the nabob-第6章

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Jenkins　laid　his　hand　on　his　heart；　protested　his　innocence。　He　had　never　had　any　intention。　Certainly　Monpavon　was　too　intimate　a　friend　of　the　duke；　for　any　otherHow　could　he　have　supposed？

〃I　suppose　nothing；〃　said　the　old　nobleman；　calmer　but　still　cold。　〃I　merely　desired　to　have　a　very　clear　explanation　with　you　on　this　subject。〃

The　Irishman　extended　a　widely　opened　hand。

〃My　dear　marquis；　explanations　are　always　clear　between　men　of　honour。〃

〃Honour　is　a　big　word；　Jenkins。　Let　us　say　people　of　deportmentthat　suffices。〃

And　that　deportment；　which　he　invoked　as　the　supreme　guide　of　conduct；　recalling　him　suddenly　to　the　sense　of　his　ludicrous　situation；　the　marquis　offered　one　finger　to　his　friend's　demonstrative　shake　of　the　hand；　and　passed　back　with　dignity　behind　his　curtain；　while　the　other　left；　in　haste　to　resume　his　round。



What　a　magnificent　clientele　he　had；　this　Jenkins！　Nothing　but　princely　mansions；　heated　staircases；　laden　with　flowers　at　every　landing；　upholstered　and　silky　alcoves；　where　disease　was　transformed　into　something　discreet；　elegant；　where　nothing　suggested　that　brutal　hand　which　throws　on　a　bed　of　pain　those　who　only　cease　to　work　in　order　to　die。　They　were　not　in　any　true　speech；　sick　people；　these　clients　of　the　Irish　doctor。　They　would　have　been　refused　admission　to　a　hospital。　Their　organs　not　possessing　even　strength　to　give　them　a　shock；　the　seat　of　their　malady　was　to　be　discovered　nowhere；　and　the　doctor；　as　he　bent　over　them；　might　have　sought　in　vain　the　throb　of　any　suffering　in　those　bodies　which　the　inertia；　the　silence　of　death　already　inhabited。　They　were　worn…out；　debilitated　people；　anaemics；　exhausted　by　an　absurd　life；　but　who　found　it　so　good　still　that　they　fought　to　have　it　prolonged。　And　the　Jenkins　pills　became　famous　precisely　by　reason　of　that　lash　of　the　whip　which　they　gave　to　jaded　existences。

〃Doctor；　I　beseech　you；　let　me　be　fit　to　go　to　the　ball　this　evening！〃　the　young　woman　would　say；　prostrate　on　her　lounge；　and　whose　voice　was　reduced　to　a　breath。

〃You　shall　go；　my　dear　child。〃

And　she　went；　and　never　had　she　looked　more　beautiful。

〃Doctor；　at　all　costs；　though　it　should　kill　me；　to…morrow　morning　I　must　be　at　the　Cabinet　Council。〃

He　was　there；　and　carried　away　from　it　in　a　triumph　of　eloquence　and　of　ambitious　diplomacy。

Afterwardoh；　afterward；　if　you　please！　But　no　matter！　To　their　last　day　Jenkins's　clients　went　about；　showed　themselves；　cheated　the　devouring　egotism　of　the　crowd。　They　died　on　their　feet；　as　became　men　and　women　of　the　world。

After　a　thousand　peregrinations　in　the　Chaussee　d'Antin　and　the　Champs…Elysees；　after　having　visited　every　millionaire　or　titled　personage　in　the　Faubourg　Saint　Honore；　the　fashionable　doctor　arrived　at　the　corner　of　the　Cours…la…Reine　and　the　Rue　Francois　I。；　before　a　house　with　a　rounded　front；　which　occupied　the　angle　on　the　quay；　and　entered　an　apartment　on　the　ground　floor　which　resembled　in　nowise　those　through　which　he　had　been　passing　since　morning。　From　the　threshold；　tapestries　covering　the　wall；　windows　of　old　stained　glass　with　strips　of　lead　cutting　across　a　discrete　and　composite　light；　a　gigantic　saint　in　carved　wood　which　fronted　a　Japanese　monster　with　protruding　eyes　and　a　back　covered　with　delicate　scales　like　tiles；　indicated　the　imaginative　and　curious　taste　of　an　artist。　The　little　page　who　answered　the　door　held　in　leash　an　Arab　greyhound　larger　than　himself。

〃Mme。　Constance　is　at　mass；〃　he　said；　〃and　Mademoiselle　is　in　the　studio　quite　alone。　We　have　been　at　work　since　six　o'clock　this　morning；〃　added　the　child　with　a　rueful　yawn　which　the　dog　caught　on　the　wing；　making　him　open　wide　his　pink　mouth　with　its　sharp　teeth。

