the nabob-第49章

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　envelope　of　a　peculiar　shape　the　Irishman　started　involuntarily；　while　the　duke；　having　opened　and　glanced　over　his　letter；　rose　with　new　vigor；　his　cheeks　wearing　that　light　flush　of　artificial　health　which　all　the　heat　of　the　stove　had　not　been　able　to　bring　there。

〃My　dear　doctor；　I　must　at　any　price〃

The　servant　still　stood　waiting。

〃What　is　it？　Ah；　yes；　this　card。　Take　the　visitor　to　the　gallery。　I　shall　be　there　directly。〃

The　gallery　of　the　Duke　de　Mora；　open　to　visitors　twice　a　week；　was　for　himself；　as　it　were；　a　neutral　ground；　a　public　place　where　he　could　see　any　one　without　binding　or　compromising　himself　in　any　way。　Then；　the　servant　having　withdrawn：

〃Jenkins；　/mon　bon/；　you　have　already　worked　miracles　for　me。　I　ask　you　for　one　more。　Double　the　dose　of　my　pearls；　find　something；　whatever　you　will。　But　I　must　be　feeling　young　by　Sunday。　You　understand　me；　altogether　young。〃

And　on　the　little　letter　in　his　hand；　his　fingers；　warm　once　more　and　feverish；　clinched　themselves　with　a　thrill　of　eager　desire。

〃Take　care；　M。　le　Duc；〃　said　Jenkins；　very　pale　and　with　compressed　lips。　〃I　have　no　wish　to　alarm　you　unnecessarily　with　regard　to　the　feeble　state　of　your　health；　but　it　becomes　my　duty〃

Mora　gave　a　smile　of　pretty　arrogance：

〃Your　duty　and　my　pleasure　are　two　separate　things；　my　worthy　friend。　Let　me　burn　the　candle　at　both　ends；　if　it　amuses　me。　I　have　never　had　so　fine　an　opportunity　as　this　time。〃

He　started：

〃The　duchess！〃

A　door　concealed　behind　a　curtain　had　just　opened　to　give　passage　to　a　merry　little　head　with　fair　curls　in　disorder；　quite　fairy…like　amid　the　laces　and　frills　of　a　dressing…jacket　worthy　of　a　princess：

〃What　do　I　hear？　You　have　not　gone　out？　But　do　scold　him；　doctor。　He　is　wrong；　isn't　he；　to　have　so　many　fancies　about　himself？　Look　at　him　a　picture　of　health！〃

〃Thereyou　see；〃　said　the　duke；　laughing；　to　the　Irishman。　〃You　will　not　come　in；　duchess？〃

〃No；　I　am　going　to　carry　you　off；　on　the　contrary。　My　uncle　d'Estaing　has　sent　me　a　cage　full　of　tropical　birds。　I　want　to　show　them　to　you。　Wonderful　creatures；　of　all　colours；　with　little　eyes　like　black　pearls。　And　so　sensitive　to　coldnearly　as　much　so　as　you　are。〃

〃Let　us　go　and　have　a　look　at　them；〃　said　the　minister。　〃Wait　for　me；　Jenkins。　I　shall　be　back　in　a　moment。〃

Then；　noticing　that　he　still　had　his　letter　in　his　hand；　he　threw　it　carelessly　into　the　drawer　of　the　little　table　at　which　he　had　been　signing　papers；　and　left　the　room　behind　the　duchess；　with　the　fine　coolness　of　a　husband　accustomed　to　these　changes　of　situation。

What　prodigious　mechanic；　what　incomparable　manufacturer　of　toys；　must　it　have　been　who　succeeded　in　endowing　the　human　mask　with　its　suppleness；　its　marvellous　elasticity！　How　interesting　to　observe　the　face　of　this　great　seigneur　surprised　in　the　very　planning　of　his　adultery；　with　cheeks　flushed　in　the　anticipation　of　promised　delights；　calming　down　at　a　moment's　notice　into　the　serenity　of　conjugal　tenderness；　how　fine　the　devout　obsequiousness；　the　paternal　smile；　after　the　Franklin　method；　of　Jenkins；　in　the　presence　of　the　duchess；　giving　place　suddenly；　when　he　found　himself　alone；　to　a　savage　expression　of　anger　and　hatred；　the　pallor　of　a　criminal；　the　pallor　of　a　Castaing　or　of　a　Lapommerais　hatching　his　sinister　treasons。

One　rapid　glance　towards　each　of　the　two　doors；　and　he　stood　before　the　drawer　full　of　precious　papers；　the　little　gold　key　still　remaining　in　the　lock　with　an　arrogant　carelessness；　which　seemed　to　say；　〃No　one　will　dare。〃

