the nabob-第45章

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　spiritless　/ennui/；　the　precursor　of　storms；　which　she　had　so　much　reason　to　dread？　In　any　case；　she　was　herself　taken　in　by　it；　and　had　been　living　for　some　days　past　in　a　state　of　delicious　trouble；　for　love　is　so　strong；　so　beautiful　a　thing；　that　its　semblances；　its　mirages；　allure　and　can　move　us　as　deeply　as　itself。

Has　it　ever　happened　to　you　in　the　street；　when　you　have　been　preoccupied　with　thoughts　of　some　one　dear　to　you；　to　be　warned　of　his　approach　by　meeting　persons　with　a　vague　resemblance　to　him；　preparatory　images；　sketches　of　the　type　to　appear　directly　afterward；　which　stand　out　for　you　from　the　crowd　like　successive　appeals　to　your　overexcited　attention？　Such　presentiments　are　magnetic　and　nervous　impressions　at　which　one　should　not　be　too　disposed　to　smile；　since　they　constitute　a　faculty　of　suffering。　Already；　in　the　moving　and　constantly　renewed　stream　of　visitors；　Felicia　had　several　times　thought　to　recognise　the　curly　head　of　Paul　de　Gery；　when　suddenly　she　uttered　a　cry　of　joy。　It　was　not　he；　however；　this　time　again；　but　some　one　who　resembled　him　closely；　whose　regular　and　peaceful　physiognomy　was　always　now　connected　in　her　mind　with　that　of　her　friend　Paul　through　the　effect　of　a　likeness　more　moral　than　physical；　and　the　gentle　authority　which　both　exercised　over　her　thoughts。

〃Aline！〃

〃Felicia！〃

If　nothing　is　more　open　to　suspicion　than　the　friendship　of　two　fashionable　ladies　sharing　the　prerogatives　of　drawing…room　royalty　and　lavishing　on　each　other　epithets；　and　the　trivial　graces　of　feminine　fondness；　the　friendships　of　childhood　keep　in　the　grown　woman　a　frankness　of　manner　which　distinguishes　them；　and　makes　them　recognisable　among　all　others；　bonds　woven　naively　and　firm　as　the　needlework　of　little　girls　in　which　an　experienced　hand　had　been　prodigal　of　thread　and　big　knots；　plants　reared　in　fresh　soil；　in　flower；　but　with　strong　roots；　full　of　vitality　and　new　shoots。　And　what　a　joy；　hand　in　handyou　glad　dances　of　boarding…school　days；　where　are　you？to　retrace　some　steps　of　one's　way　with　somebody　who　has　an　equal　acquaintance　with　it　and　its　least　incidents；　and　the　same　laugh　of　tender　retrospection。　A　little　apart；　the　two　girls；　for　whom　it　has　been　sufficient　to　find　themselves　once　more　face　to　face　to　forget　five　years　of　separation；　carry　on　a　rapid　exchange　of　recollections；　while　the　little　/pere/　Joyeuse；　his　ruddy　face　brightened　by　a　new　cravat；　straightens　himself　in　pride　to　see　his　daughter　thus　warmly　welcomed　by　such　an　illustrious　person。　Proud　certainly　he　had　reason　to　be；　for　the　little　Parisian；　even　in　the　neighbourhood　of　her　brilliant　friend；　holds　her　own　in　grace；　youth；　fair　candour；　beneath　her　twenty　smooth　and　golden　years；　which　the　gladness　of　this　meeting　brings　to　fresh　bloom。

〃How　happy　you　must　be！　For　my　part；　I　have　seen　nothing　yet；　but　I　hear　everybody　saying　it　is　so　beautiful。〃

〃Happy　above　all　to　see　you　again；　little　Aline。　It　is　so　long〃

〃I　should　think　so；　you　naughty　girl！　Whose　the　fault？〃

And　from　the　saddest　corner　of　her　memory；　Felicia　recalls　the　date　of　the　breaking　off　of　their　relations；　coinciding　for　her　with　another　date　on　which　her　youth　came　to　its　end　in　an　unforgettable　scene。

〃And　what　have　you　been　doing；　darling；　all　this　time？〃

〃Oh；　I；　always　the　same　thingor；　nothing　to　speak　of。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　we　know　what　you　call　doing　nothing；　you　brave　little　thing！　Giving　your　life　to　other　people；　isn't　it？〃

But　Aline　was　no　longer　listening。　She　was　smiling　affectionately　to　some　one　straight　in　front　of　her；　and　Felicia；　turning　round　to　see　who　it　was；　perceived　Paul　de　Gery　replying　to　the　shy　and　tender　greeting　of　Mlle。　Joyeuse。

〃You　know　each　other；　then？〃

〃Do　I　know　M。　Paul！　I　should　think　so；　indeed。　We　talk　of　you　very　often。　He　has　never　told　you；　then？〃

