the nabob-第61章

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〃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　have；　what　luck　you　have！〃

Fearing　to　have　wounded　him；　he　went　on　quickly：

〃And　then；　too；　you　are　clever；　so　very　clever。〃

The　baron　looked　at　him　with　a　wink　so　droll；　that　his　little　black　eyelashes　disappeared　amid　his　yellow　fat。

〃No；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　not　I　who　am　clever。　It　is　Marie。〃

〃Marie？〃

〃Yes；　the　baroness。　Since　her　baptism　she　has　given　up　her　name　of　Yamina　for　that　of　Marie。　She　is　a　real　sort　of　woman。　She　knows　more　than　I　do　myself　about　banking　and　Paris　and　business。　It　is　she　who　manages　everything　at　home。〃

〃You　are　very　fortunate；〃　sighed　Jansoulet。　His　air　of　gloom　told　a　long　story　of　qualities　missing　in　Mlle。　Afchin。　Then；　after　a　silence；　the　baron　resumed：

〃She　has　a　great　grudge　against　you；　Marie；　you　know。　She　will　not　be　pleased　when　she　hears　that　we　have　been　talking　together。〃

A　frown　passed　over　his　heavy　brow；　as　though　he　were　regretting　their　reconciliation；　at　the　thought　of　the　scene　which　he　would　have　with　his　wife。　Jansoulet　stammered：

〃I　have　done　her　no　harm；　however。〃

〃Come；　come；　neither　of　you　has　been　very　nice　to　her。　Think　of　the　affront　put　upon　her　when　we　called　after　our　marriage。　Your　wife　sending　word　to　us　that　she　was　not　in　the　habit　of　receiving　quondam　slaves。　As　though　our　friendship　ought　not　to　have　been　stronger　than　a　prejudice。　Women　don't　forget　things　of　that　kind。〃

〃But　no　responsibility　lay　with　me　for　that；　old　friend。　You　know　how　proud　those　Afchins　are。〃

He　was　not　proud　himself；　poor　man。　His　mien　was　so　woebegone；　so　supplicating　under　his　friend's　frown；　that　he　moved　him　to　pity。　Decidedly；　the　cemetery　had　softened　the　baron。

〃Listen；　Bernard；　there　is　only　one　thing　that　counts。　If　you　want　us　to　be　friends；　as　formerly；　and　this　reconciliation　not　to　be　wasted；　you　will　have　to　get　my　wife　to　consent。　Without　her　nothing　can　be　done。　When　Mlle。　Afchin　shut　her　door　in　our　faces　you　let　her　have　her　way；　did　you　not？　In　the　same　way；　on　my　side；　if　Marie　said　to　me　when　I　go　home；　'I　will　not　let　you　be　friends；'　all　my　protestations　now　would　not　prevent　me　from　throwing　you　overboard。　For　there　is　no　such　thing　as　friendship　in　face　of　such　difficulties。　Peace　at　one's　fireside　is　better　than　everything　else。〃

〃But　in　that　case；　what　is　to　be　done？〃　asked　the　Nabob；　frightened。

〃I　am　going　to　tell　you。　The　baroness　is　at　home　every　Saturday。　Come　with　your　wife　and　pay　her　a　visit　the　day　after　to…morrow。　You　will　find　the　best　society　in　Paris　at　the　house。　The　past　shall　not　be　mentioned。　The　ladies　will　gossip　together　of　chiffons　and　frocks；　talk　of　the　things　women　do　talk　about。　And　then　the　whole　matter　will　be　settled。　We　shall　become　friends　as　we　used　to　be；　and　since　you　are　in　difficulties；　well；　we　will　find　some　way　of　getting　you　out　of　them。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？　The　fact　is　I　am　in　terrible　straits；〃　said　the　other；　shaking　his　head。

Hemerlingue's　cunning　eyes　disappeared　again　beneath　the　folds　of　his　cheeks　like　two　flies　in　butter。

〃Well；　yes；　I　have　played　a　strong　game。　But　you　don't　lack　shrewdness；　all　the　same。　The　loan　of　the　fifteen　millions　to　the　Bey　it　was　a　good　stroke；　that。　Ah！　you　are　bold　enough；　only　you　hold　your　cards　badly。　One　can　see　your　game。〃

Till　now　they　had　been　talking　in　low　tones；　impressed　by　the　silence　of　the　great　necropolis；　but　little　by　little　human　interests　asserted　themselves　in　a　louder　key　even　there　where　their　nothingness　lay　exposed　on　all　those　flat　stones　covered　with　dates　and　figures；　as　if　death　was　only　an　affair　of　time　and　calculationthe　desired　solution　of　a　problem。