Jenkins　dared。

The　letter　lay　there；　the　first　on　a　pile　of　others。　The　grain　of　the　paper；　an　address　of　three　words　dashed　off　in　a　simple；　bold　handwriting；　and　then　the　perfume；　that　intoxicating；　suggestive　perfume；　the　very　breath　of　her　divine　lips　It　was　true；　then；　his　jealous　love　had　not　deceived　him；　nor　the　embarrassment　she　had　shown　in　his　presence　for　some　time　past；　nor　the　secretive　and　rejuvenated　airs　of　Constance；　nor　those　bouquets　magnificently　blooming　in　the　studio　as　in　the　shadow　of　an　intrigue。　That　indomitable　pride　had　surrendered；　then；　at　last？　But　in　that　case；　why　not　to　him；　Jenkins？　To　him　who　had　loved　her　for　so　longalways；　who　was　ten　years　younger　than　the　other　man；　and　who　certainly　was　troubled　with　no　cold　shiverings！　All　these　thoughts　passed　through　his　head　like　arrows　shot　from　a　tireless　bow。　And；　stabbed　through　and　through；　torn　to　pieces；　his　eyes　blinded；　he　stood　there　looking　at　the　little　satiny　and　cold　envelope　which　he　did　not　dare　open　for　fear　of　dismissing　a　final　doubt；　when　the　rustling　of　a　curtain　warned　him　that　some　one　had　just　come　in。　He　threw　the　letter　back　quickly；　and　closed　the　wonderfully　adjusted　drawer　of　the　lacquered　table。

〃Ah！　it　is　you；　Jansoulet。　How　is　it　you　are　here？〃

〃His　excellency　told　me　to　come　and　wait　for　him　in　his　room；〃　replied　the　Nabob；　very　proud　of　being　thus　introduced　into　the　privacy　of　the　apartments；　at　an　hour；　especially；　when　visitors　were　not　generally　received。　As　a　fact；　the　duke　was　beginning　to　show　a　real　liking　for　this　savage；　for　several　reasons：　to　begin　with；　he　liked　audacious　people；　adventurers　who　followed　their　lucky　star。　Was　he　not　one　of　them　himself？　Then；　the　Nabob　amused　him；　his　accent；　his　frank　manners；　his　rather　coarse　and　impudent　flattery；　were　a　change　for　him　from　the　eternal　conventionality　of　his　surroundings；　from　that　scourge　of　administrative　and　court　life　which　he　held　in　horrorthe　set　speechin　such　great　horror　that　he　never　finished　a　sentence　which　he　had　begun。　The　Nabob　had　an　unforeseen　way　of　finishing　his　which　was　sometimes　full　of　surprises。　A　fine　gambler　as　well；　losing　games　of　/ecarte/　at　five　thousand　francs　the　fish　without　flinching。　And　so　convenient　when　one　wanted　to　get　rid　of　a　picture；　always　ready　to　buy；　no　matter　at　what　price。　To　these　motives　of　condescending　kindness　there　had　come　to　be　joined　of　late　a　sentiment　of　pity　and　indignation　in　the　face　of　the　tenacity　with　which　the　unfortunate　man　was　being　persecuted；　the　cowardly　and　merciless　war　so　ably　managed；　that　public　opinion；　always　credulous　and　with　neck　outstretched　to　see　which　way　the　wind　is　blowing；　was　beginning　to　be　seriously　influenced。　One　must　do　to　Mora　the　justice　of　admitting　that　he　was　no　follower　of　the　crowd。　When　he　had　seen　in　a　corner　of　the　gallery　the　simple　but　rather　piteous　and　discomfited　face　of　the　Nabob；　he　had　thought　it　cowardly　to　receive　him　there；　and　had　sent　him　up　to　his　private　room。

Jenkins　and　Jansoulet；　sufficiently　embarrassed　by　each　other's　presence；　exchanged　a　few　commonplace　words。　Their　great　friendship　had　recently　cooled；　Jansoulet　having　refused　point…blank　all　further　subsidies　to　the　Bethlehem　Society；　leaving　the　business　on　the　Irishman's　hands；　who　was　furious　at　this　defection；　and　much　more　furious　still　at　this　moment　because　he　had　not　been　able　to　open　Felicia's　letter　before　the　arrival　of　the　intruder。　The　Nabob；　on　his　side；　was　asking　himself　whether　the　doctor　was　going　to　be　present　at　the　conversation　which　he　wished　to　have　with　the　duke　on　the　subject　of　the　infamous　insinuations　with　which　the　/Messenger/　was　pursuing　him；　anxious　also　to　know　whether　these　calumnies　might　not　have　produced　a　coolness　in　that　sovereign　good…will　which　was　so　necessary　to　him　at　the　moment　of　the　verification　of　his　election。　The　greeting　which　he　had　received　in　the　gallery　had　half　reassured　him　on　this　point；　he　was　entirely　satisfied　when　the　duke　entered　and　came　towards　him　with　outstretched　hand：

