the nabob-第48章

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t　of　flowers〃　did　not　bear　so　pretty　a　name　as　that　in　good　French。　And　this　name；　he　said　it　aloud　notwithstanding　the　presence　of　the　ladies。　There　was　an　explosion　of　cries；　of　〃Ah's！〃　and　〃Oh's！〃　some　saying；　〃I　suspected　it！〃　others；　〃It　is　impossible！〃

〃Pardon　me；〃　added　Francis；　formerly　a　trumpeter　in　the　Ninth　Lancers　the　regiment　of　Mora　and　of　Monpavon〃pardon　me。　Twenty　years　ago；　during　the　last　half　year　of　my　service；　I　was　in　barracks　in　the　Military　School；　and　I　remember　very　well　that　near　the　fortifications　there　was　a　dirty　dancing…hall　known　as　the　Jansoulet　Rooms；　with　a　little　furnished　flat　above　and　bedrooms　at　twopence…halfpenny　the　hour；　to　which　one　could　retire　between　two　quadrilles。〃

〃You　are　an　infamous　liar！〃　said　M。　Noel；　beside　himself　with　rage〃a　thief　and　a　liar　like　your　master。　Jansoulet　has　never　been　in　Paris　before　now。〃

Francis　was　seated　a　little　outside　our　circle　engaged　in　sipping　something　sweet；　because　champagne　has　a　bad　effect　on　his　nerves　and　because；　too；　it　is　not　a　sufficiently　distinguished　beverage　for　him。　He　rose　gravely；　without　putting　down　his　glass；　and；　advancing　towards　M。　Noel；　said　to　him　very　quietly：

〃You　are　wanting　in　manners；　/mon　cher/。　The　other　evening　I　found　your　tone　coarse　and　unseemly。　To　insult　people　serves　no　good　purpose；　especially　in　this　case；　since　I　happen　to　have　been　an　assistant　to　a　fencing…master；　and；　if　matters　were　carried　further　between　us；　could　put　a　couple　of　inches　of　steel　into　whatever　part　of　your　body　I　might　choose。　But　I　am　good…natured。　Instead　of　a　sword…thrust；　I　prefer　to　give　you　a　piece　of　advice；　which　your　master　will　do　well　to　follow。　This　is　what　I　should　do　in　your　place：　I　should　go　and　find　Moessard；　and　I　should　buy　him；　without　quibbling　about　price。　Hemerlingue　has　given　him　twenty　thousand　francs　to　speak；　I　would　offer　him　thirty　thousand　to　hold　his　tongue。〃

〃Never！　never！〃　vociferated　M。　Noel。　〃I　should　rather　go　and　knock　the　rascally　brigand's　head　off。〃

〃You　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind。　Whether　the　calumny　be　true　or　false；　you　have　seen　the　effect　of　it　this　evening。　This　is　a　sample　of　the　pleasures　in　store　for　you。　What　can　you　expect；　/mon　cher/？　You　have　thrown　away　your　crutches　too　soon；　and　thought　to　walk　by　yourselves。　That　is　all　very　well　when　one　is　well　set　up　and　firm　on　the　legs；　but　when　one　had　not　a　very　solid　footing；　and　has　also　the　misfortune　to　feel　Hemerlingue　at　his　heels；　it　is　a　bad　business。　Besides；　your　master　is　beginning　to　be　short　of　money；　he　has　given　notes　of　hand　to　old　Schwalbachand　don't　talk　to　me　of　a　Nabob　who　gives　notes　of　hand。　I　know　well　that　you　have　millions　over　yonder；　but　your　election　must　be　declared　valid　before　you　can　touch　them；　a　few　more　articles　like　to…day's；　and　I　answer　for　it　that　you　will　not　secure　that　declaration。　You　set　yourselves　up　to　struggle　against　Paris；　/mon　bon/；　but　you　are　not　big　enough　for　such　a　match；　you　know　nothing　about　it。　Here　we　are　not　in　the　East；　and　if　we　do　not　wring　the　necks　of　people　who　displease　us；　if　we　do　not　throw　them　into　the　water　in　a　sack；　we　have　other　methods　of　effecting　their　disappearance。　Noel；　let　your　master　take　care。　One　of　these　mornings　Paris　will　swallow　him　as　I　swallow　this　plum；　without　spitting　out　either　the　stone　or　skin。〃

