the nabob-第60章

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　and　splendour；　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　was　burying　all　his　ambitions　of　glory　and　dignity。　And　his　was　but　one　more　variety　of　indifference。

Among　the　public；　the　enjoyment　of　a　fine　spectacle；　the　pleasure　of　turning　a　week…day　into　a　Sunday；　dominated　every　other　sentiment。　Along　the　line　of　the　boulevards；　the　spectators　on　the　balconies　almost　seemed　disposed　to　applaud；　here；　in　the　populous　districts；　irreverence　was　still　more　frankly　manifest。　Jests；　blackguardly　wit　at　the　expense　of　the　dead　man　and　his　doings；　known　to　all　Paris；　laughter　raised　by　the　tall　hats　of　the　rabbis；　the　pass…word　of　the　council　experts；　all　were　heard　in　the　air　between　two　rolls　of　the　drum。　Poverty；　forced　labour；　with　its　feet　in　the　wet；　wearing　its　blouse；　its　apron；　its　cap　raised　from　habit；　with　sneering　chuckle　watched　this　inhabitant　of　another　sphere　pass　by；　this　brilliant　duke；　severed　now　from　all　his　honours；　who　perhaps　while　living　had　never　paid　a　visit　to　that　end　of　the　town。　But　there　it　is。　To　arrive　up　yonder；　where　everybody　has　to　go；　the　common　route　must　be　taken；　the　Faubourg　Saint…Antoine；　the　Rue　de　la　Roquette　as　far　as　that　great　gate　where　the　/octroi/　is　collected　and　the　infinite　begins。　And　well！　it　does　one　good　to　see　that　lordly　persons　like　Mora；　dukes；　ministers；　follow　the　same　road　towards　the　same　destination。　This　equality　in　death　consoles　for　many　of　the　injustices　of　life。　To…morrow　bread　will　seem　less　dear；　wine　better；　the　workman's　tool　less　heavy；　when　he　will　be　able　to　say　to　himself　as　he　rises　in　the　morning；　〃That　old　Mora；　he　has　come　to　it　like　the　rest！〃

The　procession　still　went　on；　more　fatiguing　even　than　lugubrious。　Now　it　consisted　of　choral　societies；　deputations　from　the　army　and　the　navy；　officers　of　all　descriptions；　pressing　on　in　a　troop　in　advance　of　a　long　file　of　empty　vehiclesmourning…coaches；　private　carriages　present　for　reasons　of　etiquette。　Then　the　troops　followed　in　their　turn；　and　into　the　sordid　suburb；　that　long　Rue　de　la　Roquette；　already　swarming　with　people　as　far　as　eye　could　reach；　there　plunged　a　whole　army；　foot…soldiers；　dragoons；　lancers；　carabineers；　heavy　guns　with　their　great　mouths　in　the　air；　ready　to　bark；　making　pavement　and　windows　tremble；　but　not　able　to　drown　the　rolling　of　the　drumsa　sinister　and　savage　rolling　which　suggested　to　Felicia's　imagination　some　funeral　of　an　African　chief；　at　which　thousands　of　sacrificed　victims　accompany　the　soul　of　a　prince　so　that　it　shall　not　pass　alone　into　the　kingdom　of　spirits；　and　made　her　fancy　that　perhaps　this　pompous　and　interminable　retinue　was　about　to　descend　and　disappear　in　the　superhuman　grave　large　enough　to　receive　the　whole　of　it。

〃/Now　and　in　the　hour　of　our　death。　Amen/；〃　Crenmitz　murmured；　while　the　cab　swayed　from　side　to　side　in　the　lighted　square；　and　high　in　space　the　golden　statue　of　Liberty　seemed　to　be　taking　a　magic　flight；　and　the　old　dancer's　prayer　was　perhaps　the　one　note　of　sincere　feeling　called　forth　on　the　immense　line　of　the　funeral　procession。

All　the　speeches　are　over；　three　long　speeches　as　icy　as　the　vault　into　which　the　dead　man　has　just　descended；　three　official　declamations　which；　above　all；　have　provided　the　orators　with　an　opportunity　of　giving　loud　voice　to　their　own　devotion　to　the　interests　of　the　dynasty。　Fifteen　times　the　guns　have　roused　the　many　echoes　of　the　cemetery；　shaken　the　wreaths　of　jet　and　everlasting　flowersthe　light　/ex…voto/　offerings　suspended　at　the　corners　of　the　monumentsand　while　a　reddish　mist　floats　and　rolls　with　a　smell　of　gunpowder　across　the　city　of　the　dead；　ascends　and　mingles　slowly　with　the　smoke　of　factories　in　the　plebeian　district；　the　innumerable　assembly　disperses　also；　scattered　through　the　steep　streets；　down　the　lofty　steps　all　white　among　the　foliage；　with　a　confused　murmur；　a　rippling　as　of　waves　over　rocks。　Purple　robes；　black　robes；　blue　and　green　coats；　shoulder…knots　of　gold；　slender　swords；　of　whose　safety　the　wearers　assure　themselves　with　their　hands　as　they　walk；　all　hasten　to　regain　their　carriages。　People　exchange　low　bows；　discreet　smiles；　while　the　mourning…coaches　tear　down　the　carriage…ways　at　a　gallop；　revealing　long　lines　of　black　coachmen；　with　backs　bent；　hats　tilted　forward；　the　box…coats　flying　in　the　wind　made　by　their　rapid　motion。

