the nabob-第55章

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〃And　so　suddenly！〃

Such　were　the　remarks　that　people　were　exchanging　as　they　met。

An　idea　flashed　into　Jansoulet's　mind：

〃Is　the　duke　ill？〃　he　inquired　of　a　servant。

〃Ah；　monsieur；　he　is　dying！　He　will　not　live　through　the　night！〃

If　the　roof　of　the　palace　had　fallen　in　upon　his　head　he　would　not　have　been　more　utterly　stunned。　Red　lights　flashed　before　his　eyes；　he　tottered；　and　let　himself　drop　into　a　seat　on　a　velvet…covered　bench　beside　the　great　cage　of　monkeys。　The　animals；　over…excited　by　all　this　bustle；　suspended　by　their　tails；　by　their　little　long…thumbed　hands；　were　hanging　to　the　bars　in　groups；　and　came；　inquisitive　and　frightened；　to　make　the　most　ludicrous　grimaces　at　this　big；　stupefied　man　as　he　sat　staring　at　the　marble　floor；　repeating　aloud　to　himself；　〃I　am　ruined！　I　am　ruined！〃

The　duke　was　dying。　He　had　been　seized　suddenly　with　illness　on　the　Sunday　after　his　return　from　the　Bois。　He　had　felt　intolerable　burnings　in　his　bowels；　which　passed　through　his　whole　body；　searing　as　with　a　red…hot　iron；　and　alternating　with　a　cold　lethargy　and　long　periods　of　coma。　Jenkins；　summoned　at　once；　did　not　say　much；　but　ordered　certain　sedatives。　The　next　day　the　pains　came　on　again　with　greater　intensity　and　followed　by　the　same　icy　torpor；　also　more　accentuated；　as　if　life；　torn　up　by　the　roots；　were　departing　in　violent　spasms。　Among　those　around　him；　none　was　greatly　concerned。　〃The　day　after　a　visit　to　Saint…James　Villa；〃　was　muttered　in　the　antechamber；　and　Jenkins's　handsome　face　preserved　its　serenity。　He　had　spoken　to　two　or　three　people；　in　the　course　of　his　morning　rounds；　of　the　duke's　indisposition；　and　that　so　lightly　that　nobody　had　paid　much　attention　to　the　matter。

Mora　himself；　notwithstanding　his　extreme　weakness；　although　he　felt　his　head　absolutely　blank；　and；　as　he　said；　〃not　an　idea　anywhere；〃　was　far　from　suspecting　the　gravity　of　his　condition。　It　was　only　on　the　third　day；　on　waking　in　the　morning；　that　the　sight　of　a　tiny　stream　of　blood；　which　had　trickled　from　his　mouth　over　his　beard　and　the　stained　pillow；　had　frightened　this　fastidious　man；　who　had　a　horror　of　all　human　ills；　especially　sickness；　and　now　saw　it　arrive　stealthily　with　its　pollutions；　its　weaknesses；　and　the　loss　of　physical　self…control；　the　first　concession　made　to　death。　Monpavon；　entering　the　room　behind　Jenkins；　surprised　the　anxious　expression　of　the　great　seigneur　faced　by　the　terrible　truth；　and　at　the　same　time　was　horrified　by　the　ravages　made　in　a　few　hours　upon　Mora's　emaciated　face；　in　which　all　the　wrinkles　of　age；　suddenly　evident；　were　mingled　with　lines　of　suffering；　and　those　muscular　depressions　which　tell　of　serious　internal　lesions。　He　took　Jenkins　aside；　while　the　duke's　toilet　necessaries　were　carried　to　hima　whole　apparatus　of　crystal　and　silver　contrasting　with　the　yellow　pallor　of　the　invalid。

〃Look　here；　Jenkins；　the　duke　is　very　ill。〃

〃I　am　afraid　so；〃　said　the　Irishman；　in　a　low　voice。

〃But　what　is　the　matter　with　him？〃

〃What　he　wanted；　/parbleu/！〃　answered　the　other　in　a　fury。　〃One　cannot　be　young　at　his　age　with　impunity。　This　intrigue　will　cost　him　dear。〃

Some　evil　passion　was　getting　the　better　of　him　but　he　subdued　it　immediately；　and；　puffing　out　his　cheeks　as　though　his　head　were　full　of　water；　he　sighed　deeply　as　he　pressed　the　old　nobleman's　hands。

〃Poor　duke！　poor　duke！　Ah；　my　friend；　I　am　most　unhappy！〃

〃Take　care；　Jenkins；〃　said　Monpavon　coldly；　disengaging　his　hands；　〃you　are　assuming　a　terrible　responsibility。　What！　is　the　duke　as　bad　as　that？pspsps　Will　you　see　nobody？　You　have　arranged　no　consultation？〃