Jenkins；　whom　we　have　seen　enter　with　so　much　self…possession　the　chamber　of　the　Minister　of　State；　trembled　a　little　as　he　raised　the　curtain　masking　the　door　of　the　studio　which　had　been　left　open。　It　was　a　splendid　sculptor's　studio；　the　front　of　which；　on　the　street　corner；　semi…circular　in　shape；　gave　the　room　one　whole　wall　of　glass；　with　pilasters　at　the　sides；　a　large；　well…lighted　bay；　opal…coloured　just　then　by　reason　of　the　fog。　More　ornate　than　are　usually　such　work…rooms；　which　the　stains　of　the　plaster；　the　boasting…tools；　the　clay；　the　puddles　of　water　generally　cause　to　resemble　a　stone…mason's　shed；　this　one　added　a　touch　of　coquetry　to　its　artistic　purpose。　Green　plants　in　every　corner；　a　few　good　pictures　suspended　against　the　bare　wall　and；　here　and　there；　resting　upon　oak　brackets；　two　or　three　works　of　Sebastien　Ruys；　of　which　the　last；　exhibited　after　his　death；　was　covered　with　a　piece　of　black　gauze。

The　mistress　of　the　house；　Felicia　Ruys；　the　daughter　of　the　famous　sculptor　and　herself　already　known　by　two　masterpieces；　the　bust　of　her　father　and　that　of　the　Duc　de　Mora；　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　studio；　occupied　in　the　modelling　of　a　figure。　Wearing　a　tightly　fitting　riding…habit　of　blue　cloth　with　long　folds；　a　fichu　of　China　silk　twisted　about　her　neck　like　a　man's　tie；　her　black；　fine　hair　caught　up　carelessly　above　the　antique　modelling　of　her　small　head；　Felicia　was　at　work　with　an　extreme　earnestness　which　added　to　her　beauty　the　concentration；　the　intensity　which　are　given　to　the　features　by　an　attentive　and　satisfied　expression。　But　that　changed　immediately　upon　the　arrival　of　the　doctor。

〃Ah；　it　is　you；〃　said　she　brusquely；　as　though　awaked　from　a　dream。　〃The　bell　was　rung；　then？　I　did　not　hear　it。〃

And　in　the　ennui；　the　lassitude　that　suddenly　took　possession　of　that　adorable　face；　the　only　thing　that　remained　expressive　and　brilliant　was　the　eyes；　eyes　in　which　the　factitious　gleam　of　the　Jenkins　pills　was　heightened　by　the　constitutional　wildness。

Oh；　how　the　doctor's　voice　became　humble　and　condescending　as　he　answered　her：

〃So　you　are　quite　absorbed　in　your　work；　my　dear　Felicia。　Is　it　something　new　that　you　are　at　work　on　there？　It　seems　to　me　very　pretty。〃

He　moved　towards　the　rough　and　still　formless　model　out　of　which　there　was　beginning　to　issue　vaguely　a　group　of　two　animals；　one　a　greyhound　which　was　scampering　at　full　speed　with　a　rush　that　was　truly　extraordinary。

〃The　idea　of　it　came　to　me　last　night。　I　began　to　work　it　out　by　lamplight。　My　poor　Kadour；　he　sees　no　fun　in　it；〃　said　the　girl；　glancing　with　a　look　of　caressing　kindness　at　the　greyhound　whose　paws　the　little　page　was　endeavouring　to　place　apart　in　order　to　get　the　pose　again。

Jenkins　remarked　in　a　fatherly　way　that　she　did　wrong　to　tire　herself　thus；　and　taking　her　wrist　with　ecclesiastical　precautions：

〃Come；　I　am　sure　you　are　feverish。〃

At　the　contact　of　his　hand　with　her　own；　Felicia　made　a　movement　almost　of　repulsion。

〃No；　no；　leave　me　alone。　Your　pills　can　do　nothing　for　me。　When　I　do　not　work　I　am　bored。　I　am　bored　to　death；　to　extinction；　my　thoughts　are　the　colour　of　that　water　which　flows　over　yonder；　brackish　and　heavy。　To　be　commencing　life；　and　to　be　disgusted　with　it！　It　is　hard。　I　am　reduced　to　the　point　of　envying　my　poor　Constance；　who　passes　her　days　in　her　chair；　without　opening　her　mouth；　but　smiling　to　herself　over　her　memories　of　the　past。　I　have　not　even　that；　I；　happy　remembrances　to　muse　upon。　I　have　only　workwork！〃

As　she　talked　she　went　on　modelling　furiously；　now　with　the　boasting…　tool；　now　with　her　fingers；　which　she　wiped　from　time　to　time　on　a　little　sponge　placed　on　the　wooden　platform　which　supported　the　group；　so　that　her　complaints；　her　melancholies；　inexplicable　in　the　mouth　of　a　girl　of　twenty　which；　in　repose；　had　the　purity　of　a　Greek　smile；　seemed　uttered　at　random　and　addressed　to　no　one　in　particular。

