the nabob-第50章

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oney；　threats。　Nothing　has　succeeded　in　inducing　him　to　go。　The　police？　Ah；　yes；　indeed。　With　modern　ideas；　it　becomes　quite　a　business　to　clear　off　a　blind　man　from　a　bridge。　The　Opposition　newspapers　would　talk　of　it；　the　Parisians　would　make　a　story　out　of　it'/The　Cobbler　and　the　Financier/。'　'The　Duke　and　the　Clarinet。'　No；　I　must　resign　myself。　It　is；　besides；　my　own　fault。　I　never　ought　to　have　let　this　man　see　that　he　annoyed　me。　I　am　sure　that　my　torture　makes　half　the　pleasure　of　his　life　now。　Every　morning　he　comes　forth　from　his　wretched　lodging　with　his　dog；　his　folding…　stool；　his　frightful　music；　and　says　to　himself；　'Come；　let　us　go　and　worry　the　Duc　de　Mora。'　Not　a　day　does　he　miss；　the　wretch！　Why；　see；　if　I　were　but　to　open　the　window　a　trifle；　you　would　hear　his　deluge　of　little　sharp　notes　above　the　noise　of　the　water　and　the　traffic。　Well；　this　journalist　of　the　/Messenger/；　he　is　your　clarinet；　if　you　allow　him　to　see　that　his　music　wearies　you；　he　will　never　finish。　And　with　this；　my　dear　deputy；　I　will　remind　you　that　you　have　a　meeting　at　three　o'clock　at　the　office；　and　I　must　send　you　back　to　the　Chamber。〃

Then　turning　to　Jenkins：

〃You　know　what　I　asked　of　you；　doctorpearls　for　the　day　after　to…morrow；　and　let　them　be　extra　strong！〃

Jenkins　started；　shook　himself　as　at　the　sudden　awakening　from　a　dream：

〃Certainly；　my　dear　duke。　You　shall　be　given　some　staminaoh；　yes；　stamina；　breath　enough　to　win　the　great　Derby　stakes。〃

He　bowed；　and　left　the　room　laughing；　the　veritable　laugh　of　a　wolf　showing　its　gleaming　white　teeth。　The　Nabob　took　leave　in　his　turn；　his　heart　filled　with　gratitude；　but　not　daring　to　let　anything　of　it　appear　in　the　presence　of　this　sceptic　in　whom　all　demonstrativeness　aroused　distrust。　And　the　Minister　of　State；　left　alone；　rolled　up　in　his　wraps　before　the　crackling　and　blazing　fire；　sheltered　in　the　padded　warmth　of　his　luxury；　doubled　that　day　by　the　feverish　caress　of　the　May　sunshine；　began　to　shiver　with　cold　again；　to　shiver　so　violently　that　Felicia's　letter　which　he　had　reopened　and　was　reading　rapturously　shook　in　his　hands。

A　deputy　is　in　a　very　singular　situation　during　the　period　which　follows　his　election　and　precedesas　they　say　in　parliamentary　jargon　the　verification　of　its　validity。　It　is　a　little　like　the　position　of　the　newly　married　man　during　the　twenty…four　hours　separating　the　civil　marriage　from　its　consecration　by　the　Church。　Rights　of　which　he　cannot　avail　himself；　a　half…happiness；　a　semi…authority；　the　embarrassment　of　keeping　the　balance　a　little　on　this　side　or　on　that；　the　lack　of　a　defined　footing。　One　is　married　and　yet　not　married；　a　deputy　and　yet　not　perfectly　sure　of　being　it；　only；　for　the　deputy；　this　uncertainty　is　prolonged　over　days　and　weeks；　and　since　the　longer　it　lasts　the　more　problematical　does　the　validation　become；　it　is　like　torture　for　the　unfortunate　representative　on　probation　to　be　obliged　to　attend　the　Chamber；　to　occupy　a　place　which　he　will　perhaps　not　keep；　to　listen　to　discussions　of　which　it　is　possible　that　he　will　never　hear　the　end；　to　fix　in　his　eyes　and　ears　the　delicious　memory　of　parliamentary　sittings　with　their　sea　of　bald　or　apoplectic　foreheads；　their　confused　noise　of　rustling　papers；　the　cries　of　attendants；　wooden　knives　beating　a　tattoo　on　the　tables；　private　conversations　from　amid　which　the　voice　of　the　orator　issues；　a　thundering　or　timid　solo　with　a　continuous　accompaniment。

This　situation；　at　best　so　trying　to　the　nerves；　was　complicated　in　the　Nabob's　case　by　these　calumnies；　at　first　whispered；　now　printed；　circulated　in　thousands　of　copies　by　the　newspapers；　with　the　consequence　that　he　found　himself　tacitly　put　in　quarantine　by　his　colleagues。

