manner；　and　a　way　of　speaking　without　moving　the　lips　which　is　very　impolite　to　those　who　are　listening　to　you。

He　greeted　the　assembly　with　a　slight　nod　of　the　head；　extended　a　finger　to　M。　Noel；　and　we　were　sitting　there　looking　at　each　other；　frozen　by　his　grand　manners；　when　a　door　opened　at　the　farther　end　of　the　room　and　we　beheld　the　supper　laid　out　with　all　kinds　of　cold　meats；　pyramids　of　fruit；　and　bottles　of　all　shapes　beneath　the　light　falling　from　two　candelabra。

〃Come；　gentlemen；　give　the　ladies　your　hands。〃　In　a　minute　we　were　at　table；　the　ladies　seated　next　the　eldest　or　the　most　important　among　us　all；　the　rest　on　their　feet；　serving；　chattering；　drinking　from　everybody's　glass；　picking　a　morsel　from　any　plate。　I　had　M。　Francis　for　my　neighbour　and　I　had　to　listen　to　his　grudges　against　M。　Louis；　of　whose　place　he　was　envious；　so　brilliant　was　it　in　comparison　with　that　which　he　occupied　under　the　noble　but　worn…out　old　gambler　who　was　his　master。

〃He　is　a　/parvenu/；〃　he　muttered　to　me　in　a　low　voice。　〃He　owes　his　fortune　to　his　wife；　to　Mme。　Paul。〃

It　appears　that　this　Mme。　Paul　is　a　housekeeper；　who　has　been　in　the　duke's　establishment　for　twenty　years；　and　who　excels　beyond　all　others　in　the　preparation　for　him　of　a　certain　ointment　for　an　affection　to　which　he　is　subject。　She　is　indis