The　general　impression　is　one　of　thankfulness　to　have　reached　the　end　of　a　long　and　fatiguing　performance；　a　legitimate　eagerness　to　quit　the　administrative　harness　and　ceremonial　costumes；　to　unbuckle　sashes；　to　loosen　stand…up　collars　and　neckbands；　to　slacken　the　tension　of　facial　muscles；　which　had　been　subject　to　long　restraint。

Heavy　and　short；　dragging　along　his　swollen　legs　with　difficulty；　Hemerlingue　was　hastening　towards　the　exit；　declining　the　offers　which　were　made　to　him　of　a　seat　in　this　or　that　carriage；　since　he　knew　well　that　his　own　alone　was　of　size　adequate　to　cope　with　his　proportions。

〃Baron；　Baron；　this　way。　There　is　room　for　you。〃

〃No；　thank　you。　I　want　to　walk　to　straighten　my　legs。〃

And　to　avoid　these　invitations；　which　were　beginning　to　embarrass　him；　he　took　an　almost　deserted　pathway；　one　that　proved　too　deserted　indeed；　for　hardly　had　he　taken　a　step　along　it　before　he　regretted　it。　Ever　since　entering　the　cemetery　he　had　had　but　one　preoccupation　the　fear　of　finding　himself　face　to　face　with　Jansoulet；　whose　violence　of　temper　he　knew；　and　who　might　well　forget　the　sacredness　of　the　place；　and　even　in　Pere　Lachaise　renew　the　scandal　of　the　Rue　Royale。　Two　or　three　times　during　the　ceremony　he　had　seen　the　great　head　of　his　old　chum　emerge　from　among　the　crowd　of　insignificant　types　which　largely　composed　the　company　and　move　in　his　direction；　as　though　seeking　him　and　desiring　a　meeting。　Down　there；　in　the　main　road；　there　would；　at　any　rate；　have　been　people　about　in　case　of　trouble；　while　hereBrr　It　was　this　anxiety　that　made　him　quicken　his　short　step；　his　panting　breaths；　but　in　vain。　As　he　looked　round；　in　his　fear　of　being　followed；　the　strong；　erect　shoulders　of　the　Nabob　appeared　at　the　entrance　to　the　path。　Impossible　for　the　big　man　to　slip　away　through　one　of　the　narrow　passages　left　between　the　tombs；　which　are　placed　so　close　together　that　there　is　not　even　space　to　kneel。　The　damp；　rich　soil　slipped　and　gave　way　beneath　his　feet。　He　decided　to　walk　on　with　an　air　of　indifference；　hoping　that　perhaps　the　other　might　not　recognise　him。　But　a　hoarse　and　powerful　voice　cried　behind　him：

〃Lazarus！〃

His　namethe　name　of　this　rich　manwas　Lazarus。　He　made　no　reply；　but　tried　to　catch　up　a　group　of　officers　who　were　moving　on；　very　far　in　front　of　him。

〃Lazarus！　Oh；　Lazarus！〃

Just　as　in　old　times　on　the　quay　of　Marseilles。　Under　the　influence　of　old　habit　he　was　tempted　to　stop；　then　the　remembrance　of　his　infamies；　of　all　the　ill　he　had　done　the　Nabob；　that　he　was　still　occupied　in　doing　him；　came　back　to　him　suddenly　with　a　horrible　fear　so　strong　that　it　amounted　to　a　paroxysm；　when　an　iron　hand　laid　hold　of　him　unceremoniously。　A　sweat　of　terror　broke　out　over　all　his　flabby　limbs；　his　face　became　still　more　yellow；　his　eyes　blinked　in　anticipation　of　the　formidable　blow　which　he　expected　to　come；　while　his　fat　arms　were　instinctively　raised　to　ward　it　off。

〃Oh；　don't　be　afraid。　I　wish　you　no　harm；〃　said　Jansoulet　sadly。　〃Only　I　have　come　to　beg　you　to　do　no　more　to　me。〃

He　stooped　to　breathe。　The　banker；　bewildered　and　frightened；　opened　wide　his　round　owl's　eyes　in　presence　of　this　suffocating　emotion。