Jenkins；　however；　appeared　disturbed　by　them；　troubled；　despite　the　evident　attention　which　he　gave　to　the　work　of　the　artist；　or　rather　to　the　artist　herself；　to　the　triumphant　grace　of　this　girl　whom　her　beauty　seemed　to　have　predestined　to　the　study　of　the　plastic　arts。

Embarrassed　by　the　admiring　gaze　which　she　felt　fixed　upon　her；　Felicia　resumed：

〃Apropos；　I　have　seen　him；　you　know；　your　Nabob。　Some　one　pointed　him　out　to　me　last　Friday　at　the　opera。〃

〃You　were　at　the　opera　on　Friday？〃

〃Yes。　The　duke　had　sent　me　his　box。〃

Jenkins　changed　colour。

〃I　persuaded　Constance　to　go　with　me。　It　was　the　first　time　for　twenty…five　years　since　her　farewell　performance；　that　she　had　been　inside　the　Opera…House。　It　made　a　great　impression　on　her。　During　the　ballet；　especially；　she　trembled；　she　beamed；　all　her　old　triumphs　sparkled　in　her　eyes。　Happy　who　has　emotions　like　that。　A　real　type；　that　Nabob。　You　will　have　to　bring　him　to　see　me。　He　has　a　head　that　it　would　amuse　me　to　do。〃

〃He！　Why；　he　is　hideous！　You　cannot　have　looked　at　him　carefully。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　had　a　perfect　view。　He　was　opposite　us。　That　mask；　as　of　a　white　Ethiopian；　would　be　superb　in　marble。　And　not　vulgar；　in　any　case。　Besides；　since　he　is　so　ugly　as　that；　you　will　not　be　so　unhappy　as　you　were　last　year　when　I　was　doing　Mora's　bust。　What　a　disagreeable　face　you　had；　Jenkins；　in　those　days！〃

〃For　ten　years　of　life；〃　muttered　Jenkins　in　a　gloomy　voice；　〃I　would　not　have　that　time　over　again。　But　you　it　amuses　to　behold　suffering。〃

〃You　know　quite　well　that　nothing　amuses　me；〃　said　she；　shrugging　her　shoulders　with　a　supreme　impertinence。

Then；　without　looking　at　him；　without　adding　another　word；　she　plunged　into　one　of　those　dumb　activities　by　which　true　artists　escape　from　themselves　and　from　everything　that　surrounds　them。

Jenkins　paced　a　few　steps　in　the　studio；　much　moved；　with　avowals　on　the　tip　of　his　tongue　which　yet　dared　not　put　themselves　into　words。　At　length；　feeling　himself　dismissed；　he　took　his　hat　and　walked　towards　the　door。

〃So　it　is　understood。　I　must　bring　him　to　see　you。〃

〃Who？〃

〃Why；　the　Nabob。　It　was　you　who　this　very　moment〃

〃Ah；　yes；〃　remarked　the　strange　person　whose　caprices　were　short…　lived。　〃Bring　him　if　you　like。　I　don't　care；　otherwise。〃

And　her　beautiful　dejected　voice；　in　which　something　seemed　broken；　the　listlessness　of　her　whole　personality；　said　distinctly　enough　that　it　was　true；　that　she　cared　really　for　nothing　in　the　world。

Jenkins　left　the　room；　extremely　troubled；　and　with　a　gloomy　brow。　But；　the　moment　he　was　outside；　he　assumed　once　more　his　laughing　and　cordial　expression；　being　of　those　who；　in　the　streets；　go　masked。　The　morning　was　advancing。　The　mist；　still　perceptible　in　the　vicinity　of　the　Seine；　floated　now　only　in　shreds　and　gave　a　vaporous　unsubstantiality　to　the　houses　on　the　quay；　to　the　river　steamers　whose　paddles　remained　invisible；　to　the　distant　horizon　in　which　the　dome　of　the　Invalides　hung　poised　like　a　gilded　balloon　with　a　rope　that　darted　sunbeams。　A　diffused　warmth；　the　movement　in　the　streets；　told　that　noon　was　not　far　distant；　that　it　would　be　there　directly　with　the　striking　of　all　the　bells。

Before　going　on　to　the　Nabob's；　Jenkins　had；　however；　one　other　visit　to　make。　But　he　appeared　to　find　it　a　great　nuisance。　However；　since　he　had　made　the　promise！　And；　resolutely：

〃68　Rue　Saint…Ferdinand；　at　the　Ternes；〃　he　said；　as　he　sprang　into　his　carriage。

The　address　required　to　be　repeated　twice　to　the　coachman；　Joey；　who　was　scandalized；　the　very