The　first　days　he　went　and　came　in　the　corridors；　the　library；　the　dining…room；　the　lecture…hall；　like　the　rest；　delighted　to　roam　through　all　the　corners　of　that　majestic　labyrinth；　but　he　was　unknown　to　most　of　his　associates；　unacknowledged　by　a　few　members　of　the　Rue　Royale　Club；　who　avoided　him；　detested　by　all　the　clerical　party　of　which　Le　Merquier　was　the　head。　The　financial　set　was　hostile　to　this　multi…millionaire；　powerful　in　both　〃bull〃　and　〃bear〃　market；　like　those　vessels　of　heavy　tonnage　which　displace　the　water　of　a　harbour；　and　thus　his　isolation　only　became　the　more　marked　by　the　change　in　his　circumstances　and　the　same　enmity　followed　him　everywhere。

His　gestures；　his　manner；　showed　trace　of　it　in　a　certain　constraint；　a　sort　of　hesitating　distrust。　He　felt　he　was　watched。　If　he　went　for　a　minute　into　the　/buffet/；　that　large　bright　room　opening　on　the　gardens　of　the　president's　house；　which　he　liked　because　there；　at　the　broad　counter　of　white　marble　laden　with　bottles　and　provisions；　the　deputies　lost　their　big；　imposing　airs；　the　legislative　haughtiness　allowed　itself　to　become　more　familiar；　even　there　he　knew　that　the　next　day　there　would　appear　in　the　/Messenger/　a　mocking；　offensive　paragraph　exhibiting　him　to　his　electors　as　a　wine…bibber　of　the　most　notorious　order。

Those　terrible　electors　added　to　his　embarrassments。

They　arrived　in　crowds；　invaded　the　Salle　des　Pas…Perdus；　galloped　all　over　the　place　like　little　fiery　black　kids；　shouting　to　each　other　from　one　end　to　the　other　of　the　echoing　room；　〃O　Pe！　O　Tche！〃　inhaling　with　delight　the　odour　of　government；　of　administration；　pervading　the　air；　watching　admiringly　the　ministers　as　they　passed；　following　in　their　trail　with　keen　nose；　as　though　from　their　respected　pockets；　from　their　swollen　portfolios；　there　might　fall　some　appointment；　but　especially　surrounding　〃Moussiou〃　Jansoulet　with　so　many　exacting　petitions；　reclamations；　demonstrations；　that；　in　order　to　free　himself　from　the　gesticulating　uproar　which　made　everybody　turn　round；　and　turned　him　as　it　were　into　the　delegate　of　a　tribe　of　Tuaregs　in　the　midst　of　civilized　folk；　he　was　obliged　to　implore　with　a　look　the　help　of　some　attendant　on　duty　familiar　with　such　acts　of　rescue；　who　would　come　to　him　with　an　air　of　urgency　to　say　〃that　he　was　wanted　immediately　in　Bureau　No。　8。〃　So　at　last；　embarrassed　everywhere；　driven　from　the　corridors；　from　the　Pas…　Perdus；　from　the　refreshment…room；　the　poor　Nabob　had　adopted　the　course　of　never　leaving　his　seat；　where　he　remained　motionless　and　without　speaking　during　the　whole　time　of　the　sitting。

He　had；　however；　one　friend　in　the　Chamber；　a　deputy　newly　elected　for　the　Deux…Sevres；　called　M。　Sarigue；　a　poor　man　sufficiently　resembling　the　inoffensive　and　ill…favoured　animal　whose　name　he　bore；　with　his　red　and　scanty　hair；　his　timorous　eyes；　his　hopping　walk；　his　white　gaiters；　he　was　so　timid　that　he　could　not　utter　two　words　without　stuttering；　almost　voiceless；　continually　sucking　jujubes；　which　completed　the　confusion　of　his　speech。　One　asked　what　such　a　weakling　as　he　had　come　to　do　in　the　Assembly；　what　feminine　ambition　run　mad　had　urged　into　public　life　this　being　useless　for　no　matter　what　private　activity。

By　an　amusing　irony　of　fate；　Jansoulet；　himself　agitated　by　all　the　anxieties　of　his　own　validation；　was　chosen　in　Bureau　no。　8　to　draw　up　the　report　on　the　election　in　the　Deux…Sevres；　and　M。　Sarigue；　humble　and　supplicating；　conscious　of　his　incapacity　and　filled　by　a　horrible　dread　of　being　sent　back　to　his　home　in　disgrace；　used　to　follow　about　this　great　jovial　fellow　with　the　curly　hair　and　big　shoulder　blades　that　moved　like　the　bellows　of　a　forge　beneath　a　light　and　tightly　fitting　frock…coat；　without　any　suspicion　that　a　poor　anxious　being　like　himself　lay　concealed　within　that　solid　envelope。

