the nabob-第51章

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；　or　only　rising　to　make　ridiculous　propositions；　the　kind　of　interruption　which　would　tempt　one　to　believe　that　it　is　not　a　type　only；　but　a　whole　race；　that　Henri　Monnier　has　satirized　in　his　immortal　sketch。　Two　or　three　orators　in　all　the　Chamber；　the　rest　well　qualified　to　plant　themselves　before　the　fireplace　of　a　provincial　drawing…room；　after　an　excellent　meal　at　the　Prefect's；　and　to　say　in　nasal　voice；　〃The　administration；　gentlemen；〃　or　〃The　Government　of　the　Emperor；〃　but　incapable　of　anything　further。

Ordinarily　the　good　Nabob　had　been　dazzled　by　these　poses；　that　buzzing　as　of　an　empty　spinning…wheel　which　is　made　by　would…be　important　people；　but　to…day　he　found　his　own　place；　and　fell　in　with　the　general　note。　Seated　at　the　centre　of　the　green　table；　his　portfolio　open　before　him；　his　elbows　planted　well　forward　upon　it；　he　read　the　report　drawn　up　by　de　Gery；　and　the　members　of　the　committee　looked　at　him　in　amazement。

It　was　a　concise；　clear；　and　rapid　summary　of　their　fortnight's　proceedings；　in　which　they　found　their　ideas　so　well　expressed　that　they　had　great　difficulty　in　recognising　them。　Then；　as　two　or　three　among　them　considered　the　report　too　favourable；　that　it　passed　too　lightly　over　certain　protests　that　had　reached　the　committee；　the　examiner　addressed　the　meeting　with　an　astonishing　assurance；　with　the　prolixity；　the　verbosity　of　his　own　people；　demonstrated　that　a　deputy　ought　not　to　be　held　responsible　beyond　a　certain　point　for　the　imprudence　of　his　election　agents；　that　no　election；　otherwise；　would　bear　a　minute　examination；　and　since　in　reality　it　was　his　own　cause　that　he　was　pleading；　he　brought　to　the　task　a　conviction；　an　irresistible　enthusiasm；　taking　care　to　let　out　now　and　then　one　of　those　long；　dull　substantives　with　a　thousand　feet；　such　as　the　committee　loved。

The　others　listened　to　him　thoughtfully；　communicating　their　sentiments　to　each　other　by　nods　of　the　head；　making　flourishes；　in　order　the　better　to　concentrate　their　attention；　and　drawing　heads　on　their　blotting…padsa　proceeding　which　harmonized　well　with　the　schoolboyish　noises　in　the　corridors；　a　murmur　of　lessons　in　course　of　repetition；　and　those　droves　of　sparrows　which　you　could　hear　chirping　under　the　casements　in　a　flagged　court…yard；　just　like　the　court…yard　of　a　school。　The　report　having　been　adopted；　M。　Sarigue　was　summoned　in　order　that　he　might　offer　some　supplementary　explanations。　He　arrived；　pale；　emaciated；　stuttering　like　a　criminal　before　conviction；　and　you　would　have　laughed　to　see　with　what　an　air　of　authority　and　protection　Jansoulet　encouraged　and　reassured　him。　〃Calm　yourself；　my　dear　colleague。〃　But　the　members　of　Committee　No。　8　did　not　laugh。　They　were　all；　or　nearly　all；　Sarigues　in　their　way；　two　or　three　of　them　being　absolutely　broken　down；　stricken　by　partial　paralysis。　So　much　assurance；　such　great　eloquence；　had　moved　them　to　enthusiasm。

When　Jansoulet　issued　from　the　legislative　assembly；　reconducted　to　his　carriage　by　his　grateful　colleague；　it　was　about　six　o'clock。　The　splendid　weathera　beautiful　sunset　over　the　Seine；　which　lay　stretching　away　like　molten　gold　on　the　Trocadero　sidewas　a　temptation　to　a　walk　for　this　robust　plebeian；　on　whom　it　was　imposed　by　the　conventions　that　he　should　ride　in　a　carriage　and　wear　gloves；　but　who　escaped　such　encumbrances　as　often　as　he　possibly　could。　He　dismissed　his　servants；　and；　with　his　portfolio　under　his　arm；　set　forth　across　the　Pont　de　la　Concorde。

Since　the　first　of　May　he　had　not　experienced　such　a　sense　of　well…　being。　With　rolling　gait；　hat　a　little　to　the　back　of　his　head；　in　the　position　in　which　he　had　seen　it　worn　by　overworked　politicians　harassed　by　pressure　of　business；　allowing　all　the　laborious　fever　of　their　brain　to　evaporate　in　the　coolness　of　the　air；　as　a　factory　discharges　its　steam　into　the　gutter　at　the　end　of　a　day's　work；　he　moved　forward　among　other　figures　like　his　own；　evidently　coming　too　from　that　colonnaded　temple　which　faces　the　Madeleine　above　the　fountains　of　the　/Place/。　As　they　passed；　people　turned　to　look　after　them；　saying；　〃Those　are　deputies。〃　And　Jansoulet　felt　the　delight　of　a　child；　a　plebeian　joy；　compounded　of　ignorance　and　naive　vanity。