〃Well；　my　poor　Jansoulet；　I　hope　Paris　is　making　you　pay　dearly　enough　for　your　welcome。　What　brawling　and　hate　and　spite　one　finds！〃

〃Ah；　M。　le　Duc；　if　you　knew〃

〃I　know。　I　have　read　it；〃　said　the　minister；　moving　closer　to　the　fire。

〃I　sincerely　hope　that　your　excellency　does　not　believe　these　infamies。　Besides；　I　have　hereI　bring　the　proof。〃

With　his　strong　hairy　hands；　trembling　with　emotion；　he　hunted　among　the　papers　in　an　enormous　shagreen　portfolio　which　he　had　under　his　arm。

〃Never　mind　thatnever　mind。　I　am　acquainted　with　the　whole　affair。　I　know　that；　wilfully　or　not；　they　have　mixed　you　up　with　another　person；　whom　family　considerations〃

The　duke　could　not　restrain　a　smile　at　the　bewilderment　of　the　Nabob；　stupefied　to　find　him　so　well　informed。

〃A　Minister　of　State　has　to　know　everything。　But　don't　worry。　Your　election　will　be　declared　valid　all　the　same。　And　once　declared　valid〃

Jansoulet　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief。

〃Ah；　M。　le　Duc；　how　it　cheers　me　to　hear　you　speak　thus！　I　was　beginning　to　lose　all　confidence。　My　enemies　are　so　powerful。　And　a　piece　of　bad　luck　into　the　bargain。　Do　you　know　that　it　is　Le　Merquier　himself　who　is　charged　with　the　report　on　my　election？〃

〃Le　Merquier？　The　devil！〃

〃Yes；　Le　Merquier；　Hemerlingue's　agent；　the　dirty　hypocrite　who　converted　the　baroness；　no　doubt　because　his　religion　forbade　him　to　have　a　Mohammedan　for　a　mistress。〃

〃Come；　come；　Jansoulet。〃

〃Well；　M。　le　Duc？　One　can't　help　being　angry。　Think　of　the　situation　in　which　these　wretches　are　placing　me。　Here　I　ought　to　have　had　my　election　made　valid　a　week　ago；　and　they　arrange　the　postponement　of　the　sitting　expressly　because　they　know　the　terrible　position　in　which　I　am　placedmy　whole　fortune　paralyzed；　the　Bey　waiting　for　the　decision　of　the　Chamber　to　decide　whether　or　not　he　can　plunder　me。　I　have　eighty　millions　over　there；　M。　le　Duc；　and　here　I　begin　to　be　short　of　money。　If　the　thing　goes　on　only　a　little　longer〃

He　wiped　away　the　big　drops　of　sweat　that　trickled　down　his　cheeks。

〃Ah；　well；　I　will　look　after　this　validation　myself；〃　said　the　minister　sharply。　〃I　will　write　to　what's…his…name　to　hurry　up　with　his　report；　and　even　if　I　have　to　be　carried　to　the　Chamber〃

〃Your　excellency　is　unwell？〃　asked　Jansoulet；　in　a　tone　of　interest　which；　I　swear　to　you；　had　no　affectation　about　it。

〃Noa　little　weakness。　I　am　rather　anaemicwanting　blood；　but　Jenkins　is　going　to　put　me　right。　Aren't　you；　Jenkins？〃

The　Irishman；　who　had　not　been　listening；　made　a　vague　gesture。

〃/Tonnerre！/　And　here　am　I　with　only　too　much　of　it。〃

And　the　Nabob　loosened　his　cravat　about　his　neck；　swollen　like　an　apoplexy　by　his　emotion　and　the　heat　of　the　room。　〃If　I　could　only　transfer　a　little　to　you；　M。　le　Duc！〃

〃It　would　be　an　excellent　thing　for　both；〃　said　the　Minister　of　State　with　pale　irony。　〃For　you；　especially；　who　are　a　violent　fellow；　and　who　at　this　moment　need　so　much　self…control。　Take　care　on　that　point；　Jansoulet。　Beware　of　the　hot　retorts；　the　steps　taken　in　a　fit　of　temper　to　which　they　would　like　to　drive　you。　Repeat　to　yourself　now　that　you　are　a　public　man；　on　a　platform；　all　of　whose　actions　are　observed　from　far。　The　newspapers　are　abusing　you；　don't　read　them；　if　you　cannot　conceal　the　emotion　which　they　cause　you。　Don't　do　what　I　did；　with　my　blind　man　of　the　Pont　de　la　Concorde；　that　frightful　clarinet…player；　who　for　the　last　ten　years　has　been　blighting　my　life　by　playing　all　day　'De　tes　fils；　Norma。'　I　have　tried　everything　to　get　him　away　from　theremoney；　threats。　Nothing　has　succeeded　in　inducing　him　to　go。　The　police？　Ah；　yes；　indeed。　With　modern