Hemerlingue　enjoyed　the　sight　of　his　friend　reduced　to　such　humility；　and　gave　him　advice　on　his　affairs；　with　which　he　seemed　to　be　fully　acquainted。　According　to　him　the　Nabob　could　still　get　out　of　his　difficulties　very　well。　Everything　depended　on　the　validation；　on　the　turning　up　of　a　card。　The　question　was　to　make　sure　that　it　should　be　a　good　one。　But　Jansoulet　had　no　more　confidence。　In　losing　Mora；　he　had　lost　everything。

〃You　lose　Mora；　but　you　regain　me；　so　things　are　equalized；〃　said　the　banker　tranquilly。

〃No；　do　you　see　it　is　impossible。　It　is　too　late。　Le　Merquier　has　completed　the　report。　It　is　a　dreadful　one；　I　believe。〃

〃Well；　if　he　has　completed　his　report；　he　will　have　to　prepare　another。〃

〃How　is　that　to　be　done？〃

The　baron　looked　at　him　with　surprise。

〃Ah；　you　are　losing　your　senses。　Why；　by　paying　him　a　hundred；　two　hundred；　three　hundred　thousand　francs；　if　necessary。

〃How　can　you　think　of　such　a　thing？　Le　Merquier；　that　man　of　integrity！　'My　conscience；'　as　they　call　him。〃

This　time　Hemerlingue's　laugh　burst　forth　with　an　extraordinary　heartiness；　and　must　have　reached　the　inmost　recesses　of　the　neighbouring　mausoleums；　little　accustomed　to　such　disrespect。

〃　'My　conscience'　a　man　of　integrity！　Ah！　you　amuse　me。　You　don't　know；　then；　that　he　is　in　my　pay；　conscience　and　all；　and　that〃　He　paused；　and　looked　behind　him；　somewhat　startled　by　a　sound　which　he　had　heard。　〃Listen。〃

It　was　the　echo　of　his　laughter　sent　back　to　them　from　the　depths　of　a　vault；　as　if　the　idea　of　Le　Merquier　having　a　conscience　moved　even　the　dead　to　mirth。

〃Suppose　we　walk　a　little；〃　said　he；　〃it　begins　to　be　chilly　on　this　bench。〃

Then；　as　they　walked　among　the　tombs；　he　went　on　to　explain　to　him　with　a　certain　pedantic　fatuity；　that　in　France　bribes　played　as　important　a　part　as　in　the　East。　Only　one　had　to　be　a　little　more　delicate　about　it　here。　You　veiled　your　bribes。　〃Thus；　take　this　Le　Merquier；　for　instance。　Instead　of　offering　him　your　money　openly；　in　a　big　purse；　as　you　would　to　a　local　pasha；　you　go　about　it　indirectly。　The　man　is　fond　of　pictures。　He　is　constantly　having　dealings　with　Schwalbach；　who　employs　him　as　a　decoy　for　his　Catholic　clients。　Well；　you　offer　him　some　picturea　souvenir　to　hang　on　a　panel　in　his　study。　The　whole　point　is　to　make　the　price　quite　clear。　But　you　will　see。　I　will　take　you　round　to　call　on　him　myself。　I　will　show　you　how　the　thing　is　worked。〃

And　delighted　at　the　amazement　of　the　Nabob；　who；　to　flatter　him；　exaggerated　his　surprise　still　further；　and　opened　his　eyes　wide　with　an　air　of　admiration；　the　banker　enlarged　the　scope　of　his　lesson　made　of　it　a　veritable　course　of　Parisian　and　worldly　philosophy。

〃See；　old　comrade；　what　one　has　to　look　after　in　Paris；　above　everything　else；　is　the　keeping　up　of　appearances。　They　are　the　only　things　that　countappearances！　Now　you　have　not　sufficient　care　for　them。　You　go　about　town；　your　waistcoat　unbuttoned；　a　good…humoured　fellow；　talking　of　your　affairs；　just　what　you　are　by　nature。　You　stroll　around　just　as　you　would　in　the　bazaars　of　Tunis。　That　is　how　you　have　come　to　get　bowled　over；　my　good　Bernard。〃