〃Listen；　Lazarus；　it　is　you　who　are　the　stronger　in　this　war　we　have　been　waging　on　each　other　for　so　long。　I　am　down；　yes；　down。　My　shoulders　have　touched　the　ground。　Now；　be　generous；　spare　your　old　chum。　Give　me　quarter；　come；　give　me　quarter。

This　southerner　was　trembling；　defeated　and　softened　by　the　emotional　display　of　the　funeral　ceremony。　Hemerlingue；　as　he　stood　facing　him；　was　hardly　more　courageous。　The　gloomy　music；　the　open　grave；　the　speeches；　the　cannonade　of　that　lofty　philosophy　of　inevitable　death；　all　these　things　had　worked　on　the　feelings　of　this　fat　baron。　The　voice　of　his　old　comrade　completed　the　awakening　of　whatever　there　remained　of　human　in　that　packet　of　gelatine。

His　old　chum！　It　was　the　first　time　for　ten　yearssince　their　quarrel　that　he　had　seen　him　so　near。　How　many　things　were　recalled　to　him　by　those　sun…tanned　features；　those　broad　shoulders；　so　ill　adapted　for　the　wearing　of　embroidered　coats！　The　thin　woollen　rug　full　of　holes；　in　which　they　used　to　wrap　themselves　both　to　sleep　on　the　bridge　of　the　/Sinai/；　the　food　shared　in　brotherly　fashion；　the　wanderings　through　the　burned…up　country　round　Marseilles；　where　they　used　to　steal　big　onions　and　eat　them　raw　by　the　side　of　some　ditch；　the　dreams；　the　schemings；　the　pence　put　into　a　common　fund；　and；　when　fortune　had　begun　to　smile　on　them；　the　fun　they　had　had　together；　those　excellent　quiet　little　suppers　over　which　they　would　tell　each　other　everything；　with　their　elbows　on　the　table。

How　can　one　ever　reach　the　point　of　seriously　quarrelling　when　one　knows　the　other　so　well；　when　they　have　lived　together　like　two　twins　at　the　breast　of　the　lean　and　strong　nurse；　Poverty；　sharing　her　sour　milk　and　her　rough　caresses！　These　thoughts　passed　through　Hemerlingue's　mind　like　a　flash　of　lightning。　Almost　instinctively　he　let　his　heavy　hand　fall　into　the　one　which　the　Nabob　was　holding　out　to　him。　Something　of　the　primitive　animal　was　roused　in　them；　something　stronger　than　their　enmity；　and　these　two　men；　each　of　whom　for　ten　years　had　been　trying　to　bring　the　other　to　ruin　and　disgrace；　fell　to　talking　without　any　reserve。

Generally；　between　friends　newly　met；　after　the　first　effusions　are　over；　a　silence　comes　as　if　they　had　no　more　to　tell　each　other；　while　it　is　in　reality　the　abundance　of　things；　their　precipitate　rush；　that　prevents　them　from　finding　utterance。　The　two　chums　had　touched　that　condition；　but　Jansoulet　kept　a　tight　grasp　on　the　banker's　arm；　fearing　to　see　him　escape　and　resist　the　kindly　impulse　he　had　just　roused。

〃You　are　not　in　a　hurry；　are　you？　We　can　take　a　little　walk；　if　you　like。　It　has　stopped　raining；　the　air　is　pleasant；　one　feels　twenty　years　younger。〃

〃Yes；　it　is　pleasant；〃　said　Hemerlingue；　〃only　I　cannot　walk　for　long；　my　legs　are　heavy。〃

〃True；　your　poor　legs。　See；　there　is　a　bench　over　there。　Let　us　go　and　sit　down。　Lean　on　me；　old　friend。〃

And　the　Nabob；　with　brotherly　aid；　led　him　to　one　of　those　benches　dotted　here　and　there　among　the　tombs；　on　which　those　inconsolable　mourners　rest　who　make　the　cemetery　their　usual　walk　and　abode。　He　settled　him　in　his　seat；　gazed　upon　him　tenderly；　pitied　him　for　his　infirmity；　and；　following　what　was　quite　a　natural　channel　in　such　a　spot；　they　came　to　talking　of　their　health；　of　the　old　age　that　was　approaching。　This　one　was　dropsical；　the　other　subject　to　apoplectic　fits。　Both　were　in　the　habit　of　dosing　themselves　with　the　Jenkins　pearls；　a　dangerous　remedywitness　Mora；　so　quickly　carried　off。

〃My　poor　duke！〃　said　Jansoulet。

〃A　great　loss　to　the　country；〃　remarked　the　banker　with　an　air　of　conviction。

And　the　Nabob　added　naively：

〃For　me　above　all；　for　me；　for；　if　he　had　lived　Ah！　what　luck　you