〃Never。　He　must　be　a　terribly　sly　fellow。〃

She　stopped　short；　her　mind　enlightened　by　a　flash；　and　quickly　without　heed　to　de　Gery；　who　was　coming　up　to　congratulate　her　on　her　triumph；　she　leaned　over　towards　Aline　and　spoke　to　her　in　a　low　voice。　That　young　lady　blushed；　protested　with　smiles　and　words　under　her　breath：　〃How　can　you　think　of　such　a　thing？　At　my　agea　'grandmamma'！〃　and　finally　seized　her　father's　arm　in　order　to　escape　some　friendly　teasing。

When　Felicia　saw　the　two　young　people　going　off　together；　when　she　had　realized　the　fact；　which　they　had　not　yet　grasped　themselves；　that　they　were　in　love　with　each　other；　she　felt　as　it　were　a　crumbling　all　around　her。　Then　upon　her　dream；　now　fallen　to　the　ground　in　a　thousand　fragments；　she　set　herself　to　stamp　furiously。　After　all；　he　was　quite　right　to　prefer　this　little　Aline　to　herself。　Would　an　honest　man　ever　dare　to　marry　Mlle。　Ruys？　She；　a　home；　a　familywhat　nonsense！　A　harlot's　daughter　you　are；　my　dear；　you　must　be　a　harlot　too　if　you　want　to　become　anything　at　all。

The　day　wore　on。　The　crowd；　more　active　now　that　there　were　empty　spaces　here　and　there；　commenced　to　stream　towards　the　door　of　exit　after　great　eddyings　round　the　successes　of　the　year；　satisfied；　rather　tired；　but　excited　still　by　that　air　charged　with　the　electricity　of　art。　A　great　flood　of　sunlight；　such　as　sometimes　occurs　at　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　fell　on　the　stained…glass　rose…window；　threw　on　the　sand　tracks　of　rainbow…coloured　lights；　softly　bathing　the　bronze　or　the　marble　of　the　statues；　imparting　an　iridescent　hue　to　the　nudity　of　a　beautiful　figure；　giving　to　the　vast　museum　something　of　the　luminous　life　of　a　garden。　Felicia；　absorbed　in　her　deep　and　sad　reverie；　did　not　notice　the　man　who　advanced　towards　her；　superb；　elegant；　fascinating；　through　the　respectfully　opened　ranks　of　the　public；　while　the　name　of　〃Mora〃　was　everywhere　whispered。

〃Well；　mademoiselle；　you　have　made　a　splendid　success。　I　only　regret　one　thing　about　it；　and　that　is　the　cruel　symbol　which　you　have　hidden　in　your　masterpiece。〃

As　she　saw　the　duke　before　her；　she　shuddered。

〃Ah；　yes；　the　symbol；〃　she　said；　lifting　her　face　towards　his　with　a　smile　of　discouragement；　and　leaning　against　the　pedestal　of　the　large；　voluptuous　statue　near　which　they　happened　to　be　standing；　with　the　closed　eyes　of　a　woman　who　gives　or　abandons　herself；　she　murmured　low；　very　low：

〃Rabelais　lied；　as　all　men　lie。　The　truth　is　that　the　fox　is　utterly　wearied；　that　he　is　at　the　end　of　his　breath　and　his　courage；　ready　to　fall　into　the　ditch；　and　that　if　the　greyhound　makes　another　effort〃

Mora　started；　became　a　shade　paler；　all　the　blood　he　had　in　his　body　rushing　back　to　his　heart。　Two　sombre　flames　met　with　their　eyes；　two　rapid　words　were　exchanged　by　lips　that　hardly　moved；　then　the　duke　bowed　profoundly；　and　walked　away　with　a　step　gay　and　light；　as　though　the　gods　were　bearing　him。

At　that　moment　there　was　in　the　palace　only　one　man　as　happy　as　he；　and　that　was　the　Nabob。　Escorted　by　his　friends；　he　occupied；　quite　filled　up；　the　principal　bay　with　his　own　party　alone；　speaking　loudly；　gesticulating；　proud　to　such　a　degree　that　he　looked　almost　handsome；　as　though　by　dint　of　naive　and　long　contemplation　of　his　bust　he　had　been　touched　by　something　of　the　splendid　idealization　with　which　the　artist　had　haloed　the　vulgarity　of　his　type。　The　head；　raised　to　the　three…quarters　position；　standing　freely　out　from　the　wide；　loose　collar；　drew　contradictory　remarks　on　the　resemblance　from　the　passers…by；　and　the　name　of　Jansoulet；　so　many　times　repeated　by　the　electoral　ballot…boxes；　was　repeated　over　again　now　by　the　prettiest　mouths；　by　the　most　authoritative　voices；　in　Paris。　Any　other　than　the　Nabob　would　have　been　embarrassed　to　hear　uttered；　as　he　passed；　these　expressions　of　curiosity　which　were　not　always　friendly。　But　the　platform；　the　springing…board；　well　suited　that　nature　which　became　bolder　under　the　fire　of　glances；　like　those　women　who　are　beautiful　or　witty　only　in　society；　and　whom　the　least　admiration　transfigures　and　completes。