As　he　worked　at　the　report　on　the　Deux…Sevres　election；　as　he　examined　the　numerous　protests；　the　accusations　of　electioneering　trickery；　meals　given；　money　spent；　casks　of　wine　broached　at　the　doors　of　the　mayors'　houses；　the　usual　accompaniments　of　an　election　in　those　days；　Jansoulet　used　to　shudder　on　his　own　account。　〃Why；　I　did　all　that　myself；〃　he　would　say　to　himself；　terrified。　Ah！　M。　Sarigue　need　not　be　afraid；　never　could　he　have　put　his　hand　on　an　examiner　with　kinder　intentions　or　more　indulgent；　for　the　Nabob；　taking　pity　on　the　sufferer；　knowing　by　experience　how　painful　is　the　anguish　of　waiting；　had　made　haste　through　his　labour；　and　the　enormous　portfolio　which　he　carried　under　his　arm；　as　he　left　the　Mora　mansion；　contained　his　report　ready　to　be　sent　in　to　the　bureau。

Whether　it　were　this　first　essay　in　a　public　function；　the　kind　words　of　the　duke；　or　the　magnificent　weather　out　of　doors；　keenly　enjoyed　by　this　southerner；　with　his　susceptibility　to　wholly　physical　impressions　and　accustomed　to　life　under　a　blue　sky　and　the　warmth　of　the　sunshinehowever　that　may　have　been；　certain　it　is　that　the　attendants　of　the　legislative　body　beheld　that　day　a　proud　and　haughty　Jansoulet　whom　they　had　not　previously　known。　The　fat　Hemerlingue's　carriage；　caught　sight　of　at　the　gate；　recognisable　by　the　unusual　width　of　its　doors；　completed　his　reinstatement　in　the　possession　of　his　true　nature　of　assurance　and　bold　audacity。　〃The　enemy　is　there。　Attention！〃　As　he　crossed　the　Salle　des　Pas…Perdus；　he　caught　sight　of　the　financier　chatting　in　a　corner　with　Le　Merquier；　the　examiner；　he　passed　quite　near　them；　and　looked　at　them　with　a　triumphant　air　which　made　people　wonder：

〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃

Then；　highly　pleased　at　his　own　coolness；　he　passed　on　towards　the　committee…rooms；　big　and　lofty　apartments　opening　right　and　left　on　a　long　corridor；　and　having　large　tables　covered　with　green　baize；　and　heavy　chairs　all　of　a　similar　pattern　and　bearing　the　impress　of　a　dull　solemnity。　People　were　beginning　to　come　in。　Groups　were　taking　up　their　positions；　discussing　matters；　gesticulating；　with　bows；　shakings　of　hands；　inclinations　of　the　head；　like　Chinese　shadows　against　the　luminous　background　of　the　windows。

Men　were　there　who　walked　about　with　bent　back；　solitary；　as　it　were　crushed　down　beneath　the　weight　of　the　thoughts　which　knitted　their　brow。　Others　whispering　in　their　neighbour's　ears；　confiding　to　each　other　exceedingly　mysterious　and　terribly　important　pieces　of　news；　finger　on　lip；　eyes　opened　wide　in　silent　recommendation　to　discretion。　A　provincial　flavour　characterized　it　all；　varieties　of　intonation；　the　violence　of　southern　speech；　drawling　accents　of　the　central　districts；　the　sing…song　of　Brittany；　fused　into　one　and　the　same　imbecile　self…conceit；　frock…coats　as　they　cut　them　at　Landerneau；　mountain　shoes；　home…spun　linen；　and　a　self…assurance　begotten　in　a　village　or　in　the　club　of　some　insignificant　town；　local　expressions；　provincialisms　abruptly　introduced　into　the　speech　of　the　political　and　administrative　world；　that　flabby　and　colourless　phraseology　which　has　invented　such　expressions　as　〃burning　questions　that　come　again　to　the　surface〃　and　〃individualities　without　mandate。〃

To　see　these　excited　or　thoughtful　people；　you　might　have　supposed　them　the　greatest　apostles　of　ideas　in　the　world；　unfortunately；　on　the　days　of　the　sittings　they　underwent　a　transformation；　sat　in　hushed　silence　in　their　places；　laughing　in　servile　fashion　at　the　jests　of　the　clever　man　who　presided　over　them；　or　only　rising　to　make　ridiculous　propositions；　the　kind　of　interruption　which　would　tempt　one　to