The　Irishman　raised　his　hands　as　if　to　say；　〃What　good　can　it　do？〃

The　other　insisted。　It　was　absolutely　necessary　that　Brisset；　Jousseline；　Bouchereau；　all　the　great　physicians　should　be　called　in。

〃But　you　will　frighten　him。〃

De　Monpavon　expanded　his　chest；　the　one　pride　of　the　old　broken…down　charger。

〃/Mon　Cher/；　if　you　had　seen　Mora　and　me　in　the　trenches　of　Constantinepsps。　Never　looked　away。　We　don't　know　fear。　Give　notice　to　your　colleagues。　I　undertake　to　inform　him。〃

The　consultation　took　place　in　the　evening　with　great　privacy；　the　duke　having　insisted　on　this　from　a　singular　sense　of　shame　produced　by　his　illness；　by　that　suffering　which　discrowned　him；　making　him　the　equal　of　other　men。　Like　those　African　kings　who　hide　themselves　in　the　recesses　of　their　palaces　to　die；　he　would　have　wished　that　men　should　believe　him　carried　off；　transfigured；　become　a　god。　Then；　too；　he　dreaded　above　all　things　the　expressions　of　pity；　the　condolences；　the　compassion　with　which　he　knew　that　his　sick…bed　would　be　surrounded；　the　tears　because　he　suspected　them　to　be　hypocritical；　and　because；　if　sincere；　they　displeased　him　still　more　by　their　grimacing　ugliness。

He　had　always　detested　scenes；　exaggerated　sentiments；　everything　that　could　move　him　to　emotion　or　disturb　the　harmonious　equilibrium　of　his　life。　Every　one　knew　this；　and　the　order　was　to　keep　away　from　him　the　distress；　the　misery；　which　from　one　end　of　France　to　the　other　flowed　towards　Mora　as　to　one　of　those　forest　refuges　lighted　during　the　night　at　which　all　wanderers　may　knock。　Not　that　he　was　hard　to　the　unfortunate；　perhaps　he　may　have　been　too　easily　moved　to　the　pity　which　he　regarded　as　an　inferior　sentiment；　a　weakness　unworthy　of　the　strong；　and；　refusing　it　to　others；　he　dreaded　it　for　himself；　for　the　integrity　of　his　courage。　Nobody　in　the　palace；　then；　except　Monpavon　and　Louis　the　/valet　de　chambre/；　knew　of　the　visit　of　those　three　personages　introduced　mysteriously　into　the　Minister　of　State's　apartments。　The　duchess　herself　was　ignorant　of　it。　Separated　from　her　husband　by　the　barriers　frequently　placed　by　the　political　and　fashionable　life　of　the　great　world　between　married　people；　she　believed　him　slightly　indisposed；　nervous　more　than　anything　else；　and　had　so　little　suspicion　of　a　catastrophe　that　at　the　very　hour　when　the　doctors　were　mounting　the　great；　dimly　lit　staircase　at　the　other　end　of　the　palace；　her　private　apartments　were　being　lit　up　for　a　girls'　dance；　one　of　those　/bals　blancs/　which　the　ingenuity　of　the　idle　world　had　begun　to　make　fashionable　in　Paris。

This　consultation　was　like　all　others：　solemn　and　sinister。　Doctors　no　longer　wear　their　great　periwigs　of　the　time　of　Moliere；　but　they　still　assume　the　same　gravity　of　the　priests　of　Isis；　of　astrologers　bristling　with　cabalistic　formulae　pronounced　with　sage　noddings　of　the　head；　to　which；　for　comical　effect；　there　is　only　wanting　the　high　pointed　cap　of　former　days。　In　this　case　the　scene　borrowed　an　imposing　aspect　from　its　setting。　In　the　vast　bed…chamber；　transformed；　heightened；　as　it　were；　in　dignity　by　the　immobility　of　the　owner；　these　grave　figures　came　forward　round　the　bed　on　which　the　light　was　concentrated；　illuminating　amid　the　whiteness　of　the　linen　and　the　purple　of　the　hangings　a　face　worn　into　hollows；　pale　from　lips　to　eyes；　but　wrapped　in　serenity　as　in　a　veil；　as　in　a　shroud。　The　consultants　spoke　in　low　tones；　cast　furtive　glances　as　each　other；　or　exchanged　some　barbarous　word；　remaining　impassive；　without　even　a　frown。　But　this　mute　and　reticent　expression　of　the　doctor　and　magistrate；　this　solemnity　with　which　science　and　justice　hedge　themselves　about　to　hide　their　frailty　or　ignorance；　had　no　power　to　move　the　duke。