〃Ask　for　the　/Messenger/；　evening　edition。〃

The　words　came　from　a　newspaper　kiosk　at　the　corner　of　the　bridge；　full　at　that　hour　of　fresh　printed　sheets　in　heaps；　which　two　women　were　quickly　folding；　and　which　smelt　of　the　damp　presslate　news；　the　success　of　the　day　or　its　scandal。

Nearly　all　the　deputies　bought　a　copy　as　they　passed；　and　glanced　over　it　quickly　in　the　hope　of　finding　their　name。　Jansoulet；　for　his　part；　feared　to　see　his　in　it　and　did　not　stop。　Then　suddenly　he　reflected：　〃Must　not　a　public　man　be　above　these　weaknesses？　I　am　strong　enough　now　to　read　everything。〃　He　retraced　his　steps　and　took　a　newspaper　like　his　colleagues。　He　opened　it；　very　calmly；　right　at　the　place　usually　occupied　by　Moessard's　articles。　As　it　happened；　there　was　one。　Still　the　same　title：　〃/Chinoiseries/；〃　and　an　/M。/　for　signature。

〃Ah！　ah！〃　said　the　public　man；　firm　and　cold　as　marble；　with　a　fine　smile　of　disdain。　Mora's　lesson　still　rung　in　his　ears；　and；　had　he　forgotten　it；　the　air　from　/Norma/　which　was　being　slowly　played　in　little　ironical　notes　not　far　off　would　have　sufficed　to　recall　it　to　him。　Only；　after　all　calculations　have　been　made　amid　the　fleeting　happenings　of　our　existence；　there　is　always　the　unforeseen　to　be　reckoned　with；　and　that　is　how　it　came　that　the　poor　Nabob　suddenly　felt　a　wave　of　blood　blind　him；　a　cry　of　rage　strangle　itself　in　the　sudden　contraction　of　his　throat。　This　time　his　mother；　his　old　Frances；　had　been　dragged　into　the　infamous　joke　of　the　〃Bateau　de　fleurs。〃　How　well　he　aimed　his　blows；　this　Moessard；　how　well　he　knew　the　really　sensitive　spots　in　that　heart；　so　frankly　exposed！

〃Be　quiet；　Jansoulet；　be　quiet。〃

It　was　in　vain　that　he　repeated　the　words　to　himself　again　and　again：　anger；　a　wild　anger；　that　intoxication　of　the　blood　that　demands　blood；　took　possession　of　him。　His　first　impulse　was　to　hail　a　cab；　that　he　might　escape　from　the　irritating　street；　free　his　body　from　the　preoccupation　of　walking　and　maintaining　a　physical　composureto　hail　a　cab　as　for　a　wounded　man。　But　the　carriages　which　thronged　the　square　at　that　hour　of　general　home…going　were　victorias；　landaus；　private　broughams；　hundreds　of　them；　passing　down　from　the　lurid　splendour　of　the　Arc　de　Triomphe　towards　the　violet　shadows　of　the　Tuileries；　rushing；　it　seemed；　one　over　another；　in　the　sloping　perspective　of　the　avenue；　down　to　the　great　square　where　the　motionless　statues；　with　their　circular　crowns　on　their　brows；　watched　them　as　they　separated　towards　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain；　the　Rue　Royale　and　the　Rue　de　Rivoli。

Jansoulet；　his　newspaper　in　his　hand；　traversed　this　tumult　without　giving　it　a　thought；　carried　by　force　of　habit　towards　the　club　where　he　went　every　day　for　his　game　of　cards　from　six　to　seven。　A　public　man；　he　was　that　still；　but　excited；　speaking　aloud；　muttering　oaths　and　threats　in　a　voice　that　had　suddenly　grown　tender　again　at　the　memory　of　the　dear　old　woman。　To　have　dragged　her　into　thather　also！　Oh；　if　she　should　read　it；　if　she　should　understand！　What　punishment　could　he　invent　for　such　an　infamy？　He　had　reached　the　Rue　Royale；　up　which　were　disappearing　with　the　speed　of　horses　that　knew　they　were　going　home　and　with　glancings　of　shining　axles；　visions　of　veiled　women；　heads　of　fair…haired　children；　equipages　of　all　kinds　returning　from　the　Bois；　depositing　a　little　genuine　earth　upon　the　Paris　pavement；　and　bringing　odours　of　spring　mingled　with　the　scent　of　/poudre　de　riz/。