He　was　terrible；　this　old　man；　and　notwithstanding　the　paint　on　his　face；　I　felt　a　certain　respect　for　him。　While　he　was　speaking；　we　could　hear　the　music　upstairs；　and　the　horses　of　the　municipal　guards　shaking　their　curb…chains　in　the　square。　From　without；　our　festivities　must　have　seemed　very　brilliant；　all　lighted　up　by　their　thousands　of　candles；　and　with　the　great　portico　illuminated。　And　when　one　reflected　that　ruin　perhaps　lay　beneath　it　all！　We　sat　there　in　the　vestibule　like　rats　that　hold　counsel　with　each　other　at　the　bottom　of　a　ship's　hold；　when　the　vessel　is　beginning　to　leak　and　before　the　crew　has　found　it　out；　and　I　saw　clearly　that　all　the　lackeys　and　chambermaids　would　not　be　long　in　decamping　at　the　first　note　of　alarm。　Could　such　a　catastrophe　indeed　be　possible？　And　in　that　case　what　would　become　of　me；　and　the　Territorial；　and　the　money　I　had　advanced；　and　the　arrears　due　to　me？

That　Francis　has　left　me　with　a　cold　shudder　down　my　back。



A　PUBLIC　MAN

The　bright　warmth　of　a　clear　May　afternoon　heated　the　lofty　casement　windows　of　the　Mora　mansion　to　the　temperature　of　a　greenhouse。　The　blue　silk　curtains　were　visible　from　outside　through　the　branches　of　the　trees；　and　the　wide　terraces；　where　exotic　flowers　were　planted　out　of　doors　for　the　first　time　of　the　season；　ran　in　borders　along　the　whole　length　of　the　quay。　The　raking　of　the　garden　paths　traced　the　light　footprints　of　summer　in　the　sand；　while　the　soft　fall　of　the　water　from　the　hoses　on　the　lawns　was　its　refreshing　song。

All　the　luxury　of　the　princely　residence　lay　sunning　itself　in　the　soft　warmth　of　the　temperature；　borrowing　a　beauty　from　the　silence；　the　repose　of　this　noontide　hour；　the　only　hour　when　the　roll　of　carriages　was　not　to　be　heard　under　the　arches；　nor　the　banging　of　the　great　doors　of　the　antechamber；　and　that　perpetual　vibration　which　the　ringing　of　bells　upon　arrivals　or　departures　sent　coursing　through　the　very　ivy　on　the　walls；　the　feverish　pulse　of　the　life　of　a　fashionable　house。　It　was　well　known　that　up　to　three　o'clock　the　duke　held　his　reception　at　the　Ministry；　and　that　the　duchess；　a　Swede　still　benumbed　by　the　snows　of　Stockholm；　had　hardly　issued　from　her　drowsy　curtains；　consequently　nobody　came　to　call；　neither　visitors　or　petitioners；　and　only　the　footmen；　perched　like　flamingoes　on　the　deserted　flight　of　steps　in　front　of　the　house；　gave　the　place　a　touch　of　animation　with　the　slim　shadows　of　their　long　legs　and　their　yawning　weariness　of　idlers。

As　an　exception；　however；　that　day　Jenkins's　brougham　was　standing　waiting　in　a　corner　of　the　court…yard。　The　duke；　unwell　since　the　previous　evening；　had　felt　worse　after　leaving　the　breakfast…table；　and　in　all　haste　had　sent　for　the　man　of　the　pearls　in　order　to　question　him　on　his　singular　condition。　Pain　nowhere；　sleep　and　appetite　as　usual；　only　an　inconceivable　lassitude；　and　a　sense　of　terrible　chill　which　nothing　could　dissipate。　Thus　at　that　moment；　notwithstanding　the　brilliant　spring　sunshine　which　flooded　his　chamber　and　almost　extinguished　the　fire　flaming　in　the　grate；　the　duke　was　shivering　beneath　his　furs；　surrounded　by　screens；　and　while　signing　papers　for　an　/attache/　of　his　cabinet　on　a　low　table　of　gold　lacquer；　placed　so　near　to　the　fire　that　it　frizzled；　he　kept　holding　out　his　numb　fingers　every　moment　toward　the　blaze；　which　might　have　burned　the　skin　without　restoring　circulation。

Was　it　anxiety　caused　by　the　indisposition　of　his　illustrious　client？　Jenkins　appeared　nervous；　disquieted；　walked　backward　and　forward　with　long　strides　over　the　carpet；　hunting　about　right　and　left；　seeking　in　the　air　something　which　he　believed　to　be　present；　a　subtle　and　intangible　something　like　the　trace　of　a　perfume　or　the　invisible　track　left　by　a　bird　in　its　flight。　You　heard　the　crackling　of　the　wood　in　the　fireplace；　the　rustle　of　papers　hurriedly　turned　over；　the　indolent　voice　of　the　duke　indicating　in　a　sentence；　always　precise　and　clear；　a　reply　to　a　letter　of　four　pages；　and　the　respectful　monosyllables　of　the　/attache/〃Yes；　M。　le　Ministre；〃　〃No；　M。　le　Ministre〃；　then　the　scraping　of　a　rebellious　and　heavy　pen。　Out　of　doors　the　swallows　were　twittering　merrily　over　the　water；　the　sound　of　a　clarinet　was　wafted　from　somewhere　near　the　bridges。