Sitting　up　in　bed；　he　continued　to　talk　quietly；　with　the　upward　glance　of　the　eye　in　which　it　seems　as　if　thought　rises　before　it　finally　takes　wing；　and　Monpavon　coldly　followed　his　cue；　hardening　himself　against　his　own　emotion；　taking　from　his　friend　a　last　lesson　in　〃form〃；　while　Louis；　in　the　background；　stood　leaning　against　the　door　leading　to　the　duchess's　apartment；　the　spectre　of　a　silent　domestic　in　whom　detached　indifference　is　a　duty。

The　most　agitated；　nervous　man　present　was　Jenkins。　Full　of　obsequious　attentions　for　his　〃illustrious　colleagues；〃　as　he　called　them；　with　his　lips　pursed　up；　he　hung　round　their　consultation　and　attempted　to　take　part　in　it；　but　the　colleagues　kept　him　at　a　distance　and　hardly　answered　him；　as　Fagonthe　Fagon　of　Louis　XIVmight　have　addressed　some　empiric　summoned　to　the　royal　bedside。　Old　Bouchereau　especially　had　black　looks　for　the　inventor　of　the　Jenkins　pearls。　Finally；　when　they　had　thoroughly　examined　and　questioned　their　patient；　they　retired　to　deliberate　among　themselves　in　a　little　room　with　lacquered　ceilings　and　walls；　filled　by　an　assortment　of　/bric…a…brac/　the　triviality　of　which　contrasted　strangely　with　the　importance　of　the　discussion。

Solemn　moment！　Anguish　of　the　accused　awaiting　the　decision　of　his　judgeslife；　death；　reprieve；　or　pardon！

With　his　long；　white　hand　Mora　continued　to　stroke　his　mustache　with　a　favourite　gesture；　to　talk　with　Monpavon　of　the　club；　of　the　foyer　of　the　/Varietes/；　asking　news　of　the　Chamber；　how　matters　stood　with　regard　to　the　Nabob's　electionall　this　coldly；　without　the　least　affectation。　Then；　tired；　no　doubt；　or　fearing　lest　his　glance；　constantly　drawn　to　that　curtain　opposite　him；　from　behind　which　the　sentence　was　to　come　presently；　should　betray　the　emotion　which　he　must　have　felt　in　the　depths　of　his　soul；　he　laid　his　head　on　the　pillow；　closed　his　eyes；　and　did　not　open　them　again　until　the　return　of　the　doctors。　Still　the　same　cold　and　sinister　faces；　veritable　physiognomies　of　judges　having　on　their　lips　the　terrible　decree　of　human　fate；　the　final　word　which　the　courts　pronounce　fearlessly；　but　which　the　doctors；　whose　science　it　mocks；　elude；　and　express　in　periphrases。

〃Well；　gentlemen；　what　says　the　faculty？〃　demanded　the　sick　man。

There　were　sundry　murmurs　of　hypocritical　encouragement；　vague　recommendations；　then　the　three　learned　physicians　hastened　to　depart；　eager　to　escape　from　the　responsibility　of　this　disaster。　Monpavon　rushed　after　them。　Jenkins　remained　at　the　bedside；　overwhelmed　by　the　cruel　truths　which　he　had　just　heard　during　the　consultation。　In　vain　had　he　laid　his　hand　on　his　heart；　quoted　his　famous　motto；　Bouchereau　had　not　spared　him。　It　was　not　the　first　of　the　Irishman's　clients　whom　he　had　seen　thus　suddenly　collapse；　but　he　fervently　hoped　that　the　death　of　Mora　would　act　as　a　salutary　warning　to　the　world　of　fashion；　and　that　the　prefect　of　police；　after　this　great　calamity；　would　send　the　〃dealer　in　cantharides〃　to　retail　his　drugs　on　the　other　side　of　the　Channel。

The　duke　understood　immediately　that　neither　Jenkins　nor　Louis　would　tell　him　the　true　issue　of　the　consultation。　He　abstained；　therefore；　from　any　insistence　in　his　questionings　of　them；　submitted　to　their　pretended　confidence；　affected　even　to　share　it；　to　believe　the　most　hopeful　things　they　announced　to　him。　But　when　Monpavon　returned；　he　summoned　him　to　his　bedside；　and；　confronted　by　the　lie　visible　even　beneath　the　make…up　of　the　decrepit　old　man；　remarked：

〃Oh；　you　knowno　humbug！　From　you　to　me；　truth。　What　do　they　say？　I　am　in　a　very　bad　way；　eh？〃

Monpavon　prefaced　his　reply　with　a　significant　silence；　then　brutally；　cynically；　for　fear　of　breaking　down　as　he　spoke：

〃Done　for；　my　poor　Augustus！〃

The　duke　received　the　sentence　full　in　the　face　without　flinching。

〃Ah！〃　he　said　simply。

He　pulled　his