Opposite　the　Ministry　of　Marine；　a　very　high　phaeton　on　light　wheels；　rather　like　a　great　spider；　its　body　represented　by　the　little　groom　hanging　on　to　the　box　and　the　two　persons　occupying　the　front　seat；　just　missed　a　collision　with　the　curb　as　it　turned　the　corner。

The　Nabob　raised　his　head　and　stifled　a　cry。

Beside　a　painted　woman；　with　red　hair　and　wearing　a　tiny　hat　with　wide　strings；　who；　perched　on　her　leathern　cushion；　sat　leaning　stiffly　forward；　hands；　eyes；　her　whole　factitious　person　intent　on　driving　the　horse；　there　sat；　pink　and　made…up　also；　grown　fat　with　the　same　vices；　Moessard；　the　handsome　Moessardthe　harlot　and　the　journalist；　and　of　the　two；　it　was　not　the　woman　who　had　sold　herself　the　most。　High　above　those　women　reclining　in　their　open　carriages；　those　men　opposite　them　half　buried　beneath　the　flounces　of　their　gowns；　all　those　poses　of　fatigue　and　weariness　which　the　overfed　exhibit　in　public　as　in　contempt　of　pleasure　and　riches；　they　lorded　it　insolently；　she　very　proud　to　be　seen　driving　with　the　lover　of　the　Queen；　and　he　without　the　least　shame　in　sitting　beside　a　creature　who　hooked　men　in　the　drives　of　the　Bois　with　the　lash　of　her　whip；　removed　on　her　high…perched　seat　from　all　fear　of　the　salutary　raids　of　the　police。　Perhaps；　in　order　to　whet　the　appetite　of　his　royal　mistress；　he　chose　to　parade　beneath　her　windows　in　company　of　Suzanne　Bloch；　known　as　Suze　the　Red。

〃Hep！　hep；　then！〃

The　horse；　a　high　trotter　with　slim　legs；　just　such　a　horse　as　a　/cocotte/　would　care　to　own；　recovered　from　its　swerve　and　resumed　its　proper　place　with　dancing　steps；　graceful　pawings　executed　on　the　same　spot　without　advancing。　Jansoulet　let　fall　his　portfolio；　and　as　though　he　had　dropped　with　it　all　his　gravity；　his　prestige　as　a　public　man；　he　made　a　terrible　spring；　and　dashed　to　the　bit　of　the　animal；　which　he　held　firm　with　his　strong；　hairy　hands。

A　carriage　forcibly　stopped　in　the　Rue　Royale；　and　in　broad　daylight　only　this　Tartar　would　have　dared　such　a　stroke　as　that！

〃Get　down！〃　said　he　to　Moessard；　whose　face　had　turned　green　and　yellow　when　he　saw　him。　〃Get　down　immediately！〃

〃Will　you　let　go　my　horse；　you　bloated　idiot！　Whip　up　Suzanne；　it　is　the　Nabob。〃

She　tried　to　gather　up　the　reins；　but　the　animal；　held　firmly；　reared　so　sharply　that　a　little　more　and　like　a　sling　the　fragile　vehicle　would　have　sent　everybody　in　it　flying　far　away。　At　this；　furious　with　one　of　those　plebeian　rages　which　in　women　of　her　kind　shatter　all　the　veneer　of　their　luxury；　she　dealt　the　Nabob　two　stinging　lashes　with　her　whip；　which　left　little　trace　on　his　tanned　and　hardened　face；　but　which　brought　there　a　ferocious　expression；　accentuated　by　the　short　nose　which　had　turned　white　and　was　slit　at　the　end　like　that　of　a　sporting　terrier。

〃Come　down；　or；　by　God；　I　will　upset　the　whole　thing！〃

Amid　an　eddy　of　carriages　arrested　by　the　block　in　the　traffic；　or　that　passed　slowly　round　the　obstacle；　with　thousands　of　curious　eyes；　amid　cries　of　coachmen　and　clinking　of　bits；　two　wrists　of　iron　shook　the　entire　vehicle。

〃Jumpbut　jump；　I　tell　you！　Don't　you　see　he　will　have　us　over？　What　a　grip！〃

And　the　woman　looked　at　the　Hercules　with　interest。

Hardly　had　Moessard　set　foot　to　the　ground；　and　before　he　could　take　refuge　on　the　pavement；　whither　the　black　military　caps　of　policemen　could　be　seen　hastening；　Jansoulet　threw　himself　upon　him；　lifted　him　by　the　back　of　the　neck　like　a　rabbit；　and；　careless　of　his　protestations　and　his　terrified　stammerings：

〃Yes；　yes；　I　will　giv