〃It　is　impossible；〃　suddenly　said　the　Minister　of　State；　rising。　〃Take　that　away；　Lartigues；　you　must　return　to…morrow。　I　cannot　write。　I　am　too　cold。　See；　doctor；　feel　my　handsone　would　think　that　they　had　just　come　out　of　a　pail　of　iced　water。　For　the　last　two　days　my　whole　body　has　been　the　same。　Isn't　it　too　absurd；　in　this　weather！〃

〃I　am　not　surprised；〃　muttered　the　Irishman；　in　a　sullen；　curt　tone；　rarely　heard　from　that　honeyed　personage。

The　door　had　closed　upon　the　young　/attache/；　bearing　off　his　papers　with　majestic　dignity；　but　very　happy；　I　imagine；　to　feel　himself　free　and　to　be　able　to　stroll　for　an　hour　or　two；　before　returning　to　the　Ministry；　in　the　Tuileries　gardens；　full　of　spring　frocks　and　pretty　girls　sitting　near　the　still　empty　chairs　round　the　band；　under　the　chestnut…trees　in　flower；　through　which　from　root　to　summit　there　ran　the　great　thrill　of　the　month　when　nests　are　built。　The　/attache/　was　certainly　not　frozen。

Jenkins；　silently；　examined　his　patient；　sounded　him；　and　tapped　his　chest；　then；　in　the　same　rough　tone　which　might　be　explained　by　his　anxious　devotion；　the　annoyance　of　the　doctor　who　sees　his　orders　transgressed：

〃Ah；　now；　my　dear　duke；　what　sort　of　life　have　you　been　living　lately？〃

He　knew　from　the　gossip　of　the　antechamberin　the　case　of　his　regular　clients　the　doctor　did　not　disdain　thishe　knew　that　the　duke　had　a　new　favourite；　that　this　caprice　of　recent　date　possessed　him；　excited　him　in　an　extraordinary　measure；　and　the　fact；　taken　together　with　other　observations　made　elsewhere；　had　implanted　in　Jenkins's　mind　a　suspicion；　a　mad　desire　to　know　the　name　of　this　new　mistress。　It　was　this　that　he　was　trying　to　read　on　the　pale　face　of　his　patient；　attempting　to　fathom　the　depth　of　his　thoughts　rather　than　the　origin　of　his　malady。　But　he　had　to　deal　with　one　of　those　faces　which　are　hermetically　sealed；　like　those　little　coffers　with　a　secret　spring　which　hold　jewels　and　women's　letters；　one　of　those　discreet　natures　closed　by　a　cold；　blue　eye；　a　glance　of　steel　by　which　the　most　astute　perspicacity　may　be　baffled。

〃You　are　mistaken；　doctor；〃　replied　his　excellency　tranquilly。　〃I　have　made　no　changes　in　my　habits。〃

〃Very　well；　M。　le　Duc；　you　have　done　wrong；〃　remarked　the　Irishman　abruptly；　furious　at　having　made　no　discovery。

And　then；　feeling　that　he　was　going　too　far；　he　gave　vent　to　his　bad　temper　and　to　the　severity　of　his　diagnosis　in　words　which　were　a　tissue　of　banalities　and　axioms。　One　ought　to　take　care。　Medicine　was　not　magic。　The　power　of　the　Jenkins　pearls　was　limited　by　human　strength；　by　the　necessities　of　age；　by　the　resources　of　nature；　which；　unfortunately；　are　not　inexhaustible。　The　duke　interrupted　him　in　an　irritable　tone：

〃Come；　Jenkins；　you　know　very　well　that　I　don't　like　phrases。　I　am　not　all　right；　then？　What　is　the　matter　with　me？　What　is　the　reason　of　this　chilliness？〃

〃It　is　anaemia；　exhaustiona　sinking　of　the　oil　in　the　lamp。〃

〃What　must　I　do？〃

〃Nothing。　An　absolute　rest。　Eat；　sleep；　nothing　besides。　If　you　could　go　and　spend　a　few　weeks　at　Grandbois。〃

Mora　shrugged　his　shoulders：

〃And　the　Chamberand　the　Counciland？　Nonsense！　how　is　it　possible？〃

〃In　any　case；　M。　le　Duc；　you　must　put　the　brake　on；　as　somebody　said；　renounce　absolutely〃

Jenkins　was　interrupted　by　the　entry　of　the　servant　on　duty；　who；　discreetly；　on　tiptoe；　like　a　dancing…master；　came　in　to　deliver　a　letter　and　a　card　to　the　Minister　of　State；　who　was　still　shivering　before　the　fire。　At　the　sight　of　that　satin…gray　envelope　of　a　peculiar　shape　the　Irishman　started　involuntarily；　while　the　duke；　having　opened　and