When　he　felt　this　delirious　joy　growing　calmer；　when　he　thought　to　have　drunk　the　whole　of　its　proud　intoxication；　he　had　only　to　say　to　himself；　〃Deputy！　I　am　a　Deputy！〃　And　the　triumphal　cup　foamed　once　more　to　the　brim。　It　meant　the　embargo　raised　from　all　his　possessions；　the　awakening　from　a　nightmare　that　had　lasted　two　months；　the　puff　of　cool　wind　sweeping　away　all　his　anxieties；　all　his　inquietudes；　even　to　the　affront　of　Saint…Romans；　very　heavy　though　that　was　in　his　memory。

Deputy！

He　laughed　to　himself　as　he　thought　of　the　baron's　face　when　he　learned　the　news；　of　the　stupefaction　of　the　Bey　when　he　had　been　led　up　to　his　bust；　and　suddenly；　upon　the　reflection　that　he　was　no　longer　merely　an　adventurer　stuffed　with　gold；　exciting　the　stupid　admiration　of　the　crowd；　as　might　an　enormous　rough　nugget　in　the　window　of　a　money…changer；　but　that　people　saw　in　him；　as　he　passed；　one　of　the　men　elected　by　the　will　of　the　nation；　his　simple　and　mobile　face　grew　thoughtful　with　a　deliberate　gravity；　there　suggested　themselves　to　him　projects　of　a　career；　of　reform；　and　the　wish　to　profit　by　the　lessons　that　had　been　latterly　taught　by　destiny。　Already；　remembering　the　promise　which　he　had　given　to　de　Gery；　for　the　household　troop　that　wriggled　ignobly　at　his　heels；　he　made　exhibition　of　certain　disdainful　coldnesses；　a　deliberate　pose　of　authoritative　contradiction。　He　called　the　Marquis　de　Bois　l'Hery　〃my　good　fellow；〃　imposed　silence　very　sharply　on　the　governor；　whose　enthusiasm　was　becoming　scandalous；　and　made　a　solemn　vow　to　himself　to　get　rid　as　soon　as　possible　of　all　that　mendicant　and　promising　Bohemian　set；　when　he　should　have　occasion　to　begin　the　process。

Penetrating　the　crowd　which　surrounded　him；　Moessardthe　handsome　Moessard；　in　a　sky…blue　cravat；　pale　and　bloated　like　a　white　embodiment　of　disease；　and　pinched　at　the　waist　in　a　fine　frock…coat　seeing　that　the　Nabob；　after　having　gone　twenty　times　round　the　hall　of　sculpture；　was　making　for　the　door；　dashed　forward；　and　passing　his　arm　through　his；　said：

〃You　are　taking　me　with　you；　you　know。〃

Especially　of　late；　since　the　time　of　the　election；　he　had　assumed；　in　the　establishment　of　the　Place　Vendome；　an　authority　almost　equal　to　that　of　Monpavon；　but　more　impudent；　for；　in　point　of　impudence；　the　Queen's　lover　was　without　his　equal　on　the　pavement　that　stretches　from　the　Rue　Drouot　to　the　Madeleine。　This　time　he　had　gone　too　far。　The　muscular　arm　which　he　pressed　was　shaken　violently；　and　the　Nabob　answered　very　dryly：

〃I　am　sorry；　/mon　cher/；　but　I　have　not　a　place　to　offer　you。〃

No　place　in　a　carriage　that　was　as　big　as　a　house；　and　which　five　of　them　had　come　in！

Moessard　gazed　at　him　in　stupefaction。

〃I　had；　however；　a　few　words　to　say　to　you　which　are　very　urgent。　With　regard　to　the　subject　of　my　noteyou　received　it；　did　you　not？〃

〃Certainly；　and　M。　de　Gery　should　have　sent　you　a　reply　this　very　morning。　What　you　ask　is　impossible。　Twenty　thousand　francs！　/Tonnerre　de　Dieu！/　You　go　at　a　fine　rate！〃

〃Still；　it　seems　to　me　that　my　services〃　stammered　the　beauty…man。

〃Have　been　amply　paid　for。　That　is　how　it　seems　to　me　also。　Two　hundred　thousand　francs　in　five　months！　We　will　draw　the　line　there；　if　you　please。　Your　teeth　are　long；　young　man；　you　will　have　t