He　paused　to　take　breath；　feeling　quite　exhausted。　In　an　hour　he　had　walked　farther　and　spoken　more　than　he　was　accustomed　to　do　in　the　course　of　a　whole　year。　They　noticed；　as　they　stopped；　that　their　walk　and　conversation　had　led　them　back　in　the　direction　of　Mora's　grave；　which　was　situated　just　above　a　little　exposed　plateau；　whence　looking　over　a　thousand　closely　packed　roofs；　they　could　see　Montmartre；　the　Buttes　Chaumont；　their　rounded　outline　in　the　distance　looking　like　high　waves。　In　the　hollows　lights　were　already　beginning　to　twinkle；　like　ships'　lanterns；　through　the　violet　mists　that　were　rising；　chimneys　seemed　to　leap　upward　like　masts；　or　steamer　funnels　discharging　their　smoke。　Those　three　undulations；　with　the　tide　of　Pere　Lachaise；　were　clearly　suggestive　of　waves　of　the　sea；　following　each　other　at　equal　intervals。　The　sky　was　bright；　as　often　happens　in　the　evening　of　a　rainy　day；　an　immense　sky；　shaded　with　tints　of　dawn；　against　which　the　family　tomb　of　Mora　exhibited　in　relief　four　allegorical　figures；　imploring；　meditative；　thoughtful；　whose　attitudes　were　made　more　imposing　by　the　dying　light。　Of　the　speeches；　of　the　official　condolences；　nothing　remained。　The　soil　trodden　down　all　around；　masons　at　work　washing　the　dirt　from　the　plaster　threshold；　were　all　that　was　left　to　recall　the　recent　burial。

Suddenly　the　door　of　the　ducal　tomb　shut　with　a　clash　of　all　its　metallic　weight。　Thenceforth　the　late　Minister　of　State　was　to　remain　alone；　utterly　alone；　in　the　shadow　of　its　night；　deeper　than　that　which　then　was　creeping　up　from　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　invading　the　winding　paths；　the　stone　stairways；　the　bases　of　the　columns；　pyramids　and　tombs　of　every　kind；　whose　summits　were　reached　more　slowly　by　the　shroud。　Navvies；　all　white　with　that　chalky　whiteness　of　dried　bones；　were　passing　by；　carrying　their　tools　and　wallets。　Furtive　mourners；　dragging　themselves　away　regretfully　from　tears　and　prayer；　glided　along　the　margins　of　the　clumps　of　trees；　seeming　to　skirt　them　as　with　the　silent　flight　of　night…birds；　while　from　the　extremities　of　Pere　Lachaise　voices　rosemelancholy　calls　announcing　the　closing　time。　The　day　of　the　cemetery　was　at　its　end。　The　city　of　the　dead；　handed　over　once　more　to　Nature；　was　becoming　an　immense　wood　with　open　spaces　marked　by　crosses。　Down　in　a　valley；　the　window…panes　of　a　custodian's　house　were　lighted　up。　A　shudder　seemed　to　run　through　the　air；　losing　itself　in　murmurings　along　the　dim　paths。

〃Let　us　go；〃　the　two　old　comrades　said　to　each　other；　gradually　coming　to　feel　the　impression　of　that　twilight；　which　seemed　colder　than　elsewhere；　but　before　moving　off；　Hemerlingue；　pursuing　his　train　of　thought；　pointed　to　the　monument　winged　at　the　four　corners　by　the　draperies　and　the　outstretched　hands　of　its　sculptured　figures。

〃Look　here；〃　said　he。　〃That　was　the　man　who　understood　the　art　of　keeping　up　appearances。〃

Jansoulet　took　his　arm　to　aid　him　in　the　descent。

〃Ah；　yes；　he　was　clever。　But　you　are　the　most　clever　of　all；〃　he　answered　with　his　terrible　Gascon　intonation。

Hemerlingue　made　no　protest。

〃It　is　to　my　wife　that　I　owe　it。　So　I　strongly　recommend　you　to　make　your　peace　with　her；　because　unless　you　do〃

〃Oh；　don't　be　afraid。　We　shall　come　on　Saturday。　But　you　will　take　me　to　see　Le　Merquier。〃

And　while　the　two　silhouettes；　the　one　tall　and　square；　the　other　massive　and　short；　were　passing　out　of　sight　among　the　twinings　of　the　great　labyrinth；　while　the　voice　of　Jansoulet　guiding　his　friend；　〃This　way；　old　fellowlean　hard　on　my　arm；〃　died　away　by　insensible　degrees；　a　stray　beam　of　the　setting　sun　fell　upon　and　illuminated　behind　them　in　the　little　plateau；　an　expressive　and　colossal　bust；　with　great　brow　beneath　long　swept…back　hair；　and　powerful　and　ironic　lipthe　bust　of　Balzac　watching　them。



LA　BARONNE　HEMERLINGUE

Just　at　the　end　of　the　long　vault；　under　which　were　the　offices　of　Hemerlingue　and　Sons；　the　black　tunnel　which　Joyeuse　had　for　ten　years　adorned　and　illuminated　with　his　dreams；　a　monumental　staircase　with　a　wrought…iron　balustrade；　a　staircase　of　mediaeval　time；　led　towards　the　left　to　the　reception　rooms　of　the　baroness；　which　looked　out　on　the　court…yard　just　above　the　cashier's　office；　so　that　in　summer；　when　the　windows　were　open；